From the Past; to the Future
_________________
Kagome was certain that her mom and grandpa had issued the order. "I am sorry they had no right to tell you that."she said. "It's wrong. When I didn't hear from you, I was hurt. I thought maybe you were just tired of me."
Inu dropped the mop with a clatter, came to her and held her face in his large rough hands. "I could never forget you, Kagome. Haven't I told you that many times? Seeing you again has made me the happiest I've been in a week."
Her knees turned to mush. Behind her, Sango cleared her throat. Kagome introduced them. "Come I will take you away from here.
"That's alright. We don't mind--"
"No,"he said sharply. "You aren't safe here."
Kagome didn't feel in any danger, especially now that she was with Inu. "But your job..."
"I don't care."He removed his apron, took her hand and led her to the front door. He said something to the cashier, then escorted them out. In the alley he put them in his beat up old car. "It's not much. But I bought it myself."
He drove past the graffiti covered buildings down to a park in Midtown, not speaking the whole way. He wedged his car into a tiny parking space. In the park, the trees were bright with new leaves, and tulips bloomed in well-kept flower beds. Mothers and nannies pushed baby carriages along sun-dappled walk ways. He found a bench over looking a bed of daffodils and settle Kagome next to him.
Sango said,"I'm hungry. I see a hot dog vendor over there. You guys want anything?"
They both shook their heads no. Kagome knew she was giving them time to be alone.
"I am sorry I interupted you at work."She said.
"Oh, I dont care about that job. It is you I care for. We left because I didnt want you in my world, Kagome."
"Why?"
"It is an ugly, scary world and not good enough for you."
"That's silly. I wasn't afraid."
He dropped his gaze. "But I am. I still have enemies there."
"Then why do you stay?"
He shrugged. "The owner gives me a free room over his store for watching his turf at night. I save more money that way. Its a good arrangement for me."
"I do not want to stop seeing you." Kagome blurted. "I don't care what anyone thinks."
He turned and stared at the flowers. "What your grandpa told you was true, I am not a good person. I've done many wrong things. I do not want you to know them or hear about them. I have been in juvie once and ran a gang, where my word was law." He lifted his sleeve and showed her a faint tattoo of a ferocious dog.
"I am having this removed by my friend Kikyo in the radiation department. If only mylife were so easy to erase."
"That is not the Inu I know. The Inu I know is kind and gentle and very caring."
"When I came home from jail two of my best friends were dead. Also my cousin. My brother was in custody for shooting a rival gang member. In the past four years, I have lost six friends to the streets. I knew that if I didn't do something soon I would end up the same. That's when I started at the hospital trying to make something better of myself. That's when I first saw you. You were so beautiful, so sick and sad. I could not take my eyes off you. Of course, you did not know I existed. I can't explain why you made a difference for me, but you did. I wanted to know you. I wanted to be worthy of you and your world. You gave me purpose even though you never knew me. Or about how I felt for you."
Kagome was moved. His feelings for her transcended reason, and she didn't feel worthy of them. Tears threatened to spill as she imagined his life and the loss he suffered.
"I didn't know, but I am happy you told me. My mom and grandpa had no right to tell you not to contact me."
"You're are lucky to have them care for you so much. My father left when I was two. My mother struggled to raise me, but then she got sick and died. I moved in with an aunt, but my uncle was a drunk and very cruel. That gang world was safer, and i was important. I grew into one mean guy. When I turned fifteen I had a long history with the police. My uncle was afraid of me, he turned me into the cops. And so I was sent away."
Kagome knew she should be frightened of a guy like him. He'd led a life she only read of in papers. She wasn't afraid of him. Worse, she was certain she was falling for him.
"I don't know what to say. All I know is your past doesn't matter to me. I want to see you more. Especially now"
"You're on the transplant list. Yes, I heard. That is a good thing, Kagome. With a new heart, you can live long and not be sick. It make me happy to know that."
"But I am scared. Scared I 'll get the heart, scared I will die waiting. Either way is a risk."
"Life is risk. When you grow up on the streets, every day you don't die is a good day." He smiled. "But I don't want to speak to you of such, just life. And you have given mine a new meaning."
She couldn't believe he felt that way about her. She knew she wasn't special. He sure made her feel that way.
"Then that is all the reason we should plan on seeing more of one another."
"It would mean so much to me. But how? You mom and grandpa--"
"Want me to be happy."She interrupted. "And being with you makes me happy. I'm under their guard right now, but once they relax, I'll have more freedom. In the meantime, I'll be making regular visits to the doctor. Sango will help us get together."
"Did I just hear my name?"Sango came up with a half eaten hot dog and cola. "I- um- don't mean to be a drag, but we better go. Its three and school is almost out. Gotta get where we need to be."
"I will drinve you," Inu said. "Then I will check into the hospital."
"And on the way we will make plans." Kagome said. She wasn't going to let anyone or anything seperate her and Inu. Now that she found him. She didn't want to lose him. No matter what her mom or grandpa said.
With Sango's help, Kagome was able to get and recieve messages from Inu regularly. As Kagome got stronger, she begged Sango to accompany her to the hospital for check up and visits. "You can call Dr. Kaede and yak your heads off." she told her parents. "But please don't hang all over me now that I feel good. I am not a kid anymore."
At first they were hesitant, finally they agreed. After every visit Kagome would spend time with Inu. They took walks by the river, holding hands. Whenever Kagome grew short of breath Inu would sit her down on the river bank. She had never been happier. Her life felt almost normal. Some days she forgot she needed a new heart. Her attitude was so excellent even Dr.Kaede told her so. "Research shows the better your outlook the quicker the recovery."
Her mom and grandpa said."It's wonderful to see you so happy, dear."
Of course Kagome could not tell them why she felt so good. She could never tell them about meeting with Inu. In late July, her grandpa dropped a bombshell.
"Kagome,"he began," We're closing up the town house here in the city and moving to another city. I have done alot of research and it's you best way of getting a new heart quickly."
_________________
Kagome was certain that her mom and grandpa had issued the order. "I am sorry they had no right to tell you that."she said. "It's wrong. When I didn't hear from you, I was hurt. I thought maybe you were just tired of me."
Inu dropped the mop with a clatter, came to her and held her face in his large rough hands. "I could never forget you, Kagome. Haven't I told you that many times? Seeing you again has made me the happiest I've been in a week."
Her knees turned to mush. Behind her, Sango cleared her throat. Kagome introduced them. "Come I will take you away from here.
"That's alright. We don't mind--"
"No,"he said sharply. "You aren't safe here."
Kagome didn't feel in any danger, especially now that she was with Inu. "But your job..."
"I don't care."He removed his apron, took her hand and led her to the front door. He said something to the cashier, then escorted them out. In the alley he put them in his beat up old car. "It's not much. But I bought it myself."
He drove past the graffiti covered buildings down to a park in Midtown, not speaking the whole way. He wedged his car into a tiny parking space. In the park, the trees were bright with new leaves, and tulips bloomed in well-kept flower beds. Mothers and nannies pushed baby carriages along sun-dappled walk ways. He found a bench over looking a bed of daffodils and settle Kagome next to him.
Sango said,"I'm hungry. I see a hot dog vendor over there. You guys want anything?"
They both shook their heads no. Kagome knew she was giving them time to be alone.
"I am sorry I interupted you at work."She said.
"Oh, I dont care about that job. It is you I care for. We left because I didnt want you in my world, Kagome."
"Why?"
"It is an ugly, scary world and not good enough for you."
"That's silly. I wasn't afraid."
He dropped his gaze. "But I am. I still have enemies there."
"Then why do you stay?"
He shrugged. "The owner gives me a free room over his store for watching his turf at night. I save more money that way. Its a good arrangement for me."
"I do not want to stop seeing you." Kagome blurted. "I don't care what anyone thinks."
He turned and stared at the flowers. "What your grandpa told you was true, I am not a good person. I've done many wrong things. I do not want you to know them or hear about them. I have been in juvie once and ran a gang, where my word was law." He lifted his sleeve and showed her a faint tattoo of a ferocious dog.
"I am having this removed by my friend Kikyo in the radiation department. If only mylife were so easy to erase."
"That is not the Inu I know. The Inu I know is kind and gentle and very caring."
"When I came home from jail two of my best friends were dead. Also my cousin. My brother was in custody for shooting a rival gang member. In the past four years, I have lost six friends to the streets. I knew that if I didn't do something soon I would end up the same. That's when I started at the hospital trying to make something better of myself. That's when I first saw you. You were so beautiful, so sick and sad. I could not take my eyes off you. Of course, you did not know I existed. I can't explain why you made a difference for me, but you did. I wanted to know you. I wanted to be worthy of you and your world. You gave me purpose even though you never knew me. Or about how I felt for you."
Kagome was moved. His feelings for her transcended reason, and she didn't feel worthy of them. Tears threatened to spill as she imagined his life and the loss he suffered.
"I didn't know, but I am happy you told me. My mom and grandpa had no right to tell you not to contact me."
"You're are lucky to have them care for you so much. My father left when I was two. My mother struggled to raise me, but then she got sick and died. I moved in with an aunt, but my uncle was a drunk and very cruel. That gang world was safer, and i was important. I grew into one mean guy. When I turned fifteen I had a long history with the police. My uncle was afraid of me, he turned me into the cops. And so I was sent away."
Kagome knew she should be frightened of a guy like him. He'd led a life she only read of in papers. She wasn't afraid of him. Worse, she was certain she was falling for him.
"I don't know what to say. All I know is your past doesn't matter to me. I want to see you more. Especially now"
"You're on the transplant list. Yes, I heard. That is a good thing, Kagome. With a new heart, you can live long and not be sick. It make me happy to know that."
"But I am scared. Scared I 'll get the heart, scared I will die waiting. Either way is a risk."
"Life is risk. When you grow up on the streets, every day you don't die is a good day." He smiled. "But I don't want to speak to you of such, just life. And you have given mine a new meaning."
She couldn't believe he felt that way about her. She knew she wasn't special. He sure made her feel that way.
"Then that is all the reason we should plan on seeing more of one another."
"It would mean so much to me. But how? You mom and grandpa--"
"Want me to be happy."She interrupted. "And being with you makes me happy. I'm under their guard right now, but once they relax, I'll have more freedom. In the meantime, I'll be making regular visits to the doctor. Sango will help us get together."
"Did I just hear my name?"Sango came up with a half eaten hot dog and cola. "I- um- don't mean to be a drag, but we better go. Its three and school is almost out. Gotta get where we need to be."
"I will drinve you," Inu said. "Then I will check into the hospital."
"And on the way we will make plans." Kagome said. She wasn't going to let anyone or anything seperate her and Inu. Now that she found him. She didn't want to lose him. No matter what her mom or grandpa said.
With Sango's help, Kagome was able to get and recieve messages from Inu regularly. As Kagome got stronger, she begged Sango to accompany her to the hospital for check up and visits. "You can call Dr. Kaede and yak your heads off." she told her parents. "But please don't hang all over me now that I feel good. I am not a kid anymore."
At first they were hesitant, finally they agreed. After every visit Kagome would spend time with Inu. They took walks by the river, holding hands. Whenever Kagome grew short of breath Inu would sit her down on the river bank. She had never been happier. Her life felt almost normal. Some days she forgot she needed a new heart. Her attitude was so excellent even Dr.Kaede told her so. "Research shows the better your outlook the quicker the recovery."
Her mom and grandpa said."It's wonderful to see you so happy, dear."
Of course Kagome could not tell them why she felt so good. She could never tell them about meeting with Inu. In late July, her grandpa dropped a bombshell.
"Kagome,"he began," We're closing up the town house here in the city and moving to another city. I have done alot of research and it's you best way of getting a new heart quickly."