Daphne: "One of my reviewers brought up a very good question, and I would
like to address it for her.
NANCY:
Yes, in fact, there are many people who are like Eriol when he was young. Some of them are able to move around, but not communicate very well, others are confined to wheelchairs because they cannot move at all. Now, I can't say that all of these people have tumors on their brains, like Eriol did, because most of them don't. I have a young man in my school who is just like Eriol, except he can walk, but not very well, and he does not have a tumor in his head. In fact, the boy I know is very nice, cheerful, funny, and he likes to be around people, unlike Eriol.
And yes, these people do usually communicate with uncharacteristic squealing and grunting and moaning, to show their emotions.
So there you have it. I hope that answers your question, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
~*~*~*~
LOVE OF AGES
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 4.
~*~*~*~
"Yes. Do you think that she could stay there with you?"
Daidouji Sonomi was on the phone in her bedroom, talking to someone long- distance. The person must have said something positive, because Sonomi let out a laugh.
"Wonderful! She will be thrilled! Now, it will only be her, because we don't want her mobbed by every news-person in the country. And it will have to be quite a secret." Sonomi insisted. The person on the other line said something, and Sonomi nodded.
"I thank you. You don't know how relieved I am to have her with friends. Expect her next Friday, in the afternoon. Yes, that's right! It was wonderful to talk to you, too. I hope to see you soon! Yes. Uh-huh. All right! Goodbye!"
Sonomi hung up, smiling with satisfaction. Tomoyo now had a safe place to stay in London, where no one would suspect to look! Oh, wouldn't Tomoyo be delighted when she learned she was staying with a friend?!
With this thought, Sonomi left the room, to prepare for a dinner engagement. Meanwhile, Tomoyo would have been quite alarmed and angry if she knew the plot her mother had just dragged her into. Unfortunately, she would not learn until is was too late.
~*~*~*~
"GOODBYE!"
"Have fun on the cruise!"
"Don't strangle him, Chiharu-dear!"
"Send me lots of pictures!"
"DON'T YOU DARE LIE, YAMAZAKI!!!"
"As if he'd listen to you!" Tomoyo laughed, as she waved at the retreating limo that would take her dear friends to the docks. It was the day before she was to leave to England, and Chiharu and Yamazaki had decided that they wanted to be married while Tomoyo, Meiling, Omata, and Naoko were still there. Hence, the early wedding!
"Well, I have a feeling that not even Chiharu's threats will keep him from lying, but it was worth a try!" Syaoran laughed, as he put his arm around his wife's waist.
"Oh, he won't. When has she ever stopped him before?" Sakura laughed. She linked her arm in Tomoyo's, and they made their way to Tomoyo's limo. Syaoran and Sakura had decided to stay in Tomoyo's apartment, since she had an extra room.
"Have you written Touya yet?" Tomoyo asked as they finally got home and walked into the living-room. The girls collapsed on the couch while Syaoran poured some tea and handed it out.
"I did. I told him we were coming in mid. July, and he called me yesterday, saying he couldn't wait. He also said something about having a surprise for me when we got there...whatever that means." Sakura stated, taking a sip of her drink. Tomoyo looked thoughtful, and Syaoran took that time to look around the room.
"Tomoyo? How do you feel about this Roderick person?" He asked suddenly. Tomoyo choked on her tea.
"Excuse me?"
"Your mother was telling us about some man, Robert Roderick, was it? She seemed to think that you had feelings for him." Syaoran continued. Again, Tomoyo nearly choked on her tea, as Sakura looked at her in worry.
"Are you all right, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura questioned. Tomoyo forced a smile and nodded.
"I'm fine. Robert is a very nice man...but no, I have no feelings for him. I wish that she would just give that up." Tomoyo sighed. Sakura smiled softly.
"I'm sure that she is just worried about you. She has reason. You haven't dated since our seventh year in school." Sakura reminded her. Tomoyo groaned.
"Not you too! I'm going to bed. We have an early morning tomorrow. You have to catch that plane to Hong Kong, and I have to leave for London." With this, Tomoyo hugged them both goodnight and left the room, leaving her friends looking at each other, worried.
"She's lonely, Syaoran. I can tell." Sakura sighed, putting down her tea cup. Syaoran wrapped her in his arms and breathed deeply into her hair.
"I know. But what can we do about it? She is so stubborn. Don't worry, Sakura-tenshi. She will be fine, you'll see." He whispered, as he led her to their room.
~*~*~*~
"Goodbye, Tomoyo. I'm going to miss you so much!" Sakura whimpered, the next day at the airport. Tomoyo smiled and hugged her friend tightly.
"We'll see each other soon." She assured. Meiling and Naoko quickly took their turns at hugging the couple, as Tomoyo went over to talk with her mother. Beside her mother stood a tall young man with short mahogany hair and brown eyes. He would have been quite a handsome fellow if he hadn't been gazing around him as if all the other people in the airport were bugs.
"Really, Tomoyo. Hugging in public should be outlawed." He stated, hooking his arm around hers. Tomoyo looked up in shock and then worked to hide her frown.
"Hugging your best friend who you have known all your life is not a crime, Mr. Roderick." She stated. He pulled her arm closer and smiled down at her.
"I suppose not. Come my dear, your mother has managed it so that we will sit together." He pulled her towards the loading door, but she pulled away quickly.
"I need to speak to my mother, if you please. And I am afraid that I can't sit next to you. Meiling has already told me that she must speak to me during the trip, on business matters." Tomoyo turned and walked back to the group, seething. Meiling saw this and quickly hooked her arm through Tomoyo's.
"Well, we had best be going. We'll see you soon, Sakura-chan, Xiaolang." She hugged them both quickly, and then after linking her other arm through her husbands, quickly walked onto the plane with Naoko a few steps behind them. When she and Tomoyo were seated in their seats, Meiling making sure to get the isle one, she turned to her friend.
"All right. What did he do this time?" The girl spat. Tomoyo smiled ruefully as she saw Omata turn in his seat in front of them. Naoko had taken the isle seat across from Meiling, and next to a rather good-looking young man who seemed to have taken a liking to her. That left Sonomi to take the window seat next to Omata, and Robert took a seat two rows up, because the others were taken.
"Nothing, Meiling. It's over now." Tomoyo whispered back. Meiling growled but said nothing, and Omata patted her hand before turning back around.
"Now, about those papers we have to go over..."
Tomoyo rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long, long flight.
~*~*~*~
"Wow! This place is amazing!" Naoko cried, as she practically hung out the window of the limo, gazing at all the wondrous sights of London. She had replaced her glasses with contacts, and her shoulder-length brown hair blew back in the wind. Tomoyo smiled at her friend's enthusiasm, but nervously clutched her purse in her lap.
Her mother refused to tell her where she was to stay, only that it was 'among friends'. Tomoyo had no idea what her mother meant by this, and to be perfectly frank, she didn't want to. Her mother had also booked rooms in a nearby five-star hotel for herself, Meiling, Naoko, Omata, and Robert.
"Now, they are expecting you, so don't hesitate to make yourself at home." Sonomi reminded the girl. Tomoyo rolled her eyes and then trained them on the buildings flashing by. Meiling shrieked as they passed Harrods.
"You and I are going on a major shopping spree, Tomoyo!" She cried, as her eyes took in the tall building. Tomoyo grinned. Harrods was one of the clothing stores interested in her line, and she was quite flattered by their attention.
"My credit cards are at your disposal, O beloved wife of mine." Omata groaned, causing Meiling to elbow him and grin. Through this entire time, Robert had been silent.
"I don't like the idea of Tomoyo living alone with strangers, Sonomi." He finally stated in his I-know-all voice. Tomoyo frowned at him, but Sonomi simply smiled.
"They're not strangers, Robert. They are old friends. Don't worry. Tomoyo will be perfectly fine." She stated, as they pulled up in front of a large, wrought iron gate. It had a lovely rustic design on it, and in the very center of that design, was a large letter 'H'. Sonomi gasped as she saw this.
"I had no idea they lived in such style, though!" She managed. Everyone glanced wearily at the gates, which were slowly opening on their own. Then the limo pulled through, and up a long, winding drive. Thick evergreens and other such trees surrounded them on both sides, and the road seemed to never end, as it took about three minutes just to get out of the forestry. But when they did, a resounding gasp broke through the group. They were now driving through a gorgeous yard, well kept and green.
A large pond...it could almost be called a small lake, lay peacefully to the left side. On the right, several high bush walls stood, hiding everything beyond them from further sight. The house...excuse me, *mansion* itself was huge, and nestled quite peacefully in its surroundings. It was made of a light red-brown stone, and towered quite a few stories into the air. The driveway wound directly to the bottom of the white marble stairway that led up to the huge mahogany french doors.
A man waited at the bottom of the steps, and as the car pulled to a stop, he opened the door and kindly helped them out. Sonomi whispered something to the man, and he nodded, smiling. Then her mother turned with a bright smile.
"Well, this is the place. Now Philipe will help you with your baggage, Tomoyo. I will call you soon to check up on you." Her mother called, as they got back into the car. Tomoyo winced.
"Now would be a good time to tell me exactly *who* I'm staying with, mother!" She called out. Her mother simply smiled and shook her head.
"You will soon find out, won't you dear? Goodbye!" Sonomi called, as the car pulled away. Tomoyo sighed in aggravation and sent a helpless look at Philipe. He simply smiled and picked up some of her bags.
"This way, Miss. I was asked to show you to the sitting room, and your hostess will meet you there." He stated. Tomoyo smiled at him, immediately feeling at ease with this man. Philipe was quite tall, with graying brown hair and happy blue eyes that shone kindly at her. She quickly followed him into the house, and gaped as they entered the huge front hall. It too, was made of marble, and beautiful works of art were hung on the walls. A gorgeous oriental rug rested just inside the door, and a flight of stairs were at the very end of the hall, and then branched off in two different directions on the landing. Several sets of mahogany doors lined the hall, and Philipe led her into the first ones on the right.
"You may wait here until they arrive." He said, as he shut the door behind her. She gasped in wonder at the room. It was a large, rectangular room with a huge white-marble fireplace directly across from where she stood. Overstuffed chairs and couches were tastefully placed around the fireplace, with a few small tables strewn in here and there. The floor was covered in what looked to be a soft white carpet, and all of the wood in this room was mahogany.
There was a circular tea-table off to the right, with several chairs placed around it. There were two large windows on the wall to her right, and two more on either side of the fireplace. All of the windows had window seats that were cushioned with a lovely feathery pillows. In fact, most of the couches and chairs had the same type of pillows on them, placed in positions where they would attract the right amount of attention.
The room also held several small bookshelves. Some books, in fact, were sitting on the tables by the fireplace, as if someone had been reading them. On the fireplace mantel rested several photographs in gold frames, and over the fireplace was a large mirror, tilted down so one could easily see themselves in it. Tomoyo smiled in child-like delight of the room, and quickly made her way over to the mantel to look at the pictures.
The first picture on the left was of a young woman, with long brown hair and sparkling brown eyes that held a bit of mischief in them. The second was of the same woman, slightly older, sitting in a chair with a baby in her arms and a young man at her back. This picture startled Tomoyo for one reason; the young man in the photo was Kinomoto Touya, Sakura's older brother! So this was what he had been hiding!
But the next picture was the most shocking of all. It was an exact replica of the one that hung in her office at home! The one with a young version of Meiling, Rika, Chiharu and Naoko sitting on the ground of their clearing, arms around each other's shoulders. And behind them was Sakura, who knelt to one side of a wheelchair, while Tomoyo herself knelt on the other. Behind the wheelchair stood Syaoran and Yamazaki, their eyes twinkling. And in that chair, sat Hiiragizawa Eriol.
Tomoyo caught her breath. How was it possible that they had come across this picture? Who could have had it? With a breath like a sob, Tomoyo reached up and rested her fingers over the images of herself and Eriol. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, that she did not hear the door open quietly, nor the soft intake of breath as the intruder caught sight of her. There was a long pause, then:
"Tomoyo?"
~*~*~*~
NANCY:
Yes, in fact, there are many people who are like Eriol when he was young. Some of them are able to move around, but not communicate very well, others are confined to wheelchairs because they cannot move at all. Now, I can't say that all of these people have tumors on their brains, like Eriol did, because most of them don't. I have a young man in my school who is just like Eriol, except he can walk, but not very well, and he does not have a tumor in his head. In fact, the boy I know is very nice, cheerful, funny, and he likes to be around people, unlike Eriol.
And yes, these people do usually communicate with uncharacteristic squealing and grunting and moaning, to show their emotions.
So there you have it. I hope that answers your question, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
~*~*~*~
LOVE OF AGES
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 4.
~*~*~*~
"Yes. Do you think that she could stay there with you?"
Daidouji Sonomi was on the phone in her bedroom, talking to someone long- distance. The person must have said something positive, because Sonomi let out a laugh.
"Wonderful! She will be thrilled! Now, it will only be her, because we don't want her mobbed by every news-person in the country. And it will have to be quite a secret." Sonomi insisted. The person on the other line said something, and Sonomi nodded.
"I thank you. You don't know how relieved I am to have her with friends. Expect her next Friday, in the afternoon. Yes, that's right! It was wonderful to talk to you, too. I hope to see you soon! Yes. Uh-huh. All right! Goodbye!"
Sonomi hung up, smiling with satisfaction. Tomoyo now had a safe place to stay in London, where no one would suspect to look! Oh, wouldn't Tomoyo be delighted when she learned she was staying with a friend?!
With this thought, Sonomi left the room, to prepare for a dinner engagement. Meanwhile, Tomoyo would have been quite alarmed and angry if she knew the plot her mother had just dragged her into. Unfortunately, she would not learn until is was too late.
~*~*~*~
"GOODBYE!"
"Have fun on the cruise!"
"Don't strangle him, Chiharu-dear!"
"Send me lots of pictures!"
"DON'T YOU DARE LIE, YAMAZAKI!!!"
"As if he'd listen to you!" Tomoyo laughed, as she waved at the retreating limo that would take her dear friends to the docks. It was the day before she was to leave to England, and Chiharu and Yamazaki had decided that they wanted to be married while Tomoyo, Meiling, Omata, and Naoko were still there. Hence, the early wedding!
"Well, I have a feeling that not even Chiharu's threats will keep him from lying, but it was worth a try!" Syaoran laughed, as he put his arm around his wife's waist.
"Oh, he won't. When has she ever stopped him before?" Sakura laughed. She linked her arm in Tomoyo's, and they made their way to Tomoyo's limo. Syaoran and Sakura had decided to stay in Tomoyo's apartment, since she had an extra room.
"Have you written Touya yet?" Tomoyo asked as they finally got home and walked into the living-room. The girls collapsed on the couch while Syaoran poured some tea and handed it out.
"I did. I told him we were coming in mid. July, and he called me yesterday, saying he couldn't wait. He also said something about having a surprise for me when we got there...whatever that means." Sakura stated, taking a sip of her drink. Tomoyo looked thoughtful, and Syaoran took that time to look around the room.
"Tomoyo? How do you feel about this Roderick person?" He asked suddenly. Tomoyo choked on her tea.
"Excuse me?"
"Your mother was telling us about some man, Robert Roderick, was it? She seemed to think that you had feelings for him." Syaoran continued. Again, Tomoyo nearly choked on her tea, as Sakura looked at her in worry.
"Are you all right, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura questioned. Tomoyo forced a smile and nodded.
"I'm fine. Robert is a very nice man...but no, I have no feelings for him. I wish that she would just give that up." Tomoyo sighed. Sakura smiled softly.
"I'm sure that she is just worried about you. She has reason. You haven't dated since our seventh year in school." Sakura reminded her. Tomoyo groaned.
"Not you too! I'm going to bed. We have an early morning tomorrow. You have to catch that plane to Hong Kong, and I have to leave for London." With this, Tomoyo hugged them both goodnight and left the room, leaving her friends looking at each other, worried.
"She's lonely, Syaoran. I can tell." Sakura sighed, putting down her tea cup. Syaoran wrapped her in his arms and breathed deeply into her hair.
"I know. But what can we do about it? She is so stubborn. Don't worry, Sakura-tenshi. She will be fine, you'll see." He whispered, as he led her to their room.
~*~*~*~
"Goodbye, Tomoyo. I'm going to miss you so much!" Sakura whimpered, the next day at the airport. Tomoyo smiled and hugged her friend tightly.
"We'll see each other soon." She assured. Meiling and Naoko quickly took their turns at hugging the couple, as Tomoyo went over to talk with her mother. Beside her mother stood a tall young man with short mahogany hair and brown eyes. He would have been quite a handsome fellow if he hadn't been gazing around him as if all the other people in the airport were bugs.
"Really, Tomoyo. Hugging in public should be outlawed." He stated, hooking his arm around hers. Tomoyo looked up in shock and then worked to hide her frown.
"Hugging your best friend who you have known all your life is not a crime, Mr. Roderick." She stated. He pulled her arm closer and smiled down at her.
"I suppose not. Come my dear, your mother has managed it so that we will sit together." He pulled her towards the loading door, but she pulled away quickly.
"I need to speak to my mother, if you please. And I am afraid that I can't sit next to you. Meiling has already told me that she must speak to me during the trip, on business matters." Tomoyo turned and walked back to the group, seething. Meiling saw this and quickly hooked her arm through Tomoyo's.
"Well, we had best be going. We'll see you soon, Sakura-chan, Xiaolang." She hugged them both quickly, and then after linking her other arm through her husbands, quickly walked onto the plane with Naoko a few steps behind them. When she and Tomoyo were seated in their seats, Meiling making sure to get the isle one, she turned to her friend.
"All right. What did he do this time?" The girl spat. Tomoyo smiled ruefully as she saw Omata turn in his seat in front of them. Naoko had taken the isle seat across from Meiling, and next to a rather good-looking young man who seemed to have taken a liking to her. That left Sonomi to take the window seat next to Omata, and Robert took a seat two rows up, because the others were taken.
"Nothing, Meiling. It's over now." Tomoyo whispered back. Meiling growled but said nothing, and Omata patted her hand before turning back around.
"Now, about those papers we have to go over..."
Tomoyo rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long, long flight.
~*~*~*~
"Wow! This place is amazing!" Naoko cried, as she practically hung out the window of the limo, gazing at all the wondrous sights of London. She had replaced her glasses with contacts, and her shoulder-length brown hair blew back in the wind. Tomoyo smiled at her friend's enthusiasm, but nervously clutched her purse in her lap.
Her mother refused to tell her where she was to stay, only that it was 'among friends'. Tomoyo had no idea what her mother meant by this, and to be perfectly frank, she didn't want to. Her mother had also booked rooms in a nearby five-star hotel for herself, Meiling, Naoko, Omata, and Robert.
"Now, they are expecting you, so don't hesitate to make yourself at home." Sonomi reminded the girl. Tomoyo rolled her eyes and then trained them on the buildings flashing by. Meiling shrieked as they passed Harrods.
"You and I are going on a major shopping spree, Tomoyo!" She cried, as her eyes took in the tall building. Tomoyo grinned. Harrods was one of the clothing stores interested in her line, and she was quite flattered by their attention.
"My credit cards are at your disposal, O beloved wife of mine." Omata groaned, causing Meiling to elbow him and grin. Through this entire time, Robert had been silent.
"I don't like the idea of Tomoyo living alone with strangers, Sonomi." He finally stated in his I-know-all voice. Tomoyo frowned at him, but Sonomi simply smiled.
"They're not strangers, Robert. They are old friends. Don't worry. Tomoyo will be perfectly fine." She stated, as they pulled up in front of a large, wrought iron gate. It had a lovely rustic design on it, and in the very center of that design, was a large letter 'H'. Sonomi gasped as she saw this.
"I had no idea they lived in such style, though!" She managed. Everyone glanced wearily at the gates, which were slowly opening on their own. Then the limo pulled through, and up a long, winding drive. Thick evergreens and other such trees surrounded them on both sides, and the road seemed to never end, as it took about three minutes just to get out of the forestry. But when they did, a resounding gasp broke through the group. They were now driving through a gorgeous yard, well kept and green.
A large pond...it could almost be called a small lake, lay peacefully to the left side. On the right, several high bush walls stood, hiding everything beyond them from further sight. The house...excuse me, *mansion* itself was huge, and nestled quite peacefully in its surroundings. It was made of a light red-brown stone, and towered quite a few stories into the air. The driveway wound directly to the bottom of the white marble stairway that led up to the huge mahogany french doors.
A man waited at the bottom of the steps, and as the car pulled to a stop, he opened the door and kindly helped them out. Sonomi whispered something to the man, and he nodded, smiling. Then her mother turned with a bright smile.
"Well, this is the place. Now Philipe will help you with your baggage, Tomoyo. I will call you soon to check up on you." Her mother called, as they got back into the car. Tomoyo winced.
"Now would be a good time to tell me exactly *who* I'm staying with, mother!" She called out. Her mother simply smiled and shook her head.
"You will soon find out, won't you dear? Goodbye!" Sonomi called, as the car pulled away. Tomoyo sighed in aggravation and sent a helpless look at Philipe. He simply smiled and picked up some of her bags.
"This way, Miss. I was asked to show you to the sitting room, and your hostess will meet you there." He stated. Tomoyo smiled at him, immediately feeling at ease with this man. Philipe was quite tall, with graying brown hair and happy blue eyes that shone kindly at her. She quickly followed him into the house, and gaped as they entered the huge front hall. It too, was made of marble, and beautiful works of art were hung on the walls. A gorgeous oriental rug rested just inside the door, and a flight of stairs were at the very end of the hall, and then branched off in two different directions on the landing. Several sets of mahogany doors lined the hall, and Philipe led her into the first ones on the right.
"You may wait here until they arrive." He said, as he shut the door behind her. She gasped in wonder at the room. It was a large, rectangular room with a huge white-marble fireplace directly across from where she stood. Overstuffed chairs and couches were tastefully placed around the fireplace, with a few small tables strewn in here and there. The floor was covered in what looked to be a soft white carpet, and all of the wood in this room was mahogany.
There was a circular tea-table off to the right, with several chairs placed around it. There were two large windows on the wall to her right, and two more on either side of the fireplace. All of the windows had window seats that were cushioned with a lovely feathery pillows. In fact, most of the couches and chairs had the same type of pillows on them, placed in positions where they would attract the right amount of attention.
The room also held several small bookshelves. Some books, in fact, were sitting on the tables by the fireplace, as if someone had been reading them. On the fireplace mantel rested several photographs in gold frames, and over the fireplace was a large mirror, tilted down so one could easily see themselves in it. Tomoyo smiled in child-like delight of the room, and quickly made her way over to the mantel to look at the pictures.
The first picture on the left was of a young woman, with long brown hair and sparkling brown eyes that held a bit of mischief in them. The second was of the same woman, slightly older, sitting in a chair with a baby in her arms and a young man at her back. This picture startled Tomoyo for one reason; the young man in the photo was Kinomoto Touya, Sakura's older brother! So this was what he had been hiding!
But the next picture was the most shocking of all. It was an exact replica of the one that hung in her office at home! The one with a young version of Meiling, Rika, Chiharu and Naoko sitting on the ground of their clearing, arms around each other's shoulders. And behind them was Sakura, who knelt to one side of a wheelchair, while Tomoyo herself knelt on the other. Behind the wheelchair stood Syaoran and Yamazaki, their eyes twinkling. And in that chair, sat Hiiragizawa Eriol.
Tomoyo caught her breath. How was it possible that they had come across this picture? Who could have had it? With a breath like a sob, Tomoyo reached up and rested her fingers over the images of herself and Eriol. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, that she did not hear the door open quietly, nor the soft intake of breath as the intruder caught sight of her. There was a long pause, then:
"Tomoyo?"
~*~*~*~
