Gato: If I procrastinated any harder…I don't even know. I have lost the ability to think.
Irie: So, what makes you think this is a good time to write?
Gato: Hey, I don't question your strange little quirks…
Irie: Like the fact I own a pink and purple cow?
Gato: Exactly. So, leave me be.
Irie: Very well. Only the plot belongs to her. I own nothing seeing as I'm a figment of everyone's imagination, including my own. Oh…think that through…
………………………………………
Sora slept fitfully in her new room. She dreamt of the night that drove her to her present predicament. A tap at the door awoke the young woman. Sora stepped over the sheets which had fallen to the ground the previous night and opened the door. Marianna's smile greeted the red-head.
"Sorry that you have to wake up so early, Sora, but we have breakfast duty."
"Oh," Sora smiled, "that's fine, Marianna. I'll just change…" Sora trailed off as she realized that she had no other clothing.
Marianna grinned, "Its fine. These clothes were sent for." She handed Sora a package of clothing. "Change quickly and meet me in the kitchen. It's downstairs, first door to the right."
"Thank-you so much, Marianna." Sora thanked the woman once more and shut her door. Quickly, she replaced her comfortable clothes with a stiff uniform. The black pants fell slightly too long, but a quick roll fixed the problem. Her white shirt fit well and she forced her bangs off her face with a slim, black headband. Sora ran silently through the house and made her way to the kitchen.
Marianna turned upon hearing Sora enter the kitchen. She expertly examined Sora's clothing and nodded. "What type of food do you know how to cook, Sora?"
"Anything that isn't too complicated," Sora replied.
Marianna nodded once more. "Alright. Mr. Kamiya breakfasts in half an hour, and only eats toast with butter and marmalade which he accompanies with a coffee. Since this is not a weekend, Mrs. Kamiya will have a blueberry muffin, yogurt, and some tea."
Sora mentally recorded this information. "What about Ta…Master Kamiya?"
"One never knows with him," Marianna sighed, "sometimes he won't eat at all. Other times, he comes down here demanding a full breakfast as if he is the king of Spain."
"I see," Sora murmured.
"He's a very lonely person." Marianna shook her head empathetically. "But look at the time! Mr. Kamiya will be down soon. Put the coffee on and put three slices of bread in the toaster. Then, come over here and I'll show you how to make Mrs. Kamiya's muffins."
---
Sora spent the morning and most of the afternoon in the kitchen with Marianna. The Hispanic woman taught Sora about the gastronomic likes and dislikes of the Kamiya household. Sora learned how to prepare perfect scones in time for Mrs. Kamiya's tea. While Sora worked, other servants passed through the kitchen, stopping to converse with Marianna. Here, Sora heard more gossip in several hours than she had in several weeks of high school. Mr. Kamiya returned home late the previous night, and according to Andrew, the butler, he reeked of cigarette smoke and beer. Liza, one of the younger maids, swore that he had taken a new lover. Marianna snorted at this, stating firmly that the only person with the right to infidelity in the household was Mrs. Kamiya. Apparently, the Kamiya household did not possess the love and magic that others associated with its name.
Tai's name floated through the kitchen several times. The boy had yet to emerge from his bedroom. Someone suggested that he had hung himself, the cruel comment accompanied by a vicious laugh. Sora heard her own name mentioned at times, but on each of these occasions, Marianna reprimanded the speaker.
"It sounds like Ta…Master Kamiya isn't very popular."
"Sora, honey," Marianna said while rolling pie dough, "you can call him Tai or Taichi when he isn't around. You won't get into trouble."
Sora nodded, "Why is he the way he is? I mean, he treated his mother terribly."
Marianna wiped her floury hands on her apron. "Sora, I've been with this family for a long time. I've been here from the day they moved in, before Sarah was pregnant. Even then, Arthur had decided that his child would follow in his footsteps. Become the next CEO of Azertek. Sarah wasn't so happy with this idea, but she loved her husband – she still loves him, no matter what the girls say – and didn't oppose the idea. Unfortunately, they got more than they bargained for with Tai. He threw himself into the work, determined to become a perfect copy of his father. He refuses to show his emotions, or even admit that he has any. Frankly, I pity him. He treats his mother, and most other human beings, poorly because he doesn't know how to be kind. He lost that ability a long time ago. I suppose things might have been different if…" Sora waited, hoping that Marianna would continue on her own accord. Finally she went on, "Things would have been different if Kari hadn't disappeared."
"Kari?" Sora asked softly. The name sounded very familiar.
"The youngest Kamiya child. Kari was a darling," the woman sighed softly. "She disappeared about four years ago. Tai was fourteen, and that poor girl was only nine years old. Taichi loved her very much, and was devastated when she vanished. I think that's what changed him. He lost his reason to smile and be happy."
"But I don't see any pictures with Kari in them. And it was never in the news."
The Hispanic nodded, "Mr. Kamiya refused to let the press get a hold of the story. They hired private investigators and everything, but it didn't help. They searched for an entire year, but Kari was gone. Tai locked himself in his room for weeks. Mrs. Kamiya wept and went for days without food. Mr. Kamiya decided that it would be best to remove all reminders of their daughter from the house. The only pictures of Kari are in Sarah's possession. And, as far as the media is concerned, Kari is off in boarding school."
"That's terrible!" Sora cried.
"I disagreed with his methods, and it almost cost me my job. I just don't understand what type of human would take such a sweet girl. She had the cutest light brown hair and matching eyes. And she always wore a little camera that her brother bought for her on her sixth birthday."
Sora paused; the description of the girl probed a distant memory. She had no time to dwell on her memories as Liza entered the kitchen at that moment with a message, "Master Kamiya wishes to see you in the dining room, Sora."
---
Sora quietly entered the dining room to see Tai seated, alone, at the head of the table. She bowed, "You called for me, Master Kamiya?"
"Yes," he looked up, surprised by how attractive she looked in her uniform. "My mother insists that I so some for of Christmas shopping, and you will be the one to accompany me."
"Very well, I'll go and inform…"
"You do not need to inform anyone. Go put on some other clothes and meet me in the garage. I expect you there in five minutes."
"Yes, sir," Sora curtsied and quickly left the room. Tai forced his mind away from her and made his way to the garage.
---
Sora dashed down to the garage, new jeans and a sweater replacing her uniform. The jeans fit perfectly, and the white sweater contrasted nicely with her hair. She slid once more into the Porsche and glanced at Tai. "Where are we going shopping, sir?"
"I think a Vera Wang dress would be best for my mother. We can continue from there." He glanced at the girl, the shock evident on her face.
"A Vera Wang dress?" She demanded, "Are you sure that's what she wants?"
Tai paused. He had never considered what his mother truly wanted. He always made assumptions. "What else could she want?"
"Does she have any hobbies?" Sora asked while playing with her necklace. "Is there anything that she does to have fun?"
Tai frowned in confusion. He tried to think about activities his mother engaged in, but found nothing. With a start, Tai realized he hardly knew his mother anymore. While dwelled in these somber thoughts, a distant memory caught in his mind. He recalled standing on a stool in the kitchen, Kari at his side, while his mother made cookies. She looked so happy and relaxed. "Baking," he said suddenly.
Sora started and grinned, "Baking, huh? That's great! You can buy her tons of gifts that have to do with baking."
Tai nodded and started the car. As he drove through the city, his mind remained with the memory. Everyone appeared so happy. His mother hummed a Christmas song while Kari giggled. And Tai saw himself wearing something very odd, a smile.
---
Sora grinned upon entering William-Sonoma. She visited this store frequently with her mother, though they never had enough money to buy many items. They owned a blender and several baking sheets from William-Sonoma. Sora wondered of her mother would visit the store sometime this week.
Tai's voice interrupted Sora's musing, "Well, go and find what I need to buy my mother, girl."
Sora frowned. "Fist of all, I have a name. It's Sora, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would start using it. Secondly, it would mean a lot more if you chose something yourself."
Tai gaped at Sora's unabashed honesty. He glanced around the store in an attempt to cover his shock and confusion. As he looked at the array of cooking supplies, a revelation came to Tai. He did not know how to buy gifts for other people. Unexpectedly, he murmured, "I don't know how."
"Don't know how to call me by my name?" Sora asked softly.
Tai refused to meet her eyes. "No. I don't know how to buy gifts myself."
Sora smiled, "That's not a problem. I'll help you. What type of baking does your mom like to do?"
"Cookies," he replied quickly. After a moment of reminiscing, he added, "And cakes, and muffins."
Sora nodded, "Okay, well it depends how much you are willing to spend, but you could get her a cookbook for baked goods. Some baking sheets and spatulas would be good ideas as well."
"What about oven mitts?" Tai asked, almost timidly.
"Great idea. And, well, they sell brilliant mixers here. They're pretty expensive, though, and if you add that onto all of the other stuff…"
"It doesn't matter," Tai said softly, without thinking, "my mother is worth it."
Tai forced himself to look at Sora, whose smile radiated kindness and understanding. Her eyes sparkled with joy at his words. Sora grabbed his hand and began to lead him around the store, "Okay, so we'll start with cookbooks, they're over here."
Tai fought the blush rising in his face at her touch. Being around her forced him to think about memories he had locked away. It forced him to remember those happy times. It forced him to feel something other than scorn.
…
The pair spent nearly three hours in William-Sonoma. Finally, Tai decided on the perfect gift for his mother. He purchased a black, Kitchen-Aid mixer, a recipe book, several spatulas and baking sheets. He paid for the large sum with cash, much to the surprise at the man working the cash register. Sora picked up his purchase, and stumbled towards the Porsche. Tai glanced at his watch. "I should take you back now. You have to help prepare dinner."
Sora placed the gifts in the trunk of the sports car. She smiled slightly. Tai spent more on one gift then Sora usually did for gifts for her entire family. She slid into her seat and brushed some hair off her face. "I think your mother will love the presents. She's a very kind person."
Tai responded by igniting the engine of the car.
…
Sora ran from the garage to her bedroom. She quickly shed her comfortable clothing and pulled on the uniform. She arrived in the kitchen breathless and with a pink tinge in her cheeks.
"And where have you been, mija?" Marianna asked, looking up from the chicken on the cutting board.
Sora tied an apron around her waist and replied, "Tai said I had to go shopping with him for Christmas presents."
"I see," Marianna said slowly while she examined the young red-head. "Well, we're making chicken pot pie for dinner. Be a dear and cut the carrots and onions. I've already put the peas to defrost."
"Sure." Sora focused on her task, ensuring that the slices remained even.
"Oh," Marianna called, "Mrs. Kamiya stopped by while you were out. She was wondering if you could organize her room tomorrow after we prepare breakfast."
"If that's what she wants," Sora replied, slightly confused.
"Good girl. Are you done with those vegetables? Now bring them over here, so I can sauté the chicken. Can you prepare the sauce? The recipe is on the fridge door. What did you buy for Sarah?"
The red-headed teen smiled at Marianna's constant stream of commands and questions. "Well, Tai said that his mother liked to cook, so we bought her a bunch of baking things from William-Sonoma."
Marianna's hand paused above the pan, "He remembered his mother's love of cooking? That's amazing. She used to bake with Tai and Kari all the time before…well, before Kari vanished."
Sora nodded, "Yeah, he seemed very odd today. Not his usual cold self."
"That's a good thing. I think your presence here might be more than just a coincidence, Sora." Marianna glanced at her watch and gasped, "Look at the time! Okay, finish up that sauce quickly and I'll start on the crust. After that, we have a raspberry tart to make."
…
Tai hid his mother's gifts in his closet and sank onto his bed. His hand moved towards the night table drawer, something that had not occurred in years. He removed a small photograph and stared longingly at the smiling children. The boy's wild brown hair and smile took up most of the photo. He had his arm around a young girl with short, light brown hair. Her sincere smile brought tears to Tai's eyes. He took a slow breath in an attempt to regain control of his emotions. "Kari," he whispered.
…
Despite several setbacks in the kitchen, such as Liza accidentally eating half of the raspberries necessary for the tart, Sora and Marianna managed to finish the meal on time. They both sighed with relief at Mrs. Kamiya's enjoyment of the meal. The slender woman praised the two for their skill in the kitchen. Mr. Kamiya arrived fifteen minutes after dinner began, and apologized profusely. The two chatted happily about the upcoming Christmas party they planned to host.
"It won't be huge. Only about one hundred and fifty people," Mrs. Kamiya said.
"That's fine, dear. Do you mind of the Randalls come? They have nowhere else to go on Christmas Eve."
"That's perfectly fine, dear. They're a family of five, aren't they? That' won't make a large difference."
"Are you sure, dear?"
"Oh yes, quite sure. It will be nice to see them all again. It feels like ages since I last…" Sarah Kamiya interrupted herself as Tai entered the room and sat at his designated place.
"Good evening, mother. Hello, father."
Tai's parents gaped in shock. His mother recovered first, "Good evening, Tai. I wasn't sure if you were going to join us this evening."
"I decided that I had missed too many meals already. And the food smelled so good," he stumbled through his sentence.
Mrs. Kamiya smiled in pure joy. Sora ginned at Tai as she refilled Mr. Kamiya's water glass.
She returned to the kitchen and glanced at Marianna, "We're preparing dinner for one hundred and fifty people?"
"Oh yes, we do it every year. Don't worry," she added, seeing Sora's terrified expression, "it's not as hard as it sounds. We get a lot of help, and we'll be starting prep as of tomorrow evening. I'll tell you everything we'll be doing after Liza and Andrew help us clear dinner."
In the dining room, Mr. Kamiya smiled at his son, "What did you do today, Tai?"
"I went Christmas shopping. That new girl, Sora, went with me." He glanced at his mother, "I didn't finish today, so I will be going again tomorrow and taking the girl with me."
"Very well, Taichi." Mrs. Kamiya smiled. "She's a wonderful addition to the household, don't you agree, Arthur? The other servants love her already, and she's only been here a day or two."
"Yes," Mr. Kamiya nodded slowly. "Tai, why did you bring her to work here?"
Tai shrugged and shoveled some food into his mouth.
…
With the help of Liza and Andrew, the dinner dishes were cleared relatively quickly. Sora sat in the kitchen with a mug of tea while Marianna explained the complicated Christmas Eve dinner. Liza wandered into the kitchen accompanied my Andreia, another of the cleaning staff.
"Sora, I've got a question for you," Liza began.
"Shoot." Sora murmured.
"Why'd Tai bring you to work here?"
Sora played with her mug, the comforting liquid sloshed about. Finally she replied, "I stole his wallet and he caught me. I gave him back the wallet, but only after I got the money out of it. He called the police and they picked me up. He came to the station, but didn't press charges. Instead, he said I would work of my debt in his house."
"Why did you rob him?" Andreia demanded.
"Yes, you're not the type of girl who would stoop to robbery," Marianna said softly.
"No. I was just so desperate, and I couldn't see any other way…" Sora sighed, "I might as well start from the beginning. I volunteer at an orphanage. Every year around Christmas, we do a present drive for all of the kids. So, I had chipped in, and all the presents were bought, and I was supposed to drive them over to the orphanage. All the presents were in the car, and I was driving along when I hit a red light. I didn't have to doors locked – I can't believe I was so stupid – and some guy got into the car. He put a gun to my temple and told me to get the hell out of the car. I was so scared, that I did what he said. He drove off and I called the cops. They found the guy and the car, but the presents were gone. It was almost two thousand dollars in presents. I had no idea what to do, so I decided to replace all of the gifts, but I couldn't afford it by myself. I felt terrible that some of the kids wouldn't be getting presents on Christmas, and it's all my fault. Then, I saw Tai walking down the street, and…I don't know. It just seemed like a good idea at the time."
Silence followed Sora's words. The three other women watched her for a moment. Sora looked up, expecting to see the loathing and disgust she herself felt. Sympathetic, understanding eyes returned her forlorn gaze.
"Sora," Marianna said softly, "I know you would not have done such a thing without a good reason. Mind you, I am not approving of your actions, but I do understand them."
Sora laughed lightly, "You sound like my mother."
Marianna smiled, "That sounds like a compliment."
…
That night, Tai dreamed with Sora once again, only this time, her smile made his dreams radiant and warm. He awoke happily, a strange feeling overcame him and he lay in bed for a while, recalling the dream.
Sora dreamt about the mugger, and once again, her heart filled with self-loathing. Then, she heard Marianna's kind words, and calmed. Her dream shifted, and Tai stood in the centre of William-Sonoma, a brilliant smile on his face. Sora awoke to her alarm clock, confused, but rested.
…
After breakfast was prepared, Sora made her way to Mrs. Kamiya's bedroom, armed with cleaning supplies. She began with the vacuum then picked up the duster. While the moved about the room, a small picture fell off the dresser. Sora quickly retrieved the photograph and paused. A girl with light brown hair and eyes smiled at Sora from the frame. She recalled Marianna's description of Kari, but it was not that caused Sora to study the picture closely. She had seen this girl very recently. Sora cast her memory back to the time before the mugging. Suddenly, she placed the girl. Sora quickly, but efficiently finished cleaning Mrs. Kamiya's room. Ensuring that she had done a thorough job, she ran to the kitchen and grabbed the telephone.
"Hey Mom, its Sora. I'm doing fine. How is everything there? That's good. No, everyone here is very nice. Listen, Mom, there's something important I need to tell you. You know the thirteen year old girl in the orphanage? Yeah, the one with amnesia. I think I know who her family is."
……………………………………………
Gato: There, chapter two. Damn, this is turning out to be longer than I thought. One more chapter, and that's it.
Irie: Reviewer response!!
Gato: Yes ma'am!
TO Marie Darkhome: Thanks for the review. You should be impressed. I'm updating this story much faster than I've ever done. Ever. It will be finished soon and I'm glad you like the story.
TO Steve-Racer: Hey, I LOVE Christmas too. Best time of the year, in my opinion. Glad you like the story. The review was greatly appreciated.
TO Tai-for-you: Thanks!
TO Musashibf: Thanks for the review. Hope there was enough plot for you in this chapter.
TO shiva-dragon: Fast enough for you?
TO SoratoFan: Glad you like it.
TO Vikkilovesu: So happy that you love it. Thanks for the review.
TO digimon-Taiora: Aww, thanks!! Yeah, Tai will get better, I promise. Thanks for the luck on my exams! You're so sweet!
Gato: That's all for now.