I thank you all for so many hits! And for Cherry-SweetHearts for being one of my first favorites! But... I will be slow on updates from now on... my parents are banning me from using the computer so much... sorry! And... perhaps my stories get unsad as it goes on... because different problems occur... and they might not seem sad... just dramatic to the characters... I'm sorry! I'm sorry... I'm sooo sorry... But please read on! I promise I'll make them better!
Chapter 5: A Chain, A City
Whenever one bad thing happens, a chain occurs. Soon, after that horrible thing, another one happens. And then another… and another… and even another… until something can finally break your luck. But it all has just begun, the chain, the circle, and it's just beginning, and I wish it never had begun.
I will never forgive my father, I hate him, I wish mom had stayed alive. I wish he were the dead one… why am I talking like this? Why? Why have I suddenly turned so…so… I don't know what to say. I don't know what to do. All I'm doing is waiting, waiting for more to happen. And that's exactly what happened. More happened.
"When is dad coming home? I thought he wouldn't have work on Saturdays. He said he's usually free." I nagged my brother again.
"For the hundredth time, I don't know." He answered gruffly.
"Where is he? Maybe he…" I bit my lip and shuddered, I couldn't say it out loud, "had an accident…"
My brother bonked me on my head, "You dummy, of course he didn't…"
But then he didn't say anything or make fun of me again. He stared out the window with a solemn face.
I heard a car pulling into our drive. It was dad. I could see that his tie was a bit crooked and he kept smiling like he had been having a date with Nadeshko once more. He entered the door a bit oddly. He was humming and singing. Whistling and smiling some more he was. I wished my anger would flare up a bit, but then I was too sleepy to think any of it. Until the next day.
The doorbell rang and it was only seven in the morning.
I flew down the stairs like I could fly, ready to bust that door open. But then my dad beat me to it. Since when did my dad like opening the door? Doesn't he usually let me do it? Realizing that he hadn't seen me, I retreated, sure that this guy was just another newspaper seller. It was a woman. A woman. A woman? I peered over the banister, only her shaved feet and the back of my dad's head visible.
"Oh, hi Janet." He sounded 'unsurprised'.
And who was Janet I wondered.
"Good morning Fujitika!" She hugged him.
Was this his business partner just greeting him? Or just flirting with him?
"Come on in. I'll introduce you to the kids." He took her jacket and hung it on the coat rack.
And now… I was suspicious as anybody would be.
I flew back up those stairs and bust through my brother's door.
"Touya! Touya! There's this woman named Janet flirting with dad!" I shook him awake.
Touya opened one eye, and then closed it, "Dreaming." Was all he said.
I slapped him, "I was not! Come down to see for yourself than! I'm serious! Dad invited her into our house!"
Touya shook his head, "Work."
I got irritated and began shaking him and slapping him at the same time, "No! She hugged him too! And they called each other by their first names! Touya! Why can't you wake up you lazy!"
Touya sat up, "Ok, ok. Just stop it." He got up and pulled on some pants.
"Hurry up Touya!" I pushed him out the door.
"Touya! Sakura! Come down! I want you to meet someone!" Dad called.
"See!" I pushed him harder.
He stayed put, snickering. I pushed harder. He moved a giant step. My nose kissed the floor. He snickered and went down the stairs.
"Owe! Touya!" I chased him down the stairs.
He suddenly stopped and my nose pressed on his back this time. I rubbed it and peeked over to the side to see why he stopped. And then I stopped dead too.
Dad was holding hands with this lady and they were both smiling. She was in too much of a pretty dress to seem like a businesswoman.
He smiled at us, "Good morning kids. I'd like you to meet Janet."
-
Today, I don't think that living where I live is that much of a problem anymore. I think I live a pretty good life, I think I'm living a-ok. I think everything in my life is going smooth. But last summer I didn't, of course I didn't. But then, after going to the city, something changed my view. And that view has still affected me today.
Maybe, just maybe, my life isn't so bad. Maybe, just maybe, this life isn't the worst. And maybe, when my mother will earn just enough money, just maybe, we may be able to move into our own house. No apartment fees, no limited money. We can buy another house. Maybe, just maybe, another mansion or even a house… just a house… and that thought occurred to me just today. Maybe, maybe…. All these maybes and hopes started yesterday. And maybe… that trip was exactly what I needed… just maybe…
It was like any other day, any other morning. I wake up to my wet pillow and scabby scenery. Blankets sprawled around the floor, a kitchen with practically nothing on the counter or in the cabinets, and three doors. One is the entrance door, one is the bathroom door, and the other is a closet about three feet big. That's what I saw every morning instead of my old room, filled with frippery and luxury, the big window enlightening my day. Not anymore… not anymore.
My mother stooped over to look at me straight in the eye. Today she held a smile. Yes. A smile. Not the one because anything was funny, or that fake smile that held back tears, but a smile. Those smiles that show hope and love. Those smiles that show smiles, happy, hope. That was my enlightment that morning. And I think it still will be to any other day. Any other day…
"Good morning Tomoyo." She stood back up, that smile still on her face.
I nodded and smiled back. I think it was the same type of smile, I think.
"Morning mother." I stood up.
She patted my head, "My, my, getting taller aren't you." She sighed, but that smile still on her face.
"Do we…" I looked around, "… have anything to eat?"
My mother had that smile plastered on, she wouldn't drop it, "I was thinking about taking a little trip."
"A trip?" My eyes widened.
She laughed, was she laughing at me?
"Yes, a trip through the city and to an old college's house?" Mother held my hands tight, still smiling.
I bit my lip, "A trip… a trip… ok…" I nodded.
And so it was. We were in the car and going. It was an hour drive until we got to downtown. I thought I might be excited, gloomy, or even bored. There might be rich people strolling through the streets with fancy bags and high heels, dresses made from the latest fashion, and even sparkling eyes winking at each other. Fancy hotels, large business buildings, lavishing buffets. Obviously, I had never been through the streets of a BIG city with towering buildings. I also occupied my thoughts about grocery shopping. It occurred to me that my mother was looking for 'on sale' things, buying canned food and no more special cakes or delicacies, no more cakes. Asparagus, a box of cereal, carton milk, a jug of juice, peaches, apples, bananas, oranges, broccoli, a pan, beans, some sort of weird meat, and a turkey sandwich was probably what we mostly got. I saw no more fruit tarts or steaming eggs with fried bacon, crepes were out of my sight, and no more rich snacks for me. And even worse. I had to cook. No, it wasn't cooking as in baking cakes and making food for Sakura and me to eat lunch. I had to cook... because I had to. There was no more maids to prepare our dinner, to send us tea and cakes. Those little petite delights. I used to like to cook... because I didn't have to, because it was just a little side hobby. Now, there is no choice. Those thoughts traveling in my head, telling me how horribly miserable my life was... but that isn't true. Wait until I saw the city.
Then we arrived. It startled me, no, it shocked me to death to see what the city was like. There were dirty, grimy streets and ragged people huddling in cardboard boxes. A man with only a moth-bitten hat and ripped gloves, short jeans and a shirt with a hole in it, pushed a shopping cart around. I watched with terror as a woman wearing a woolen shawl over her head and no shoes walked across the burning pavement. A little, unpopular stand selling magazines and newspapers, people just walking past it, walking through it, as if it were just a ghost stand and never existed. In the dark alleys and shadows were trash and gangsters hovering over pot and smoke. How horrible it was to see such people! And I thought I lived a life of poor and no food! I could at least get some cereal while they crawled over trashcans and sidewalks to find a single scrap of food! And to think my mother had gotten a horrible job! How could I have been so selfish! How could I have thought my house looked like a dump? We finally passed the ghettos and after another hour of thinking about what I had just seen, we arrived to the college's house.
And now we are home. We spent a night at their house, and then went through another way so we didn't have to pass those horrible streets again. I stand in front of the door to the apartment.
"Mom…" I look up into her eyes.
"Oh… Tomoyo…" Her eyes have tears.
I hug her hard, love fills my heart and I wish I never have to let go and I can forget about the world and disasters around me. Just my mother and me, together, forever. But I let go.
I whisper with tears in my eyes too, "Thank you… mother…"
Tomoyo's story STINKS! Therefore, I'll update the next one tomorrow... that is if I can manage to get onto the computer... keep reading! Oh... I do hope people enjoy this...