Chapter 4

Later that day, when Rose and Claudia were heading back out to Goku's, Claudia was worried. That was nothing but a tap. I'm glad she wasn't too mad. I better make sure that she learns to keep her anger in check.

"Mommy, I didn't mean to hit him, I promise. I saw him hit you, and I- I guess I just snapped." Rose said, tears streaming down her face. She just couldn't believe it. First, she had told him that he wasn't her father, and then she hit him. "I'm a bad daughter. I bet I'm the only girl on earth that denied daddy and then hit him."

"Rose, don't be so hard on yourself. It's hard for us to keep our calm, with that's in our blood. Rose," Claudia said, ready to tell Rose what she needed to know, "he's not your father. You were right when you told him he wasn't your daddy."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What happened to my real daddy? What's his name?"

"His name was Jay, and he died the day I found out I was pregnant with you. Everyone says that you look so much like me, but when I look at you, I see your father. When I lost your father, I think a little of his spirit went to you."

"Really? Was daddy nice? Unlike John?"

"He was everything John wasn't. He was nice, funny, kind. I still miss him, but knowing that I have you, it's been a lot easier to get over him."

"So, how do I resmble daddy?"

"You're shy around older people, like he was. well, except grandpa Goku." Claudia said, laughing.

"You're so pretty when you laugh, mommy. You should laugh more often." Rose said, looking at her. She never looked prettier, Rose thought. I wonder if I'll ever be that pretty when I get bigger.

"Why, thank you, Rose. I'll keep that in mind. Rose?"

"Yes, mommy?"

"Are you ok with this? With us leaving, I mean."

"Of course. Why?"

"You just seem so calm about it. Why is that?"

"I hate him." Rose said calmly. That was all that needed to be said.

"She hates me. I raised her and gave her all she needed, and this is all I get?" John said to himself at the hospital. "And that good-for-nothing mother of hers. I take her in and love her for eight years, adn this is the thanks I get?"

After thinking for a while, his eyes burned with hate. "I swear, if I do nothing else with this life, I'm gonna find out where they are and I'm gonna kill that woman that Rose calls her 'mother'. Then I'll get custody of her. Then she'll regret ever wanting to hit me. If it's the last thing I do, I swear, I will kill Claudia!"

When Rose got home, she went to the back yard and sat. She couldn't believe that all this had happened so fast. If she had known this would happen when she told her mother that she was hit, she would told her a lot sooner. She was glad to be away from the man that posed as her father. How could I ever call him dad? He's not my father. Rose was furious with herself. Suddenly, she noticed that she was crying.

Claudia was watching from the kitchen window. Rose had her back to the house, so Claudia couldn't tell if hse were crying or not. She didn't know what to think about what had happened. She was furious with herself. How could I have missed Rose being beat? What kind of mother am I? Caludia tasted blood. She must have been biting her lip, which happened when she was angry or upset.

Chi chi walked in and saw her granddaughter crying, looking out the window.

"Claudia, honey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" She asked as she rushed to the window.

"Was I? I didn't even realize it." Claudia said, smiling through her tears. "I can't believe that I allowed Rose to be abused. I should have realized it."

"Claudia, don't beat yourself up over it. You couldn't do anything about it. He had you on medications." Chi chi said in a soft voice.

"Yes, I know that, but sometimes he'd forget to give me the pills, and I'd be clearheaded. I should have noticed bruises during those times, but I didn't." Claudia said, her head hanging.

Rose turned when she heard grandpa Goku say her name. She wiped the tears from her eyes right before she turned.

"Yes?" Rose asked.

"Rose, you've been crying. What's wrong?"

"That man I called my father, that's what's wrong." She said bitterly, her eyes glowing with hate.

"What makes you hate your father so much?" Goku asked, never seeing so much hate in the eyes of someone so young.

"He wasn't my real father." Rose answered.

"Really?" Goku asked, a little surprised.

"Yes. My real father died the day that mom found out she was pregnant with me."

"When did you find this out?"

"Just today. Now I know why he beat me all the time. I wasn't his, sp he didn't see anything wrong with it."

"Oh, I see. Rose, how would you like to go in for a nice, tall glass of milk?"

"Sure." Rose said, a smile coming to her face.

"Come on." Goku siad, taking her hand.