Chapter Sixteen: A New Direction

By morning, the atmosphere of the home is thinning out, most of the tense air leaving after Kai told his guests, and possibly some old Bey-buddies, about us and all connected to it. Not that I would know his side of the mess. We 'youngins' got made to leave the room in case things got heated. Thankfully they didn't.

My sleepless eyes shift from one closed door to another as I follow the sounds of faint whimpering. I know who it is and I'm not leaving him alone this time.

At the end of the long and narrow hallway, I stop my stride as I spy Kai stepping out of a room and heading into the one directly across from him. After a second or two the pained sounds die down, switching to soft voices of what I can only assume are questions of consolation. I take that as my cue to enter.

From the doorway I see Kai parting some heavy looking velvet curtains. The blinding light fades away to a wintery wonderland.

On the bed, I spot papa sat up with support from a wall of puffy pillows. He smiles at me, his teeth showing. Once done with whatever his duties were, Kai shifts on his heel and heads towards the door. He affectionately ruffles my already messy hair on his way out. It's seven o'clock in the morning, too early! I viciously smack his hand away but he doesn't react, only closing the door behind him.

Papa gives me a look of disapproval as I make my way to him. Shrugging it off, I choose to sit at his green comforter covered legs. He's covered from the stomach down and donning thick pajamas that seem too big for him. I guess they're Kai's. Are we under house-arrest or lockdown or something? Because if not that's kind of him to do but also hella weird.

"Do you, need anything?" I timidly ask, grasping at straws. I don't want to sit in awkward silences or 'stir the pot' as some say, so I'm watching my tongue.

He shakes his head and, after contently smiling, he says, "No, painkillers are finally kickin' in. I'm good,"

He groans in relief while leaning into the pillows, "Hip replacements are a bitch. Zero out of ten, highly do not recommend,"

I laugh, part of me finding the way he said it hilarious.

He pats my right hand a few times, eventually taking it in his cold left one and giving it a loving squeeze.

"There's the laugh I've missed so much. It's nice to hear,"

I feel my face happily heat up from the sentimental compliment, blushing, but then the blood travels down south and crashes like a wave, splashing into a frigid void.

I guess my emotions aren't completely drained dry because with panic in my voice I ask, "You have hip replacements?!"

Papa sighs, going despondent, "I was in a horrible car wreck and have had both of my hips replaced because the impact crushed them,"

My heart breaks, "Will, will you be able to walk again?"

I'm given a soft, hopeful smile, "Eventually. Starting today it's a walker, then I'll upgrade to an arthritic cane. In six months I want to be able to walk unassisted but we'll see,"

"Fingers crossed," I utter. This is all my fault.

Papa lets go of my hand, and with an unreadable expression, he says, "You harbor blame for this don't you?"

I nod, making my feelings visible.

"Don't, stuff just happens,"

I stand up, fuming, "Bullshit! You went out looking for me because I ran off!" I pause to breathe, redirecting my anger to someone else, rather the root of this poisoned tree.

"I wish I'd never met that cursed son of a bitch! He's the reason this year went fully into Hell! And he's the sole reason I'm in this mess to begin with. He's the reason your sister died, the reason you're hurt! I don't blame myself so much as him! He's unlovable and a selfish cad who doesn't know his heart from a hole in the ground! I hate Kai, I hate this! I want things the way they were before, just you and me, no one else!"

My temper douses instantly at dad's reaction. And I thought my recent shenanigans had him seeing red. His expression is tighter, lips curled, chin high, and nostrils flared. In his eyes I note the threat that if he could get up he'd surely be busting my ass right now. Yikes.

Containing his anger, papa says in a deeper, more serious tone, "I understand this is mega-frustrating. But, if I ever hear that amount of disrespect come out of your mouth again you'll regret it. Don't disrespect people without cause,"

I think what he says over but say nothing back. At my silence, papa calms down.

"I can tell that Kai's changed. He's back to how he was before he picked up the bottle,"

"And, I think," he says while letting out a big sigh, "It'd benefit you both if you had a relationship,"

I give him a disgusted face in response, "No way. As far as I'm concerned he left me to rot, you didn't,"

"I don't think he meant for any of this to happen, just as we didn't. Why don't you find him, listen to his side of things, and give being family a try? Believe me, if I hadn't witnessed the changes I wouldn't be suggesting this. You'd legally be a Mizuhara before I'd let him hurt you again,"

I open my mouth to protest but he stops me, interjecting with a sweet smile.

"While it warms my heart to hear how much you adore me, I'm not your father. I'm your uncle, and that's all I'll ever be. I didn't adopt you, I took you in. Believe it or not, there is a major difference,"

"But-" I manage to get out, my voice unwilling to give more than that.

"No buts, accept the facts as they are," he plainly says, voice blunt like Kai's. I catch a hint of sadness lurking in the undertow though.

"I don't want to-" I plead, but it sounds more like a whine.

An icy type of fear bubbles up and twists my insides into knots. I'm not sure why or where this is coming from but it's intense and I feel like I'm being deserted.

Dad sits up straight and guides me into an embrace. "Gou, take a deep breath and calmly think this question through... How has Kai treated you since you met?"

He gives me a comforting kiss on the head and lets me go upon it being returned, my arms sliding like ribbon off of his silk shoulders.

Time slows down as I leave him to rest, my body freezing and trembling more than it should be.

Opening and closing the door, I feel my heart and head go to war, this all-deciding match giving me a mega-major migraine.