Nine Years
Chapter Seven: A child's screams and two familiar faces.
At the hotel...
"Mom...I...can't...stay...here...any...more..." Kari said without breath while putting her face against the fan.
"Go down by the pool with Shaila..." Serenity replied while reading a document that Josh gave her.
"Shaila's talking to some guy...again on the phone. She's turns into a love-sick puppy whenever she meets one."
Serenity laughed at Kari's statement. Shaila in the other room heard this and scowled at Kari who scowled back at her.
"I am not a love-sick puppy!" Shaila whispered while putting her hand in front of the phone's mouth piece.
"Yes you are" Kari said rather loudly.
"Shut up!" Shaila hissed.
"Hey...! Quiet please!" Serenity said. She sighed to herself. One month has passed now leaving two more dull months to come. It wasn't that boring to Kari and Shaila. They loved Domino and its contents. But to Serenity, it felt very long. Probably because she wanted to go home as soon as possible.
She started to have the homesick feeling again. She couldn't wait to go back to America...home to Mai and Joey and living their normal life again. Having a family. Not very big one but it was a family to her. Mai was the only relative she had. Mai's parents kept distant from her and she did the same. On Serenity's side, she had Joey and herself. Their mother passed away two years ago and her father is still wandering somewhere. And the children of course, making it a family of five.
"Okay, I'm done..." Serenity said while putting the document safely away in the desk drawer the hotel provided her. "Where do you want to go now?"
"I'm hungry" Kari said.
"Me too..." Shaila said calling out from the other room.
"Let's go eat lunch then...I'm tired of what the hotel brings up. I want something new" Serenity said and Kari agreed.
"Are you coming?" Serenity asked.
"Yeah hold on, let me get my purse..."
Kaiba Corp...
Unlike the rest of Domino city, Kaiba Corp. was cool, actually really cool that one might have to put on a sweater.
"Seto can I go...?" Mokuba asked after opening Kaiba's office door.
"Is there a specific place you want to go?" Kaiba said not looking up at him from his laptop.
"Oh right...I said I was going to go out to lunch with Rebecca."
Kaiba raised his eyebrow in response looking at him now.
"Right...she's my girlfriend, we've been going out for like a month now" Mokuba said, embarrassed.
"Oh...have a good time" Kaiba said smiling but that soon vanished after returning to his document.
"Right....I can cancel if you want me to" Mokuba added quickly.
Kaiba frowned and said "Why would I want to do that? Besides, I have a meeting in about an hour"
"Um...no reason...never mind. Forget what I said. Have fun at the meeting. Bye" Mokuba said quickly going out the door while Kaiba was wondering what Mokuba was thinking.
Hawkins Place...
"Sorry I'm late..." Mokuba said when he arrived at Rebecca's house. Her house was not a mansion, just a simple two story one in a good and neighborly hood.
"It's alright; I had something to do anyway" Rebecca said in return. Rebecca was now a beautiful young adult. Her blond hair extended up to her waist and her height was unexpected because she was expected to be short but she is about 5'7"... an inch or two shorter than Mokuba. Her blue-green eyes were full of mature, curiosity, and there was always a hint of excitement in them as well in her voice. Her grandfather, Professor Hawkins and she, decided to move to Domino and actually settle down there. It has been two years so far.
"Let's go then. Where do you want to go?" Mokuba said leading her to his car.
"I heard there was this new brunch place. Critics raved about it" she replied.
Serenity, Kari, Shaila...
"Serenity, I thought you knew this town...where the hell are we!" Shaila said being frustrated at the heat by the minute. They have been walking up and down streets for what seems like an eternity to them but only fifteen minutes actually.
"Watch you mouth! My daughter is in presence...stupid." Serenity said back, just as frustrated. "It's been a long time, changes can happen"
As they walked on, both adults got into fits now and then. The only one who kept quiet was Kari who kept shaking her head at them. It was amusing to her that they were acting like reckless children and the she was acting like a mature child, the complete opposite! She felt a little proud of herself and she said nothing to stop them.
She didn't mind the heat that much; she looked around her surroundings, amazed of what they had here and not in America. This place was bright and beautiful. Her stomach growled a little emphasizing that she was hungry. She looked on until her eyes spotted a banner saying 'Grand Opening.' it looked like a buffet or something but whatever it was it had food. She tugged Serenity's arm getting her mothers attention.
"What is it?" Serenity said turning her head to her.
"I'm hungry, let's go eat there..." Kari replied, pointing at the place she looked earlier.
All three of them stopped Serenity and Shaila looking at what she was pointing at.
"Looks like a brunch place..." Shaila said finally.
"Can we go? Please?" Kari said.
Serenity shrugged her shoulders and said fine. It wasn't the place she wasn't fond of, it was something behind it.
Mokuba and Rebecca...
"This is delicious..." Rebecca said.
"Yeah..." Mokuba replied, equally agreeing.
They have been there for about twenty minutes now, talking about their everyday life and opportunities that await them. The place had the smell of soup and salad. It consisted of cream colored walls with hunter green vines that had small white flowers creeping up the walls as decoration. The walls were lightly illuminated and there was couple tables lined up at the side and family tables in the center or by the side.
They were seated next to a window. Mokuba was listening attentively at Rebecca, when he heard the bell on top of the door chime. Out of curiosity he looked at the people who were entering. He saw two, young, female adults followed by a child. For a minute, he thought he saw Déjà vu, when he saw the child. She looked incredibly familiar, as if he saw her everyday of his life. They headed towards the buffet bar after they paid.
"Mokuba?" Rebecca said softly.
"Hmm...Oh, uh...sorry" Mokuba replied, looking away from them. Rebecca saw his eye on something else, beside her, and turned around to see what he was looking at.
"Isn't that Serenity? But who are the other two?" She asked skeptically. Mokuba shrugged his shoulders and resumed eating while Rebecca kept looking at them.
Serenity, Kari, Shaila...
"Mom, someone's staring at us..." Kari muttered.
"Just look away and don't pay attention" Serenity muttered back. They sat at one of the family tables by the side, also by the window. Serenity and Kari had their back on the person who stared at them before but was not anymore, so it didn't really matter.
"This salad's good..." Serenity said.
"Really? Let me have a bite" Shaila said picking up her fork and trying some of the salad Serenity had on her plate.
"Have you no manners?!" Serenity said, mad at Shaila's behavior.
"I don't know, do I?" Shaila said sarcastically while Serenity sighed and Kari giggled.
They talked on more, discussing Kari's birthday plans and events that are coming up for Serenity.
Mokuba and Rebecca...
"Stop staring..." Mokuba whispered when he looked up from his plate, to see Rebecca still staring at them.
"My bad..." Rebecca replied, embarrassed. "Let's go say hi"
Mokuba frowned "Why?"
"I thought you wanted her to be with you brother..." Rebecca replied.
"Yeah but I can't do that...I can't play matchmaker...those days are over"
Mokuba replied. "Plus it will be tough. She hates Seto"
It was Rebecca's turn to frown "Why can't we try?"
"We're not kids anymore Rebecca. The world expects us to be responsible, mature-"
"Forget it, I'll go say hi...alone" Rebecca said, tired of hearing Mokuba's words.
"Wait...Rebecca" Mokuba whispered. But it was too late, she started heading over to Serenity's table.
"Hi Serenity!" Rebecca said appearing by their table.
"Um...hi" Serenity said meekly. She couldn't remember at all who this person was.
"You don't remember me do you...?"
"No...I'm really sorry" Serenity replied.
"I'm Rebecca..."
'Rebecca...Rebecca...I heard it somewhere...but who? Oh she was Yugi's friend!'
"I remember. You look so...different"
"In a bad way or a good way?"
"Good way. Have a seat." Serenity said, motioning her to sit in one of the chairs.
"Thanks..."
"So are you here with someone?"
"Yeah, Mokuba...but he's shy I guess to come over here" Rebecca said looking over Mokuba's way.
Mokuba frowned at Rebecca. Apparently he had heard this.
'I'll show her who's shy...'
He got up from his table and headed over to Serenity's table.
"I'm so rude...this is Shaila and this is my...my niece, Kari"
Kari had a look on her face that said what-are-you-doing? - followed by Shaila's face. Serenity had an I'll-tell-you-later look.
Mokuba came up to them now and they all greeted each other again. They all talked about their life. Mokuba kept looking at Kari trying to figure out where he had seen her.
"You look really familiar Kari" Mokuba said finally.
"I do?" Kari replied while Mokuba nodded.
"I have to go now Mokuba...my pager says that my grandpa needs me" Rebecca said.
"I'll drop you off."
"It's been nice seeing you again Serenity" Rebecca replied and Mokuba agreed also.
"Same here" Serenity replied.
"Bye" Kari and Shaila said.
Mokuba and Rebecca left and soon after Serenity, Kari, and Shaila left also, with Kari grabbing some desert.
"That was a nice afternoon..." Shaila replied while Serenity nodded. She forgot about the lie Serenity told earlier to them.
"Mom...who was Mokuba...how do you know him?"
"He's your uncle Kari..." Serenity said emotionlessly.
"He is!" Kari and Shaila said in unison, amazed at the fact.
The three remained quiet.
"I know I'm not being fair to you Kari" Serenity said breaking the silence and feeling guilty. Kari said nothing.
"I don't think he's ready to know though...I'm afraid of what will happen if he and his brother find out. Kari nodded silently, taking in her mothers words slowly but still a little mad at her. They got silent again when they were about to cross the street.
"Opps..." Serenity said after she dropped her purse. Kari and Shaila looked behind but continued walking.
"Hey...wait-" Serenity said but got cut of as the car in front of her hit her suddenly. The driver smirked and speed away quickly around her.
Shaila and Kari turned around at Serenity's sudden scream and it was followed by Kari screaming 'mommy'. Shaila stood there gasping and amazed at what just happened. No one on the road dared to move even on the opposite side until an ambulance came. Shaila quickly grabbed Kari from getting closer to Serenity while digging out her cell phone but she couldn't get her mind straight. Hot tears began to well up from Kari's eyes as she saw the scene. She regretted being mad to her. After finally finding her cell phone Shaila dialed any number she could think of that could get her an ambulance.
A few minutes ago...
Decided it was the right time to go to his meeting, Kaiba packed up his briefcase and got up from his leather chair and headed towards the Kaiba corp. parking lot. He wasn't a lazy person, so he didn't call for his limo. He got in his black Ferrari and started up the engine. He drove down the street to Tanaka Industries, where the meeting would be held. He smirked to himself.
This might be the day he could finally get the Industry. Lately, stocks for Tanaka Industries have gone down. They kept coming up with new products but small businesses would not buy them. It was worthless. Hiroshi Tanaka, the head and CEO of Tanaka Industries, even fired some of his employees so he could have some more money, at least. But that didn't work either. That's what today's meeting was all about; Tanaka was willing to sell his company, if Kaiba had good intentions for it.
The light was red, signaling that he was to stop. His smirk got wider as he thought about what to do for the company if he got it. Suddenly his reverie was interrupted by a child's screaming, a familiar unconscious body, and a car whipping by him so fast with a familiar person in it driving away.
'MOMMY!!!!'
(A/n: I'm done! Now I have to do 'secret of blue eyes' I could do like one story this day and another story that day but it messes me up. So I do it one by one. Pretty slow...but yeah. School has really got to me. I have tons of long boring H.W. and test coming up. My birthday was yesterday. I don't know why I'm writing this stuff. I'm REALLY bored. Please review. )