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JyouraKoumi & wolf's lament & Digi-Girl101& FallenArchangelDD : thanks again for your reviews. I'm glad everyone enjoyed that chapter but now I'm worried that I can't match it. I guess we'll see.
Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Your right and I don't mind constructive critism.
Stained In Negativity: Your advice worked, more feeling did help but now I have to make myself slow down and that I find to be difficult.
Broken Angel01 Inner Beauty: I believe there will be more struggles between Matt and his mother but I think Matt would find that sometimes he will have to lean and that will make him visiting her on his own.
I wanted to bring Sora into this a few chapters back but her time hadn't come yet. I don't want to bring her into the story too soon but in this chapter you will see that Tai and Mimi are together (this isn't their story so details aren't really needed) and Sora will start to show feelings about Matt's situation with Ryoko.
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All through the school hours, Tk felt this building pressure inside of his stomach. He kept thinking of ways to give his mother the news about the Ryoko.
"Mum, you'll never guess who I meant this morning!" He stood before his mother after running into the apartment and throwing open the door. His grandmother stood in front of his grandfather, his hand rested on her shoulder.
"Who was that honey?" His mother sat on the sofa wearing a large white apron and sharp black eyes glasses and her hair up in curlers with a shower cap placed on top of her head. Some kind of mud substance covered her face and as she smiled, the cake facemask began to crack.
"Err…" Tk shook his head.
All wrong. He closed his eyes tighter. His mother would never look like that, well he hoped not.
"Mother you will never guess who I meant this morning!" Once again, Tk flung open the door to the apartment. His mother sat on the sofa wearing her business suit, her hair in a tight bun. She glanced up at him with a soft smile.
"Ryoko, your grandchild!" Tk beamed proudly.
The smile on his mother's face was quickly swept away. She cradled her head in her hands and tears leaked through her long fingers. Tears of water risen to Tk's ankles as his mother continue to weep a river.
"And I'm never going to see him!" She sobbed.
"Shame on you!" His grandmother came out from the closet. "Now you made your mother cry!"
Tk frowned, still staring at the closet in confusion.
"It was better that she didn't know!" His grandfather came up from behind him.
"Tk?" His science teacher stood at his desk. "Do you wish to stay after school?"
"H-huh? What?"Tk glanced at his classmates, all eyes were on him. He slowly shook his head and sank down low in his seat.
"I would suggest that you pay attention to the subject here and not…" Mrs. Amberson touched the top of Tk's head, "What ever is going on in there."
"Yes Ma'am." Tk mumbled.
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"You totally spaced out in Mrs. Ambeson's class!" Davis slapped Tk's back.
"I was thinking on how to tell my mother about the baby." Tk bit his lower lip. "Should I tell her?"
"What?" Kari, who walked beside him stopped and turned to face him. "Of course you need to tell her! What kind of question is that?"
"But…"
"But what?" Kari demand.
"It's not that simple. Her and Matt…well it doesn't work. What if he doesn't want her to see Ryoko?" Tk looked at his two friends.
"Then he's a bigger jerk then I thought he was." Davis told him. "But you're not, Tk. So tell your mother. She would want to know."
"I can't believe this but Davis is right. You need to tell her and maybe you are wrong. Maybe Matt will allow her to see little Ryoko. You may have to play the third party but I don't see him hiding Ryoko from her."
"I know and at the same time I don't." Tk started to walk, letting his friends catch up. "When you think you know someone, they do something so out of character that makes you realise that maybe you don't know them as well as you thought. What if Matt is like that. What if he doesn't allow me to take Ryoko for a visit?"
"Then you will do it anyways." Davis shrugged.
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At first, he didn't realise that he was gripping the arm of the chair he sat on until he felt a small dull ache around his fingers. He relaxed his hold and closed his eyes for a few minutes before opening them once again.
His father sat near him on another chair and looked just as relaxed as Matt felt. His face must be hurting by now, Matt thought. Hiroaki kept a grin, a fake grin, but he kept it planted and nodded several times. Occasionally, a true smile would shine through his harboured mask and it would light up his eyes.
He glanced over at his grandfather, who was in a middle of one many stories and placed a hard slap on Matt's arm. Matt turned to look over at his grandmother as she shouted out few words towards her husband. Matt blinked a few times, trying to gain some kind of span of attention but he all he could focus with the awkwardness he felt being in this apartment while his mother sat a few arm lengths away.
Maybe it would be easier if he were trying to make this progress with his mother for himself and not for others. Maybe then, he could sit there and truly be at ease instead on focusing on not bolting towards the door.
His father was right, he was tired. Carrying this burden of unforgiveness around for so long had tired him. Trying to keep his cool when at the same time punishing Nancy every time he had seen her, had weighted him down. Clearly, from his mother's reaction of surprise when Matt spoke to her this morning, his years of coldness had played a huge part on her as well.
What had hurt him was that he was not sorry. For the years of pain he caused her, he wasn't sorry. She had become an old acquaintance and nothing more, nothing meaningful other then his little brother's other parent. The mother he had known, the mother who had held him during nightmares, the mother who bandaged all his knee and elbow scrapes, the mother who would sing him a lullaby-by, that mother had died many years ago and as always, time had taken away pieces of that memory slowly with each passing year. The person who sat diagonally from him was nothing more then someone he once knew.
The divorcé wrecked his family, it had pulled them apart. The divorcé ripped Tk from him and took his mother, the mother he had loved, away. The only thing good that came with the divorcé is that it brought him and his father closer together.
He was here for Hiroaki, the only parent he had since the divorcé. He was here for the man that sat uncomfortable next to him so Matt wouldn't go through this alone. Hiroaki had learned to bandaged his scrapes and Hiroaki had giving him his harmonica to learn while he was away at work. Through all the burnt birthday cakes, the hurt, the illness Matt had ever endured; Hiroaki had always been there for him. When no one else could get through to Matt, when no one could understand what he felt with out words he could not find, Hiroaki was there. So how could Matt possible not do one thing his father asks of him?
Then there was Tk. His little brother who cringed at Matt's coldness he showed their mother when Nancy accidentally crossed Matt's path. More then once, Matt had saw the pain he placed in his brother's eyes. More then once he saw the tears that had filled the younger child's eyes. Today, he sat in Nancy's apartment for his little brother as well. The urge to continue to hurt Nancy the way she had hurt him were so strong and he was blinded by this vengeful act that he didn't want to acknowledged the pain he bestowed upon the only two people who understood him. Today, he sat in Nancy's apartment for his little brother as well.
When he watched the gently, loving look on Nancy's face as she cradle her grandson, Matt knew he did not want his son to follow his path. He had made a mistake by pushing Nancy away. He still blamed her for his father's pain, for taking Tk away, for breaking his family but he did not hate her, not anymore. He simply did not care and that troubled him. He did not want Ryoko to grow up with this burden of unforgiving emotion. Yet sitting in her presence was becoming too much. He slowly watched hours drift by; he wanted to go home so badly, to leave this apartment.
The place seemed to grow smaller with every hour that had ticked away. The walls grew closer and closer and shadows on the floor grew taller. He swore that if he stood up, he could touch the ceiling. Yes, the place was closing in on him.
Matt turned once more towards the door. His father was older and smoking had taken its toll on Hiroaki, Matt was sure he could beat him to the door. He could even act as though he was heading for the bathroom and make a sharp exist for the door. Hell, why not? His father would take Ryoko home.
"Where are you going?" Hiroaki glanced over at Matt who stretched and nodded towards the hallway of Nancy's apartment.
"Just to the bathroom." Matt looked down at his father.
"It's right around the corner, second door on the right." His grandfather told him with a heavy French accent.
"He knows where the bathroom is!" His grandmother scolded her husband. "He's been here before!"
Matt gave his grandfather a brief smile as he walked behind the sofa. He took a glance at his father and Matt paused. His father slowly, almost unnoticeable, was shaking his head.
'Don't do it, Matt.' His father's eyes read.
Matt gave Hiroaki an uneasy smile and took a v-line for the door. He needed out of the apartment, he needed to breathe, he needed space!
He saw from the corner of his eyes, his father standing up but Matt didn't hesitated, Hiroaki couldn't beat him to the door. There was no way in hell his father could catch him at this distance!
Matt felt the coldness of the doorknob under his hand, slowly turning. He frowned as he watched the handle slowly move but not by his hand, he had not yet gripped the handle. Suddenly the door burst open and Matt felt a shock of pain and an explosion of bright light.
"Dad?" Matt heard his brother's surprised voice.
"Matt!" His mother stood up.
"Huh?" Tk shut the door and found his brother holding his nose. "Matt?" Tk blinked a few times and smiled. "Matt! You're here!" He reached out to give his brother a hug in delight. His brother had actually come with Ryoko! He wasn't a jerk after all.
Matt pushed his brother backwards. "I think you broke my nose! Damn it!"
Tk froze, finally realizing that there was indeed blood seaming through his brother's fingers.
"Here let me look." Tk watch as Nancy took a handful of tissues from the small sofa table and walk towards Matt. Hiroaki followed right on her heel. His grandmother was cradling and trying to smooth over the cries Ryoko made upon hearing his own father yell.
"Sorry. I didn't know you were behind the door. Didn't even know you were here." Tk cringed at Matt started at him with half open eyes.
"No. Don't touch me." Matt stepped away from Nancy when she placed her hands on top of his own to look at his face.
"Here. Let's go to the bathroom." Hiroaki took Matt by the shoulder and drifted down the hall.
"It's right around the corner, second door on the right." A deep voice thick with a heavy accent called to them. "I thought you said he knew where it was?"
Hiroaki glanced over his shoulder at his ex-wife before shutting the door.
"Sit down." Hiroaki pushed Matt down on the toilet seat. He glanced at the door when he heard a soft rap.
"There are um…some bath clothes under the sink." He heard Nancy's soft voice through the closed door.
He turned around to the sink and opened one of the doors. He grabbed a hand full and placed one under running water before turning to Matt.
"What were you thinking?" Hiroaki hissed as he pulled Matt's hand away to wipe some of the blood from his son's face.
"Escaping." Matt replied.
"Damn it Matt…" Hiroaki gave Matt a dry wash cloth. "Put your head down."
"I thought you were supposed to keep your head back." Matt mumbled.
"No, down." Hiroaki placed his hand on the top of Matt's head.
"I've got blood on my shirt." Matt told him.
"I don't give a damn about your bloody shirt right now." Hiroaki hissed.
"I'll have to throw this away." Matt continued. "You'll have to buy me another shirt. I only have one white….."
"Shut up about the damn shirt." Hiroaki knelt down so he could peer at Matt's face. "I cannot believe you were actually going to leave me there while you ran away!"
"You're so much better at pretending then I am." Matt shrugged.
"Sometimes…" Hiroaki shook his head.
"Is it broken?" Tk poked his head through the door, looking very guilty.
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Tai hung up the telephone and grinned at the girls. "That was Tk. Matt's over at his apartment."\
"You mean?" Sora looked over at her best friend.
"He took Ryoko to visit his mother." Tai smiled widen.
"Oooh!" Mimi swung her arms around Tai's neck. "That's wonderful news! Tk must be so happy!"
"Err…well he didn't say but he did sound it. He also went on about a slammed door and a bloody nose."
"Matt didn't hit his mother, did he?" Mimi pulled away to look into her boyfriend's eyes.
"No." Tai shook his head, 'Matt wouldn't do that."
"OMG! This means we can throw a surprise party! You get Tk on the cell and tell him to give you a warning call." Mimi pointed her finger at Tai's chest.
"Mimi, we don't have much time for a surprise party." Sora shook her head.
"It doesn't have to be the party of the century." Mimi rolled her eyes. "I'll call Yolie so she can pick some stuff up at the store…Oh! She can bring some of her brothers' and sisters' children CD's so we can play baby music!"
"You have to be kidding me!" Tai looked horrified.
"Do I look like I am?" Mimi placed her hands on her hips and Tai slowly shook his head. "Good. You are going to drive Sora and me to the department store so we can pick up a few presents. I want them gift wrapped also."
"We don't have time for all that!" Sora complained.
"Of course we do! We might not have time to decorate but we can still throw a small party for Ryoko!"
"He won't even know it's his party." Tai had no other choice but to follow his girlfriend to his car, she had clutched her well manicure nails into the flesh of his upper arm and he was terrible afraid that if he sunk his heels in the ground, a chuck of flesh would be ripped out from his sleeve.
"Nonsense. We'll take pictures so he will look back on his first party!" Mimi beamed as she pushed Tai in the drives seat. "Well, get in Sora!"
Sora quickly crawled in the back seat, exchanging worried glances with Tai.
Tai responded with a helpless shrug as Mimi crawled in beside him and quickly out of thin air, clicked open her cell phone to make some calls to their friends.
"How are we going to get into the apartment?" Sora ask.
"There is a wooden panel above the door," Tai glanced at her through his review mirror, "we just pull it off and the key is taped there. Then you can push the panel back into place. I've seen Matt do it several times."
"If you two want to talk, I would suggest you two find your cell phones and start calling our friends!" Mimi warned them. "Does anyone have the number to any of his band friends?"
"Um…Tk might." Tai shrugged.
"Great, when you call about that warning call, ask him their numbers." Mimi smiled.
"But I'm driving."
"And?"
"And, I would have to write those numbers down. I can't drive, talk and write at the same time!"
"Then wait until we get at the department store." Mimi rolled her eyes.
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The girls, to Tai's relief, left him in his car to make more calls to their friends while they went into a baby store within the mall's brown walls. Sora glanced over her shoulders before the automatic door closed behind her, looking very envious at Tai.
"Here Sora." Mimi handed her a small blue basket. "You pick out some stuff and we'll meet back here to ring them up."
"Mimi, I don't have this kind of money…"
"But I do so you better start." Mimi gave Sora a huge push, causing her to fall into a centre-shelving unit.
"Ouch." Sora glared back at her friend who already disappeared behind a rack of stuff animals.
The red head rubbed her hip where the shelf pierced her flesh as she limped towards some baby clothes. As she walked down the small umbrella of racks, she noticed that the clothing became smaller and smaller.
"Sora really." Sora jumped as she turned to spot Mimi standing next to her, her shopping cart almost filled. "What are you doing?"
Sora blinked and turned back at the rack. She hadn't even realised that she was staring at a velvet blue dress with ruffles.
"It's a boy. Matt would be furious if he saw that as a present." Mimi rolled her eyes and walked passed.
Sora ignored Mimi and reached out, touching the soft fabric. She would have brought the dress if she had a little girl. She shook her head and walked pass the girl items and onto the little boys.
She stopped once more at a basket of soft cloth shoes that resembled boots. She placed a pair in her hands, marvelling at the small size.
"Sora…" Mimi strolled pass once more with a huge stuffed dog sticking out of the cart. "Shop!"
Sora quickly placed two pairs of shoes in her basket and walked one.
"It's about time!" Spotting the girls approach from the door of the store, Tai climbed out of his jeep and open the back hatch to unload the new items into the jeep. "What the hell…" He held out a dog with brown eyes.
"I thought it had your eyes." Mimi smiled at the huge stuffed dog. "I couldn't help but buy it!