CHAPTER V

My determination

Hello everybody, I'm back with a new chapter! Hope you enjoy it. I've been terribly busy studying to get my ONE month winter vacation :) sounds good, doesn't it? I'm just hoping not to get in the ways of exams... or my month dream will become 2 weeks and possibly, I'll lose the subject; meaning my 5 year career will become 5 years and a semester XD

Anyway, read it and review it. The best part is coming soon ;)

Enjoy!

Next morning, Yamato got off bed early and headed to the mall… a place he wouldn't normally go even if he had to…

As he walked through the stores and windows, he came across many men holding hands with little kids, thinking that hopefully, someday soon, he could go round with his girls like that.

"Yamato "the dad"…" he wondered, "taking his girls to school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon… Doesn't sound bad, does it?"

A smile grew on his face as he walked through "The Baby Store". Memories rushed into his mind as he remembered the incident with little Marie.

"I've never seen Mimi so pissed before…"

After walking through most of the first floor, he finally reached Kodak and entered.

"Good morning miss"

"Good morning, in what may I help you?"

"You see, I had this photo… but a crazy girl tore it into pieces… so I was wondering… How long would it take to repair it completely?"

"It depends on the size and damage"

"Its standard I believe, 10x13; eight pieces… here, take a look" Matt opened a folder he was carrying and handed her a plastic bag with the pieces.

"Mmm… we normally take from one to three days"

"So… when is it going to be ready?"

"Mmm… in two days it'll be fully repaired" she answered before eying him from hair to waist.

"Two days?" … two long days in which he was going to be separated from his (now) beloved picture… "…do they really take that long?" he asked himself while seeing the girl's eyes on him.

"Excuse me… do you have a frame about this size?" he asked making a rectangle in the air with his hands.

"…"

"Well… I'll buy the frame in two days… when I come for the photo…'till then…"

Matt walked out of the store and sat on a white bench. It really pissed him off seeing girls stare at him like that. Actually… he could only stand one stare on him…one he hadn't seen in seven years…

As he stood up and started walking, his gaze came to a rest in a large colourful sign reading "JAL". He stared at it for five long minutes deciding whether he should enter or not.

Finally, his desire for happiness came over his responsibility, making him walk towards the entrance to enter.

With his arm stretched to grab the handle, his cell phone rang and a loud yell was heard.

"Yamato! Where the hell are you?!... I need you now! You are exactly 13 minutes late! The meeting's starting in 20 minutes and paperwork isn't here!"

Breathing in deeply, he lowered his arm and moved aside to talk. "I'm busy" he replied calmly

"What?!... Busy doing what!? Move your lazy ass here… NOW!"

"Sorry… I'll go as soon as I can"

"What?! … Who the hell you think you are!? …Come. Here. NOW. …!!!"

"Dad, listen… I'll be there in…" he looked down at his watch, "… I'll make it in half an hour, probably less…"

"If you don't get here in ten… in five minutes, we're going to have one serious talk. Remember, your future is in your hands, so be responsible for once!! "

Matt closed his cell and turned it off. "Sorry dad, but for once, happiness is coming first in my life…"

"Mimi dear" began my dad, "What are you going to do the week we are away?"

"I don't know" I answered as I stretched back on my chair, "perhaps I'll take some days off too"

"To do… something special?"

"You know dad, I've been thinking," I said and stood up, walking through my office, "I want to go back and settle things before something happens"

"Back to...?"

"Japan" I answered and sat on the couch.

"To settle things or to…?"

"Dad," I started and then took both of my hands to my face, "I have to talk with Matt. He called yesterday and I need to know what his intentions are before the girls get hooked on him…"

"Mimi, I've known Matt for a while and I don't think he's up to something"

"Dad… what if he's married?... what if he's got his own kids?... what if he's calling to get a "kids get together"? … I don't think I could stand seeing him with someone else by his side…"

"Mimi don't cry" he told me upon seeing my eyes getting all watery, "Matt loves you way to much, and if he's calling, it's because he wants you back in his life"

"I want him too dad, but I just don't know how to fix all this mess…"

"I know how" he said and sat hugging me; "While I'm out with the girls, you'll go back and confront him. If he still loves you, he'll accept you and the girls, and if he's married or has somebody else, you'll get to know how much he loves the girls and that he isn't giving up on them so easily."

"You sure…" I asked drying my teary eyes "…that it'll work?"

"Mimi, there's no gain if you don't try" he answered giving me a big squeeze. I smiled and thought for a brief moment that perhaps, he was right. We both needed to know what was going on and what was going to happen. I loved him way too much to loose him again without fighting.

Three days later...
"Mommy?" asked Ami, "why don't you come with us?"

"I would if I could honey, but there's a lot of stuff to be done and I'm going to be pretty busy" I answered as I kissed her forehead gently.

"Will you miss us?" asked Eika hugging my hip while Marie squeezed my hand looking up into my eyes.

"Of course I'll miss you! How can I not miss my three angels?"

"I'll miss you mommy" replied Marie followed by Eika and Ami.

"Me too, but I bet you'll be too busy having fun with Erin that you'll forget to miss me!"

"That's not true!" the three of them yelled with a frown that was later replaced by a smile.

"Mimi, it's time" said my dad and took the three little suitcases with one hand before pecking my cheek. "Don't forget about what we talked, and remember, listen and then answer/complain"

I nodded my head and smiled sheepishly at his grin. "You'll bring me presents, right?" I asked the three –puppy eyed- girls standing before me.

"Yep!" they answered as we gave ourselves a group hug. After I finished kissing and hugging each one of them for the last time, I waved goodbye to dad and Anne before seeing how they disappeared amongst the crowd.

I was getting all emotional by now. Never in seven years have we been away from each other.

Sighing deeply, I gave half a turn on my heel and started walking the opposite direction.

I couldn't help but think how they'll make it without their "mommy"…. Though, it was actually more of -how's "mommy" going to survive without her little daughters-…

The thought made me smile. I was already missing and needing them more than what they might miss or need me.

As I walked through the double glassed entrance door and into the car park, I started thinking in what was awaiting for me. I had to keep positive whatever happened or things might just go bad.

"I wonder if he has changed" I thought and kept on smiling. Over the years I've changed too, but I might just add that I still look as good, or even better, than before.

I tried to make a mental image on how he might look, but neurons weren't working quite well. Half of them were sad since the girls were leaving, and the other half were way too excited at the thought of seeing Matt again. But there's one thing I know for sure; the "Yamato equation", and this is how it goes:

X + Y greater than H

meaning that Yamato (Y) plus his current age (X) makes him even more handsome than what I use to remember!

Ok, I might not be as good in math but my plane was leaving in a couple of minutes. The girls didn't know I was travelling to Japan to see their dad... if I told them, they wouldn't have wanted to go to Erin's B.day and a horrible mess would've been created.

After I took my suitcases from dad's car trunk, I hurriedly walked in, passed them inside, went through security and towards my gate. I could hear from the loudspeaker how people were being called to board.

I still couldn't believe that in thirteen hours more or less, I'll be stepping on Japanese floor to get my man back.

And as hard as it may seem, I was already determined before boarding the plane. Nothing was going to prevent me from getting him back, not now... not never.

Ok, what do you think about?

Any comments are welcomed.

I posted a new story. It's called "Living with Miss Sincerity". Hope you stop by and read it.

Thanx. ;)