Chapter 8-Forgiveness
"Good morning, Haruka." Mom turned as I walked into the kitchen. She seemed better today.
"Mom, you shouldn't be up. How are you?" I went over and took over the spatula. "I will make
breakfast. You should go sit down.
Mom pushed my hand away and smiled. "Let me make you breakfast. I am okay, I promise."
I relented. If I made breakfast, no one would be able to eat. Surprisingly, I had no talent in
cooking. Mom put down two bowls of congee, a plate of eggs and a bowl of natto. "Do you still
hate natto?" I nodded as I pushed the natto further away.
"Michiru and Setsuna took Hotaru to the park. So, it's just the two of us. I…. I want to talk to you.
Alone." Mom sat down across from me. We haven't talked about last night. Mom saw my transformation. Mom helped fighting the enemy.
"I have read about the sailor scouts over the past few years. A group anonymous heroes that saved people from various evils. I always thought the stories were exaggerated. I just didn't want to think that monsters were real in this world, I guess. Thank you for saving my life and thank you for saving the world." Mom reached over and grabbed my hand, "I am so proud of you."
My heart skipped a beat.
"There were times when I worried about you. After your father kicked you out, I used to wake up every night from nightmares. The world wasn't exactly kind to people like…you. We weren't kind to you. Instead of getting to know you, we tried to mold you into something you were not. I am sorry, Haruka. As a mother, I just wanted you to be happy. I imagined your wedding when you were little. You would marry a kind man, a better man than your father. You would have your own children. Your life would be filled with happiness. Somehow, I thought happiness was only possible if you were ordinary." Mom looked down, her face clouded with regret.
I took her hand and looked into her eyes. "I just wanted to be true to myself. I am not exactly sure what ordinary happiness would be, but I didn't think my current self is abnormal. What I am now is what is closest to my true self. I don't care for what's ordinary or normal, I have something more valuable than ordinary happiness."
Mom put her hands around my face. "And you have found your own happiness. You have your career, you have found love, you have a daughter…and you are a superhero. I love you, Haruka." She looked at me with teary eyes.
At a loss of words, I took her hand and kissed it. Somewhere deep in my heart, I loved her. Over the years, anger and hate had smothered that feeling down. Spending time with her and actually getting to know her, I felt that love returning. Mom was a different person now that she was no longer under my dad's thumb.
"Mom, you are still not safe here. Galaxia will return. She will probably send some other minions after me. I don't want you getting caught in the cross fire again." I got up and grabbed a ticket off the counter. "I already got you a ticket last night. The train leaves in the afternoon. Please go home."
Nodding, mom took the ticket and looked at it sadly. Then, she flashed me a weak smile. "I am only a city away. When this is over, you will call me? Right?" Quickly, she wiped away an escaped tear.
"Yes, mom. I promise." If I get through this fight with Galaxia, if we all survive…maybe I will take a trip back home.
Bang. The front door open and shut loudly. Hotaru's excited footsteps echoed through the hallway. Breathless, she came through the kitchen and put down a big box in front of mom. "Grandma, we went shopping instead. I got you a goodbye gift."
"Thank you very much, Hotaru." Mom bent down and kissed the little girl. "Oh, I wonder what it is…." Mom took off the bow and opened the box. She pulled out a lamp shaped like a firefly. "Ahh…Hotaru. Firefly."
"Mmm hmm. So you won't forget me, grandma. And if you miss me, you can look at the lamp. Oh, and see this sticker here? It's the planet Uranus. So if you miss papa, you can look at that."
I smiled as I watched them talk back and forth. Mom was really taken with Hotaru and that warmed my heart. The family had grown, indeed. Unknowingly, mom had become an integral part of this family.
With time, my wounds would heal. Usagi told me to believe. I surprised myself when I realized, I already do. Mom had accepted me, the entire me. The barrier that separated us had been knocked down.
"Mom…"
"Yes, Haruka?"
"I forgive you."
~The End~
A.N. Thank you to all my readers and all the kind words in the reviews.