Book Four: Redemption

Redemption- n. The act of saving from a state of sinfulness or making up for past mistakes

The next few weeks would be the beginning of redemption. After our cry-fest, I showed them some brochures of Family Counseling I had in my pocket.

"We all need to do this. The sessions aren't the cheapest things in the world, but I'm willing to spend my money that I've saved up."

"Isa, you don't need to do that. That's our job," Mother said earnestly.

"I know, but I'd like to. It's something we all have to take part in. What do you think?" I asked my father who was studying the brochure. He looked up at me.

"I think," he smiled, "that this might work."
I nodded, "and if it doesn't…we'll have other options. Therapists…anger management…" I shuddered at my next words, "…divorce…"

I really hoped it wouldn't end that way, but if it was the only way we could all be happy, then I needed to accept that. My mom took my hand and squeezed it tenderly.

"It's good to hear my baby's voice again…" she said quietly.

"That's another thing…we need to start communicating more…" I said. For someone who hadn't talked much for years, you sure couldn't shut me up today. "I know it's going to be hard, but we need to learn to teach ourselves how to tell each other things. Yelling about things doesn't help," My father lowered his head in embarrassment.

"-But staying silent is just as bad. So…what do you guys say?" They looked at each other.

"Call the shrink!"

"Good! Very good!" Fox sensei was shouting with joy. She was beginning to grow very proud of us. Our skills were becoming incredible, not to mention our teamwork skills.

"Oh great!" Ando panted, "Where…did you learn all of…those new moves?"

"My dad," I replied. "He's teaching me some new stuff. The therapist said it would help our relationship if we all did more things together."

"Yeah!" Destry said, walking over to us. "How is all of that going, anyway?"
I nodded, "Good. We meet with the counselor person twice a week. She has us do different activities and makes us tell about different things. Nothing too big now. At first she made us talk about why we acted the way we did."

"So, why did they act like that? That is, if you don't mind my asking…" Destry asked.
I shrugged, "They said that they had no excuse to act the way they did. But my father was saying that the main reason he avoided me was that he didn't want me to turn out how he was when he was younger. He never realized that he was actually doing the exact opposite. Both of them, they said a lot of it was them coping with their anger management issues. They just took all their problems out on each other."

My friends frowned.

"It's okay," I said reassuringly. "We're getting help."

Ando patted my shoulder, "I'm happy for you."

Destry gave me a hug, "Me too!"

"Hey, you guys! We still have more things to go over!" Sensei called. Destry quickly ran over, leaving us boys trailing behind.

"I saw that…" I grinned devilishly.

"What?" Ando asked.

"Oh nothing…just you turning green with envy 'cuz your girlfriend hugged me."

"Wha-?!" he shouted in defense. "She's not my girlfriend!" His face grew red and he started to walk faster.

"Ando's got a girlfriend! Ando's got a girlfriend!" I teased.

"Do not! You sound like my sister!"

"Then you wouldn't mind if I dated her?"

Ando froze in his tracks. Then he bolted back to me and grabbed me by the neck of my shirt, "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

I laughed, "I was just joking! Trust me, I'm not interested! I was just trying to get you riled up! And you fell for it."

He broke a sweat, as his face grew redder. He shoved me away, "You're stupid…"

I laughed and met up with the rest of my team.

"So what kind of things do you guys talk about?" Shakino asked, sipping her soda.

"Music. Different kinds of attacks. Stuff like that," I answered. Like I promised awhile back, I took Shakino to some restaurant. It wasn't a fancy-schmancy restaurant, just a small area where you could get a nice bite to eat and a good drink. Like I said, it wasn't for romance or anything. Just payback.

"What about you and your mom? What do you guys do together?" she asked curiously.

"I help out around the house. I also go with her to get groceries."

"Do you hate it? Most boys do."

"I actually don't. I like it. I like spending time with them, even if it means cleaning."

She rested her chin on her hand and sighed. I looked over at her from the corner of my eye. "What?" I asked suspiciously. She blushed a little bit and started fiddling her fork in her fruit-salad.

"Nothing…"

Now I wish I was the one who could read minds.

"It's just," she continued, "it's nice to see this side of you. I'm so used to the cold, inward, never-says-anything Isamashii. I like having conversations with you."

I looked the other way.

"You do too!"

"Hey!" I snapped. "I said, 'No reading minds!' That's not fair!"

"I didn't."

Whoops!

She turned her attention back to her fruit-salad, satisfied. Stupid smart girls.

Now not only did I spend time with my parents, but I started talking to other people more as well. I helped out around Konoha, collecting litter, helping people rebuild things. I'd spent too many years just walking by them. I felt I needed to help out, even if it were just a little bit. Fox Sensei noticed this, and she decided it was time that we consider the chunin exams. The other two were excited about it, but I wasn't sure what to think. Here I had been waiting for this since I was little, and now the moment was coming. Everything was falling into order. For once, all was right.