Chapter 1~ Turned Around

This is the first time I am ever going to see the man I have only been able to dream about. No, I'm no talking about "my soul mate" or the love of my life, I'm talking about my father. All my life, he's only been my crazy dream and my mother's nightmare. She hated when I asked about him, for the longest time I never even knew his name. It wasn't until only a week ago that I first heard his name spoken by my mother. Yuzuru Suoh. I had no idea who that man was, just that he was/is my father. My mother always told me that I had his charm, but other than that I was nothing like him.

Nothing she said about him was ever nice, I once asked her why she hated him so much. She told me that he broke her heart. Even though their marriage was arranged by their mothers, she loved him. Then when he was on a trip to France, he had an affair with a woman who lived there. Mother had been devastated.

Earlier last week though, she passed away. My mother, my best friend, gone forever. She had been very sick for a few years and one day she got so bad she had to go to the hospital. Everyday I visited her after school and everyday she said that she would feel better. I never guessed this had been what she meant. Our last conversation still plays over and over through my mind, like it's on a never ending loop.

"Emiku, I want you to meet your father," she had said as soon as I sat down in my chair that was always placed right next to the head of her bed. She took my hand and attempted to squeeze it, she had grown so weak.

I looked into my mother's green eyes, they once held a light that could make everything from a stubbed toe to a broken heart feel better. The light in her eyes had dimmed. "Why would you want me to do that, Mom?"

She gave a weak smile and a dry laugh that turned into a cough. She leaned forward and I rubbed her back. When the coughing stopped, she returned to laying her back against pile of pillows on her bed. "I've kept you from him for selfish reasons."

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled at her, "You don't have a selfish bone in your body."

She laughed again, minus the coughing, "I have plenty of them, Emi. I didn't want to lose you like I lost him, but he's still your father and you deserve to meet him."

I sighed, there was no way I could say no to her. I've never been able to. "I don't even know where to find him," I realized. She smiled and pointed to a piece of paper that was laying on the tabletop next to her. She had been prepared for my visit today. Written on the paper was an address and simple directions. I looked back at her and for a moment I saw the light in her eyes once again.

"I love you so much Emi. I've always been so proud of you…" Her eyes slipped shut and her hand in mine went limp. I felt my eyes begin to sting with tears as I called for the nurse, for anybody to come help my mother. It hit me later that night that she had been telling me the truth, she did finally feel better.

In my hand I held the slip of paper that contained my father's address. I had no idea what this man was actually like. Was he nice? Was he mean? Did he drink? What did he even look like? I looked down at the directions. "Take a left at the next stoplight," I read to myself out-loud. I looked up, I was a block away from the light. As I walked, I wrapped one of my glossy black curls around my index finger and caught myself biting my lip; a combination of nervous habits I've acquired over the years. I dropped my hand to my side and silently chastised myself for being nervous.

I came to the light and abruptly turned to the left, then looked back at the directions. That's what I've done the entire way so far: look at the direction, follow it, then look at the next one repeatedly until I get to do it, and repeat. I looked up at what was around me, I was in a neighborhood. The houses were huge, much bigger than the one my mother and I lived in. "I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere," I told myself. It wasn't unlike me to get lost. I could get lost in my house if it was one just one of those days. I heard a car go past, I couldn't believe what I had just seen! It was a limo. I didn't know people actually had those things. "Yup, I have definitely taken a wrong turn."

I was about to turn around when I saw the address Mom had written down. I felt my mouth drop as I looked upon the giant mansion. I looked down at what I was wearing: a white cardigan that hugged my flat stomach, I had the sleeves pushed up to my elbows; under my cardigan I wore a red camisole over an orange one; I had on a black bubble skirt that hit just under mid-thigh; on my feet I wore my favorite pair of two inch black suede ankle boots. I thought I had dressed nice, but seeing where my father lived, only made me feel shabby and unworthy. Once again I was about to turn away when I heard someone coming down the walk way. I looked to see an older woman. She had a determined look on her face, like she was a woman on a mission.

"Can I help you Miss?" She asked almost sounding impatient with me, as if I had spoken to her before and it was a left over annoyance.

I smiled and bowed to her, "I'm sorry to be an inconvenience, but I am looking for Yuzuru Suoh. I must have gotten turned around somewhere…" I trailed off as I noticed the look she was giving me. As if I was less than human, she gave me a look that one would give to a dog that had just been rolling around in garbage.

She turned from me. "Follow me," she said. I was hesitant to follow her, but I figured if she was a crazy homicidal old woman I could probably take her on.

This is what I was thnking about in Pre-Calculus today and I just couldn't help myself, I had to write it!

Emiku: Shouldn't you be paying attention?

Me: ...Maybe. But it's so boring and Mrs. Dora is taking away my love of math!

Emiku: *Giggles* Dora. Who likes math anyway?

Me: Very mature Emi. And I do, well, I did.

Emiku: Does she say Swiper no swipping if you take her stapler? *Giggle*

Me: ... I don't know! I wanna try it now!

Emiku: Please review! I would really like to know if you liked me!

Me: I would also like to know! I hope everyone enjoys and if you didn't, please review anyway!