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Part I
"That's the fifth time tonight you've looked over your shoulder" Makoto said
stopping to turn to her girlfriend, "what's the matter?"
"Nothing" Ami replied, not at all convincingly.
"Nothing, eh" Makoto repeated as she registered Ami's actions "then why have
you been looking around so much?" Taking the smaller girls hand she began
again "all through the movie you were looking back into the tiers, I bet you
can't even tell me what the movie was about."
"Um..." Ami started, visibly making an effort to remember. A demure little
smile played across her lips as she looked pointedly at Makoto then
proceeded to give a summary of the movie.
Makoto wasn't so easily deluded, "you know all of that because you read
about it online." Scanning the streets herself before finally looking back
to Ami "C'mon Ami-chan, tell me what's the problem."
Ami gave a heavy sigh as she began to walk down the street ahead of Makoto.
"Alright fine," Makoto said as she caught up to her "you don't have to tell
me, but...""I think I'm being followed" Ami whispered to her, cutting her off.
"What?!" Makoto asked. Concern written all over her face as she put her arm
around the smaller girl, stopping her once again.
"I've had this feeling for the passed week, like someone's watching me."
"All the time?" Makoto asked calmly. She was angry, not at Ami but with this
possible stalker. How dare they?' she thought, however for Ami's sake she
remained composed.
"No, not all the time" she said looking down the street as she instinctively
moved closer to Makoto. "I feel fine when I'm inside, like in school or at
home..." Looking up at Makoto she smiled and included "and at you place."
Nonetheless, Makoto wasn't having it. Her only thoughts were of Ami's
safety. "Why haven't you said anything before?" Makoto began harshly,
surprising Ami though by no means scaring her. "Whoever's following you
could be dangerous" she stated.
"I know" she assured Makoto, "I just thought no one would believe me." She
paused looking at Makoto's livid countenance "it is just a feeling."
"So what?!" Makoto said, now taking a more detailed look at their
surroundings. "They shouldn't be ignored" looking back at Ami she asked
"have you noticed anyone around all the time?"
Ami's face reddened as she studied the ground.
"Oh Kami-sama!" Makoto exclaimed, "You have." Putting her anger in check,
Makoto got her voice under control enough to say "point em out."
Venturing a brief glance at Makoto Ami shook her head, "She's gone."
Makoto stood there staring at Ami not knowing what to say to her.
Ultimately, it was Ami who spoke again "the next time I see her I'll point
her out to you."
Makoto only nodded, taking Ami's hand as they resumed their walk to her
apartment. "Maybe we should call the police?"
Ami knew Makoto was afraid for her, but she saw no point in calling the
police and told her so.Makoto said nothing, silently marinating in her anger.
"I know there's not much the police can do" she tried explaining to Makoto.
"And I don't think she's dangerous..."
At this Makoto couldn't help but respond "if you don't think she's dangerous
then why have you been looking over your shoulders, hmm?"
Ami sighed and started again "I don't think she's dangerous because we are
senshi..."
Makoto stopped dead in her tracks, turning to Ami she asked "do you think
this is a new ene..""No...""But...""NO buts, I know she isn't."
"Fine, I'll take your word for it."
After walking a few more blocks Makoto perked up, "we are senshi" she said
proudly, even if it was only a whisper meant for Ami. "We can take her
whenever she finally makes her move."
Part II
TWO DAYS LATER
"Okaa-san, I'm home" Ami called as she hung her jacket on the coat rack.
"I'm in the kitchen dear" Ms. Mizuno called.
Ami couldn't help but get exciting as she made her way to the kitchen, her
mother rarely took days off and she looked forward to spending this one with
her. As Ami walked through the kitchen's entrance the sight of who was
seated at the table made her almost choked on her own heart. Regaining her
composure, she looked to her mother for an explanation "Okaa-san?"
On hearing the word Ms. Mizuno shook with the effort it took to hold herself
together. "I should've told you earlier" she whispered to the parqueted floor.
"Okaa-san" Ami gently called as she made her way to her mother. "Tell me
what?" she entreated.
Ms. Mizuno said nothing though she tried, the words just wouldn't escape her
mouth.
Turning around Ami look at the woman seated at the kitchen table, the same
woman she has noticed following her, watching her, for the passed week.
"What are you doing here?" She fired at the woman, "what did you say to my
mother to upset her this much?"
The woman just sat in her seat biting her lip, staring intently at Ami.
"Answer me!!" Ami yelled, startling the woman and her mother.
She didn't care that she was being rude, as far as she was concerned this
woman had lost all rights to respect when she started stalking her and now
upsetting her mother. "Answer me" Ami seethed.
The woman looked at Ms. Mizuno before she spoke "I was hoping Shizuko-San
would tell you" she expressed in a clear voice. "Though, seeing as she can't
say much at the moment" just then the woman got up and slowly walked to Ami
all the while keeping an intense gaze on her. "Don't I look at all familiar
to you Ami-Chan?""Imotu-Chan, please don't!!" Shizuko begged her younger sister.
"If you love her at all, you won't do this to her."
Ami was stunned into silence at the exchange, imuto-Chan? I didn't know
mother had a little sister...' Scrutinizing the woman she eventually noticed
the similar features shared by the woman and her mother, even between the
woman and herself. Is that why she should look familiar to me?' Ami
wondered remembering the woman's earlier words.
Looking to her mother's devastated visage, Ami figured this was obviously
more than it seemed to be. "Will someone tell me what is going on?" she
pleaded, looking from her mother to her aunt "please."
"Ami" her mother spoke before her aunt could. With trembling hands she took
her daughter by the shoulders and looked solemnly and lovingly into her
eyes. "No matter what Ami, know that I love you..." looking up to her
younger sister before returning her stare to her beloved daughter "as if I
had giving birth to you myself."
Ami stood motionless as she registered what her mother had just said. The
whole conversation made sense to her now, but she still couldn't believe it.
Finally letting out the breath she was holding she slowly stepped out of the
arms of the only mother she had ever known and turned to the other woman in
the room. Her stalker, her aunt, her mother? Who was this woman?
"I assume, you would be the one who gave birth to me?" she asked the woman
who was now standing in front of her.
She slowly shook her head as the whispered answer passed her lips "yes."
As the woman tried to hug her Ami stepped back, "NO!"
Gazing back at the woman she'd called mother for 16 years then to the newly
found mother she didn't know at all, Ami couldn't shake off the overwhelming
sense of betrayal she felt from both of them. Blindly she walk to the front
door and left the house as her mothers' called after her, though neither
one really tried to stop her knowing she needed time to acclimate herself
with what just took place.
Part III
She couldn't tell you how she did it, but Ami found herself in front of
Makoto's apartment.
"Ami-chan?!" Makoto whispered. After answering the door she was about to
express her surprise at seeing Ami, but all that vanished from her mind as
she noticed the other girls forlorn state.
"Makoto!!" Ami cried as she moved into Makoto's waiting arms, releasing the
tears she had held back all this time.
Closing the door, Makoto took Ami to the couch and held her as she cried.
The hot tears drenched Makoto's shirt but she couldn't have cared less, all
that mattered to her was Ami.
After several minutes of nonstop sobbing, Ami finally raised her head from
Makoto's chest.
"Are you feeling better?" Makoto asked as she gently wiped Ami's tears away.
"I guess so" She took Makoto's hand in hers and Kissed the palm, "Thank you."
"There's no need to thank me sweetheart" she said leaning forward kiss Ami
on the forehead "I'm always here for you.""I know."
"What happened?" Then Makoto suddenly remembered "Does this have anything to
do with that stalker?" she asked.
Ami gave a short derisive laugh which confused Makoto."Well?" Makoto insisted.
"Yes, actually it does" she declared. "But its not what you think" she
quickly added as Makoto jumped off of the couch obviously with the intention
of finding the woman then knocking her clear into the next millennium, where
she would find her again and kick her into the next.
"What?!" Again the smaller woman had confused her.
"Sit down, I'll tell you everything."
At the end of the story Ami couldn't help falling into tears again. And
again Makoto held her. "I just feel so betrayed Makoto.""Why?"
"Because Okaa-san has been lying to me all these years, she could've told
me. I would've understood."
Makoto thought for a moment then answered "Maybe she wanted you to have a
normal life" she looked down into Ami's eye "you know, so you won't feel
anymore different."
Ami knew what Makoto was trying to tell her. She was already set apart from
the rest because she is a genius, and earlier in her life not having her
father around also made her an outcast. Agreeing with Makoto she figured her
mother just didn't want to ostracize her anymore than she already was. But,
still. "That doesn't say much...we wouldn't have had to tell anyone." Ami
said, her anger and sadness returning. "Why didn't she tell _me_?"
Makoto gave a sad sigh "because she didn't want _you_ to feel different, I
don't think she cares much about what other people think."
Realizing what Makoto truly meant, she sadly acquiesced "I guess you're
right." In spite of how quick her anger had dissipated, it returned again.
Though this time it was directed at the other 'mother.'
Makoto saw the ire on her face and knew "you're thinking about
your...mother's sister?"
"Can you explain away her actions" Ami's voice and eyes conveyed her hurt.
"How can someone give away there child?" though on realizing that's not what
she meant she said "How can _she_ give _me_ away?"
"Well, at least she didn't..." Makoto caught herself "I mean Um...you left
before you got her story" She hugged Ami closer "I'm sure she has a
perfectly good explanation." Looking down at Ami again she reminded her "And
remember Ami, she left you with a wonderful woman."
Ami sighed and rested her head on Makoto's chest, "I know."
Part IV
Later that day at around 9 PM, Makoto walked Ami back to her house. It was
hard getting Ami to agree to come back, but Makoto made her realize she
couldn't hide from the situation.
"Ami-chan," Ms. Mizuno exclaimed, her whole body filling with relief. "Hello
Mako-chan" she said acknowledging Makoto's presence. "I figured she was with
you," smiling for the first time since she answered the door to see her long
lost imuto-chan. "It's the only reason I didn't worry" seeming to realize
what she said Shizuko sobered and gave Makoto that 'you better not be doing
anything your not supposed to with my daughter' look and amended her earlier
statement "much."
All Makoto could do was keep her demeanor and pray she wasn't blushing. The
last thing she wanted was to confirm Mizuno-san's suspicions.
Luckily for Makoto, but bad for the situation, Shizuko as well as the two
young girls were distracted by her imuto-chan. "I still can't believe you
condone this behavior" She groaned in disgust.
"Excuse me?" Shizuko asked turning to her younger sister.
"You know what I'm talking about" she said looking from her sister to her
daughter and her girlfriend. "When I gave my daughter to you I knew you
could provide the best for her, but I also thought you would raise her morally."
"Don't be ridiculous, Yoko" Shizuko bellowed. Not even bothering to put her
anger in check she continued "I raised her with excellent ethics..."
"Ethic's my foot, I could have died when I saw her with that girl" Yoko
hollered pointing at Makoto. "If you had raised her with any sense of
decency she would know that...that...that being like that is wrong."
Makoto had had enough of this and had to put her own two cense in "If you
had any sense of decency" she began "you wouldn't be stalking people."
Yoko glanced at her indignantly, then went on as if Makoto hadn't said
anything at all "You allowed her to be ruined, she can never marry a decent
man now."
"You're being ridiculous again" Shizuko stated plainly, having already moved
passed her anger. Now she was just annoyed that her younger sister could be
so naive and blind.
"Ridiculous?" she said looking at the girls standing by the door. "What's
ridiculous is that you would allow this. If I hadn't seen it my own eyes I
would've stayed out of your lives." Making sure that all three females in
the room was listening she stated "my aim here is to have this relationship
expunged."
Everyone was surprised when the first thing out of Ami's mouth was laughter,
cold cynical laughter. Even Makoto was surprised in all their years of
fighting along side each other she's never heard Ami sound that sardonic.
"Just how do you plan on doing that?" Ami sneered as she continued her
frosty laughter. It was all Makoto & Shizuko could do to pick their jaws up
from off the floor, they had never heard or seen this side of Ami before.
"I'm gonna take you to live with me..."
"You can't do that, so stop fantasizing" Shizuko declared, stopping her
sisters ranting. "You may have giving birth to her but in the eyes of the
law she is my daughter."
Yoko silently fumed, she understood that her sister was right. "Then you put
an end to it" she seethed."Why would I do that?" Shizuko asked, highly annoyed.
"Their relationship is an abomination..."
"They're in love for Kami sake" Shizuko shouted "do you really want Ami to
give up the one she loves, someone who obviously loves her back to maybe end
up marrying Kami knows who."
"It could be a very respectable man" Yoko offered weakly, already seeing the
logic in her sisters argument.
"Or it could be some asshole." Shizuko swallowed the chagrin she felt at
using such strong language, 'it's to prove a point' she told herself though
she still didn't feel too good about it. "At least right now she's in a
relationship where she safe and loved." Looking sternly at her sister "why
would you want to break that up?"
"As if she could" Ami and Makoto said in unison. Both ladies turn to look at
them, though with two different expressions. A comforting grin from Shizuko
and a far from comforting scowl from Yoko, however the disgust that used to
be evident her glare wasn't there anymore. Not that either girls cared, as
far as Ami was concerned she wanted nothing to do with this woman.
"Well," she started, as she walked to the front door "with your futile
efforts to break us up thwarted...how about you leave?"
Again Yoko looked to Shizuko "You raised her with morals, eh?"
Shizuko instantly reddened, embarrassed at Ami's uncharacteristic rudeness.
But then she remembered, "treat her as you would want to be treated."
"Hmpf." Walking to stand in front of Ami Yoko expressed her sorrow "I know
what happened today has probably made you hate me, but remember that I do
love you and that I do what I do because I want the best for you." Pausing
she studied Makoto for a solemn moment, releasing a poignant sigh she said
to Ami "maybe someday you'll come to understand that." The look in Ami's
eyes told her that that day definitely was not today. With that she walked
out of the door quickly enough to not be hit with it.
"I can not believe this day, or the nerve of that woman" Ami exclaimed
turning away from the door she had just slammed behind her birth mother.
Regarding the two women still in the house "I'm sorry about my earlier
temper..." she looked as if she wanted to say more, but all she did was walk
to the stairs apparently going to her room.
She left the two woman silently staring at each other in the livingroom.
Part V
Ami sat at her computer staring absentmindedly at the screen, while Makoto
sat on her bed staring intently at her. After about twenty minutes she
couldn't take it anymore "so, aren't you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Makoto
asked her blue haired girlfriend. It had been several days since the
confrontation with Yoko and the twosome were relaxing in Ami's room. Dr.
Mizuno was at the hospital and wouldn't be home until late at night.
Ami was shaken out of her daze by Makoto's sudden outburst, "what did you
say?" she asked as she turned around to face the bed.
Makoto sat up and faced Ami's direction, "you know you've been doing that
since Yoko was here." Makoto couldn't help it anymore since Yoko came and
went Ami hasn't been herself. She has often caught the genius spacing out,
yep you read right, spacing out. Signs of her preoccupation were all over
the place, book's left unread on her lap while she stared into space, work
that took a little longer than usual to finish, most surprising of all she
even pulled a ditzy Usagi stunt and walked into a wall.
"Sweetheart, I don't have the faintest idea of what you're talking about?"
"What?" Makoto was decidedly frustrated she couldn't believe Ami didn't
recognize her own change in behavior.
"I asked you first Makoto." Ami laughed, but it was short lived as she saw
the displease look on Makoto's face. Getting up and making her way to sit
next to makoto on the bed Ami asked "What is it?"
"What is it with you?" Makoto asked as Ami settled next to her "almost every
time I look at you you're daydreaming."
"Don't worry, its not like I'm thinking of some hunky guy I wanna leave you
for" Ami joked.
Makoto didn't laugh, though she was curious she hadn't really given any
thought as to what Ami was thinking about when she went off into her own
world. "So what do you think about then?"
Sobering Ami sighed "I wouldn't call it daydreaming.""What do you mean?"
"Well, daydreaming makes it sound as if I'm thinking of something pleasant."
Again Ami developed that faraway look, Makoto couldn't say whether or not
she was enjoying her reverie, the stoic look she acquired gave nothing away.
Sighing Makoto leaned over to gently shake Ami's shoulder "you're doing it
again."
Ami said nothing, her only response was to look solemnly into Mokoto's eyes.
"You still haven't told me what you think about." She took Ami's hand and
softly squeezed it "tell me, maybe I can help make them more pleasant for you."
"I don't see how you can" Ami answered thoughtfully as she pulled her legs
up and hugged them to her body "I keep thinking about Yoko."
Makoto waited for her to go on, however when she realized Ami didn't intend
to, she prompted "why?"
"Exactly!" Ami exclaimed. "Why did she give me away? My mind keeps making up
countless different scenarios...I just wish I knew."
"Oh!" the far off looks made sense to her now, but she didn't understand why
Ami didn't do the obvious. "So why don't you ask her?"
Ami gave Makoto a surprised look, she expected her to know, wasn't it
obvious because I can't stand her,' "because I don't like her, she's
bigoted and obstinate among other things, I shouldn't have to associate with
her...and besides the things she said that evening are unforgivable" Ami
brooded.
"That's the real reason isn't it?" Makoto asked as she remembered how much
the woman had annoyed her too, it took all her control and regard for Ami
not to blow up at the woman. "The real reason you don't want to see her."
Ami nodded her agreement, "I just can't forgive her for that" she murmured.
"But you want to know why she gave you up?" At Ami's nod she continued "I
don't see why you should care." Makoto was a bit confused at this "you love
the mother you have, don't you?"
"Of course!" Ami was almost appalled "how can you question that?"
"I'm sorry" Makoto quickly asserted, "I know you do...I don't know what came
over me." The blush on her face showed her embarrassment. "Just why is it
such a big deal?"
Ami thought for a moment, "I just want to know about my past, why she gave
me away?""But..."
"Yeah, I know I can ask my mom but she'll only know so much...I want the
first hand experience, details." Ami clarified somberly.
"Then you must go to her," Makoto started "I don't see how you can get that
information without talking to her." Makoto mused.
Ami visibly shrunk as she contemplated what Makoto said, "will you come with
me?"Both girls knew it wasn't a question, it was plea that one desperately
wanted answered. There was no way Makoto could say no even if she had
wanted to, "Of course I'll go with you." She hugged Ami thinking that Yoko
wouldn't be happy to see her there, but that's a bridge to cross later.
Part VI
Yoko stared at her daughter and her daughter's girlfriend. They were seated
at the kitchen table at the motel room she rented. 'So you wanna know why,
huh.' Moving to the counter she picked up an unopened pack of cigarettes
and lit one, then picked up the pack along with another and sat herself in
front of the girls. 'I might as well tell you.' "it started like this..."
Flashback :-)
"Goddamn it Yoko," Hideo exclaimed as he looked around the small one
bedroom apartment "can't you clean this place up, it looks like your face."
He took off his coat and threw it at the coat rack. He walked passed the
quiet eighteen month old in the ratty second hand playpen and made his way
to the fridge. After a long day at wherever he's been, he had one thing on
his mind, a cold beer.
"OH FOR KAMI SAKE LOOK AT THIS" he slammed the fridge door and stormed back
into the livingroom. "Have you seen the state of the fridge?" he asked his
wife. She just puffed on her cigarettes and ignore him.
"What do you have to do besides keep this place clean when the day comes,"
he said walking close to her.
Now she looked at him, eyes narrowed but said nothing.
He stopped in front of her and stared down at her with a weird look in his
eyes, not anger, but probably regret. He left her without saying a word and
walked over to the baby he barely ever acknowledged. She stared up at him
as he watched down at her.
At one year and a half, Ami was capable of holding conversations. She
usually didn't talk to her father because he hardly ever looked her way, but
her baby mind was reeling when he stopped in front of her and didn't look
angry. She didn't know what his look meant, she had only ever seen anger
and the look he got when he was absorbed with television. She assumed since
this wasn't anger, it must be happy and said "hello."
Still staring he smiled. She stretched her arms out to him for him to pick
her up. "hi daddy" she said when he did. "hey kid." He said nothing while
Ami played with his face, pulling his hair, nose, lips. For the girl it was
a new experience. He's held her before, but it was so few and far between
that the next time always felt like the first time.
The father/daughter bonding was broken by Yoko's screaming. She was so
shocked as she looked on, that her cigarette fell out of her mouth and onto
her skirt burning a small hole. When Hideo turned around he saw her patting
herself to smolder the fire. He turned back to his daughter and looked at
her for a long while before putting her into the play pen and turning to her
mother."Since there's nothing in the fridge," he started as he walked to the
coatrack he threw his jacket on "I'm gonna go get us some dinner." He was
already out the door when he turned back and said "clean this place up a
little before I get back."End flashback :-|
"that was the last time I saw Hideo" Yoko said puffing on her cigarette.
She looked over at her daughter to see her mulling the things she said over.
She left her to do it, and looked at the tall girl at her daughters side.
It was plain her only concern was Ami. She almost smiled, but she still
couldn't fully get over her feeling that their relationship is wrong. 'I'll
just have to get over it" she thought 'I don't think I can handle fifteen
more years of being away from her.'
Her cogitation was broken when she heard Ami asking "how exactly did I end
up with Okaa-san?" 'that hurts you know Ami,' Yoko thought as she stared at
her daughter and took another puff of her ciggie 'I'm your Okaa-san.'
"After your father left things were hard," Yoko started. "I never had a
job, I went straight from my father's house to his house."
"Don't you think you've had enough," Ami asked, stopping Yoko as she opened
the other pack of cigarettes.
'I need 'em to keep me calm' she thought as she silently finished opening
the pack and lit one. "There were practically no savings" she resumed her
story, "we had lived from your father's paycheck to paycheck."
She fell silent still staring at Ami, 'am I making you uncomfortable, you
don't look like I am. If you are sorry, I can't help it.' Taking another
drag. 'should I tell you the rest or just skip to what you what to know?'
Another drag. 'you're the scientific type aren't you? you wanna know it all.'
"Yoko-san?"
'Hmmm, what the heck you already hate me,' blowing out a long stream of
smoke. "Well after what passed for savings were gone," she started slowly
"I had to naturally get a job." 'how am I gonna do this?' for the first
time she moved her eyes from her daughter and stared at her cigarette. "It
was a night job." 'please Ami, get the idea.' Slowly raising her head it
was obvious by Makoto's large round eyes and Ami's scowl that both knew what
she was talking about. 'So you're not happy with that huh Ami,' taking a
long drag 'I didn't think you would be. What would you think of the rest?'
"Well, I didn't like that job much" she started again "but I had to do it,
we had to eat." The scowl on Ami's face hadn't gone away 'No sympathy huh?'
"Well a few colleagues of mine introduced me to, umm, /something/ that
would make me not like it more, but tolerate it waaaay better."
"I'm not a child," Ami stated monotonously "there is no need for Euphemism."
'shit kid!' "Humor me then."
Ami shrugged her shoulders, "if that's what you want." She took a quick
glace at Makoto and then returned her gaze to Yoko "go on."
'damn it your just like my sister, She's really made you hers hasn't she?
it doesn't matter what I say' "well After a while I my priorities changed,"
she leaned back on the chair and crossed her legs, "Instead of taking care
of you, I _needed_ to get that thing that made life so worth living." Even
Makoto's face held a scowl, 'heh, didn't want _your_ pity anyway kid.' "So
all my money went to getting it."
Stubbing out her cigarette, Yoko surprised the girls by just leaning back
and not relighting another. "It was just my luck that one day, unannounced,
my sister came to visit. I don't know how she got in, but she sure didn't
like what she saw."
She paused as her eyes moved to watch Makoto shift in her seat. "I didn't
even realize she had taken you until I came down from my high." 'are you
even listening, you face hasn't even so much as twitched in the last few
minutes' she thought looking at Ami. "And even then I just went back to
sleep. The next thing I Know someone was at the door, a law messenger, with
paper telling me that I had to get help before I could get you back.
Long story short, I took my sis to court they said she was full of shit and
gave you back to me. But in the same minute they took you back because you
weren't receiving the right care, and gave you to my sister and her husband
to care for. There was a stipulation that I get you back in a year if I
clean up and present that I have a stable and decent life to bring you back to.
Well in all honesty, I did try to straighten out, but I don't know, I got
high again and I just didn't wanna quit. Before I knew it a year passed and
I was in deeper than before they took you. Well obviously, I lost you and
all rights to you."'there you go, you wanted to know.'
"They said your father could come back and take you from them if he wanted.
But he only had until you were fifteen." 'not that he would've come to get
you anyway.'
Yoko watched as Ami's shoulders slumped and she stared at her hands. She
also watched as Makoto unashamedly put her arm around her girlfriend's
shoulder. 'I wonder what you expected to hear.' Looking away from the girls
she looked at the pack of cigarettes on the table 'I need a drink.'
"I don't know what to say about this," Ami's words broke into her thoughts.
Yoko just stared. "Before I didn't hate you for giving me away...I still
don't." Sitting straight again as Makoto took her arm away "but I just
wanted to know."
'You know now, so where do I stand with you.' "What do you think now? has
anything changed?" Yoko asked.
"The only thing that has changed is that now I know," Ami said standing up,
though she didn't walk away from the table. "Now I know I'm adopted and the
circumstances around it," she paused as she stared at the woman who brought
her into the world.'I'm just the crap under your shoe, aren't I?'
As if she heard Ami answered "As far I am concerned you are my mother's
sister, and the woman who gave my life, but you're not my Okaa-san." She
paused as Makoto got up and pushed her chair in "and as long as you despise
my relationship as you do, you're not even family." She took a deep breath
as she stood up straighter "I don't hate you Yoko, but I don't like you very
much..." She didn't stop as Yoko rose from the table. "I'm assuming you
kicked your drug habit, is that right?"
'would I show my face if I didn't?' "yeah!"
"That's great. Well our relationship depends on you attitude." Ami stopped
at the front door and turned to the woman she assumed she would never see
again. "I'm not friends with people I don't like, and you are family. They
say you can't choose your family, they must be right. You're not my mother
anymore, legally or..." She trailed off as she figured her mother got the
point. "Though you are my aunt," she stepped out of the door and looked
back "its up to you what type of relationship we have in that respects."
Yoko stared at the closed front door, letting out a hugh calming breath. 'An
aunt is better than nothing, Ami.' A smile tugged at her lips.**************
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