94: 𝙵𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚜
He had left her speechless... Again.
Her father had requested that... The Iidas adopt her? All those years ago?
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I didn't. I feel the most guilty about agreeing to do it, but not. As far as your father knew at the time of his death..." He ran a hand through his hair.
"I... I understand." Nova whispered, looking away. It wasn't fair of her father to ask something so big of them. Especially after the way they met. But...
It could have saved her a whole lot of pain.
The system she was put into, while it may help some kids... It hadn't given a damn about Nova. Before ending up in Karon's home she had bounced through a few others. Spending most of the time in group homes with lots of other kids. Other kids who didn't like her very much. She had deep abandonment issues and trust issues. She felt as though she could never be loved, not in the way a parent lives their child. Not any more.
She wondered what it would have Been like... Growing up as an Iida. Having Tensei as an older brother, and the twins as her younger brothers. Being Tenya's sister...
Even in her imagination... It didn't sit right.
"I think about it... A lot. And most of the time I regret it. I never even told the boys, just Akane. Who feels we made the right decision but..." Taro shook his head. "Your father... Gave me one last chance to be someone's hero... And I didn't take it."
"You made a good decision." Nova shook her head. "You didn't know me, and one conversation with my father didn't make me your responsibility."
He didn't say anything. Nova could still see the guilt in his eyes. But there was also some relief.
He had been afraid she'd be angry with him. Maybe she should be.
"Besides... If you had adopted me... I never would have met Zoey." Nova said with a small smile.
He smiled too. A bigger one than she did. Standing up slowly. "Right. Of course." He nodded. "Speaking of which, she's probably with the twins. They all skipped school today, she refused to go anywhere as long as you were sick and... Well if someone else skips school it's hard to tell Takashi he can't as well. And don't worry, we called Eraserhead and explained your absence as well as Zoey's teacher."
"Oh... Thank you." Nova stood up too.
"I assume you're not up to seeing everyone, and it's getting a little late. I'll get your sister and take the both of you home. If that's what you want."
Nova nodded. "Yes... Please." She said, touching the pocket the picture was tucked in.
"Although I believe one of my sons owes you an apology." Taro frowned.
Tenya.
"Wait-" Nova said nervously as the man started to turn. "Um please... Don't... Make him... I understand why he said what he did, but if he was to apologize id... Want it to be because he wishes too. Not as a punishment..." She requested, looking away. Although she didn't think she had any place to instruct them in how to parent.
Taro seemed to consider this. "Very well. In that case I'd like to apologize to you again. I'm not sure what he said, but it's not how we intended to handle the situation at all."
"I understand, thank you." Nova nodded.
"You can stay in here if you'd like. I'll find your sister and tell Akane you woke up... She might want to give you a checkup though, before she lets you leave." He said so with the same small smile. Then he turned and left Nova, alone.
She stared forward for a little bit. This definitely wasn't what she expected she had been almost afraid of meeting Taro Iida. Turns out he was out of all of them, the most accepting of her. She was glad.
But she was also glad to be out of there. Taro collected Zoey and brought the two together on his own. Nova didn't see any other members of the Iida family. Once Zoey was by Nova's side, she refused to leave it. Holding onto her for dear life. She hugged Nova's waist and apologized several times, sniffling softly. When Mr Iida grove them home Zoey was almost in Nova's lap in the back seat.
"I told them Mrs Karon was working." Zoey whispered in Nova's ear before they got in the car.
Nova mentally thanks God for Zoeys sneaky side. While it got them into this mess, it also got them out of another legal one. The last thing she wanted them to know about was their shitty guardian. Especially after what Taro told her about not wanting to adopt her. She didn't want him to feel any more unnecessary guilt. She didn't blame him for a second for not taking her in. She was the daughter of someone who hurt him, and above all a stranger. While he had a wife and kids as young as three at home. It wouldn't make sense...
But...
There was a certain feeling of comfort. Knowing that her father had... Tried. He tried to set something up for her. He tried to make arrangements to keep her safe without him.
That warmed her heart.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
Nova looked down at little sleeping Zoey. It wasn't even sunset yet, but she was already completely ready for bed. Nova couldn't blame her, she probably hadn't slept much the night before.
Nova felt okay, Mrs Iida even gave her some cold and flu medicine to take home. With a nervous and guilty smile, Nova wasn't sure what happened when Zoey was there alone. But it seemed like it changed Akane's perspective of her.
Nova left the room quietly. Sneaking down the hall to get a drink of water. Unsurprisingly Karon was in the kitchen, passed out over a bottle. She was like that when they got there, Nova had just swept Zoey away into their room.
Nova quietly fixed a cup of water and started to sneak back into her room when she heard a light groan from Karon.
"Guess you two are alive then..." She mumbled, looking up at Nova from her spot laying against the table. "What am I even here for... If you don't tell me shit." Her voice was only slightly slurred, but her eyes seemed unfocused.
She sat up suddenly, her movements slow and lethargic. "What am I even here for..." She repeated under her breath. Now that she was sitting up Nova could see... Bruises.
Just two. One on her neck peaking out from her shirt collar and the other over her eye. Though she pulled a blonde bang over it. She wasn't wearing her usual smeared makeup either.
"What happened?" Nova whispered, taking a step closer.
"Doesn't fucking matter... Not yet anyways..." She shook her head and looked at her bottle, which was almost empty. Unfortunately. "Just do as all a favor alright kid?"
Nova waited for her to say something insulting. Like to get lost or just die or shut up or something. Like Karon usually would. But her next words made no sense.
"Never fall in love." Karon said drinking the last few sips from her bottle.
Nova stared at her for a few moments. Then shrugged. "Alright."
Karon scoffed at Nova's response then chuckled, shaking her head and putting the bottle back down. "Go to bed kid."
Nova turned and walked away quickly. Before she yelled at her or started saying weird shit again.
Never fall in love?
Was that it? Why Karon was always gone? Did she have a boyfriend?? But those bruises... Did he hit her or something? Karon didn't seem like the type to take anyone's shit. She seemed like the type to beat a man with a beer bottle for raising his voice. But still, anyone could be a victim in something like that right?
But what was Nova supposed to do? Technically this was the first ever time She's seen bruising on Karon. She could have just gotten drunk and fallen down the stairs.
But while it was in character... It didn't sit right with Nova.
None of it did.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
It was midnight now.
Despite all odds, Nova still Intended to go to school in the morning.
But for right now she sat on the fire escape. This time she wasn't holding a cigarette. Rather a photo. She looked at it, like she had been doing ritualistically since she got it. It had only been a few hours, but she had already memorized every detail. Her big happy smile... She didn't think shes smiled like that in years. Her dad's comforting embrace, it looked just as she remembered. And her mom...
Everything about her mom. Her freckles, her rosy cheeks, the eyelashes around her closed smiling eyes.
It was all perfect.
But as she looked there was suddenly a question in her mind. One that's answer could either be very simple... Or very complicated. The angle with above them, they were outside on the grass. It almost looked like the woods outside Nova's old house... Both her moms arms were around her dad's. And his were around Nova so...
...Who took the picture?
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