Yuna Inspired: Our Virtual Family

084

"Lucas," said Logan. "So, you've seen Grandma's house before?"

Lucas nodded. "I come here with Grandma sometimes."

Everyone—Hugo, Hana, Lucas, and Mrs. Hart— had been gathered by Logan about an hour ago to meet up at Mrs. Hart's house for one purpose: to confirm that Lucas really did know his mother. In the living room, Lucas and Hana sat on one sofa; Hugo sat in another; Mrs. Hart sat in another; and Logan stood to stay calm. This was much more disappointing and hurtful than when he had found out that his friends had known about Hana and Lucas four years ago because he didn't think his mom would somehow have contact with Hana and Lucas, and she didn't bother to tell him when he had told her countless times about the woman he loved and was trying to find.

"Sorry, Logan," said Mrs. Hart for the countless time.

Hana quickly added, "Logan, it's not—"

"Yeah, I know," he said. "It's no one's but yours."

"Logan," said Hugo, implying that what his brother had said wasn't right. "It's not her fault either. It's mine."

Logan glared at him. "This isn't new, Hugo. Hana—she—"

"Lucas, can you go play in the other room?" Hana purposely butted in and handed her son her cell phone. "I'll get you when we're done."

The little boy worriedly glanced back and forth between his grandmother and Logan. He knew and could tell that the adults had a serious discussion to discuss, so he obeyed his mother and went into a separate room.

"You have no plans to tell him anything?" Logan asked Hana.

She didn't answer. As far as she knew, Lucas wasn't the problem he wanted to address.

"Fine, we can leave him for another time."

Everyone waited for him to ask the question.

"Since when have you've been in contact?" He finally asked his mother.

Mrs. Hart momentarily looked at Hana for affirmation before answering. "Just a few weeks after they had moved out of the city."

Logan had expected the answer to be similar to his friends, such as knowledge of their return four years ago, so he was taken aback that his mother had been on the scene from the start. But why?

"Logan," Mrs. Hart said. She had to set things straight. "It's not what you think. Hugo or Hana-san didn't tell me about it. I had found out during the time he came back and forth between the moving, so I urged him to tell me about what was going on, especially..." Her face and voice lowered. "...especially since after what had happened..."

Logan's expression softened.

Everyone in the room knew what incident Mrs. Hart had referred to, but they kept quiet about it. It was too much of a painful and shameful part of the past to touch.

"Since Hana-san would be a single mother and be all by herself in a city that's new to her," continued Mrs. Hart, "she needed all the help she could get, and I wanted to make up for what had happened, and I also wanted to see the grandson you had cared so much for." Her mouth trembled, and her voice shook. "We didn't mean any harm in keeping our contact and relationship from you. We-we did what we had to." She mustered courage and calmly looked at her son. "It's what a Mom does."

*

It was only Hana who got sent home by Logan because Lucas had asked to sleep over at his grandma's place for the night, and despite what had happened, Hana couldn't find the energy to reject Logan's offer to take her home.