The Facility - Fighting Fate

9 Confessions and concessions

(Sōma POV)

I'd been thinking of Takao all morning. He'd told me about his intention of driving back to the woods where he'd found Sora, trying to look for more hints. But like Fujita-san, I was concerned as well, that he would turned the Hara family against him and it scared me. Just the thought about loosing him in whichever way made me nauseous.

I'd planned to made hamburgers for lunch, but had to throw the already fried patties away because I accidentally mixed up salt and sugar. And when I then mixed Shizukas formula with cold milk, I gave up. I'd to distract my mind quickly, before I'd probably blew up the whole kitchen while making tea. Sora seemed to notice that I was absent-minded, because he had a worried look as I warmed up the formula in the microwave.

«Are you alright?», he asked.

«I'm just lost in thoughts.», I said calmly, «Why don't we visit the grave of my adoptive father? I know it may not be very interesting at your age, but I want to introduce you to the man, who rescued me and gave me a home back then.»

The local graveyard was just a ten minutes walk and the weather was sunny, so it was perfect for a walk. On the way I realized that I hadn't be there since I found out, I was pregnant.

«Hello Nobuo-san.», I said and crouched down at the grave, «I'm sorry, it's been so long. But now I can introduce you to your grandchild and our newest family member Sora.»

Shizuka giggled and squeaked happily, but Sora had a sad look.

«What's wrong?»

«Your dad is in heaven, right? Does it mean, he's with my two dead babies? And was he also sick?»

I had to process, what he'd said, before I felt the urge to scream out loud. Takao had probably been silent about his detail intentionally, when he'd told me about Soras daughter. I took a few deep breaths, swallowed the lump in my throat and put Shizuka back into the stroller, before I answered.

«You know, that I'm also an omega.», I looked at him and he nodded, «You probably already have had noticed this during the last few weeks, but it's very uncommon for someone as young as me to have such a gray-white hair color. The doctor called it the Marie-Antoinette-Syndrome. Marie-Antoinette was a queen, who lived a few centuries ago and had been fated to die. On the night before her death, as legend have it, her hair turned gray mysteriously. Today's medicine know, that this phenomenon is caused by a sudden high stress level. I lost both my parents at a short time as a child and one night, my hair suddenly turned gray-white. I came to live with my oldest sister, but as soon as I'd been identified as an omega, she sold me to a brothel. They also force omegas to have sex against their will there, so I can most likely imagine what you've gone through since your first heat. At this time, and not even Takao knows this, I've had also gotten pregnant once, but lost the fetus in the first trimester because of an infection. I wanted to take my own life then. I'd been hit rock bottom. But then, I met Nobuo-san. He took me from there and showed me the bright sides of life. What I was about to say: I'm very sorry, of what you've been through and for you to faced death at such a young age and under such conditions. But I'll make a pinky promise with you, here and now, that I'll also show you the bright side of life and that you never have to be scared again. You've my word on it.»

My heart pulsed harshly in my chest. Sora looked at me, for what seemed to be ages, before I'd saw big tears rolling down his cheeks. I embraced him in my arms until he'd have calmed down.

It's true what they say. It's way easier not to cry alone., I thought.

Later then I bought some incense and a little bouquet and we cleaned the stone and the winters leftover dirt. When the sky got cloudier and it looked like it'd rain soon, we packed and walked back home. Takao would also be back home before long. On the way I bought new hamburger meat and pudding for dessert. We were almost at the front door, when the first drops fell down.