The Disconsolate Maiden

Chapter Twenty

"Homura, wake up!" Homura's grandmother said urgently as she shook the young girl awake. "Your mother collapsed this morning! She's in the hospital!"

Homura blinked open her soft, brown eyes, a lump growing even larger in her throat than the day before.

"This was expected..." Homura reminded herself, attempting to refrain from getting hurt. "I shouldn't cry, because everything is going to be fine. I shouldn't have left last night, even if she already was going to the hospital this weekend."

"Your father called and told me to tell you that," her grandmother said with a sigh. "What a rare occasion..."

"D-Do I need to head over to the hospital then...?" Homura stammered in her sleepy voice, fighting back a yawn. "I don't want Mother to fret..."

"Your father is on his way to pick you up, so I'd advise you get ready as quickly as possible. I have no idea how he is, but if he's anything like he used to be..." Homura's grandmother said, her voice trailing off. Forcing a smile on her face, the elderly woman chuckled. "I'll be getting breakfast ready."

"Y-Yes..." Homura stammered softly, climbing out of bed.

Thirty minutes later...

"He's here, Homura," Homura's grandmother said softly, shaking her head sadly. "I'm sure you'll be coming back over this afternoon though, so I'll make sure you have a proper lunch. My apologies for not having breakfast ready for you on time."

"It's fine!" Homura exclaimed, shaking her hands back in forth, slightly embarrassed.

"Stay strong," Homura's grandfather wheezed as he lit a cigar, already coughing a little. "I don't like that man. I don't care if he's your father. He's not a good man to be raising such an innocent youth."

"Goodbye," Homura said politely, bowing to both of her grandparents before she ran out the front door to her father's black car.

As usual, her father didn't say a word to her. He just waited for Homura to climb into the back seat (the front seat was off limits for Homura, especially in his car) of his car, and buckle her seatbelt.

Homura stared out the window as trees seemed to fly by. She had never known her father drove like a maniac. Perhaps he was just worried about his wife.

Imagining that her father actually had the ability to "love" someone slightly bothered her. He was such a cold hearted man, only caring about his work and how much he got paid each week.

Homura rested her chin on her hands as her father pulled them into the hospital parking garage.

He cursed under his breath when he noticed he had to pay. He cursed under his breath when there were no places close by to park. He cursed under his breath when he remembered his unwanted daughter was with him as well.

Clearly, he wasn't concerned about Homura hearing such words. Even though she went to a public school, the child's mother had always taught her to only speak politely. Vulgar language would not be tolerated at the Kanojo household.

After several rounds around the parking garage, Mr. Kanojo finally swung into a tight space next to a huge van. He didn't care. He didn't care about anything.

"He doesn't even care that I'm alive," Homura thought to herself, unbuckling her seatbelt to refrain from being scolded in any possible way.

"You're too slow!" her father hissed, tapping his foot impatiently on the cement, glaring at his daughter. "Worthless..."

"What was that..?" Homura asked out loud, not even meaning to. She was just absolutely sick of feeling hurt by her own parents. Most of the children at her school had kind, loving parents who encouraged their abilities. Not parents who wanted the utmost respect and were so strict, if you were one millisecond behind on something, there goes all of your privileges. Even then, the very few privileges Homura even had.

"Just hurry up," Mr. Kanojo snapped as he literally jerked Homura out of the car, slamming the door behind her, almost catching her long, red skirt in it in the process. "Idiot..."

"I'm sorry, sir," Homura quickly apologized.

Mr. Kanojo slapped Homura's arm and glared at her.

"You're worthless to me," he spat before he gripped her wrist tightly, literally dragging her all the way through the hospital entrance doors to the second floor lobby.