Sweet Burden (46 page)

He crossed his arms and peered at her. “What are you doing?”

“I got up early to clean up since everyone is showing up here today. Hope you don’t mind I borrowed your t-shirt. It needed to be washed anyway.” She gave him a smirk and it was hard for him not to leap across the furniture to take her in his arms.

He shook his head. “It looks better on you anyway.” Obi fought the urge and moved over to the couch plopping down. He dropped his feet onto the coffee table and eyed her.

“Do you want some tea?”

“No. I’m alright.”

She moved next to him and sat down. “What’s with the long face?”

He stared at her trying to hide his intentions, but a smirk crossed his face. Obi reached over and grabbed her side. She let out a laugh and he began tickling her. Hitomi giggled hysterically as she slouched down in the cushions. He moved over her and continued as she squirmed underneath him. Obi loved the expression on her face; the way her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright, and her lips swollen from last night’s kisses.

“Obi, stop,” she laughed.

“Um, are we interrupting something?” Rediisu’s voice said.

Obi and Hitomi both froze and then they jumped up from the couch facing the front door. Rediisu and Guri stood in the doorway as Liam and Regina filed in behind them. Obi shifted his gaze from the four pairs of eyes staring at them to Hitomi. The situation did not look good with him shirtless and Hitomi dressed in barely-there shorts and his t-shirt. He turned back to the crowd in the doorway.

“This is not what it looks like,” Obi blurted out. Rediisu’s mouth turned into a  smirk.

“Hitomi,” her mother warned. She walked over and grabbed Hitomi’s arm. “We’re going to have a talk, young lady.” She pulled Hitomi into the bedroom. Hitomi gave him a desperate look and then the door swiftly shut.

“You’re going to be in trouble,” Rediisu mumbled as they came into the room and dropped their bags on the floor. Guri let out a laugh as Liam moved over to the chair.

“It’s not what it looked like,” Obi stated again.

“Right,” Rediisu replied sarcastically as he knelt down digging through his bag. He pulled out a shirt and tossed it at him. Obi looked to Liam, who rolled his eyes as he plopped down. Guri let out another snicker as Obi yanked the shirt on.

“It wasn’t…” Obi began his protest again. “We haven’t even done anything.”

“Then why’d I leave?” Guri grumbled as he sat down on the couch.

Obi sighed frustrated. “Think whatever you want. I don’t care.” He marched out to the porch slamming the door behind him. Walking over to the railing, he swung his hand and knocked off two candles. They went flying into the grass as Guri came out behind him.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I was until you all showed up. Aren’t you a little early?” Obi mumbled as he gripped the railing. His knuckles went white as his fingernails dug into the wood.

“Well, there wasn’t really a specified time. Regina was eager to get out here.” Guri stepped up beside him. “I can sense some happiness still inside you though.”

Obi looked up as it started drizzling. He hoped that Hitomi’s mother wasn’t being too hard on her, but nothing could change the words they exchanged last night. “She loves me,” Obi sighed.

“I know,” Guri responded.

“And I love her.”

“Um hm.”

“And I won’t let anyone get in the way of that.”

Guri reached up and rested his hand on Obi’s shoulder. “You know you were never meant to love her. You were only meant to protect her.”

A shiver rushed through Obi’s body. “You’re wrong about that.” He turned and peered at Guri. “The only thing I was ever meant to do was love her.” He lowered his head and stared down at his feet. He replayed the events of last night in his head and couldn’t help but let a smile spread across his face. Guri stood there quietly for a few minutes until both of their heads lifted as someone cleared their throat behind them. Obi turned and faced Hitomi’s mother as she walked out onto the porch.

“Guri, can you give Obsidian and I a moment to talk?” she asked as she crossed her arms.

Guri gave a nod and then glanced at Obi. He gave him a half grin and went inside. Regina moved up beside Obi as he turned back towards the woods. He suddenly felt incredibly nervous. Although he said that he wouldn’t let anyone stand in his and Hitomi’s way, he was craving the approval from her mother.

“I think we need to get a few things clear Obsidian,” she stated.

He glanced sideways at her trying to keep his demeanor calm. “What you walked into this morning was not what you’re thinking it was.”

“And what was I thinking?”

Obi turned his eyes back up to the sky. He wasn’t sure what to say.

“If Hitomi was any normal girl and you any normal boy, it looked like you were fooling around on the couch. But neither one of you is normal. So, what were you doing? Or were you fooling around?”

His jaw clenched knowing that had they not walked in things would have progressed at least some. Besides, he had no idea what Hitomi had told her. He decided to continue to be quiet.

Regina continued, “I hate to burst this little wonderful world you and Hitomi have created here at the cabin, but there is more going on beyond your pseudo-relationship. What you think you have created is not reality.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Obi snapped. “I can’t help what happened. Do you think I wanted any of this? I’m sorry Ms. Beaumann, but I didn’t ask to be made what I am. And I didn’t choose to be her protector. And I didn’t choose to fall in love with her.”

“Love? You only think you love her.”

“No. I
do
love her.”

“You don’t know the meaning of the word. None of your kind does,” Regina shot back.

“Hitomi has taught me the meaning.”

“Obsidian, it will never work and she’s going to end up hurt. She’s my daughter. I want what is best for her.”

Obi crossed his arms and turned facing her. “I would die before it came to Hitomi getting hurt.”

“Because that is your role,” Regina nodded. Her chocolate eyes pierced his as they narrowed. She was trying to make his feelings waiver or put doubt in his head.

“No.” He shook his head. “You asked me that night behind the waterfall why I protected her and I lied to you. I protect her because I care about her, not because that’s what I am supposed to do. I protect her because her smile means the world to me.”

Regina sighed and lowered her eyes. She moved around him and walked over to the swing. She sat down as Obi slowly followed her over. “It will never work.”

“Why?” he demanded.

“It just won’t,” she sighed.

“I think we deserve a chance to try.”

She rubbed her hands together and relaxed back in the swing as she stared out into the forest. “Hitomi’s father was a lot like you Obi. Always thinking everything would work out. That ended up being his downfall.”

“I don’t think everything is just going to work out. I know we have to make it work.” Obi leaned back against the railing. “I love Hitomi and I want to make it work with her.”

“And are you so sure she wants the same?”

Obi stared at her curiously. “Yes I am.” He did not like Regina trying to put doubt into his mind. “I promised Hitomi that I would never leave her again unless she sent me away. If she wants me to leave, I will honor that promise, but I will be with her until that day.”

She didn’t tear her eyes away from the woods as she patted the seat next to her. “Please come and sit down.”

He reluctantly moved over and sat down. He unfolded his arms and stared down at his hands. This was the first moment that he ever wished he had the power to read minds. Obi knew that Regina was trying to shield her daughter, but at same time that was also his role too. They sat there in silence for a few minutes until Regina finally spoke.

“The first time I saw Hitomi’s father, I knew that I was destined to be with him. Although, I definitely didn’t want to admit it at the time. But once I discovered the real him, we fell in love very quickly. Sometimes I think it was too quickly.” He glanced up as she smiled out past the trees. “But he was a good man.” He nodded again not sure what she was trying to say to him. “It’s just very hard for me to see my daughter in the same situation. I don’t want to see Hitomi get hurt. She’s still young and has a very long lifetime ahead of her. Remember, I chose you to protect her, not break her heart. I know how it is to live with a broken heart and I don’t want the same thing for her.”

Obi took a deep breath. “Everything will always be her choice.”

“Just remember you said that,” she replied as she turned to him. “Obi, your love for Hitomi might prove to be your greatest strength or perhaps your greatest weakness. I guess we will have to wait and find out.” Regina gave him a pat on the leg and got up. “I’ll send Hitomi out.” She walked over to the door. “Oh, and you two will not be sharing the bed.” She went inside as Obi slightly grimaced.

He rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head into his hands. He let out a relieved breath that the conversation didn’t go nearly as bad as he thought it was going to. A few seconds after Regina went inside, Hitomi came hurrying out. Obi reached out to her and pulled her onto his lap wrapping his arms around her. She nestled her face against his neck.

“I’m sorry about my mom,” she mumbled.

“She’s just looking out for you because she loves you. Besides, the situation she walked in on wasn’t the greatest.” He tilted his head and kissed her forehead. “Maybe we should kind of lay low at least for today. I’ve got things I need to work on anyway and you can spend some time with your mom.”

“Oh. Okay,” Hitomi replied with disappointment.

“It will only be for a day.”

Obi and Hitomi stayed out on the porch for a little while letting everyone else get situated in the cabin. Eventually Rediisu came outside and Obi went off with him to go work on some things. Obi tried to get more information as to what Hitomi’s mother would reveal the next night once it turned midnight, but Rediisu skirted around the questions. It left Obi feeling like Rediisu knew more than he was letting on. Obi eventually came to the conclusion that everyone knew at least a little bit about what was going on except he and Hitomi.

Later that night, Obi lay on a makeshift bed by the fire as everyone fell asleep. Guri was sound asleep in the chair and Rediisu was lightly snoring on the couch. Liam was stretched out on the floor by the couch, while Hitomi and her mother shared the bed in the bedroom. He was warmed by the flames as he stared at the bedroom door. Even if it was only for a few nights, he missed having Hitomi next to him. He had become so used to her being there. He couldn’t relax without her beside him.