Seven Days In The Life Of My Family By Hotaru Tomoe (Chap 3)

Chapter Three: Tuesday. 


Tuesday morning was here and it was time for our trip to the Tokyo Zoo. I've always liked going to the zoo myself, but today was even more special.

A new friend of mine from school named Kimyo was celebrating her birthday this week, and she always celebrated it at the zoo. Kimyo is a really sweet, kind girl, with long brown hair and brown eyes. Her family is fairly wealthy and she lives with them in a large penthouse apartment.

We met on my second day of Jr. High, and we hit it off instantly. We share the same history class together, and she came up to me asking for a bit of help. We got to talk and in a few days we became friends. She was surprised when I told her about my parents.

"Your father is Haruka Tenoh the race car driver?" She exclaimed. I sighed, everyone reacts like that when I mention Haruka-papa's name. I set her straight. She was even more surprised when I told her that he was actually a she and she and Michiru-mama were lovers. I told her that I was comfortable with that fact, and I loved them. She smiled and told me that she was comfortable with it as well.

I was a bit surprised though when she invited me to her birthday party at the zoo. She even asked if I could bring my parents with me as chaperones. Her parents were strict about having adults supervise her birthday parties. I said yes and asked my parents if they would like to come. Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama said that they would be glad to come. Setsuna-mama was, as usual, a bit reluctant. I begged her and gave her my 'puppy dog' look until she relented.

This however was last week. Yesterday, Haruka-papa got a call from the racetrack and she had to go down there for a while, which left Michiru-mama and Setsuna-mama. Setsuna-mama, as usual, tried to use her 'I have to go check the time stream' excuse to get out of it, but Michiru-mama wouldn't hear of it. She ended the argument by hiding Setsuna-mama's transformation wand (in her purse, you never know…).

After breakfast we saw Haruka-papa off, and then Michiru-mama and I coaxed grumpy into her van and we were off to the zoo.
We got to the zoo after awhile and we noticed that it wasn't too crowded today. Granted it was an overcast day out, but it was a smaller crowd than usual for this time of year. It would pick up later in the day.

The three of us parked and made our way to the front gate. There were several families there already, and I started to look around for Kimyo.

"Hotaru!" I heard Kimyo cry out and she came running up towards me, along with her mother. We hugged each other and I introduced Setsuna-mama and Michiru-mama to Kimyos' mom. Michiru-mama greeted her with a warm smile and a friendly greeting, while Setsuna-mama smiled politely and said hello. Kimyos' mom was as tall as Michiru-mama and had the same hair and eyes as her daughter. She is actually a really nice lady, and anyone can see why Kimyo is the way she is.

Kimyo was kind of disappointed that Haruka-papa wasn't with us. I told her why, and added that if she did show up, she would be mobbed by a horde of girls like she was when she came to pick me up from school a few times. Kimyo laughed at the memory.

Haruka-papa came to pick me up at school a few times when I started, and got mobbed by several dozen love-struck girls each time. This usually resulted in her carrying me under her arm and making a mad dash for her car with the mob hot on our heels.
Michiru-mama on the other hand came to pick me up and usually got hit on by a few boys and a few male teachers. My music teacher was stunned when I introduced them, and wouldn't let her leave without getting an autograph.

Setsuna-mama picked me up precisely twice, and got hit on by a man she called a 'miserable old letch'. That was one of the science teachers. Otherwise I think, secretly, she was a bit let down that she didn't get all of the attention Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa did.
We went up to the group, which consisted of 15 of Kimyos' friends, her younger sister, and 8 adults. Kimyo introduced me and most of them greeted me warmly enough, except for two of them.

Keiko and Megumi were two of Kimyo's closest friends. Keiko was short, a bit overweight, and had dark hair, while Megumi was taller and skinny with dark hair as well. Both of them came from wealthy families and, unlike Kimyo, let everyone know it. They basically acted like they were born to royalty and treated most people like they were beneath them.

They were nice enough to me, but I think that was only because of Kimyo and me having famous parents. When Kimyo was in the room, they would talk to me, but if she wasn't there, well do you think I could get the time of day from them? Heck, no.

But I wasn't letting that bother me, instead I let Kimyo take me by one hand, and Michiru-mama took the other. Setsuna-mama and Kimyo's mom trailed behind us, and they were soon chatting away like old friends. We then started our day at the zoo.

Kimyo told me that she had loved coming to zoo since she was 5 years old and came here every year on her birthday. It helped that her parents were big financial contributors to the zoo.

We walked through the place seeing all that could be seen. We acted scared when the tigers roared at us, laughed at the antics of the monkeys, marvelled at the bears, etc.

Michiru-mama and Setsuna-mama were enjoying themselves as well. We took a few pictures of her staring intently at the fish in their aquariums and the polar bears in their enclosures. Kimyo figured she was mesmerized by the animals like we were. I think Michiru-mama wanted to be in the water with them.

Setsuna-mama was relaxing and enjoying herself as well. I took a few pictures of her at the petting zoo, where a Llama came up behind her and nuzzled her affectionately from behind. I swear she must have jumped two feet in the air!

We had just left the botanical gardens, when Kimyo wanted to show us an area that her parents had helped fund. It was devoted to entomology, the study of insects. I looked at Setsuna-mama who looked a bit nervous at the mention of insects. She is deathly afraid of cockroaches you see. If she sees even the tiniest glimpse of one, she freaks out. I hoped that this wouldn't happen. She smiled at me reassuringly. She was determined to tough it out for my sake. So, into the insect lair we went.

The place was dimly lit to give the place a creepy atmosphere, which was appropriate all things considered. There were dozens of varieties of insects as well as a big section full of spiders. I figured they really didn't need the creepy music they were playing over the PA system, I was nervous enough already.

Kimyo squeezed my hand a bit tighter. I looked at her and she was as nervous as I was, but she was enjoying herself. She smiled at me and I smiled back.

Then we rounded a corner and I stopped dead in my tracks. In the case ahead of me were cockroaches. Lots and lots of cockroaches. Hundreds of them.

I stood there praying that Setsuna-mama wouldn't panic or anything else like that. I prayed that she would excuse herself and go outside for some fresh air or something.

"Please, please, please, Setsuna-mama, don't overreact." I said to myself. There was a loud thud from behind me. Crap. I knew what it was before anyone could say anything.

"Oh my God! Setsuna's fainted." Kimyo's mom cried.

I just stood there feeling totally humiliated. I felt like climbing into the tiger cage at that moment. Everyone else was running around in a panic. Someone had called for a medic while Michiru-mama helped Setsuna-mama. I looked at Kimyo who was standing there with her mom and her friends. Kimyo was crying and holding onto her mom, who stood there looking shocked. Keiko and Megumi on the other hand were looking at Setsuna-mama and me with looks of contempt. I had told them how much I idolized her and now here was that idol passed out because of a few bugs. I really wanted to die.

The zoo medics took Setsuna-mama to the infirmary where she came to a few minutes later. They gave her some water and told her to go home and rest. She told them she must have gotten to much sun today.

We went home after that, but not before Kimyo told me that she would call me later to see how Setsuna-mama and I were doing. I just wanted to go home and hide under my bed for the rest of my life. I had never felt this humiliated in my entire life.

In one instant, my social standing went from reasonably popular to leper. Keiko and Megumi started to make some snide comments about Setsuna-mama and me and at this point. I don't think Michiru-mama shouting at them helped much. We got into the van and left, but I could see Kimyos' sad expression in the rear-view mirror as we left.

We rode home in silence. Michiru-mama drove and occasionally looked at Setsuna-mama in the passenger seat beside her with a worried expression on her face. I just sat there behind them fuming.
When we got home, I just ran into the living room and sat down in one of the big armchairs with my arms crossed and stared off into space. I couldn't see my expression, but I imagined that the symbol for Saturn was glowing on my forehead. Michiru-mama took Setsuna up to her room and made her lie down for a while. I was so mad at her for ruining my life I didn't even want to call her 'Setsuna-mama' anymore.

Michiru-mama came back downstairs, saw my expression and said nothing. Instead she went and got me a glass of lemonade, placed it beside me, kissed me on the forehead, and left me alone. She looked at me with a sad smile on her face before going back into the kitchen to wait for Haruka-papa. I could hear Setsuna crying from upstairs.

A little while later I could hear Haruka-papa returning home. She parked her car and came in with a loud call of 'Papa's home!'
Michiru-mama pulled her into the kitchen and explained what had happened at the zoo. She poked her head out once, smiled at me and waved, got no reaction, and went back into the kitchen.

"Man is she pissed." She commented to Michiru-mama.

Setsuna came downstairs at this point, and the three of them were discussing what to do. Actually they both told her flat out to 'go and talk to her.' Michiru-mama poked her head back in at this point.

"Hotaru? Setsuna-mama really wants to talk to you."

"Okay, just give me a few minutes." I replied. She went back into the kitchen. I got up and closed all of the blinds and curtains in the living room and turned on a few lamps. Then, just to let her know how angry I was, I transformed into Sailor Saturn.

I sat back down in my chair and began to polish the blade of my Silence Glaive with a hankerchief. "Okay. I'm ready." I called out.
Setsuna walked into the room a bit hesitantly, followed by Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama. She swallowed nervously, but the other two pushed her forward.

"Hotaru?" she asked softly. I said nothing and continued polishing. Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama went back into the kitchen.
She knelt down beside me and bowed her head. I could tell that she had been crying, but I didn't care at this point.

"Hotaru, I'm sorry." She said. Silence.

"I really didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your friend like that." I kept polishing.

"You know how I get when I see those things. I don't act rational." I put the Glaive aside and looked at her. She was crying again.

"I really want to overcome this fear. And I can't do it alone." She said. I felt tears coming to my eyes.

"I need Michiru and Haruka. I need Usagi and the others." She paused and took my hand in hers. "I need you." She looked into my eyes with a hopeful look.

"I forgive you Setsuna-mama." I cried and reached out for her. We held each other and cried for a while. We kissed each other's cheeks and sat there looking at each other.

"I love you Hotaru, my little princess." Setsuna-mama said quietly as she ran her fingers through my hair.

"I love you too Setsuna-mama." I replied. I changed back into my normal self.

We sat there holding each other for several minutes until the phone rang. Michiru-mama came in and said; "I'm sorry to interrupt but, Kimyo's on the phone. She wants to talk to you Hotaru."

"Really!" I was shocked. I honestly expected that she would never want to speak to me again. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the phone. "Kimyo?"

"Is that you Hotaru?"

"Yeah."

"How are you?"

"I'm feeling better now. Setsuna-mama and I sat down and had a long talk."

"That's great. I hope she's feeling better. She seems like a really nice lady."

I looked at Setsuna-mama's smiling face and smiled. "She is. She's the best. And so are Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa." I felt three hands on my shoulders.

"Was that Haruka who answered the phone?" I looked at her and she nodded.

"Yes it was."

"Wow. I can't believe I was talking to Haruka Tenoh!" I laughed.

"How would you like to have dinner with her and me and the rest of my family one night?" I looked at the three of them and they nodded in approval.

"That would be so cool! Can I bring my mom along? Her and yours were getting along so well."

"I'm sure that won't be a problem. We like having company and Michiru-mama loves to cook."

"Great! Oh and don't worry about what Keiko and Megumi said earlier. After what they said to you, my mom and I told them that we didn't want anything to do with them ever again."

I was surprised again. "But I thought they were your friends."
There was a pause. "You are my friend Hotaru. One of the best friends I have ever known."

Michiru-mama, Haruka-papa, and Setsuna-mama left me alone and Kimyo and I talked on the phone until our respective mothers told us both that it was time for dinner.