Chapter 3 - Shattered Foundations

Upon arriving home, she is greeted by her mother's cries, a harbinger of the turmoil that lays ahead the same old ruckus repeating itself the familiar pattern of her father's abuse and her mother's suffering which plays out before her eyes like a macabre dance. she sees her brothers and sisters-in-laws trying to interfere but all prove to be in vain with a surge of desperation, she intervenes, shielding her mother from her father's fury she pushes her dad "it's enough dad" she implores her voice trembling in fear "I am the one who is late not mom don't vent your anger on her punish me but please spare her you can give me any punishment but please don't hurt her" Hiro gives her an intense stare, Yumi rushes to her side, " Mei you are here where have you been dear? I was really worried about you your brothers tried calling you but you didn't pick up even your sisters-in-laws tried texting you" Mei explains " I am so sorry mom I just finished my office work and the driver didn't pick my calls I tried walking home but I was coming I was delayed by the storm so I had to run home" Hiro erupts into laughter " so this are your pathetic excuses" Yumi intervenes " thank God you are fine I will make sure to scold that driver you got drenched in the rain go inside and change" Mei nods, but before she can move, Hiro yanks her by the hair hauling her backwards she sees the vehemence sweltering in his eyes her sisters-in-law gasps at the scene "where do you think you are going jinx I am not done with you" Mei screams in agony "dad please stop it hurts am in pain!" she winces in pain Hiro laughs, amused by her suffering, looking at her in glee "what did you just call me I am not the father of an unfortunate being like you" Mei cries out, pain lacing her voice, "dad!" Hiro retorts "clearly you need to be treated the way you are meant to be treated like a mad dog" he pushes her to the floor her mom, brothers and sisters-in-law rush to her aid. Yumi stands tall, fury burning within her, she confronts Hiro, "Hiro why just tell me why do you derive pleasure and joy in torturing the poor girl let her be please I beg you she just came late I assure you it won't happen again please spare her" Hiro retorts, his voice dripping with malice"today is the day she will go out the same way she came in permanently" Mei implores, desperation lacing her voice "dad I totally agree that I have made a terrible mistake by flouting the rule you set for me I didn't mean it I promise I won't make such a blunder again dad please overlook this one" Hiro gives her a venomous glare " you are nothing but a disappointment" his words dripping with malice before Mei can process his words, a thunderous slap connects with her face, his anger boiling over like a cauldron left unattended he replies " lately you've become outspoken haven't you this will set you straight and teach you discipline" Yumi tries to intercede her voice laced with tears and extreme sadness "why would you hit her let her be for all these years I stood quietly watching you thrash her don't you feel remorse knowing that you've inflicted so much pain on her and after knowing about her health condition have pity on her" Her mom bursts into tears she looks at Hiro and she sees that his rage cannot be placated her brother intercedes Yoshi intervenes " mom look it's happening again she is bleeding" she looks at her arm Shinji carries Mei up his face etched with concern " don't worry you will be treated soon let's go in" Hiro shouts angrily "are your ears working or have you completely gone deaf didn't you hear when I said she is not going to stay here anymore she is going to leave this burden will exit our lives" Aoi retorts " father this is not the way to solve this" Hiro fires back " Aoi don't involve yourself in this" her father's fury is released fueled by a deep-seated resentment that seems to have been festering for yearsRenn replies" dad please stop this craziness I won't lose my sister all because of you the doctor said whenever this happens to her daily she must get the arm treated or it may prove fatal" Hana shouts " father please just let it go she needs treatment" Hiro replies" let her die I don't care she came to this world to make me suffer and she has done it so let her die I have suffered enough have you heard Mei your work is done why don't you die Yumi dear I told you since we knew the gender of the child and it turned female gender and you knew all too well that I wasn't a fan of having female children in my opinion the male child is always superior to the female child I told you to abort the baby but you see you begged me and I made exceptions because of you, my friends warned me I told them what harm would it cause but you see I didn't know I had no idea she was going to be disastrous and be a curse to me when she was born things turned out to be fatal for me everything started to crumble few years later kenji died and I couldn't handle it she is a curse and will always be a curse" Her mom replies " All that happened wasn't her fault and you know that" the scene unfolds with a sense of inevitability each moment building upon the last like a Greek tragedy Takashi replies "dad you are making a mistake" Her dad replies "the only mistake here is her Yumi get her luggage" her father is driven with a toxic mix of anger and resentment it seems he is determined to destroy the very fabric of the family Her mom replies "please Hiro have mercy" Her dad replies "i won't hesitate to also throw you out if you continue begging" Mei kneels down holding his legs she begins to plea" dad please forgive me" he replies "dear are you aware of the people that came today I mean the people that just left" she replies "no dad" he replies "they came here for you they were willing to pay good money for you but how could they even decide if they wanted you when you were not here" she replies "dad I have always done whatever you told me to do" he replies "this is not the first time you have disobeyed me" hewhispers into her ear "remember that night" she immediately get scared flashes of that miserable night clouds her mind the ordeal of that night a night she can't forget even though she tries to he snaps his finger which snaps her out of her thinking he replies "you see you are good for nothing utterly useless" she sees her mom coming with her luggage in her hand" her dad replies" Mei get out now" she stands up her mom hugs her and whispers into her ear" dear I have called your Elder cousin Erika go to her house she and your Aunt Natsu are expecting you stay safe" Mei hugs her mom tightly unable to let go her dad drags her mom with anger " what are you whispering into her ear don't try anything funny Yumi or else your punishment will be worse" Hiro drags Mei outside the house " make sure you stay far away from this house and this family have I made myself clear and you can fend for yourself you have the money to do so" he leaves and the rain starts pouring down like a curtain of despair it seems as though darkness has consumed every part of her it feels as if every foundation of her world comes crumbling down beneath her feet tears start to fall from her eyes down to her cheeks as she feels mixed emotions the first is the pain of being separated from her mom, brothers and sisters while the second is the feeling of happiness which covers her like a warm blanket the feeling of having to be free from her father's torture, wrath, hatred and rejection it all comes together to make her feel all different inside.