String of Fate (One Piece)

Chapter 15: Broken

Rizu POV 

"Mom who's that?" I say looking at a picture of mom with a man wearing a white uniform.  Mom looks down at me and smiles as she pats my head.  "That's your father."  she says.  I tippy toe up to get a closer look to the picture and take hold of it.  Once I grabbed onto it and used both of my hands to hold it carefully. 

I look down seeing this man who looks built and strong.  We wore a white hat that said marines on it and had black hair with piercing grey eyes.  I walked over to a mirror in my room and stared at myself.  I looked back down at the picture seeing that I had his eyes and hair, along with some other features that blended in with the woman next to him in the picture, my mother.  

She had light brown hair with a fair face that showed happiness.  She has shinning brown hazel eyes and plump lips and she was lean and skinny.  My mother was a beauty from what many in the town had called her. 

I looked back up into the mirror having my reflection stare back at me and I trace my face with my hand and smile.  "I look more like mom though!"  I say happily coming out of my room to hug her leg.  Mom chuckles at me and picks me up.  "Of course, your my cute daughter!  But you still have qualities of your father~"  Mother cooes to me.  I giggle at that and she takes the picture out of my hand and places it back down. 

Mom sits down at the table with me in her lap.  I move around and look up at her.  "Mom?"  I ask her and she looks down at me as she hums and pats my hair.  "If he is my father than why isn't he here?"  I ask and she stops patting my head.  She looks down at me and gives a small smile.  "Rizu, your father is a busy man.  He's a marine and has lots of work.  He hasn't met you yet and you haven't either so when he does come home, it'll be a surprise!"  she says as she looks out the window.  

I nod my head and snuggle into her hold.  "M'kay!  I can't wait to meet him!"  I say and gently fall to sleep.  

________

The scene changes. 

"Mom!"  I yell as I see her on the floor.  She looks up at me wearily and smiles gently.  "Oh Rizu."  She says and tries to get up off the floor.  I rush to her and help her get up and guide her to the bed.  "Mom, you shouldn't be getting out of bed.  The doctor said that you should rest."  I say and she nods her head and lays back down.  

"Sorry Rizu...."  Mom says gently to me and pats my head.  I shake my head.  "There's nothing to be sorry for."  I say as I hold her hand.  She chuckles a little bit and takes her other hand to cup my face.  "There is....I'm sorry that you couldn't get to meet your father.  I tried to get him to come home and I'm sorry that you have to take care of me now."  She says as she coughs.  

My eyes widen and I rush over to the counter taking out the medicine and a glass of water.  I come back and place it at her bed side as I help her sit up.  "Mom, you need to take this."  I say as I place the medicine in her mouth and pass her the cup of water.  She takes it and passes the cup back.  "Thank you."  She says as she lays back down. 

I place the cup down on the night stand and sit next to her.  Mom looks over at me and smiles as she lifts her hand to pat my head.  "Rizu."  she calls out to me.  I look up at her face.  "Rizu, if something goes wrong I want you to stay strong and remember all the things I've told you before."  she reminds me as she looks over at the picture frame of her and my father.  

I nod my head and hold her hand tighter.  "Yes, mom.  I'll stay strong and I'll become a good person and do all the things that you taught me.  So don't worry I'll become strong and one day I'll see him so don't worry."  I say referring to my father.