The Merry and the Miffed by Stella Mira

Clueless Daddy!

December 2013 Challenge: Shopping

Word Count: 500

"Now that I think of it, I have some of your old clothes stored – mostly coats and dresses. Some of them are still in good shape, I think. How old is she?" Mrs. Higurashi asked while they took a small break for coffee inside the local mall. They had already bought a cute pair of water-resistant, red and black polka dotted boots, with a mudguard, and a fur collar detail as Kagome insisted they should be durable and fit for traveling.

"That's a great idea, mama!" the miko agreed eagerly, wishing to cut down on expenses as much as she could. The boots had to be of the best quality, so they had prioritized them high on their budget.

"I think she's around eight years old," she added after a small pause, hoping to have guessed correctly.

"Poor child… her parents can't afford to buy her clothes?" her mother surmised, brown eyes filled with warm compassion, her heart going out to the little girl.

"Well, it's not that they can't afford it. More like they don't know that she needs them," Kagome hurried to explain before her mother came to all the wrong conclusions.

"How can this be?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, surprised.

"She only has a dad… and he is quite a peculiar and unique individual," the miko confessed, deciding to leave Jaken out of this discussion. There was no way he would ever qualify as a caretaker in Kagome's mind, and she would definitely make her thoughts known to Sesshōmaru once she returned.

"How so?" her mother prompted her to continue when she caught sight of the sour expression that covered Kagome's features thanks to her straying musings.

"He is yōkai and he's not familiar with human needs or weaknesses," the blue eyed woman offered simply, hoping her mother would understand due to her acquaintance with Inuyasha and his cluelessness.

"He fathered a child with a human and he is still ignorant of our ways?" Mrs. Higurashi returned with bewilderment, making the wrong conclusion as Kagome had feared.

"No!" Kagome unwittingly raised her voice at the absurdity and impossibility of her mother's assumption, causing a few curious glances from the café's patrons.

"He's not her biological father; he kind of adopted her?" she whispered then, elaborating in the best way she could as she was not privy on how Rin had come to travel with the daiyōkai.

"That's so nice of him!" Mrs. Higurashi clapped her hands, smiling widely, and commending the unknown man for his generous act.

"But, still, caring for a little girl requires knowledge and patience," she couldn't help but add with a slight frown before her eyes sparkled brightly at the ingenious idea that formed in her mind.

"I know – I'll write a list with all the basic needs he has to take care of and you pass it on to him, okay?" she more stated than asked, voice brimming with triumph.

"I – I'll try…" Kagome nodded wearily, unable to deny her mother's good intentions.