* Kaiyo and I were quiet on the drive back to the house, Julian followed close behind in his own car. I knew we were doing the right thing by moving out of the house we shared with Takahiro, but my heart wasn't in the same place as my mind. * "You're making the right choice, Kim. Taka should have been up front with you." * I nodded as we pulled up to a stop in front of the house. I tried to smile and squuezed Kaiyo's hand. * I know. I just hate putting Julian in the position to take us in. I mean we don't even know each other. What will he do when he learns I can't even cook? * Kaiyo giggled. * "I'm sure we'll survive, Kimiko. Now come on, let's go pack." * We both climbed out of the SUV and waited on Julian. * I could tell he was just as nervous about this as I was. * This shouldn't take long. * Unlocking the door we went inside. Make yourself at home. * Kaiyo and I both went to our rooms, to begin to pack.
* Kaiyo and I were quiet on the drive back to the house, Julian followed close behind in his own car. I knew we were doing the right thing by moving out of the house we shared with Takahiro, but my heart wasn't in the same place as my mind. * "You're making the right choice, Kim. Taka should have been up front with you." * I nodded as we pulled up to a stop in front of the house. I tried to smile and squuezed Kaiyo's hand. * I know. I just hate putting Julian in the position to take us in. I mean we don't even know each other. What will he do when he learns I can't even cook? * Kaiyo giggled. * "I'm sure we'll survive, Kimiko. Now come on, let's go pack." * We both climbed out of the SUV and waited on Julian. * I could tell he was just as nervous about this as I was. * This shouldn't take long. * Unlocking the door we went inside. Make yourself at home. * Kaiyo and I both went to our rooms, to begin to pack.
I could hear Julian moving around the living room, but he startled me when his voice came from my bedroom door. * "Is this picture important?" * I looked at the picture that was once in the frame that hid all the letters. I gave him a small smile. * She is the mother that raised me. * Julian studied the picture. * "Was she good to you?" * I teared up a little. * She was the best. I never wanted for anything. She didn't deserve to die the way she did. * I continued to place my clothes in the suitcase I had pulled out of the closet as Julian continued to look at the picture. * "Her name was Mayumi, right? And her husband, Hiroshi?" * I faced him again. * You knew them? * Julian nodded. * Yes, they were close friends to our parents. I remember now that Mayumi was pregnant." * I began to pack again. * That must have been why she fought to keep me, because they were so close. * Julian nodded and made his way around my room stopping at my mother's dolls. He gasped and I turned to face him. * "You have some of our mothers dolls?" * I was shocked at his statement. * I do? I always thought they were, * I shrugged unsure how to put it. * my second mother's dolls. She must have somehow, gotten some items out of the house before Senichi could notice. * Julian's eyes looked haunted and I knew mine had to mirror his. * "We have a lot to learn about each other." * I nodded. * "Kimiko, I'm glad that you found me. It's good to have family and Kaiyo, I don't care that she has no blood ties. The three of us will claim each other."

I could hear Julian moving around the living room, but he startled me when his voice came from my bedroom door. * "Is this picture important?" * I looked at the picture that was once in the frame that hid all the letters. I gave him a small smile. * She is the mother that raised me. * Julian studied the picture. * "Was she good to you?" * I teared up a little. * She was the best. I never wanted for anything. She didn't deserve to die the way she did. * I continued to place my clothes in the suitcase I had pulled out of the closet as Julian continued to look at the picture. * "Her name was Mayumi, right? And her husband, Hiroshi?" * I faced him again. * You knew them? * Julian nodded. * Yes, they were close friends to our parents. I remember now that Mayumi was pregnant." * I began to pack again. * That must have been why she fought to keep me, because they were so close. * Julian nodded and made his way around my room stopping at my mother's dolls. He gasped and I turned to face him. * "You have some of our mothers dolls?" * I was shocked at his statement. * I do? I always thought they were, * I shrugged unsure how to put it. * my second mother's dolls. She must have somehow, gotten some items out of the house before Senichi could notice. * Julian's eyes looked haunted and I knew mine had to mirror his. * "We have a lot to learn about each other." * I nodded. * "Kimiko, I'm glad that you found me. It's good to have family and Kaiyo, I don't care that she has no blood ties. The three of us will claim each other."

I walked around in the living room as my sisters went in to pack up their things. Wow, my baby sister was still alive after all these years. And Kaiyo? Even though she wasn’t family by blood, Kimiko was her sister and now I was her brother. I would take care of both of them. I moved over to stand in front of a shelf that held lots of pictures. I looked at each one and remembered the small village I was born in and had once been my home. I stood there and thought back to playing in the fields as a child. A smile crossed my lips and I remembered my parents and the love they both had for my family. I saw a few pictures laying next to the ones in the frames and picked them up. I went through them, just killing time as I waited for the females. Coming to one that looked familiar. Taking a closer look I realized I did. It was a picture of my mother and she was holding Kimiko.
ReplyDeleteIt was a beautiful fall afternoon and we were about to have dinner. My father had just finished hearing complaint from two of his pack members. My mother had just picked up a fussy Kimiko. Kimiko wanted to play and as my grandmother took over getting dinner ready my mother played with the baby. My father picked up the camera and snapped the picture as my mother spun away from the camera so Kimiko was facing the camera. My father laughed as he put the camera back into the cabinet and we all sat down to eat. I shook my head as I came back to the here and now. I took a deep breath then moved my hand getting ready to put the picture back when I looked down and saw another picture of a beautiful female holding a baby on her back. I sucked in a breath as I saw the fight come to life. The female I saw over my baby sister was there in the photograph. Mayumi! Her name was Mayumi, and yes I knew her. She was my mother’s friend, one of a very few that truly didn’t care that my mother wasn’t Japanese. I picked up the photo and found myself heading to Kimiko’s room. I stood in her bedroom doorway and just looked at her as she moved around. Is this picture important?
Kimiko turned around and surprised to see me standing there. She tried to cover her shock as she looked at the picture in my hand. She smiled at me as if thinking. “She is the mother that raised me.” I studied the picture. Was she good to you? I looked as she teared up a little. “She was the best. I never wanted for anything. She didn't deserve to die the way she did.” I watched as Kimiko continued to place her clothes in the suitcase then I looked back at the photo trying to figure out my next question. Her name was Mayumi, right? And her husband, Hiroshi? She turned and faced me again. “You knew them?” I nodded. Yes, they were close friends to our parents. I remember now that Mayumi was pregnant. She started packing again. “That must have been why she fought to keep me, because they were so close.” I nodded, seeing something familiar. I walked around her room until I stood in front of my mother's dolls. I inhale and turned as Kimiko faceed me. I opened my mouth wanting to explain how I felt but instead I said. You have some of our mothers dolls? She looked at me with shock across her face. “I do? I always thought they were, She shrugged and I could see she was unsure of how to put it. “my second mother's dolls. She must have somehow, gotten some items out of the house before Senichi could notice.” I felt a sense of déjà vu and when I turned I could see the same feeling coming from Kimiko. We have a lot to learn about each other. Kimiko nodded. Kimiko, I'm glad that you found me. It's good to have family and Kaiyo, I don't care that she has no blood ties. The three of us will claim each other.
Kimiko nodded again but this time she smiled.
ReplyDelete* I could hear Kim and Julian talking while I packed what little clothes I had brought with me. I was glad to hear them conversing and could tell they were talking about our mom. I grabbed my unmentionables and put them in the suitcase and then covered them up with everything else that was in the drawers and then I nicely folded what was in my closet. Next I went to the bathroom that was attached to my room and packed up my toiletries. I carried everything out to the living room and then joined Julian and Kim in her room. * Do you need any help Kim? * She smiled and handed me a small bag. * "I think my bathroom stuff should fit in there. * Taking the bag, I went to her bathroom and packed everything of hers into the bag. I carried it out and set it on the bed as her and Julian were packing up the Old Japanese dolls very carefully. * Anything else I can do. * Kim shook her head no. * "I think I have everything." * The three of us carried Kim's things out to the living room and placed them by the door. We did one last check of everything before Julian started to carry things out. I sensed the trepidation Kim was having. * Taka will be fine. I know he'll get his shit together and earn your trust back. * Kim nodded and we helped carry the rest of the things out to the SUV. Kim locked the door and then handed the keys over to Julian so he could drop them off at the station. * "Follow me to my house and we'll get you both settled.* We jumped into our separate vehicles and did what Julian asked. *
ReplyDeleteI helped Kimiko and Kaiyo get everything into the back of their SUV then Kimiko stepped in front of the door and locked it. She turned to me, handing me the keys. I knew she wanted me to make sure they got to Takahiro. Follow me to my house and we’ll get you both settled. I got behind the wheel and started the engine and pulled off as I looked in the rear view mirror making sure Kimiko was following. It only took ten minutes and we were pulling up to my place. I turned off the engine as I got out of my car and smiled as I saw the look of awe on both Kaiyo and Kimiko’s faces. “Wow, Julian! This place is beautiful.” I laughed as I helped them with their bags. Two enforcers came out of the woods and I waved them over. When they stopped in front of me, I introduced them to my sisters and informed them that they would be staying here. The males nodded and told me they would make sure the other enforcers would be informed. We headed for the house as the enforcers headed back into the woods. I unlocked the door then turned off the security system Come in and make yourselves at home. I heard the door close behind us and I shook my head at the way Kaiyo looked around the great room. “Who else lives here. It’s so big.” Well, it was just me and now you two. Come on and I’ll show you to your rooms.
ReplyDelete* I could feel Kaiyo's eyes on me so I looked at her and couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips. Her eyes were like saucers, we had a nice place growing up, but things were definitely a lot more simpler back home. The place truly was beautiful and BIG. I winked at her. * I don't know Julian, I might need a map to learn my way around. * He smirked and continued up the stairs and Kaiyo and I followed. * "You'll learn your way around in no time. You are welcome in any room except my bedroom and my den. I'm sure I don't have to explain to you how sometimes I may need to bring my work home with me and patient confidentiality." * Kaiyo and I both nodded. * We both understand and thank you, Julian. For taking in two strangers, it means a lot. "To both of us." * Kaiyo added. Julian stopped at a door, opening it up. This is the first room. I volunteered to take it, before Kaiyo had the chance. It was the older sister and assassin in me. It was closest to the stairs and in case of an intrusion my room would be the first breached. Julian looked at me with understanding, I almost wondered if he could read my mind. He walked into the room and we both followed him. I placed my bags at the foot of the bed and went to the picture window. The view was stunning. * "You'll share a bathroom, which I don't think you will mind. It's quite luxurious." * Kaiyo followed him to the bathroom. * "Wowzers! I have never seen anything this nice!" * I joined them in the bathroom. There was a double sink with plenty of counter space for us to have our own space for all makeup and hair products. There was a toilet that had a door, so you could have a little privacy while the other was primping at the sink or showering. Julian kept walking into another bedroom. * "And as you can see, this room is almost identical to the other room." * And it was. It had the same large picturesque window my room had. A nice desk for her to do her studies on. The same comfortable chair to relax in. Kaiyo was so excited she was giddy. She hugged Julian suddenly and quickly, he was taken back from her behavior and I smiled and shook my head. * "Again, thank you Julian."
ReplyDelete* Our rooms were large and nothing what I expected. Julian had a gorgeous house. * "Okay, you females unpack. Make yourselves at home, explore. There is plenty of food in the refrigerator, help yourselves. I need to run back to the clinic for a bit. If you need anything, I'll jot my number down on a piece of paper and leave it on the kitchen counter. Program it into your phones, call me anytime. There will always be guards stationed outside of the house, hidden in the woods." * Kim and I stood beside each other and I couldn't help but feel like the little sister being lectured by her older brother. A feeling came over me and I felt like I was home. Not necessarily here in Julian's home permanently, but here in McGregor. I had my family close to me and I didn't want to be thousands of miles away from them anymore. It was time to transfer to a college close by and finish my master in Child Care. * "Okay, I'll see you two this evening." * Kim and I both smiled. * We'll be fine and here when you get back home. * He nodded and walked out of my room. I turned to Kimiko, my smile so big it hurt my face. * We have a brother! * Kimiko laughed. * "Yes, we do. Let's get unpacked and go check out the rest of the house." * I nodded. * It won't take me long! * I watched as Kim walked through our bathroom, disappearing into her room. And began to unpack. *
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