PART 12
YOSHIZAWA - AUGUST 23RD
I sighed as walked towards the kitchen. That freaking kid. No matter how many times I tell him, he never listens. I glanced up at the kitchen and froze. Someone was in my kitchen. Rifling through my cupboards, looking for food. Oh my Gah, I'm going to die. I'm gonna -
Wait a second. I know that butt.
"HITOMI!" I yelled. My oldest jumped, hitting her head on the top of the cupboard.
"Damn, Mom, what!?" she groaned, rubbing the spot she'd hit.
"What are you doing here? You almost scared me half to death," I said, swatting at her with the dust rag I was holding.
"Can't a girl just come home for dinner?" she complained.
"Nope," I replied, giving her a hug. I took the opportunity to tug playfully on her hair. "Still blonde?" I teased, pulling back to look at her.
"Yeah," she laughed a little. I studied her face carefully.
"What's wrong?" She sighed and plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs. I sat down across from her.
"Um. Well, I - "
"I'm home!"
Ugh. That boy and his timing. I could hear my youngest walking towards us, probably in search of food again. Hitomi glanced behind me and smiled.
"HEY!" my son laughed. "Look what the cat dragged in. Damn, sis, you look like hell. What, did you get dumped or something?" The look on Hitomi's face told me that was exactly what had happened.
"Go to your room," I snapped without turning around.
"But Mom, I - " I turned and glared at him.
"I said go to your room! And if I find a pile of your dirty dishes by the computer again, you'll be staying in your room all weekend, understand?" He rolled his eyes and flounced out of the kitchen.
"He's getting to that stage already, huh?" Hitomi commented.
"Yeah, parenting's a real joy," I agreed. "Now talk."
"It's complicated," she sighed.
"Most things are," I replied with a smile. "So, you were seeing someone?"
"Yeah, well... I think I still am, technically, but... I don't know, it's weird."
"Ok..." I said slowly. "When did this start?"
"Um..." she leaned back thoughtfully. "April...?" I raised an eyebrow. She'd been seeing someone since April and this is the first I'd heard about it!? "Yeah, April of 2005."
"2005!?" I exclaimed. "You've been dating the same person for over two years and never thought to mention it?!"
"Pretty much," she shrugged. I shook my head.
"Wait - have you slept together?!"
"MOTHER!"
"Not like that, you little pervert!" I exclaimed. "I mean, well... you get cold easily and in the winter, you put on some of the strangest combinations of pajamas I've ever seen in my life." Hitomi groaned dramatically.
"Yes, my pajamas have been seen. I was told it's cute. And anyway, they're not strange. They're warm and comfortable," she insisted.
"Riiiight. So what happened?"
"I did something really, really stupid," Hitomi sighed. "And, honestly, she... um, that is, uh... er... by the way, I'm a le- "
"Hitomi, I'm your mother. I knew you were gay before you did. Continue." She laughed, her cheeks turning a little red.
"Right. So, really, she should have broken up with me on the spot, but... she didn't. She just kind of walked out."
"Isn't that the same thing?" I asked.
"Well, no, because she left the dogs and all of her things. I mean, we'd have to take her off the lease too, and - "
"YOU MOVED IN WITH HER!?" I exclaimed. I smacked the table. "Have I ever even met this girl you're shacked up with?"
"Um..." She bit her thumbnail like she always does when she's distracted. "Yeah, you've met her at least once."
"Ok, you have got to start talking to me more," I shook my head. "But that can wait. So, you did something stupid - which I'm guessing means you won't tell me what - and your live-in girlfriend walked out."
"Right."
"So... what? You can't find her?"
"No, no. I found her the next morning. But she won't see me or talk to me," Hitomi sighed.
"Maybe she just needs some time to think?" My daughter shook her head.
"Mi- um, she's more the 'say exactly what I think and figure out what I meant later' type."
"Oh." I sat there thoughtfully. "Mi", huh...
"And I ran into her yesterday and she acted normal for a second - "
"By 'normal' you mean she yelled at you?" I asked, starting to piece things together.
"Right. And then she apologized and ran off." Hitomi shook her head. "I really don't know what to do. I think she's holding all of it in because she doesn't want to hurt me, but..."
"But she needs to let it out so you can work past it," I replied. She nodded.
"Mom, what am I supposed to do?"
"Make her," I shrugged.
"What?" she stared at me.
"Make her yell at you. Next time you see her, take her aside - find an empty dressing room or a storage closet or something - and make her yell at you." Hitomi got a weird look on her face and cleared her throat. "No good?"
"No! No, just... thinking of something else. Sorry. Um, how can I make her yell at me?"
"I dunno, provoke her a little. Quite frankly, from what little you've told me, it sounds like you've got nothing to lose at this point. Either she lets it out and you two work past it or she doesn't and well..." I trailed off. She nodded slowly.
"Thanks."
"That's what I'm here for. Well, that and free food," I grinned, reaching across the table to pat her hand. "I do have a question for you, though."
"Hmm?"
"Didn't Fujimoto get Friday'd with some comedian a few months ago?" Her shocked expression told me that my guess was correct.
"Uh, technically, but, uh - "
"She faked it?" I supplied. My daughter looked at me carefully and slowly nodded. I smiled. "That's what I thought."
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EDIT - Forgot to change the dang thread title again >.<
Topic: [END] memoir III: memory (I SLAYED THE BEAST!) (Read 155827 times)