Kaidou in Triplicate

By Washumomo

I still don't own POT….

Chapter 2: Introductions

Kaidou-san follows Lin's gaze. She looks to Lin again, who is now lost in thought, and watches her face soften, a small smile forming.

"It must be something very special to make you think so fondly, Lin-san", she asks, wondering what her son could have left in America that would be so important to him after all the time that had passed between these two. "I could keep it here for him, just in case you don't see him today. I will give it to him personally." She removed her gardening gloves and placed them on a bench nearby.

Snapped back to the present, Lin smiles at this offer. 'First, I would have to pick you up from the ground after your seeing what I have in the car.' "Thank you Kaidou-san, but I really need to do this myself." She pulls a notepad from her handbag and tears out a page, offering it to Kaoru's mother. "This is where I'm staying and my cell number. When you speak with him again, would you have him contact me? I would greatly appreciate it."

"Please, call me Hozumi, Lin-san." Hozumi smiles to herself as she takes the paper from the bowing girl. "As I said before, my Kaoru speaks of you often, so I feel as if I know you. If your driver can wait, won't you join us for tea? My husband is inside and he has often scolded Kaoru for not bringing you here to meet us, especially since he has told us so much about you. You would think he had left his wife in America from the way he talks about the time the two of you shared."

Lin's face displayed her mild shock as Hozumi's words sank in. "I wondered if he ever thought of me…if he remembered…us." Thoughts of Kaoru overtook her again.

His mother noticed and pushed it further. "I asked him why he hadn't gone back to America, back to see you. I thought he would surely want to bring you home." She spotted the hopeful look in Lin's eyes and pressed on. "He said he wanted to bring you back with him the first time, but you couldn't get the time off from work and he didn't want to be responsible for your losing your job." A look of regret. "He did say he tried to contact you the next year when he was back in New York with Fuji-san, but you had moved and you weren't listed in the area phone book." Surprise. "Fuji-san told Hazue, Kaoru's younger brother, that Kaoru spent the entire trip moping. He would think he saw you in a crowd, and then would be irritated when he discovered it wasn't you." Sadness? "But now you're here", Hozumi brightened, "and my Kaoru will be so happy."

The play of emotions Lin displayed was nothing compared to the turmoil she was feeling because of the choices she had made. 'I should have gone when he had asked me or at least exchanged contact info like he had wanted. And why did I agree to a private listing after the move. He would have found us when the boys were still arm babies! He would have known them from the very beginning instead of meeting them like this!'

"Dammit!" Lin's frustration with herself burst forth in one word, shocking Kaoru's mother. She stood there, silently, her anger melting away into regret. She fought the tears that started to form, but lost the battle. Hozumi's shock faded as her motherly instincts took over. She embraced the young woman and tried to calm her distress. "I'm sorry", she heard, "I'm so sorry."

Hozumi pushed Lin back slightly, took a handkerchief from her smock and wiped the tears from her face. "You are forgiven", she said softly. "I remember how frustrating love can be at times. Especially young love."

"Hozumi-san", Lin began. She searched the older woman's face for an answer. 'I want her to know….I want her to know them. I should tell him first…let him decide what he wants to do, if he wants his family to know….but….' Hozumi was patting her hand, reassuring her. She was being so kind to this woman who but for a few pictures and fond words, was a stranger.

'She wants to tell me something', Hozumi thought. 'Something about my son is weighing heavily on her mind; it's eating her up inside. I have to get her to tell me, for her own sake.' Hozumi leads Lin to the bench she had placed her gloves on and sat her down. Lin shows no resistance. "Something about my Kaoru is bothering you greatly, Lin-san. Can't you tell me what he has done? You look so distressed." She stroked Lin's back as she spoke.

Lin saw the concern on Hozumi's face and couldn't hold back. "Hozumi-san, I'm so, so sorry. I wanted Kaoru to know first, to let him decide what he wanted to do…."

"What do you want him to know?" Hozumi pressed.

Lin stood up slowly and took Hozumi's hand. "Would you come to the car with me? I have to share something with you."

Kaoru's mother allowed Lin to lead her through the gate and to the car. Kyo, the driver, got out and walked around to the rear passenger door and waited. Lin gave her a small smile before nodding to Kyo to open the door.

Hozumi let out a small gasp when she peered inside to the rear seats. Two of the boys were still asleep. Kentaro, fully awake, turned toward the open door and smiled when he saw his mother. Lin gave Hozumi a small push, urging her to enter the vehicle. She then knelt in the open doorway as Hozumi slid towards the center of the seat.

"Hozumi-san", she said in a quiet voice, "I want you to meet your grandchildren."

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