A Mothers Secret Chapter 43: Frail Queen
"I don't know mother," Neoko said.
"What do you mean Neoko?" asked Mei.
Neoko was standing across the counter from where Mei and Yuzu were sitting. Mei just told Neoko that it was her intention to retire and have Neoko to be her successor.
"I mean that it's a big responsibility and that I have a full plate as it is with the twins, the teaching job, and Ian. Ian! I got to talk to Ian about this too!" said Neoko.
"OK, OK, relax, just talk it out with Ian and just think about it." Mei requested.
"Well, I'm not promising anything OK, It's just a lot to take in right now," Neoko said.
Yuzi and MeiMei both came in the kitchen and stood before their mother.
"Mommy, can we eat now?" Yuzi asked.
Neoko bent down to face her daughters and smiles.
"Of course you can, Why don't you help set the table with the Grandmas?" asked Neoko.
The twins and their grandparents set the table as Neoko brought the breakfast to the table. The sunlight illuminated the table as the group ate and chatted.
"Yuzi are you ready for school?" asked Yuzu.
"You bet I am! Are you ready too MeiMei?" asked Yuzi.
"No," MeiMei said quietly.
"Well why not?" asked Yuzi.
"Because there are too many people," pouted MeiMei.
"Well that means that you have a lot of opportunities to make friends," reassured Neoko.
After breakfast, they cleared the table. The twins ran off to play some more.
"I'm going to the backyard for a bit of fresh air, you want to come too Yuzu?" asked Mei.
"Um... Okay, sure," Yuzu said as she went with her.
Mei walked with Yuzu in the backyard. Suddenly, Mei grabs hold of Yuzu and starts to fall to the ground. Yuzu eases her down to a nearby chair. Mei had a look of panic as she looks at Yuzu.
"That's why you wanted me out here huh?" asked Yuzu.
"Yes, I don't want Neoko to see me like this, It may affect her decision to take the position or not, And I don't want to do that," lamented Mei.
The front door opened and Ian appeared. The twins ran up and jumped into his arms.
"Daddy!" the twins exclaimed.
"Hey how are my girls doing?" he happily asked.
"We had breakfast with Grandmas!" Yuzi said.
"Oh, you did! That's good to hear, are they still here?" he asked.
"They're out back in the yard," said Neoko, walking into the living room.
Neoko kisses Ian as he holds the twins.
"We need to talk later OK, something important," she whispered to Ian.
"Am I in trouble? " Ian asked warily.
"No," said Neoko.
"Then OK," smiled Ian.
Ian goes to the backyard and sees Yuzu standing in front of a sitting Mei. Mei had a look of exhaustion about her.
"Everything OK? Do I need to get Neoko?" he asked.
"No, no, we're fine, Mei just got a little tired that's all," Yuzu replied.
Mei stood up and stretched.
"We got to get going Yuzu," Mei stated.
"Yeah I know," Yuzu replied.
Ian walked his mothers out to their car. After they drove off he returned to the living room to where Neoko was.
"Now, what do we need to talk about?" he asked.
"Nothing but an insane promotion opportunity with a lot of stress involved," said Neoko.
Later on in the day, the twins were put down for a nap. Ian was sitting on the couch watching Neoko pace back and forth across the floor.
"Ok, so what is this all about Neoko?" Ian asked.
"My mother wants to retire and put me in her place when she does," replied Neoko.
"Have you given her an answer yet?" Ian asked.
"No not yet," replied Neoko.
"Do you think you can handle the job?" asked Ian.
"I don't know that either, It's causing problems with Mother's health and I heard it caused problems with my great-grandfather as well, I don't want it to cause problems for us and the twins," Neoko lamented.
Neoko hung her head, sagged her shoulders, and plopped down next to Ian on the couch. She leaned over and laid her head on Ian's lap. Ian stroked her hair away from her face. She looked up at his face, into his green eyes, she seemed to be lost in thought.
"I don't know what to do, I mean we could use the money but is it worth my health and everybody's well being?" Neoko mused.
"Then don't accept it," Ian suggested.
"But her health is failing, and she wants someone in whom she trusts in that position, to deny her would just destroy her," Neoko replied.
"I doubt it would destroy her, but if you feel that way then take the job," Ian said.
Neoko frowned, "You're not helping, you know that right?"
Ian grinned, "I know, Is she going to teach you how to do this job?"
"She said she was during the next school year," Neoko replied.
Ian thought of the sight in the backyard from earlier. The look on Mei's face seemed to lose its strong stoic demeanor and replaced it with a look of exhaustion, and, dare he think it, fear. Yuzu's face had one of worry. She buried one partner, he wasn't so sure how it will go if she has to bury another.
"Well, that is a big problem, isn't it? In one hand you have your mother, with health problems related to the job, wants you to take the same job that's hurting her, The other hand is your well being and the well being of your family, Its not an easy question that needs answering, and soon I might add," contemplated Ian.
Neoko was still looking up at Ian. Ian looks down at her and smiles.
"If you do take the job, we will figure out a way so you will not be as stressed as your mother and great-grandfather was so it won't hurt you, But if you don't I'm sure we will make it just fine, either way, I'll be there for you," reassured Ian.
Neoko rested on her side, "How do you do it? How do you know to say just the right thing at the right time?"
"Its a gift, So have you decided?" he asked.
"Yeah I think I have an answer, so I will go over to their house and tell them tomorrow," answered Neoko.
