CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Lake Yamanaka
Yamanakako, Yamanashi
Japan
November 24, 2006
Ryo noticed something was up the last few days. Dee seemed withdrawn at times, especially at times while they were hiking around the 5th Station of Mt. Fuji. Unfortunately, it was too late to climb to the top, the hiking trail open only from August to mid-October. After then, it became extremely dangerous to navigate the hiking trails up the mountain because of heavy snowfall and ice. For the upper levels of the famous mountain, winter was almost year-round, except for that small window which was climbing season. Everything along the trail was already closed for the season a few days before they arrived in Japan. Ryo already knew it as they made their plans, but they did have to wait for Bikky's semester to end before leaving. He really hoped now with all the changes since their arrival that they could come to Tokyo for climbing season. He really wanted Bikky to enjoy the experience that Ryo and Dee previously had enjoyed. Even better, they would climb to the top as a family, rather than just Dee and just Ryo with their friends at the time.
Speaking of those friends, as they finalized plans for the two days in the Mt. Fuji area, Dee asked if Yuki, Ken and Hide could join them. Ryo had no problem with it. It was the four of them that climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji their first and only time. It prompted Ryo to ask Tsubasa and Kumi to also join them, as they were part of the group Ryo had gone with for his first and only time. Ryo's friends from his unit, Kevin and Eddie, was also with Ryo when he climbed Mt. Fuji back then, but Kevin was currently in Alabama and Eddie in New Jersey. Ryo did send photos to Kevin and Eddie from that day, as he did when in other places the three had went to together during their days stationed at Camp Zama, as well as photos of Dee, Darin, Ryoko and Bikky. It is said that everyone had to climb Mt. Fuji once in their lifetime, but to climb it twice was only for fools. Well, Ryo decided he was a fool, but he didn't care, because having his husband and eldest son with him would make it feel like the first time again. Besides, it was around 10 years since those first climbs. Ryo hoped they could find the time to make the climb either this upcoming summer or the next.
In the meantime, they settled for hiking along the trails of the 5th Station. Bikky and Carol could still go back to New York saying they were on Mt. Fuji. The trip also gave Ryo a chance to finally see his Aunt Satomi's inn and spend some more time with her and her family. They left early the day after getting back to Kamakura, along with Tsubasa and Kumi. Tsubasa and Kumi decided to leave Aya and Kento with Akira. Dee and Ryo decided on taking Darin and Ryoko with them, after Akira's suggestion, so Satomi and Keizo could see the twins again. After speaking to his Aunt Satomi, Ryo was assured that she would be happy to keep Ryoko and Darin at the inn while they went hiking.
Kumi was feeling much better that day, but the day before, at Ryo's grandmother's house, admitted she would have her times of not feeling so great. It was nothing to be alarmed about, she assured everyone, and then her and Tsubasa announced that she was pregnant. Their parents already knew, Kumi telling them and Tsubasa when they had breakfast at Tsubasa's and Kumi's house on Monday. Takehide and Moriko found out along with Akira, Dee and Ryo. Tsubasa and Kumi asked everyone not to let anyone else know for a couple of more months. Usually Japanese did not announce pregnancy until well into the 2nd trimester, because the 1st trimester was considered the dangerous time, and superstitions were announcing too soon could led to miscarriage. Kumi had taken a home pregnancy test on Sunday and after telling her parents and husband Monday morning, she had her first appointment the day before to confirm that she was pregnant and going on 16 weeks. Since she was close to her 2nd trimester, Kumi and Tsubasa decided to share the news with the others closest to them in the family, and in a few more weeks, they will announce the pregnancy to the rest of the family, including Emiko. At the doctor's appointment, Kumi was also assured that as of then, she was cleared for travel to New York for the holidays. At least that day, Kumi had no morning sickness and was getting her exercise on a beautiful fall day.
They met up with Hide, Ken and Yuki with their families at the inn. The inn was charming and rustic, and not in the sense the MacLean side of Ryo's family used the words. There was a traditional elegance about the buildings and grounds nestled along the shore of Lake Yamanaka, overlooking the lake and with a gorgeous view of Mt. Fuji. It was bigger than Ryo expected, having a three-story wood main building which had modern rooms, and several one-story buildings of five suites each. Each of the suites had their own hot private onsen and there were three public onsens on grounds – one for males, one for females and a mixed gender one. Paths going to the buildings went along gardens and groves and even had a small stream that ran across the grounds. After sitting with his Aunt and Uncle for a while in their house set off in a corner of the grounds, Satomi took them to their rooms, leaving Darin and Ryoyo with Keizo. All the adults had suites in one building, while Bikky and Carol would stay in the house with Satomi and Keizo. After showing them their rooms, Satomi said she would see them later that night and to enjoy their day on the 5th Station and let them settle. Bikky and Carol stayed in Dee's and Ryo's room, wandering out to the patio with the onsens until they left to join the others and head to nearby Mt. Fuji.
It reminded Ryo of the night they stayed at Sakura's house. After dinner, Dee's family decided to enjoy some time in the onsen. Thankfully everyone wore bathing suits, because Ryo had no idea how Bikky and Carol would have handled it. It was not unusual for a Japanese family to relax together in a private onsen. Ryo knew the public ones separated men and women because they would go into the hot springs naked, but the rules changed for families in private ones. They had a relaxing time in the onsen. Among the talking and laughter, there wer also quiet moments for personal relaxation. When they got out from the hot spring, they donned yukata and sat in the garden, drinking hot sake and eating mochi treats made earlier by Sakura.
When they had come to Saburo's house on Sunday, Dee and Ryo discovered that Saburo and Yoshio had kept true to their word, and there was a brand new mochi maker waiting for them to take back to New York. While they sat in the garden, Sakura gave them some of her secrets in making the wonderful treats they were enjoying. Before she left Saburo's house on Tuesday night, she handed Dee a handmade traditional-style notebook with handwritten recipes for many sweets using mochi, accented by anecdotes and cute little illustrations also done by his grandmother.
Ryo did miss Dee's newfound family, but they would be seeing them soon enough for Ayaka's birthday.
At least Ryo hoped, they would be. All that day on Mt. Fuji and the next day, Ryo noticed that Dee was making up excuses to hang up on phone calls as fast as he possibly could without being outright rude. That was when he answered his phone at all. Sometimes he would see who was calling and let it ring, or as Ryo caught him a few times, send the call directly to his voicemail. Ryo suspected that the only reason Dee would answer was because Dafydd, Ayaka and Saburo were all very stubborn. He also suspected that Dafydd knew Dee was avoiding them, which is why they would keep calling until he answered.
Dee did tell his family that they were currently on Mt. Fuji and it was an inconvenience spending much time on the phone. Which Ryo had to roll his eyes at. Yes, there were hiking trails around Mt. Fuji's 5th Station, but were not as physically demanding as the trails going up to the mountain's top. Ryo knew Dee's family knew their plans for that day, Dee having told them during the time in Nagoya. Even if nothing was mentioned, Ryo was certain Dee's family knew that the trails to the top of the mountain were closed until August of the next year. Dee also said something to Dafydd about phone reception on the mountain. It was a lie, and Ryo knew that Dafydd would know it was. They all had GPN phones and service, and it was a well-known fact that GPN had the technology to carry coverage, even in remote locations other service providers would not. It was one of the features which kept GPN as a leader in communications not only in Japan, but the world. Dee had to have known that.
That one blatant lie to Dee's twin would certainly have the Fujioka side feel something was up, because by the second day the usual suspects had stopped calling but Dee did get a call from his grandmother. That, Dee had discovered, he had no defense against and let her talk on as long as she wanted. It felt strange but in a good way watching as Dee called someone Obāsan, and it wasn't Akira. It was Dee's own grandmother, his biological father's mother. Ryo still didn't know what to think about Dee's grandfather, but the old coot didn't stop his wife from getting to know her grandson. He didn't stop anyone in the family who accepted Dee as one of theirs because he respected their feelings, but knowing Dee's family, Ryoichi probably wouldn't dare. Besides, he did make some effort in letting Dee know he was accepted by his grandfather. Ryo still was yet to completely move past learning that Dee's grandfather was in New York on October, watching as Dee spoke at City Hall, and had known about Dee since the first reporting of the Carrier Killer case. He knew Dee was also still stewing over that and was a wedge preventing Dee from becoming as close to his grandfather as he was with his grandmother.
Ryo had to wonder if something Ryoichi Fujioka did that was causing Dee's mood. If Ryo was being truthful, he had started to show the first signs of the pattern when they were at Ryo's grandmother's house and Dee got a call from his grandfather. After a minute of listening to his grandfather, Dee excused himself and took the rest of the call outside. When Dee returned, he said his grandfather called to apologize about missing them before they left Nagoya. Ryo knew that wasn't the truth either, but whatever was said, Ryo had no idea. However, at the time he was in no mood to argue about Dee's grandfather, especially in front of his own grandmother and family.
Whatever was said, Ryo felt had set the start of a pattern that he had known well, because he had seen it before. He hoped to crush it because whenever it took hold on Dee, it was bad for them. In the past, twice it had almost destroyed their relationship. It was a good thing that Dee was able to listen to reason before the damage was too great to repair. It took time after to build back up to where they were before it happened. Ryo hoped that this time it wouldn't get that far. This time Dee had much more than just him and Bikky to lose.
Considering the last few weeks, Ryo never considered it would happen again. It was obvious to see that Dee came to love not only Saburo, but Yoshio, and thrived on having two fathers who loved him very much. He had a twin brother who he had quickly become close to and bonded with, along with a grandmother and other siblings he also loved, not to mention many aunts, uncles and cousins he enjoyed spending time with. Dee's emotions as they left Nagoya were real, and though he tried to hide it, Ryo saw that Dee was silently crying as they got further from his family.
It made Ryo wonder if there was something bad lurking in the back of Dee's mind, along with his missing a family that he had come to know and love in the last few weeks. The problem was Dee's insecurities. He acted tough most of the time because he hid them. Lately he had mellowed, and it was more than Ryo and Bikky moving in with them and then discovering he was pregnant. Dee had no insecurities for that time. Maybe having a family living with him caused the insecurities to go away. So, if someone had asked Ryo then would they return now that Dee had his biological family in his life, Ryo would have said no. Especially since he knew Dee's insecurities stemmed from him believing that he was unwanted by his parents and was left out by a dumpster like somebody's trash. It was knowing that which would cause Dee to feel like he didn't deserve good things in life, that maybe his parents sensed something in him and decided to get rid of him.
Now Dee knew it was beyond his parents' control and that the father who was with Dee as an infant was killed, and the father who was still alive embraced Dee into the family, as did his stepfather and all his siblings and their families. Dee now had a very large family that was his birthright. He had a birthday, family name and ethnic background, along with family traditions. Ryo was surprised that he started to see that ugly pattern start again, this time it was directed toward the family who wanted nothing more than to make up lost time. If they had their way, Dee and Ryo would be moving to Nagoya with Bikky and the twins, but they understood why Dee called New York City home.
Dee's father was very proud of Dee's work for the Carrier community and broke out in tears upon learning his son was to be the Chief of a very elite and important bureau for protection of Carriers in the NYPD. He certainly mentioned it enough to friends they met while with Dee's father. Saburo was equally proud of Ryo, and happy that his son had picked someone that Saburo felt was worthy of his son. It also made Saburo understand why Dee had to return to New York and head the newly formed bureau. It was a tense situation in New York, and many other states across the U.S. ever since the ACC had started to stir trouble for the Carrier communities. Dee and Ryo both were going to be busy enough once they returned to work.
Friday morning, Dee's friends left to go back to Yokohama and Tokyo. Tsubasa and Kumi, who travelled to the inn with Dee and Ryo stayed to spend Friday at the inn with Ryo's and Tsubasa's family who lived there. They left for Kamakura in the late afternoon after having a light early dinner. Back in Kamakura, they relaxed for the rest of the night with Ryo's family. Dee did reply to a couple of texts and then took a call, suddenly getting up and leaving the room. He didn't say who it was, but Ryo knew it had to be Ryoichi. His grandmother also seemed to know who the call was from. There was a telling sign in Dee's body language, and he never left the room for a call except for his grandfather.
Ryo could only hope everything would clear up with Dee in the next few days.
Tokyo Disneyland
Urayasu, Chiba
Japan
November 25, 2006
Today was Ryo's birthday, and it was already long planned to have Ryo's family and their friends in the Tokyo area to meet them at Tokyo Disneyland, to spend a day going on rides, and having a private area reserved for meals and party including a birthday cake. It was Ryo's first birthday in Japan in a long time, and he enjoyed having his Japanese family with him finally. He knew part of the reason it took so long was his fault, and he once almost destroyed what he had with his family. At least he thought he would have destroyed it, but he learned a family's conviction is strong, and his grandmother and family in Japan would never have let him destroy anything between them.
For Ryo, it wasn't insecurities. It was just over-indulging in self-pity, feeling that association with his Japanese family made him miss his mother more, and gnaw at the hurt still inside him. By the time he met Dee and Bikky, it had become so much a part of him, he didn't even realize he was doing it until Dee started to regularly ask if he had called his grandmother lately. Then once he did realize it, by then he was with Dee. What he had noticed about Japan, he had forgotten about and a lot he never had noticed. He was afraid to tell his grandmother about Dee, fearful that now that he wanted to keep her in his life, this important fact about his life would push his grandmother away.
Thank goodness, he was wrong.
He was certain that for whatever reasons Dee seemed to be avoiding his family, that Dee was wrong too. He also knew that like his own family, Dee's family would never give up on him. Especially having him back from the dead, or so they had believed him to be for all these years. It didn't take a long time to get to know that Fujioka family ties ran deep, and the moment Dee showed up at Saburo's and Yoshio's house, he was immediately part of the family, and no one had any intention of letting Dee go again. Especially Saburo, Yoshio, Dafydd, Sakura, Ayaka, along with most of Dee's other siblings and Hitoshi, and most likely Kennosuke. This was a stubborn and proud family and were not going to stop reaching out to Dee no matter how much Dee avoided them.
Dee had once stopped Ryo from being an idiot about family, now it was time to return the favor.
At least as they were getting ready to leave for Disneyland, Dee answered the call when he saw it was his grandmother. After talking to her for a few minutes, which on Dee's side was mostly grunts and sounds of acknowledgement, Dee handed his cell to Ryo because Sakura wanted to wish him a happy birthday. On the ride to the amusement park, Ryo got calls to his own cell from Saburo and Yoshio, Dafydd and Momo, Ayaka, and Hitoshi and Kyoshii because they had tried calling Dee first, but he was not picking up, or got a brief text message in reply after the phone finally stopped ringing. Saburo tried questioning Ryo on what was going on, but with Dee's eyes on him, Ryo was afraid to give a real answer and instead said, "I'll look into it." He could have then sent a text with more information, but with Dee sitting next to him on the bus, he knew Dee would notice and ask who he was texting. Once he hung up, he simply said it was another happy birthday call from someone in Dee's family. Ryo was also getting text messages and emails with e-cards from Dee's other brothers and sister, along with many cousins, aunts and uncles who wanted to wish him a happy birthday.
When they were almost at Disneyland, Ryo received another text from Momo's phone, but it was from Kiyoshi and Tatsuya wishing him a happy birthday and to check his email. As Ryo looked at his email, he started to smile.
"What is it?" Dee asked.
Ryo held up his phone to display the first drawing attached to an email from Momo. "From your nephews. This one is from Kiyoshi."
It was a drawing of a man and two little boys in a house that looked like the back of Dafydd's and Momo's house. The figures weren't stick figures either and Ryo could easily see it was him with Dee's nephews. Kiyoshi wrote in Japanese, that it was them and Ryo because they played in the garden along with 'Happy Birthday'.
Dee could not help smiling as he looked at the photo. Ryo doubted anyone had a chance of not smiling unless their heart was made of stone.
"Kiyoshi is a pretty good artist," Dee said, a statement of fact, because he had watched his nephews draw. "Tatsuya too."
Ryo opened the next attachment and nodded. "Yup, still showing he also has the skills," Ryo affirmed and held the phone for Dee to see.
It was of Ryo with the two boys sitting on the couch in their living room, with Mochi on Ryo's lap and Tatsuya wrote in Japanese, "We all had fun with Mochi in the living room. Happy Birthday Uncle Ryo!"
Ryo gave Dee a minute more to continue smiling at his nephews' art and handed his phone to show the rest of his family, who made the appropriate comments and sounds of appreciation. Those little boys really were talented, and the drawings were just so adorable, or as he heard from his family, "Kawaii!"
As Ryo got his phone back, he looked at Tatsuya's photo again. He quickly answered the email saying thank you to the little boys and he loved the drawings. When he was done, he closed the email and put his phone away. "It's going to break those boys' hearts if we don't take Mochi with us to New York," he said, watching Dee's face change.
For a few seconds, Dee did look genuinely sad and heartbroken before he turned his head away. Not soon enough because Ryo saw tears in Dee's eyes and watched as he roughly wiped them away with the sleeve of his jacket.
"Whatever makes you say we won't?" Dee asked gruffly, still looking away.
"Well, for one thing, Dafydd or someone from your family will have to bring him to us," Ryo replied. "Meaning you have to answer your phone and talk to them."
"Oh yeah." Dee shrugged. "We'll see."
It wasn't a convincing answer to Ryo, but he wasn't going to push it then. They were pulling into the parking lot for Tokyo Disneyland. Even if it wasn't his birthday, he most certainly did not intend for him or Dee to ruin the day for Bikky. Ryo remembered how almost a year ago, he was in Los Angeles with Dee, shortly after learning that Dee was pregnant. for a case. They had talked about taking their family to Disneyland one year. Little did they know back then that Dee was having twins, and that the first time they had a chance to go to Disneyland was less than a year later, and to the one in Tokyo. A trip to Japan was not even in the cards at that time, mostly because of Ryo's own fears that had him pull away from his own family, but here they were – in Japan and at Disneyland with Ryo's family. Bikky had been looking forward to it since Ryo first mentioned that he wanted to spend his birthday at Disneyland.
And they also had been to Universal Japan in Osaka almost two weeks before, with Dee's family.
Ryo did kick himself for not thinking of inviting any of Dee's family to Tokyo for the day and join them at Disneyland. Ryo realized he was still getting used to Dee having a family, and even while spending time with them, it did not occur to him to actually invite them instead of just talking about how they were going to spend his birthday at Disneyland. Ryo vowed to never be that stupid again with Dee's family. They had immediately accepted him as part of their family, and while Ryo knew the opposite was true, he realized he had to start acting like he accepted them as his family too.
Despite whatever was going on with Dee and his family, it was a great birthday. He had fun with his family and friends and would go down as one of his best birthdays since his parents had died.
Moriko and Akira had offered to watch Darin and Ryoko while everyone went on rides. Kumi managed to also keep from going on the more violent rides, not wanting to take chances at that stage of her pregnancy now that she knew, and did so without having too many questions asked about her not joining her parents, who still enjoyed going on rides, especially the biggest roller coasters. She simply made a comment about not wanting to risk upsetting her stomach so soon after getting over a stomach flu. There were some rides that Kenta and/or Aya were too small to go on, and she ended up watching them. While Moriko hated amusement rides but enjoyed looking at all the attractions and various shows going on in the park, Takehide joined Dee, Ryo, Tsubasa, Nobu and Hoshi, and some of Ryo's cousins going on all the rides. Pretty much how Bikky thought Saburo and Yoshio were really cool for going on rides, the teen thought the same thing about Nobu, Hoshi and Takehide.
Around dinner time everyone returned to the reserved area where there was dinner waiting, including not only Japanese, but some American favorites that they sold in the park. When dinner was done, a beautiful cake was bought out by staff in costume as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy, with a Minion added to the group and everyone gathered to sing Ryo "Happy Birthday" twice – once in the Japanese song and then in the American version.
After cake and some games led by the Disney characters, including many others who ventured in to wish Ryo a happy birthday, the group headed back to see other attractions and go on a few more rides before it was time to head over for the big parade near the magic castle with the fireworks finale. After the fireworks, it was time to make a quick stop at their area to pick up the items they did not want to carry all over the park and after thanking the staff there for being part of their great time, they headed out of the park and for the bus to go back to Kamakura. They said goodnight, and Ryo thanked the family who lived in Tokyo and joined them for the day, who were going to their own vehicles.
Aoki Residence
Hase, Kamakura
Japan
November 26, 2006
Sunday, Dee and Ryo finally had a chance to do what they had been waiting for – sleep in and just spend a day lounging around the house. They both agreed it had felt wonderful not having to wake up early and spend a whole day out and about, but those days on the run had been great too, and well worth it. Not only were Bikky and Carol getting much experience on their trip, but it was great to revisit places they had gone to in the past and wanted to return, along with exploring new things they missed on their previous times.
After having breakfast with Ryo's family, they even excused themselves for a couple of hours once Bikky and Carol had gone out to meet up with their friends for the day, and something else they had been waiting for, not wanting to do it with family so close lately. At least they had the house to themselves, and Ryo had to admit he did blush because his grandmother knew exactly why they were going back to the guest house, but it also meant she understood.
When they finally got around the checking their email, among the many emails from Dee's fathers, Dafydd, Sakura, Kennosuke, his other brothers and sisters, and even from Ryoichi, there was an email from Diana telling them about the rally the ACC held in Central Park. Some of their unit had gone to observe, even if there was police detail to keep the peace. There were a few incidents including when someone passing who was pro-Carrier yelled out what the ACC could go and do to themselves, which had some of those anti-Carriers in attendance go after the poor woman and her family. At least the attendance wasn't quite what the ACC had wanted, and it was obvious they were frustrated. Diana shared her fears that the frustration could lead to worse action in the coming months. Ryo also spoke to Elena who was also at the rally to cover it, and she had the same opinion.
Dee dared to look at the email from his grandfather purely on gut instinct and he found all his grandfather wrote in the email was "I hope this helps your unit." The email also had links and several attachments, all of them with coverage, reports, photos and videos and even insider information on the rally, and the stand-off that happened between the Pro-Carriers and Anti-Carriers after the rally at Central Park West and 81st Street.
"Holy crap," Dee exclaimed.
"What is it?" Ryo asked
"I had a feeling there would be something like this from my grandfather, but I didn't expect everything here." As Ryo got up to look at Dee's laptop, Dee added, "His people are really very thorough."
"You opened an email from your grandfather?" Ryo asked. "What about from the rest of your family?."
"I had a feeling that my grandfather wouldn't be writing me an email begging to answer my phone. So, when I saw it, knowing what was going on in New York, I opened it on a whim that there would be information on the rally. And boy, is there information. More than what Diana emailed us."
"Do we look through it?" Ryo asked.
Dee shook his head. "Not right now," he replied. "At some point, sure. If it's something that helps, I'll take it. Judging from his brief message, he feels he doesn't have to talk to me, so I don't have to talk to him." Dee looked at Ryo. "And knowing he believes in this prophecy twin shit, I get a feeling they also believe it has something to do with Carriers, which is why I received this motherload of reports on the rally yesterday in Central Park. What I will do right now is forward it to Berkeley and Diana and have them confirm it's all legit information that can be used if needed and then do what they want with it. We are on vacation after all, and there's not much we can do about it from here anyway."
"But Diana and Berkeley can," Ryo said and nodded his head. "Good idea. Also, about getting their opinion if anything isn't legit in how it was obtained, because I don't trust your grandfather."
"If there is anyone in that family capable of doing things underhanded, it's Ryoichi Fujioka," Dee agreed. "And yes, I'll at least read the rest of the emails, but no promises after that."
"Fine for now," Ryo said. "But I do hope you start replying at some point, sooner than later."
Dee let out a sigh for a response and then asked, "So what did Elena say about the rally?"
"She was also at that stand-off outside the park," Ryo replied. "Her and Rick almost got pulled into it. According to her, it led to first bottles being tossed and then fighting between both sides. The first bottle was tossed by an angry Carrier, but the first punch was thrown by the anti-Carriers. Arrests were made from both sides. And the Carrier is in the hospital now with serious injuries."
"Damn." Dee slammed his hand on the table. "But it's hard telling people not to fight back, not when there are Carriers being bashed and killed just because of who they are."
"That's true, but they should at least not throw the first punch," Ryo pointed out and then sighed. "Which is basically telling them to do nothing until they're attacked and possibly killed before reacting."
"It's going to be a bitch to find that fine line to have the Carriers and Pro-Carriers walk, I know," Dee admitted. "But we're going to have to find it. Unfortunately, we can't start making exceptions to the law just because someone is a Carrier."
"I understand. We'll figure it out, but as you said, we're on vacation now. Feel like joining Obāsan and the rest of my family for a while?"
"Sure," Dee agreed, closing his laptop.
After lunch, Dee did read the emails from his family and they basically all said what he had expected. Later, Ryo and Dee both read the attachments and links, some to a private cloud archive, that Dee's grandfather sent him before going next door to Tsubasa's and Kumi's house for a while.
That evening, at his grandmother's insistence, Dee and Ryo had gone out just the two of them for a date night but decided to stay around Kamakura. Bikky and Carol had returned, having also staying local with their friends and had dinner with Akira and the family, while Dee and Ryo went to an Italian restaurant on Yuigahama Beach in Kamakura. The food was really Japanese-style Italian, but they found the meal very good. The set meals they picked came with Japanese spaghetti. Dee had the cream salmon, roe and mushroom spaghetti with grilled octopus, and Ryo picked clams and soy sauce spaghetti with grilled tuna. They had a good time as they ate, even if Ryo could see something was on Dee's mind. After dinner, they opted for a walk on the beach. Ryo had noticed through the day Dee continued to receive calls and text messages he was not answering. Ryo kept from commenting, but letting Dee know he had been noticing the ignored calls and messages. Ryo had also received a couple of text messages asking if everyone was okay, and Ryo replied they were all fine and had no answers yet on why Dee was not answering. He felt terrible for Dee's family, especially Saburo, Dafydd and Sakura, but he was yet to get Dee to open up on what was going on in that sometimes-twisted mind of Dee's.
It was while they were sitting on the bench, gazing out at the Sagami Bay that the trouble started. After a long silence of Dee staring out at the dark water, he said, "You're probably wondering what's going on." At Ryo's nod, Dee announced, "I don't think I want to stay in touch with them."
Ryo did a double take. "What?" he asked, hoping Dee didn't mean what he thought. He had to admit he had feared something like this but was wishing for a better explanation.
"My family. I don't think I want them in my life. I did without them all this time, why do I need them now?" Dee shrugged. He continued to stare out at the water, not looking at Ryo.
Ryo could no longer remain quiet, and this was definitely his cue to speak up and hopefully set his husband straight. "Dee? I hate to put it this way, but are you crazy?"
"No, I'm not. They're going to dump me eventually anyway." He shrugged again, and his head dropped for a moment. "Right now, it's all a big deal, but eventually they'll stop reaching out. It's best I drop them first before they dump me."
"That's not going to happen, Dee," Ryo assured him. "I can see how happy they are that Dafydd found you."
"That's now, but geez Ryo, they went on for 33 years without me. Saburo got over my other father's death, and losing me, to remarry and had seven more kids. I think he more than replaced me. I know they all act as if they want me back, but no matter how much I want it to be otherwise, I'm the outsider. I'm more American than Japanese, and they all had this life together that didn't include me. Now that we're no longer with them, they have that life again, going on without me." Once again, he shrugged and his head hung again, but reminded down as he finished, "I have no place there."
Ryo let out a heavy sigh. He watched as Dee wiped away tears before lifting his head. It reminded him of when Dee was crying as they left Nagoya. It made him wonder again about something that was lurking in the back of Dee's mind, and whatever it was Ryoichi said to him in that first phone call, pulled on it until it was no longer just in the back of his head. It was now front and center in Dee's mind concerning his family. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to go back to Nagoya and knock the shit out of Dee's grandfather. "Is that why you've been finding excuses not to have lengthy phone calls with them? Or even answer their calls at all?"
"Ryo, if I answered my phone and sat down to talk every time a family member called, I'd be on the phone all freakin' day and getting nothing done. You heard my grandfather. The family expects constant communication. I can't keep up with it and I'll lose them because of it."
"But that's part of the reason," Ryo pushed.
"Yes, it is. I stop answering and talking to them, they'll go away." Dee's voice was flat, and he spoke in a monotone. They were also speaking English, which was rare when they were alone together while in Japan.
"You really think so?" Ryo sounded incredulous because Dee should know the Fujiokas as well as Ryo did. There was no way that was going to happen, and Dee was a fool if he really did believe it. Something warned Ryo that something Dee's grandfather said in that call is what fueled Dee's belief.
"I do. That's how it works."
"Why?" Ryo asked. Before Dee could reply, he added, "Because you kept thinking on it, you let those nasty insecurities rear their ugly little heads and you've been nourishing them these last few days. I'll bet something your ass of a grandfather said to you helped. And you're allowing him to win whatever asinine game he's playing now."
Dee shrugged. "Maybe, but there's no denying that I'm still an outsider. I don't live in Nagoya and I never will. They'll go on having their lives here and what? We get together for a holiday here and there? I'll end up like how Momo is to your family. Some distant relative that they speak warmly about but never take the time to include in the little things."
Ryo honestly did not know what to say to that, because Dee had a good point. Except, he realized, that there was a major difference. "Dee, Momo is a distant relative. A very distant relative. So yes, that does happen at times. Those so far removed tend to only show up for those major events that pull in all corners of a family. Momo has been bumped up in the family since now she is your sister-in-law and will be part of more gatherings, along with Dafydd. Since you are considered immediate family to Obāsan, that makes your twin brother and his family also close family."
"Oh great. That just makes it worse," Dee sighed. "Because my twin brother will also be a part of things going on with Obāsan's family, while we're not."
"Maybe not everything, but I'm pretty sure we'll be able to attend enough, as well as them coming to ours."
"It's not your family I'm questioning, but then I expect to be somewhat on the outside. I'm your husband, so yes, they accept me, but I still am an outsider. But this is my family: father, stepfather, twin and other siblings. I shouldn't feel like an outsider. It's wrong. But I do, and it's best to stay away."
Ryo let out a heavy sigh and slipped his arm around Dee's shoulders and pulled him close. "If that's the problem, then maybe we should move to Nagoya, and screw our jobs. Family should come first, you know."
"I wish, but we can't," Dee said. "Other than work, there's Mother. I can't move from her, and I'm not going to leave her now just because I found my biological family."
"Then we are in the position to come here more than a few times a year."
"Maybe, but it would have to go both ways. I guess your family spoiled me with that. Would Saburo and the others come to New York for Bikky's birthday party? Or Carol's graduation? The twins' birthday?"
"I think they would."
"I don't know. Even if they wanted to, they have enough money in the family to fly to New York, but it's all under my grandfather's management. He won't release the money for them to visit me in New York."
"He doesn't have to," Ryo commented. "I think your fathers, and some others in the family, can afford it without that jerk. Anyway, if they show interest, I'll make sure there's a plane waiting for them. In fact, Nagoya has an airport that is easier and cheaper to get slots for private jets than Tokyo."
"I doubt they'll want to. They have their lives here, why take time off just for me?"
Ryo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You do realize that they all were available during our time in Nagoya. Your sister managed to pull together a party to include practically all corners of that family in the week and a half between our Nagoya stops. Your fathers dropped everything last minute to join us for a few days in Kyoto and Osaka, and then your grandmother did the same to join us in Osaka and stay with us for the rest of the trip. All that says something to me. You had people calling in to jobs, dropping what they were doing to be there for you. Do you really need to turn your back on that?"
"I shouldn't have said anything," Dee snapped. "You're going to keep picking on me about this, aren't you?"
"I think you're making a mistake. And you're going to hurt people, and I don't think that's right. What about Dafydd? He's going to be heartbroken if you turn away from him. He's been searching all his life for you and now that he finally found you, you're going to walk away from him? Seriously?"
Dee stood up. "What about me when he leaves me?" Dee shouted and started to walk toward where they left the car.
"Oh crap," Ryo sighed. What Dee wasn't thinking about was that he didn't believe Dafydd would just stand by and let it happen.
Once they were in the car and driving back to Ryo's grandmother's house, their date night cut short, Ryo said what he was thinking about Dafydd, but Dee was insisting that he didn't want to talk about it. He had made up his mind and that was it.
When they got back to the house, Bikky and Carol had gone out again after dinner and were still out somewhere in the nearby area with their friends who lived in Kamakura. Akira, Nobu and Hoshi were still up and watching TV. Dee bypassed the main house and went directly to the guesthouse. Ryo decided to let Dee cool down and sat down with his family. When they asked, Ryo said that Dee wasn't feeling well, and they decided to call it a night and let him rest. They didn't say anything, but Ryo had a feeling that they weren't buying it.
Aoki Residence
Kamakura, Kanagawa
Japan
November 27, 2006
The next morning Ryo woke up hoping that Dee would have worked it out himself during the night. That had happened several times when Dee's insecurities struck. When he went to bed the night before, Dee was in the bed and Ryo assumed that his husband was sleeping. He also knew that Dee could play possum very well when he wanted, so it was possible Dee was only pretending to be asleep.
Ryo hated that they had gone to sleep with things unresolved between them. No apologies, I love you's and kisses. The only thing Dee had said to him was a gruff "Good night" as he stormed around the main house to the guest house. Ryo didn't even bother with that much, simply ignoring Dee as he went to join his family in the main house. Of course, they had their fights, even after getting married. They had some doozys in the first stage of planning their wedding and because of hormones during Dee's pregnancy. If Ryo was honest to himself, it wasn't always Dee who would get unreasonable during that time. Ryo sometimes had blown things out of proportions too. They were human, so it was expected, but they never went to sleep with a fight unresolved. This was the first time, and Ryo was nervous that Dee's biological family might not be the only ones Dee was pulling away from.
The feeling got worse when he found he was alone in the bed that morning. When Ryo made his way into the kitchen, he found Dee drinking coffee with the twins in their bouncy seats by the table. At least there was more coffee in the pot and Ryo's cup set out near the coffeemaker waiting for him. He decided to let Dee set the tone on how things were between them that morning, so he silently poured his coffee.
As he fixed his coffee the way he liked it, Dee said, "We really should get them high chairs before going home.
Ryo sighed. "We should have a couple waiting for us back at the penthouse. It's only another 2 days. Or are you planning on getting rid of everything your family gave us?"
"No. I forgot, okay. It's been a few weeks and a lot of mileage since my father had us pick out high chairs that he could send to the penthouse."
Ryo was glad for that. A few times at Dafydd's, they used Kiyoshi's and Tatsuya's that Dafydd and Momo were holding on for when they decided for Dafydd to get pregnant again. Those weren't exactly high chairs since they were meant to be used while eating at the chabudai table in the dining room. There should be a couple of those too waiting for them at the penthouse. There were also restaurants with Western seating and offered high chairs. Both infants handled being in the chairs well. Now Ryoko was holding her head up more often than not and had become very flexible. She was able to pull herself up from leaning over. She had already turned herself over when they were Nagoya. Dee had joked that she was showing off for his family. She was babbling a lot more lately too. Darin's head was pretty steady too. He has been attempting to turn over like his sister and came close but not quite yet, but the kid could do some pretty mean push-ups, Ryo mused. It was going to happen very soon.
"I guess that means taking Obāsan's advice on solids?" Ryo asked Dee.
"I guess that means we need to decide on if we're going for store bought or strained by us," Dee replied. "Buying would be more convenient, especially after I go back to work, but if we start now, we'll be starting with Japanese brands. Then we'll end up having to go to Mitsuwa regularly to stock up on baby food and pay the import prices."
"We can switch when we get back to New York, I suppose. It's only a month."
"Geez," Dee remarked. "Didn't we just get here? The first month just flew by. I suppose this next one will go even faster."
"We've been here five weeks," Ryo reminded Dee, "and originally we would have been leaving in three weeks, but we pushed things back to have the same time in Tokyo as originally planned while spending more days in Nagoya. We're cutting it close getting back for parties and the holidays. We're already missing the precinct one."
Dee let out a snort. "We could say fuck it and stay until I need to go get certified to go back on duty."
"I only have one week left to the rest of my baby leave. Any time I take after will be without pay."
"Not like we can't afford it, but I guess one of us should show up around the time we said we would." Dee shrugged.
The talking was normal, about the babies, going back to New York. What was lacking was eye contact. Dee did not look at him once yet. Ryo could say that it was because his attention was on playing with the babies while he drank his coffee, but he didn't, because he knew Dee could do that and still look at him.
Ryo sat down at the small table and was just about to broach the subject of making up. Maybe even apologizing for pushing Dee as he had. That it was Dee's family and his choice. Even if he knew it was wrong, but he felt he had to repair their relationship first before fixing Dee's ongoing relationship with his family. He was about to open his mouth when Dee's cell phone, which was set on the table, started to ring. Ryo was able to see it was from Dafydd. Dee let it ring until it finally went to his voicemail.
"Have you even checked your voicemail yet?" Ryo asked instead.
"Yeah. Nothing huge. Just to call. From all of them. Don't worry, I cleaned it up. There's plenty of room for more voicemails."
Ryo sighed.
"Don't," Dee said, finally looking up from the babies and at Ryo.
Ryo held his hands up. "It's your family," he said.
"Thank you."
Ryo looked at the time, noting it was almost 8 am. His grandmother would be making breakfast for them soon. Nobu and Takehide most likely had already gone to the office. He should suggest going to the main house for breakfast and see what Bikky and Carol were up to, since they weren't waiting for them in the guest house. Sometimes they would, when they weren't still sleeping. He also didn't want them to join the rest of the family until they resolved the fight from the night before. Ignoring it and acting as if it didn't happen wouldn't work. If it was Ryo who had started it, Dee would never allow it. Neither would Ryo. Nothing would be resolved until an apology, a kiss and some talk. Maybe even more kisses and make-up sex. That was the way they did things. So Ryo decided to see how long he could hold off having to join the rest of the family, hoping they would make-up soon.
Dee's phone rang again, only this time it was Ayaka. Dee's other siblings accepted him, but they all had their own families or careers. They didn't feel a need to call Dee every day even to talk for a few minutes like Saburo, Dafydd and Ayaka did. He understood Saburo's need to be in daily contact with a son he had believed to be dead for over 30 years, and Dafydd was Dee's twin. A twin who had been searching for his lost brother almost as long as Saburo had believed him dead. So Ryo expected them to be calling every day, Dee's grandmother every 2 or 3 days, because she understood her grandchildren were all grown and had their own lives, yet she still liked to be in touch with them every two or three days even if just to say hello, and the others every other week or so just to keep in touch. Much like how it was with his family. Ayaka surprised Ryo, and even Dee, because she also had to check in everyday, even with her busy life. She did much more than practice and do performances. She had photo shoots, interviews, handshake events and even TV appearances. Yet she found time to call Dee every day just to talk to him for a bit when they were traveling around Japan. Next to Dafydd, she was the closest to Dee out of all his half-brothers and sisters.
Ryo sighed quietly as the phone continued to ring until it finally went to voicemail.
Only a few minutes later, the phone rang again and it was Saburo. Yes, the man felt a need to be in daily touch with his son who had been missing so long, and at first he got that while they were on their road trip to see other parts of Japan. Saburo even got to spend a few more days with Dee when they decided to take a few extra days before coming back to the Tokyo area and stopping again in Nagoya. Even when they stayed with Dafydd, and then at Dee's grandparents' house, Saburo still saw Dee every day. Then for two days after they left Nagoya, he still was able to talk to his son, even if the second day, Dee's side of the conversation was trying cut the call short as soon as possible. Now it was going on four days with no contact, and that broke Ryo's heart.
Unable to keep quiet, Ryo said, "Dee…."
Dee ignored him as he turned his phone off.
"Dee, that's not the answer, you know."
"Don't start Ryo. I was just about to apologize."
They both stared at each other and then at Ryo's phone when it started to ring. "Dafydd," Ryo said as he went to pick up the phone.
Dee's hand wrapped around Ryo's wrist. "Do not answer that call," Dee said slowly. "Do not ever answer any of their calls. Do not bring it up again. Got it?"
Ryo blinked. It looked like Dee had reached the point of being unreasonable in the pattern, and that was very bad. "You know, I could just keep quiet and hope this all works itself out. Or maybe it won't. But I can't," he said. "There is a man that I watched sob for almost an hour as he hugged his missing son trying to talk to that son only to be shut out. There is another man who is just as emotionally tangled in finally finding his long lost twin brother, also to be shut out. And then there's that darling, sweet girl who is so happy to have a new brother. Her too. What about Ayaka's birthday? She is really looking forward to having you be there for her party. I can't sit and watch this without saying anything."
"You need to figure how you can. You are not to have any contact with that family."
"Everyone in your family?" Ryo asked.
"Yes!" Dee's voice raised.
The twins started to whimper.
Almost as if reading his mind, Ryo's phone rang again. He snatched his phone from the table and walked away.
"Dee, if you don't want to talk to your family, that's fine. But you forgot that Momo is MY family too, and you can't tell me not to talk to her or anyone else in my family."
"Fine. Talk to your many times removed distant cousin, just don't talk about me."
"Or else what?" Ryo snapped.
"Ryo, I swear to God. I'm serious. No contact with that family, no trying to help them. Or I will divorce you!" Dee roared. He stood up and stormed out of the kitchen.
Leaving Ryo with a phone ringing and two crying babies. And one very unreasonable and angry husband off to who knows where.
Ryo answered the phone as he went over to the twins. "Momo? Hi. Look this is a really really bad time. Yes, we're all fine here, but I have two upset babies and I'm alone with them."
Momo sighed from the other side. "I know how you are, but you can do it. Why are you alone? Are you really okay there?"
"I'm good, but I do need to calm the babies down. I'll call you later."
"Promise?"
"I promise. Bye Momo."
He disconnected the call and dropping his phone on the table went to sit on the floor between the two bouncy seats. "I know how you feel kiddos," he said. "I think I need to start crying too." He lifted Darin, who seemed the most upset first and after a minute cuddling him, managed to also get Ryoko on his lap. He hugged his two babies tightly as he felt his tears start to fall.
Ryo had no idea how long he sat there when he heard Bikky's voice from the living room. "Dads?" he called out. "Obāsan said breakfast is ready."
"Biks? Hey, tell Obāsan that Dad is still not feeling well. I'll be there in a bit."
He was hoping Bikky would just leave the house, but he gritted his teeth when he heard Bikky walking through the house. Even barefoot, that kid could be heard. No way Bikky would ever be a ninja, he mused until Bikky stood before him, staring down at him still sitting on the floor and cuddling still whimpering babies.
"Everything okay?" Bikky asked. "Do you need help with the chibis?"
"We're good, Biks," he heard Dee's voice. "Like your father said, I don't think dinner last night agreed with me. Ryo, why don't I take the chibis to bed with me and you go get breakfast. I'm not hungry, so don't worry about me."
"Are we doing anything today?" Bikky asked.
"No," Ryo replied. "Today's a down day. As much fun as we had getting around these last couple of weeks, I'm really up to having another nice down day."
"Can Carol and I go hang out with the other kids today?"
Ryo looked up at Dee, who nodded.
"Yeah sure," Ryo replied. "Hang out with them as long as you want. Just call if you're going to leave Kamakura or miss dinner."
"Okay. But we gotta eat breakfast first."
"Yeah." Ryo looked up at Dee. "You go rest. I'll take care of the chibis. Call me if you need anything." He indicated for Bikky to take one of the twins. When Bikky was holding Ryoko, Ryo attempted to get to his feet while still holding Darin.
Suddenly the baby boy was lifted from his arms. Dee had Darin in a firm one arm hold, while he extended his other hand to help Ryo to his feet. Ryo accepted the hand and allowed Dee to pull him up. Once he was on his feet, Dee handed Darin back to him, and then leaned in to brush his lips against Ryo's. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I was just upset but I shouldn't be taking it out on you."
Ryo shook his head. "No you shouldn't," he commented. "You're lucky that I know you and understand. Just don't ever say that again."
Dee wrapped his arms around Ryo, careful not to crush the baby and kissed him again. "I'm an idiot, I know that. Which is why I also know I'm right about the other thing."
Ryo looked back at Bikky who stood in the kitchen, bouncing Ryoko and waiting for Ryo. "Biks, go on. Darin and I will catch up with you two."
Bikky studied them and finally nodded his head. "Sure. Go make up. Are you sure you don't want me to take Darin too?"
"We can't make up that much until after your dad has Obāsan's breakfast," Dee commented.
"Ewww…. I'm going now. Bye."
"Hey, you bought it up."
"Lalalala….." came from Bikky as he left the kitchen.
Ryo had to chuckle. "If there was ever a surefire way to get Bikky to vacate the premises." Dee was still hugging him and Darin. At least Darin had stopped the whimpering finally and seemed content to be snuggled between his fathers.
"Dee, please. Let's talk about this later. Reasonable, the two of us, because I know how we both can get. I know where this is coming from. You think you're lower than the dumpster you were found by. That your parents didn't want you, blah blah blah. Really? After the last few weeks, we know that's not true. I also suspect that you should have been killed with your other father, but you weren't. You were spared for some reason. And that reason means you aren't some trash. You know your parents did what they could to protect you, but you were still taken from them. And it also cost one of your father's life. Just promise me that you'll think about that some, and then later, we'll figure out what to do about the Fujiokas. I also think your grandfather has something to do with this, which tempts me to go back to Nagoya to kick his annoying, rude ass. I'm not because I know we need to work things out between us. I'm not going to go running off on my own while we still have this between us. Like your grandfather did to your grandmother. Okay?"
Dee sighed and pulled away from Ryo to run a hand through his hair. "Did you have to put it that way?"
"Yes. Did I make you think?"
"Yes, dammit."
"Good. Now chill out here a bit and think some more. After breakfast, I'm going to take the chibis for a walk. I may or may not talk to Momo since I promised her a call back. Only I never promised when. And if I do, I swear I won't mention what's going on in your pretty head. I'll just play dumb. Okay?"
"Fine." Dee hugged Ryo again. "I do love you, and I never want to let you go. Remember that." This time the kiss was more than brushing of lips. It wasn't deep or long, but it was enough to make Ryo's lips tingle, and a warmth fill him. It meant that they were all right, that they will be all right. Ryo returned the kiss, parting Dee's lips and seeking out Dee's tongue with his. They didn't get very far because of the giggle that came from between them.
They broke the kiss and looked down at their son and laughed. Dee cradled the small dark head in his hand and kissed it first before blowing a raspberry, making Darin let out a happy squeal. It also meant that they both started to get kicked. They laughed more.
Dee kissed Darin's head again. "Later chibi. Be good for Papa." He grabbed another quick kiss from Ryo. "I'm sorry."
"Daijoubu, Dee," Ryo whispered with a smile. "I love you, too. And call me if you need anything."
He left Dee standing in the kitchen. At least he felt better about things between them and he had a happy, gurgling baby in his arms. But he was still worried about Dee's family.
By the time Ryo made it into the kitchen, Bikky had already informed Akira that Dee was not joining them for breakfast. What was actually said between them, Ryo had no idea, except that he knew Bikky was not stupid and knew his fathers very well. Then again, Akira also knew Ryo and Dee well enough to know something was not right. He knew he was not fooling everyone the night before, and he suspected it was the same that day. He also knew that until his grandmother said anything, he would never know how much she knew.
When they were done with breakfast, Akira excused Bikky and Carol to go off and spend time with the friends they made in the area. Once the two left the house, Ryo asked, "Where's Aunt Hoshi and Aunt Moriko?"
"Moriko left for her studio, and Hoshi went shopping," Akira answered. "What are you and Dei doing today?" she asked.
"I'm thinking of taking the chibis out for a walk. Just around the area. Give Dee some time to rest up. Hopefully he'll be feeling better this afternoon. If so, we'll figure out what we're doing."
"I see." She pushed her empty plate away. "Has Dei spoken to his family yet?" she asked.
"What?" Ryo asked.
"Did he not think that his family would call me if he's not answering his phone?" Akira asked, sounding annoyed. "He's not thinking this through very well."
"Obāsan," Ryo said with a sigh.
"I know what's going on, and I suspect you two had an argument over it. Dei's not sick, is he?"
Ryo shrugged.
"I am also pretty sure what is going on with Dei."
"Maybe," Ryo replied.
"Maria confirmed my suspicions when I spoke to her this morning."
Ryo looked horrified, even if he shouldn't be surprised at that revelation. He was worried about how Dee was going to take it. It could end up being another row for them if Dee felt that Ryo ran to his grandmother the first chance he had.
"I am honestly shocked at the two of you," Akira remarked, rolling her eyes. "Maria got several phone calls, so she decided to call me and ask if I knew anything before she spoke to Dei. Did you both believe that Dei's family would not call Maria?"
Ryo shook his head. "I don't think Dee even thought of that," he finally admitted. "He seems to think he has two separate families. To be honest, I didn't think that they would call you and Mother."
"Saburo has been in touch with Maria. He feels a lot of gratitude to her for taking in Dei and giving him a loving and nurturing mother. He has made it clear to her that if he couldn't be there to raise Dei, he is glad that it was her. He doesn't expect her to be anything less than Dei's mother just because he has Dei back in his life. That also means that he acknowledges Maria's knowledge of the son she had raised, and Maria is more than happy to give him advice on his son when he needs it. Saburo felt he needed to take Maria up on her offer and they had a very lengthy conversation. She knows now that Dei's insecurities are based on a falsehood. That he was never unwanted by his parents and that he has a father who would have given anything to have had the chance to raise him. He also accepts that it didn't happen that way, but he wants to be able to pick up from now. Ryo, if you don't understand this by now with Bikky, you certainly will soon enough with Darin and Ryoko. Dei might have just recently come into his life as a grown man with a family of his own, but to Saburo, Dei is still his baby boy as much as Dafydd still is. Do you understand what that means?"
Ryo let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, I do. It means that he will go to Mother if he believes something is going on with Dee. And she most likely told Dee's father about the issues Dee has had all his life from believing he was abandoned and unwanted by his parents." He shook his head. "I knew that Saburo should know that, but it just didn't seem like the right time. I agreed with Dee on that. The man was feeling bad enough about how things had happened and felt guilty for believing all these years that his infant son was dead too, instead of following up, no matter what his parents told him to do. That was a guilt that was not going to be easily resolved by spending a few days bonding. The guilt was going to remain for a long time." When Dee and Ryo had a chance to talk about it that first night in Nagoya, Dee admitted that not only time, but it was also going to be up to Dee to help his father let go of that guilt.
Ryo had to wonder if Dee was still willing to help.
"I think you should take the little chibis out for a while. I can go with you," Akira said. "Let Maria deal with Dei."
"You're probably right, but I should go alone. I still need to do things with the two of them alone and I can't if I keep getting help. Even Dee tends to offer, when he knows that I need to do this. I promised him and the chibis I would."
"Speaking of you and Dei. Are you both really okay?" Akira asked concerned.
"Yes," Ryo replied. "We're okay. Yes, we were arguing, but if we didn't, we wouldn't be normal. And yes, words were said that shouldn't have, but they were done only as a scare tactic than actually meaning it. The opposite in fact. We made up and we're okay. We'll still have to talk later, but more preventive maintenance. It's what we do when we fight. Just because we said we're sorry doesn't mean there aren't things to talk over, so we do."
"I think that's very wise," Akira said. "I still think that you should leave Dei alone and leave him to deal with Maria. If I know Maria, then Dei will be okay too."
"I know. I promised Momo earlier that I'll call her. I'll do that while I'm out, tell her to just be patient and it will all work out," Ryo said. "I think I planted a seed in Dee that will remove any lingering doubts about his family, and Maria will most certainly nurture that seed to grow. For the first time since last night, I can honestly say I have no doubt that the Fujioka family, Dee included, will be all right."
"It would break them if they lost Dei so soon after getting him back, especially if it's by his own choosing," Akira stated. "But I also believe this is not intentional on Dei's behalf. Like with Saburo's guilt, you can't break a lifetime of believing you were left with the trash in a few days. I also believe that those insecurities of Dei's know he's going to exorcise them soon, so they are making one last appearance. I also suspect that Ryoichi Fujioka also has a hand in this. I also believe that this will cause Dei to know without a doubt that no matter what name he goes by, he is and always will be a Fujioka, if only because he has a family who loves him and now that they have him back, will never let him go. Not even living halfway across the world will change that. I know this, because of us." She gave Ryo a wicked smile. "Not even your pulling away from me and your family here was successful and we weren't both in Japan for that attempt to fail."
Ryo started to open his mouth and defend his reasons, even knowing how stupid they were, but she cut him off. "I know what you were doing and why. I admit I'm a bit hurt that you would think I would ever cut you off just because of who you choose to love, but I also understand how you got that impression. I also know that you really did not see Japan as it really is, as you now know it to be and if you did, you would never have hesitated from the moment you told Dei that you loved him."
"You might be right. Maybe if I did know everything, I wouldn't have been afraid, and you would have been the first call I made. But to be honest I was still working things out internally, even after moving in with Dee. Of course, everyone thought we were only roommates. That Bikky going into high school was going to be more expensive and that by sharing the rent and utilities with Dee, it would be easier for me to make sure Bikky was provided for. I knew who I was. I had to before telling Dee that I loved him, but I couldn't admit it to everyone. There were only a few who knew, and they were gay too. Not even Barry knew about us. Okay, Mother knew, but she seemed to be in on it from the first time I met her."
Akira laughed. "Oh yes. I did hear about that infamous meeting, and I don't blame you for letting her in on the secret. It's another reason why I'm grateful to Maria. That woman is a blessing and I'm honored to call her a friend."
"Anyway, it took Dee getting pregnant that made me get my head screwed on right. I have regrets that we didn't do a lot of things sooner, but Dee says the timing isn't important. That we did those things eventually is what matters to him. He's right, so I'm not kicking myself over it." They shared a smile. "We did discuss possibly moving to Japan. Tokyo or Nagoya. Even in Tokyo, Dee's family would be much closer and able to visit."
"And?"
"It's not a good time. Maybe someday," Ryo admitted. "Even if we were able to convince Maria to pack up and move with us, we have too much going on to leave New York. Not to mention that Emiko would kill us if we moved to Japan now."
Akira started to laugh. "Oh, I can imagine. You do know that Daito went after that particular promotion because it meant moving to New York, and Emiko really wanted to be closer to you and your family."
"Yeah, I know." Ryo smiled. "As I said, she would kill us. She's already jealous of everything we did around here," he added with a laugh. "But we also have the new bureau to get running. And this is extremely important to us. There's the new Carrier home and moving the orphanage on the same grounds. There's just so much that demands our attention in New York, and we just can't leave it all in someone else's hands to run off to Tokyo. Or Nagoya." Ryo shrugged. "Maybe someday. Maybe eventually we can figure out a way to live between both countries. Technically Dee is a Japanese native, and I'm still American, but we're married to each other and the chibis are definitely Japanese-American. Between me and Dee, they're definitely more Japanese than all the other mixes we're giving them."
"Dei might have been born here, but I believe there are limitations to claiming nationality. I think it's too late for him to claim being a National, even being born here," Akira said.
"Dee's grandfather said that the choice will be Dee's. He can even get dual-citizenship if that's what he wants," Ryo replied. "Well, assuming that because of circumstances, someone in New York dares to contest him actually being an American citizen."
"Maria is a citizen?" Akira asked. When Ryo nodded his head, she asked, "Did she adopt Dei? Legally?"
"Yes, she did. And that makes Dee an American citizen no matter where he was born."
"Exactly. So, if he wants dual-citizenship, no one is going to attempt to deport him completely from America. Are you sure they can convince the Japanese government to do that?" Akira asked.
"You met Dee's grandparents, and I'm sure you know Sakura Fujioka very well," Ryo said with a grin. "I'm sure she's a friend now. It had to have come up sometime during the party that Dee's grandfather has major ins with both the government and the Imperial family. I'm not sure how it works, but his grandfather says it can be done." Ryo shrugged. "He asked Dee if we had any problem with dual citizenship and Dee and I told him no. Because I'm married to Dee, I will get it, too, as will Bikky, Darin and Ryoko for being his children." He smiled again at his grandmother and stood up. He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Thank you, Obāsan, for everything. For your understanding and your wisdom. Most of all for your love." He kissed her again. "You can help me get the chibis ready for the outside, if you want."
"Of course, I want," she said and allowed Ryo to help her to her feet.