CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Aoki Residence
Hase, Kamakura
Japan
November 27, 2006
When Ryo returned, he left the twins with his family in the main house. Bikky and Carol were still out with their friends at the beach near Enoshima Island and would be returning in the evening. He was also told that Maria had called Dee and they talked a while. Shortly after, Dee came in the main house for lunch. His grandmother didn't tell him everything, saying it was up to Dee to fill him in. It made Ryo feel hopeful, but he felt his mood drop when he found Dee sitting in the garden, looking upset.
"Dee?" Ryo asked. "Everything okay?"
"I don't know."
"Why? What's going on? Did you call your brother?"
Dee nodded. "Several times. Even sent him a few texts." He shrugged. "I pushed him away. I only have myself to blame."
"He didn't answer?" Ryo asked surprised.
"I fucked up badly, and now it's too late. Dafydd doesn't want me."
Dee might have believed it was his fault, but Ryo could see in Dee's eyes that he believed he was right that his family wouldn't put up with him. Ryo wasn't about to let him keep believing that.
"Dee, I don't believe that. Did you call your father? What about Ayaka?"
"I'm scared," Dee admitted. "When they don't answer that means that I don't have a family anymore." His eyes met Ryo's.
Looking at his husband's face, Ryo could see that after Maria set Dee straight, Dee still feared he was right after all, but didn't want it to be true. "Dee, there is only one way to know that for sure. Call. I'm right here. I'll always be here, to help you in whatever it is. Besides, something tells me that someone will answer."
"But then if they do, that could mean that something happened to Dafydd."
Ryo sat down next to Dee and put his arm around him. "Dee, did you forget how twin sense works? Don't you think that if something happened, you would know?"
"When I allowed myself, I could sense that he was upset. And it was because of me. I didn't have to be a twin to know that." He shrugged. "I'm still getting used to this but let me tell you that we'll have our work cut out for us when our two get older. They are already showing signs that they have a bond like Dafydd says we do."
Ryo smiled at Dee. "I'm sure he has a good reason he's not answering, but in the meantime, call your dad. He might know what's going on with your brother."
"Hold me while I call?" Dee asked.
"Of course."
Dee called Saburo's cell phone. "Papa?" he asked in a trembling voice. "I'm good," he continued in Japanese. "I'm sorry. I got scared and stupid." Whatever Saburo said to Dee made him smile. "Yes, we can talk in detail, but not right now. Soon, I promise. I called… to apologize for the last few days." Dee listened to his father as the older man said whatever he was to his son. From the small smile, Saburo was saying the right things. Ryo had to smile himself as he watched Dee bow slightly while saying, "Hai" several times, as if Saburo could see the bow. That was just so Japanese, Ryo thought in amusement, and realized it was not the first time Dee did that, but before coming to Japan, normally he was saying "Yes" or something else in English unless the call was with one of his friends from college. Ryo knew he also had that habit. "I am sorry anyway. I also wanted to know if you heard from Dafydd? Oh. I understand. Well, if you hear from him, tell him I need to apologize to him too. Yes, please call me if you talk to him."
Dee closed the call and let out a heavy sigh. "Well, he didn't hear from Dafydd all day. He said he also called him and didn't get an answer. He doesn't call Ayaka unless it's necessary. Usually he waits for Ayaka to call him when she has a moment." He looked at his phone. "I'm going to call Momo."
Ryo waited as Dee spoke to her, but from the one side, it sounded like she didn't hear from her husband.
As Dee disconnected the call, he stated, "Now I'm worried. No one knows where he is. My father said Dafydd isn't answering his calls and texts and Momo said the same." He looked at Ryo. "My father also said something weird. He said he'll see me on Thursday."
"Huh?" Ryo looked confused.
"Dunno. Seems they're all coming here on Thursday. The whole family. What is Obāsan up to now?" Dee asked.
They heard someone come up behind them. "For Thanksgiving," they heard Dafydd's voice.
They both turned and stared up at Dafydd in shock. "Holy crap!" Ryo remarked. "What are you doing here?"
"Obāsan said you were out here," Dafydd said. "And Thursday is Thanksgiving. At least in America and on the U.S. military bases around here. We don't do Thanksgiving in Nagoya. I wanted to. I've been trying to convince Papa and Chichi to do Thanksgiving ever since I got back from college, but we never did. Not as a complete family. They never come to mine when I tried a few times. It ended up being just me, Momo, the boys and sometimes Ayaka and one or two of our other siblings with their families. Uncle Hitoshi holds a Thanksgiving dinner and he has invited Papa and Chichi many times to join them. Now it's just an open invitation. Papa doesn't have all the issues Ojiisan has with Americans, but Thanksgiving isn't a Japanese holiday, so he never does it. This is the first time he said yes, and he did it without hesitation. He said it was because he had a lot to be thankful for. Because of you."
"He said yes to who?" Dee asked, completely confused. "And what the hell are you doing here?"
"While she was staying with Papa and Chichi in Nagoya, Ryo's grandmother invited them and everyone else in our family who wants to be here for Thanksgiving. That she was going to have a Thanksgiving meal for you and your family. She believed that it was appropriate to have us at that meal. Papa said yes right away and now planning on how to get us all here on Thursday."
"Oh…." Dee's eyes started to glisten.
"And I'm here because I was afraid you changed your mind about our family, and I couldn't wait until Thursday because I sensed something was very wrong. So, I decided to come here today and talk to you."
"How come you're not answering your phone?" Dee asked. "I can understand with me, because of turn around and all that shit, but everyone else who called you also didn't hear back from you."
Dafydd gave Dee an embarrassed smile. "Well, when I got to the train station, I realized that I left my cell phone at home. I figured since I was already at the station, I would have been here soon enough anyway. Of course, I didn't think about the trip from Yokohama to here using public transportation. That took me just as long as the ride on the Shinkansen from Shin-Yokohama."
Dee let out a laugh. "It's a good thing you didn't try to take a cab then." He laughed along with Ryo.
Ryo shook his head as he stared at Dafydd. "You are your brother's brother. Leaving your cell at home. Sounds like something Dee would do."
"Hey!" Dee exclaimed.
With a chuckle, Ryo leaned over to kiss Dee. "Look, I'm going to go check in on the chibis and maybe find out more about this Thanksgiving meal. Why don't you and Dafydd settle somewhere comfortable so you two can have a nice long talk. Give me a shout when you're ready."
"Are you sure?" Dee asked.
"I'm very sure. Go ahead. Dafydd, if I know my grandmother, she's going to ask if you'll be staying for dinner."
"Yes, he is," Dee replied for his brother. To Dafydd, he said, "Let's go inside the guest house. Then you can use my cell and call our father, Momo, Ayaka and ask them who else has been trying to call you, and then you can call them too. Then we'll talk."
Ryo started to chuckle as he walked toward the side door in the garden to enter the main house.
Dafydd closed the call and handed the phone back to Dee, who sat next to him on the couch. "Thanks. I'm sure Momo is going to have my head when she gets here."
"She's coming here?" Dee asked. "When?"
"Tomorrow morning," Dafydd replied.
"What about Kiyoshi and Tatsuya? They have school," Dee inquired.
"They'll stay with Papa and Chichi and come with them when they come here on Wednesday night. We already made arrangements with my boys' school that they will not be attending Thursday and Friday, and Chichi will pick up their assignments today when he picks them up at school."
"What about work?" Dee asked.
"I called my superior after you didn't pick up this morning and told him I was coming here, that it was a family emergency. I did shifts on Saturday and Sunday to cover for later this week, and ended up working extra hours," Dafydd explained. "I still do have the vacation days, but I didn't want to take too many days off at once, especially with only a short notice. On Saturday I did warn my superior that if you didn't answer today that I would be coming here. However, I did not tell Momo my plans until now. Momo also already had off on Thursday and Friday. She said she can clear the rest of the week. Thankfully, the lab is slow and can spare her. So here we are back in Tokyo for almost a week, but this time we'll have our sons with us for some of those days."
"That sounds good, as long as no one is getting in trouble with work, and Kiyoshi and Tatsuya doesn't fall behind in school."
"They won't. Momo will make sure of it, along with making sure I help her with that," Dafydd replied.
"Then I guess that means you'll be staying for dinner and overnight."
Dafydd nodded his head. "Yes. I already talked to Obāsan before I came out here and she said I am welcome to join everyone for dinner and stay the night. Ryo was right about his grandmother, but she was ahead of him in the invitation to stay."
"Tomorrow morning after breakfast we'll be going to Tokyo. At least that was the plan. Ryo and I need to speak to Obāsan on if we need to change that."
"I don't think so," said Dafydd. "She said to Papa that she is holding it at your hotel in Tokyo."
"That sounds like we're still going to Tokyo tomorrow morning and staying there," Dee commented.
"Until you come to Nagoya for Ayaka's birthday. She was so worried that you wouldn't be there. It means so much to her when you said you would come."
Dee looked ashamed as he said, "Well, for a few days there, it was a possibility that I wouldn't go." He took a deep breath. "I was being stupid and let my fears control me, and I'm so sorry for worrying everyone."
"But you will be coming?"
"We'll be leaving for Nagoya sometime on Thursday, so we can be there all day on Friday. We'll head back to Tokyo Saturday evening."
"I am glad you are keeping your plans. Momo said she will let Papa know I'm here with you and make arrangements for our boys to stay with them tomorrow night. She decided that I need my cell phone. That is why she is coming tomorrow instead of leaving with Papa and Chichi on Wednesday night."
"That makes sense. I guess that means we're going to Ueno Park this weekend so Tatsuya and Kiyoshi could see we have duck boats in Tokyo," Dee said with a smile.
"They will enjoy it," Dafydd agreed. "If that doesn't take away from your plans this week."
"So far we don't have anything solid planned for the week, except for Thursday, I suppose." He shook his head. "Ryo's grandmother is a devious one. It's a good thing her plans are to make people happy. I hate to see her when she is opposing something."
"Ojiisan said several times that she is a shrewd, but fair, businesswoman. He said she needs to be for her to succeed, especially when she took over her parents' business. Female company presidents were very rare and the few were not taken seriously. She changed all that."
"I got the impression that Ojiisan genuinely admires her," Dee said. "Hey, I'm going to grab a bottle of milk tea from the fridge. Do you want anything to drink?"
"The same, thank you."
"I'll be right back." Dee went into the kitchen and a few minutes later returned with two bottles of milk tea and a small chocolate and banana swiss roll on a plate, along with two small plates and a knife. As he set everything on the coffee table, he said, "Aunt Moriko made swiss rolls yesterday and had Ryo bring a couple to put in the fridge here."
"Oh, that looks good. It also reminds me that I only had an onigiri on the train here to eat."
"You didn't have breakfast before going to work?" Dee asked.
"Momo went in a little earlier this morning because she wanted to look over some results. I was planning on getting some pan or something near work before going in but changed my plans when you didn't answer. I left so quickly I not only left my phone but did not bother with breakfast. To be honest, I was so scared that something was wrong between us that I wasn't thinking right. I barely remembered to make a quick stop to buy the onigiri and a can of coffee on the way to the train track. I managed to get a seat on the next train to Tokyo, but I had to hurry to make it."
"I'm truly sorry, Dafydd. I really screwed this up, didn't I?"
"It's a good thing we all screw up once in a while. I'm just happy you're over whatever it was." Dafydd leaned back and studied his brother. "So what got you thinking the way you did, and so fast? I know how you felt when we were saying goodbye that last night you were in Nagoya, and Papa said while you were saying goodbye before leaving, you held onto him and Chichi so tight, it was like you didn't want to leave them."
Dee sighed heavily. "I didn't. And the reason why was part of the problem. I felt as if once I let them out of my sight, that all this was just a dream. Or if it was real, there would be a price to pay." He shook his head. "I have abandonment issues. Normally I ignore them, but that allows them to fester. I didn't realize it until Ryo pointed it out this morning, but there was a small part of me that feared I was going to lose you all again, because it's what I deserve. I also knew that if that happened, it would be devastating to me."
"And irrationally thinking that if you let us go, instead of losing us, it would hurt less."
Dee nodded. "It was still hurting, but yes, the hurt would be less, because this time I would be the one abandoning, instead of me being abandoned." He shrugged. "It sounded better in my head."
"Papa figured it was something like that. He said he got that impression from the way you talked about when you were found. You tried to make it lighter, but he felt the emotions as you spoke. At first, he had hoped it wasn't so deep but asked Ryo's grandmother if she knew anything while she stayed with Papa and Chichi. What she said did worry him, and then when you suddenly started to pull away, he knew that was the root."
"It was," Dee agreed. "I really thought I was over it. I haven't had any trouble with it since Ryo and I moved in together last summer and we adopted Bikky. I thought by having a family, those old issues finally went away. And for our first time in Nagoya and the road trip, I really did believe that it was definitely in the past now that I had my father and twin brother, along with the rest of our family. I didn't think about it until we returned to Nagoya. I ended up seeing those days as my last days with our family as truly the last days. I ignored it, pushed it to the back of my head. As we left Nagoya, I felt as if my heart was being ripped out and I ended up taking it the wrong way. What it really was, was me missing everyone like crazy and wishing somehow that I could live closer because it was the first time I was away from everyone since me and you met at the party."
"I understand. I felt the same way after we said goodbye on Tuesday night. It hurt more than when you took off with Papa and Chichi to Kyoto and Osaka. At least then I knew I'd see you again, and even already started to consider going to Osaka if Momo or I weren't called in to work that Saturday." He leaned forward to have a drink of his tea and picked a piece of cake from the roll to put on his plate and then had a bite. "Oh, this is good," he said and had another bite.
"Aunt Moriko heard me mention loving the chocolate and banana pastries 7-11 used to have and experimented on making different chocolate and banana cakes. This one came out really good the first time she made it, and everyone loved it, including me, so she makes it now, along with the matcha and cream rolled cakes."
"Add me to all those who love it," Dafydd said with a smile. After he had another bite, he looked at Dee, and said, "Papa will tell you that he also understands because he knows I have my own version of abandonment issues. He knows it is because I was suddenly taken away from my twin. It was Obāsan, our grandmother, who pointed out to Papa Saturday night that it was not only being taken away, but because I had always sensed you were out there somewhere. If you had been killed back then, I wouldn't have that sense, and the problem wouldn't have been so strong. Periodically, I had to go to counseling sessions with psychiatrists who specialized in twin bond. They explained it to Papa that it was like the ghost limb syndrome. You know, when someone loses a limb, but they can still feel it? That was what they believed my sensing you were alive was. A ghost impression when one shouldn't exist."
"Gee, that's nice of them," Dee remarked sarcastically. "I can assure you that I'm not a ghost in your psyche."
Dafydd had to laugh. "I always knew that, but that's what they told Papa. Along with Ojiisan saying he had confirmation that you were also killed, it was easy for Papa to believe what they said was the truth. He's kicking himself now, but I don't blame him."
"Neither do I," Dee admitted. "I can understand why he felt that way. Especially with Ojiisan being his father, that Papa loved and looked up to, and trusted telling Papa the truth." Dee let out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe because of what we found out about him knowing I was alive and where to find me in New York and not telling anyone else in the family, but I certainly don't trust him. And because of that, I can't help having this nagging feeling now that he manipulated Papa."
"You can't be thinking he knew all this time?" Dafydd sputtered, looking shocked.
Dee shrugged. "Probably he didn't, but I can't help think there was something up back then. It's just little things beside that cover-up. Like when we first approached him at the shrine. Uncle Takahiro turned and looked directly at me as soon as he knew we were there, but Ojiisan continued to look away, and when he did finally face me, he didn't immediately look directly at me. Not until later that night, and even then it wasn't as direct as I know he could look. I know most Japanese people are not direct, in speech and actions, but Ojiisan certainly isn't one of them."
"You know our grandfather very well already," Dafydd had to agree. "You are wondering why he wasn't so direct with you?"
"He didn't meet my eyes until after he admitted going to New York to watch me," Dee stated. "It was like since that truth was out, he was finally allowed to look at me. Like he believed that if he faced me with his secret still under wraps, he would have given it away."
"Now that you mention it, I have to agree. But you know what? I never considered to study Ojiisan as a perp. But you obviously have."
"Not from the beginning," Dee said. "But you will soon know that I study everyone. Not as perps, but to read them, and hope it will tell me how to handle a situation. I also have this knack of noticing little things without knowing I'm doing it until later, if it's information I need."
"Ah, you're one of those," Dafydd said. "I can be like that but not to the degree you seem to be. I have been told that ability runs in our family, especially to Fujioka twins it is stronger."
Dee started to chuckle. "You make it sound like we have the Force in our family."
"If only," Dafydd remarked. "But extra perception does seem to run in our family in various degrees." Dafydd snapped his fingers and looked at Dee. "And I bet not only did he fear he would give himself away, he worried that you would pick up on it once he looked at you. Maybe not at the moment, but eventually you would have figured it out.
"But he didn't account for body language," Dee said, nodding his head to what his twin said. "And maybe if he wasn't such a dick about certain things toward me and my family, I might not have even thought back to it now."
"Speaking of him being a dick, what else did he say to you that probably helped your insecurities spin out of control? Something had to trigger them."
"He called me Wednesday night and said something about how things are really bad between him and Obāsan, and he expected me to call her and make her forgive him, since it was all my fault," Dee admitted softly.
"He what?!" Dafydd sprang to his feet. "How could he do something like that?"
"He said that everything was great between them and it had been years since they hit a bump in their marriage, and then suddenly I show up and Obāsan is constantly mad at him, and she goes running off without notice, leaving him on his own for a week, which she never does." Dee sighed and finally looked up at Dafydd. "He said that his marriage is falling apart because of me, and if they divorce, then the rest of the family will also blame me, and I'll be an outcast. So, I have to make things right between them to prevent that from happening."
"That son of a bitch!" Dafydd roared in English. "I thought he pulled the mother of stupid shit when he ran off to see you in New York without telling anyone, but this caps that."
"I think I mistook the reason for his call," Dee said uncertainly, also switching to English. "He did say I had to find a way to fix things, and looking back, I think he just wanted me to call Obāsan and talk to her. Say what I don't know, because it wasn't my fault I was separated from the rest of you, and finally meeting you, or even wanting to meet my family once I learned they didn't leave me with the trash on purpose."
"That's so many levels of ways to screw around with insecurities and abandonment issues in what you just said there," Dafydd remarked, his voice rough with anger. "And now I really don't blame you for acting as you would have. I would have done the same if I were you. But he said all that other crap about blaming you for his marriage problems and that we would abandon you."
"He didn't use the word abandon," Dee stated.
"He didn't have to. However he said it, was all just fancy words that mean the same," Dafydd said. "And he can't blame you. He's the one doing things to hurt us and piss people off, especially Obāsan. If anyone should be doing the fixing, it's him. You're right. He is a manipulator and he tried it on you in that phone call. If he really thought you could help him patch things up with Obāsan, he didn't have to pull the guilt trip. He could have said something like, 'Could you help me out here, and talk to Obāsan. Let her know I can't help being an ass, but I do really love her and want to work things out."
Dee started to laugh. "You know, you really do have street English down very well. I think you just used more curse words than I heard you use since we met."
Dafydd shrugged and grinned ruefully. "The same reason why my English sounds like English and not the Japanese way of speaking English including pronunciation. When I first arrived in New York to attend NYU, I did speak the typical Japanese way of English, but there were some I saw every day who weren't very kind to me about it. Instead of standing up and defending myself, I decided to fit in as much as I could. Besides, I figured my twin was somewhere in New York, and thought he probably wouldn't know Japanese, and I wanted something to connect with him – with you. So I practiced hard every day at pronouncing words like they do in New York. When I went out with friends, I paid special attention to those with New York accents, and then when I got home, I practiced. I even recorded them at times, with their permission, to use as an aid. Because of my dedication, my friends decided to teach me all the curses. And before the end of my first year, I was able talk shit with the best of them." He laughed. "And I was proud of it. I can speak Japanese English as easily as I can like this. I prefer speaking English like this because I worked hard at it and continued to use it whenever I spoke English, unless I needed to speak it like a typical Japanese person. I find when I have a case involving Americans, they look at me in shock when I start speaking to them. Of course, I knew among family and other Japanese who knew English not to swear, or at times just tone it down. Eventually the curses, or as you put it, street language went away, but I still was able to sound like a New Yorker. But when I get mad, as I did now, the cursing comes back without my thinking about when I'm speaking English. I should add, that if I'm mad while speaking Japanese, my Japanese gets a lot more colorful. I get that from Chichi. He's the best with Japanese swearing."
"Good to know," Dee said, and laughed with Dafydd. "And yes, I also know many Japanese swears and slang thanks to my Japanese friends in college. These days, I don't swear as much as I used to. It was when I realized I wanted to be a father to Bikky that I started to work hard on swearing less. Gets me in a helluva lot less trouble with Mother, too, because a curse isn't as likely to slip out as it did before. Even if that last sentence would have gotten my ear pulled if she was here." Dee grinned at his brother.
Dafydd sat down again, and they remained quiet while they drank their tea and had more of the cake. Finally, Dafydd said, "I agree with you that he called to get you to speak to Obāsan for him. And he probably used the guilt card because he believed you had no reason to do him any favors and tell him to go to hell if he just asked. But, and this is a huge but, he never should have put that on you anyway. There is only one person who could fix things between him and Obāsan, and that's him. No one else, nor should he expect anyone else to do, or to blame them for everything that is his fault. I hope you know that now. Papa, Chichi and Obāsan would tell you the same thing if they find out."
"You're right," Dee admitted. "I do know that now. And I'm now officially more pissed at him for pulling that shit on me, than at myself for allowing him to manipulate me like that. Even if that does piss me off."
"That's good. I'm pissed too. I'm more than pissed, but I'm afraid I don't know the correct word for it in English or Japanese, except maybe royally pissed."
"Enraged or outraged?" Dee suggested. "Or infuriated? I know I am."
"Yeah, all three of them," Dafydd commented. "I still haven't gotten over his New York stunt yet, even if like you, I do understand why he did. Also, there's the way he treated you and Ryo, and even Bikky. And now this. I have to admit that Ojiisan is off my favorites list."
"And on your shitlist?" Dee asked with an evil grin.
Dafydd pointed to him. "Yes, that. He is on my shitlist and it will take a lot for me to take him off. And even longer to get on my favorites again."
"I have to agree with you there."
Dafydd leaned over to hug Dee. "Are you okay now?"
Dee leaned more into his twin's embrace and sighed. "I'm good now. Thank you. It helped talking with you. Probably more than with anyone else, because he's your grandfather too."
"And I can see how he's hurting our family, including you."
"Still, I'll feel much better after I speak to Papa again, and Chichi, Obāsan, Ayaka and Momo, and apologize to them for the way I acted. Uncle Hitoshi too. I'm afraid I was a little short with him when he called on Saturday to wish Ryo a happy birthday."
"If I know them like I think I know them, you don't have to because they understand and won't blame you."
"I know, but I feel like I have to, and it would make me feel better."
"If it makes you feel better, you can start with Momo tomorrow morning."
"I'll do just that. I should call Ayaka and Obāsan since I won't see them until next week."
"Both of them are also coming. Ayaka will be coming in sometime before dinner on Thursday because she has a show on Wednesday night, and have to be back in Nagoya by Friday night because NGY is doing a TV appearance on Saturday. She'll be coming in with Tomoko, Kumi and whoever else of our siblings can clear their schedules for a couple of days, and then they plan to return with Ayaka. Obāsan will be coming here with Papa, Chichi and my sons on Wednesday night. We'll all be staying until Sunday night. I think we could use the extra time after this."
"I know I could, which means I'm so glad Obāsan has this meal planned and invited everyone to join in. Even if I haven't heard it from her yet."
"I hope I didn't spoil a surprise for her."
"She'll forgive you. Speaking of Obāsan, if we're good now, how about we join her and everyone else in the main house now?"
"Sure. I would like to thank her and Ryo for giving us this time to talk."
"Yeah me too. Let me put this cake away and toss the bottles and we can go."
"Obāsan does have a beautiful house. Very big too," said Dafydd as Dee went into the kitchen.
Dee came back into the room and with a smirk said, "Yes she does. But not as big as our grandparents' house. C'mon, let's go."
Dafydd laughed and followed his brother out of the house.
The twin brothers found Akira, Ryo and Moriko in the living room. Moriko was working on some beadwork, while Akira did intricate embellishment stitching on a furisode kimono including designs with beads. Ryo was on the floor, sitting between Darin and Ryoko, who were now both sitting up on their playmats and batting at the colorful dangling toys and amusing themselves and the adults when they set the lights to go off on their mats. They were giggling and laughing, at times looking over to Ryo, making happy sounds and more laughing. Tucked between Darin's legs was his stuffed penguin, which he occasionally reached down for and pat it. Ryo also seemed to be having the time of his life, laughing along with the infants.
"Oh, look who we have here," Moriko exclaimed happily in Japanese, looking over to them. "Sit down please. Dafydd-chan, it's good to see you again."
"Hello Aunt Moriko," Dafydd greeted with a smile and a nod of his head. She was not around when Dafydd first arrived and had spoken only to Akira. "It is good to see you, too."
"Okāsan said that you are staying here tonight. Does that mean you'll be having dinner with us too? Or will you and Dee be going out for a bit?"
"Staying here for the night is just perfect for me, Aunt Moriko," Dee said, sitting down on the floor near Ryo.
"I think Dei and Ryo should take Dafydd out for a while and show him some of Kamakura," Akira said with a smile as she set aside the kimono.
"We might," Ryo replied, looking at Dee, who nodded. "For a little while."
"If you leave now, you can get in to see Daibutsu," Moriko stated.
"Oh Daibutsu!" Dafydd exclaimed. "I would love to see that."
Dee smiled at Ryo. "Then I guess we're going out soon for a while." Looking at his brother, who sat on the couch, he said, "It's a short walk from here. If we leave soon, we'll get there with enough time to look around."
"Momo might get jealous," Dafydd stated, looking a little concerned.
"Momo has been to Daibutsu many times without you, so do not worry about your wife," Moriko assured Dafydd.
"If you want to finally have a chance to go together after today, then you'll just have to bring Momo here for a visit," Akira suggested. "You are always more than welcome to stay here while in Kamakura."
Dafydd gave Dee a worried look. Dee smiled at him. "Take her up on her offer, Dafydd. You won't regret it. And if you come during the summer, you have the beaches."
"I would love to go to Enoshima one day, and also see Shonan Beach," said Dafydd.
"Then go, but you will have to spend some time with us if you are in the area," Moriko said.
"Or we could all spend a day together on Enoshima," Akira suggested. "Maybe even have Ryo, Dei and their family join us. On another day, we can go to Shonan Beach."
Ryo nodded his head. "I like that idea, Obāsan." He looked at Dee. "We did promise Bikky some summer time vacation in Kamakura anyway."
"We did and that sounds perfect," Dee agreed. "We'll figure it out this summer."
"Would anyone like tea?" Moriko asked as she put aside her beadwork and stood up. She picked up the teapot on an end table. "I'm going to make a fresh pot."
"No thank you, Aunt Moriko," Ryo replied. "We probably should get ready if we want to have time to really explore Kōtokuin."
Dee looked at the time and nodded his head. "That's true."
"Then what are you waiting for?" Akira asked. "Just leave Ryoko and Darin right where they are and do not worry about them. Moriko and I will watch them."
Dafydd was looking at the kimono Akira had set aside. "That is beautiful beadwork. It's going to be a very expensive kimono when you are done."
"It's already an expensive furisode with the fabric I chosen, but it would sell for much more with the added stitches and beadwork. Alone it would cost 400,000 yen. If I planned to sell it," Akira said.
"You're not making that for a sale, Obāsan?" Dee asked. She had been working on the kimono here and there since they arrived from Nagoya on Wednesday.
"No. I am making it for Carol to give as a graduation present. Since I'm not able to sit here until it's complete, it will take a while. I just started the stitching and beadwork last week. I have a lot more to go."
"Does Carol know?" Dafydd asked.
"No," Akira replied.
Ryo was grinning. "But she had commented enough time on how gorgeous it was that she will be overjoyed when you give it to her."
"Yeah, I got that impression, too," Dee agreed. "She is going to love it. She already does. You know what I mean."
"Now no one say a word to her or Bikky."
Dafydd started to laugh. "You're hiding her graduation gift in plain sight. I love it."
Dee and Ryo joined Akira laughing. "That is exactly what I am thinking when I took it out around her," Akira stated with a smile.
"I also like Aunt Moriko's beadwork," Dafydd said.
"She had done beadwork as a hobby a long time ago, but it was pushed aside by her true love for making ceramics. She recently decided she wanted to add accessories to sell as well as ceramics. She claims this is one of her practice pieces," Akira explained.
"If that's a practice piece, I can imagine what the actual pieces to sell would look like," Dafydd stated.
"I agree with that, Dafydd."
Dee and Ryo were starting to stand up, after they kissed each baby on the head. "C'mon Dafydd," Dee said. "Time to suit up for the outdoors."
"What time should we be back for dinner, Obāsan?" Ryo asked as Dafydd stood up.
"Six o'clock," Akira replied. "And do not worry if you are a little late, because that's not an exact time."
"We'll see you no later than six then, Obāsan," Dee said with a smile.
"Enjoy your time out," Akira said, going back to her work on the kimono.
Moriko came out of the kitchen with the teapot. "Say hello to Daibutsu for me," she said as they passed her going toward the genkan.
"We will," Ryo said with a laugh.
When they returned around 5:45, Bikky and Carol were already back. The two got back no more than ten minutes before. It was obvious that Akira and Moriko decided to say nothing about Dafydd being there when Bikky and Carol looked at Dafydd with surprise. Both women were in the kitchen making dinner while Bikky and Carol looked after Darin and Ryoko, who were both currently sleeping in the playpen.
"Hi Bikky, hi Carol," Dafydd greeted as he entered the living room.
"Oh my goodness! Hi Dafydd," Carol said, smiling brightly. "It's good to see you again."
"Hey Uncle Dafydd. What are you doing here? Where's Aunt Momo?" came from Bikky, looking pleasantly surprised.
"Just me today, Bikky," Dafydd replied. "Momo will be joining us in Tokyo tomorrow."
"Dafydd and I had some things to sort out, so he decided to join us," Dee explained.
Bikky gave Dee a knowing look and then looked over to Ryo before he said to Dafydd, "You probably thought this was the only way to finally talk to your brother after the last few days."
Dafydd looked at Dee.
"Yeah, you're right, Bikky. For now, enjoy the extra time with your uncle and I'll tell everyone what's been going on tonight after dinner," Dee said to his son.
"Okay. As long as it's all good now."
"Yes, Bikky," Dee assured him. "It's all good. With Dafydd, my family and your dad."
"Good." Bikky smiled at Dee, and then Ryo and Dafydd.
When Nobu and Takehide arrived home, along with Tsubasa and Kumi and their two little ones shortly after six, they all looked as surprised as Bikky and Carol were to see Dafydd sitting on the floor of the living room. He had a now awake Darin on his lap, bouncing the little penguin in front of the baby, making Darin reach out, trying to grab it, and letting out a little screech every time he missed. Dafydd had finished feeding Darin a few minutes ago when he woke up ahead of his sister.
Dee and Ryo had managed to convince Akira and Moriko to allow them to help the women with dinner, but told Dafydd since he was a guest, he got to stay in the living room and keep an eye on his niece and nephew. Bikky and Carol were in Bikky's room as Bikky worked on some editing for one of the videos.
Dee came out from the kitchen when they heard the surprised voices in the living room.
"I am pleased but surprised to see Dafydd is here," Nobu said, smiling.
"And I'm sure you know why he is here, Uncle Nobu," Dee said with a rueful smile.
Nobu nodded his head. "I have a very good idea why, which is why I'm pleased. Not that I need a reason to be happy to see your twin brother."
"After dinner, I'll talk." Dee went over to the playpen and lifted a waking Ryoko. "Hey sleepyhead, time to wake up for a while or you'll never let us sleep through the night," he said. He rubbed his nose against his daughter's, and she let out a soft laugh. "You also need to have your dinner now, so we can have ours soon. Hopefully that will wake you up more."
"She did take her nap much later than usual," Ryo stated as he also came out from the kitchen. "Someone didn't fall asleep when her brother did." He looked at Dee. "We've been officially kicked out of the kitchen because we need to set up the dining room."
Dee went over to Dafydd and said, "How about giving Darin some tummy time, while you feed Ryoko. Aunt Moriko is warming her bottle now."
"Tsubasa and I can help with something," Kumi said, watching as her two children went to sit down next to Dafydd and look at the babies. She smiled as they waved, saying hello to Dafydd and Dafydd greeted them back. "And if you can watch Aya and Kento too, please."
"How about someone can get the bottle from Aunt Moriko when it's ready," Ryo suggested. "And someone else can help us in the dining room. We have a lot of trays to take out and unfold for starters."
Nobu and Takehide excused themselves, wanting to slip quickly into casual clothes before sitting down for dinner, but promised they'll pitch in to help if anything still needed to be done when they returned.
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