A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! About Mika, she is related to the Kishi's, in my story she's Claudia's mother. I couldn't find her first name so I made up Mika. Does anyone know Claudia's father's name? If so, let me know, and as usual, I hope you like the next chapter!
Chapter Three
"Necessary actions my ass!" Mika exploded later that night. "That is disgusting."
Elizabeth jumped. She and Mika had been quiet for hours. Mika was still engrossed in her history text and Elizabeth had just put away her paper to start getting ready for her date with Patrick. Elizabeth frowned, wondering where Mika's sudden outburst had come from. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Mika sighed. "Sorry, sorry. It's just that I'm reading the chapter in my book about World War Two. Can you believe that the governor of California ordered all Japanese-Americans to be kicked out of their homes and put in internment camps?"
Elizabeth made a face.
"For the good of the safety of America against traitors or whatnot," Mika went on. "I'll tell you one thing, German-Americans were probably as much of a threat as Japanese, but no one locked them up, did they?"
"People are ignorant," Elizabeth said with a shrug, turning back to her closet. "God knows I've seen enough of it just by interviewing people."
"I'm just glad that Mimi still lived in Japan then," Mika said. "I try to think of her living in some dirty camp . . ." she shuddered. "Can you imagine?"
Elizabeth smiled. She'd met Mika's gentle, loving mother during spring break. Everyone, even her children, called her Mimi and she was one of the most amazing women Elizabeth had met. "Have you ever talked to Mimi about the war?" Elizabeth asked, already thinking of a newspaper story. Our Parents in Times of War.
"Sure," Mika replied as she closed her history book. "She doesn't like to talk about it much but sometimes she'll say things. Did you know my father fought in Europe?"
"Really?" Elizabeth asked. Forgetting momentarily about dressing for her date, she crossed the room to sit across from Mika eagerly.
"Yes," Mika confirmed. "He fought on the American side."
"Really," Elizabeth said again.
Mika nodded, playing with one of her blankets. "See, a lot of people don't know that one of the reasons that Japan got into the war was because America ordered Japan to stop aggression in East Asia. Japan replied to that order with Pearl Harbor. My father didn't agree with what Japan was doing in East Asia and he was completely against what Japan had done at Pearl Harbor. He was eighteen in 1942 and Mimi was his girlfriend. Dad knew that he would have to make some kind of decision. So, he and Mimi married and then Dad got on a ship, came to America, and joined the US Army."
Elizabeth just looked at Mika in amazement. "Wow," she said.
Mika smiled. "Mimi says that they were so much in love," she said dreamily. "Dad wrote to her everyday and Mimi still has his letters. And, Liz, my father was such a hero. He says he wasn't, but he did so much. He went to Europe because America didn't send Japanese soldiers to the Pacific, unless they were going to be interpreters. Dad was there on D-Day, when they stormed the beaches at Normandy, you know. And after they landed, he saved lives and did so much. He kept a diary throughout the war. Once when I was in high school, he showed it to me." Mika let out her breath. "It's amazing."
"I'd love to see something like that," Elizabeth said. "So what happened after the war? Did he just stay in America?"
"No. After the war, Dad went back to Japan for Mimi and then they both went to Europe to help with the restoration of all the cities that had been destroyed. When Mimi found out she was pregnant with me, they went back to Japan and stayed with relatives. After I was born, we moved here."
"God, how dreamy," Elizabeth sighed. "My parents were over in Europe, too. My mom was a nurse and that's where she met my father." Her story idea was beginning to take more form inside her head. "Mika, I've got a great idea," she said.
"What?" Mika asked.
"For my final story," Elizabeth continued. "Forget freshman development. This paper is open topic, right? I'm going to write about our parents. Their stories from World War Two. Won't that be exciting? Oh, Mika, can I interview Mimi? And your dad?"
Mika was smiling. "Of course you can. Have I ever told you that you're brilliant?"
"Yes, but I never get tired of hearing it," Elizabeth retorted. Suddenly her eyes caught the clock and she saw that it was nearly seven thirty. "Oh, hell," she said. "I gotta get ready for my date."
"Huh," Mika said with a grin as she picked up her history text again. "I half-thought you'd skip your date to work on your paper."
Elizabeth laughed as she headed back over to the closet. "I might, but trust me, Patrick is way too dreamy to miss! Tonight I'll have my date and then I'll have the rest of the week to cram together a decent story."
"Good luck," Mika called as Elizabeth grabbed an outfit and raced down the hall to the bathroom.
Elizabeth took the world's fastest shower and then hurriedly got dressed. Wanting to erase Patrick's first impression of her as a clumsy freshman, she dressed casually but neatly in a pair of clean bell-bottom pants with a black, shiny acetate knit blouse, complete with long sleeves and contrasting brown buttons. She left her hair loose and finished the look with a pair of loafers that actually belonged to Mika. Elizabeth headed back to her room and spun around for Mika. "How do I look?"
"Elegant," Mika replied.
Elizabeth had just enough time to pull on her jacket before someone knocked on the door. Elizabeth took a deep breath and then pulled the door open.
There was Patrick, and he looked even cuter than Elizabeth remembered. He was dressed in a pair of black pants and a somewhat casual, dark blue Oxford shirt underneath his coat. He smiled when Elizabeth pulled open the door. "Hi," he said.
"Hi," Elizabeth replied, suddenly feeling shy.
"You never told me which room was yours," Patrick said with a smile. "Luckily, Elizabeth Marks isn't too hard to track down. You're quite well-known."
She smiled. "Do you want to come inside and meet my roommate?"
"Sure," Patrick accepted. Elizabeth stepped aside and Patrick walked into the room. Mika sat up straight when he entered and as Elizabeth turned to close the door, she saw Mika flash Patrick a broad smile. "Hi," she said.
Patrick nodded to her. "Hey. I'm Patrick," he introduced.
"Mika," Mika replied, leaning over to shake his hand. Elizabeth came up beside Patrick and said, "So, we should get going, shouldn't we?"
"Sure," Patrick agreed. "I hope you don't mind if we see the movie first and then go out to dinner."
"That's fine," Elizabeth said. Patrick smiled at her and then turned for the door, calling, "Nice to meet you, Mika," over his shoulder. As Patrick opened the door and stepped outside, Elizabeth took a minute to flash a grin at Mika, who gave her a thumbs-up sign and mouth the word, "Groovy!" in reply. Elizabeth grinned again and then hurried out the door after Patrick.
* * * * *
"Get an extension," Patrick said.
"I don't think that's allowed on final papers," Elizabeth replied, twirling her straw around in her drink. "Is it?"
"I took journalism last year," Patrick explained. "Professor Dawkins is usually pretty lenient about it if you have a good reason. I think she'd much rather read about World War Two than some freshman development thing."
"That's true," Elizabeth agreed. "I mean, it's her generation."
It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and yet to Elizabeth, it felt like the night had just begun. She and Patrick had gone to an Audrey Hepburn drive-in movie and then Patrick had taken her to a nice little clam and seafood restaurant that she hadn't been to before. They ordered just about everything on the menu so that they could sit and talk. They talked about everything: their families, where they'd come from, and the direction they wanted to take. Patrick was actually a year older than Elizabeth and was a sophomore. He was as interested in journalism as Elizabeth was but he thought he'd made a better career in business. Plus, it was what his father wanted him to do. Elizabeth could definitely relate to that. She was telling him all about her new story idea and worried aloud that she wouldn't be able to get it done in time. That was when Patrick suggested asking for an extension.
"She'd definitely be cool with that," Patrick continued. "Besides, I'm interested in seeing what you come up with. Who do you plan to interview?"
"Well, my mother for one," Elizabeth replied. "And Mika's parents, and maybe a few other people who were around then. Actually, I hope I do get an extension. If I can do that, then I can take a trip back home to New York City to see my mother, and maybe get an interview with Mrs. Middles."
"Who's that?" Patrick asked.
"She's Mom's best friend and lives in the apartment right across the hall," Elizabeth replied. "I think she was in the Nurse Corps too."
"There you go then," Patrick said with a smile. "I really admire that about you, Elizabeth. You're so determined and smart. I know you can make this into one hell of a paper. Professor Dawkins won't know what hit her."
Elizabeth felt shy again, and she blushed. "Thanks, Patrick."
The rest of the night flew by. When they couldn't hang around the restaurant anymore, they finally headed back out to Patrick's car. Patrick drove her back to Robinson Hall and they talked during the whole ride. By the time Patrick pulled to a stop in front of her dorm, Elizabeth felt as if she'd known him a lifetime, instead of just a day. "I had a great time, Patrick," she said. "I hope we can do this again soon."
"Well, so do I," Patrick said, grinning. "I had a good time too."
Elizabeth started to open the car door, but Patrick put a hand on her arm to stop her. When she turned back to face him, Patrick leaned over and kissed her. For a minute, Elizabeth didn't respond, but the gentle feel of his lips against hers was overpowering and finally, Elizabeth kissed him back. When he pulled away, he smiled and repeated, "I definitely hope we can do this again."
Elizabeth pushed her door open all the way and then leaned over, this time kissing his cheek. "Good night, Patrick," she said. Then she let herself out of the car and hurried back into the dorm. As she headed up to her hall, she touched her lips gently, thinking of Patrick. It hadn't been her first kiss, but it had been the first one that felt so…magical. So right. Elizabeth smiled to herself.
Everything about Patrick seemed right.