Chapter 3
Hope was tired as she was lying in her bed in her tank top and small boxer shorts. One arms was behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling fan.
The only sounds could be heard from the next room, Souke was on the phone. She could hear mumbling through the wall and occasionally the loud laugh he had.
Any minute she would yell at him to shut up and go to sleep. It wasn't too late. It was nine thirty but she had to be up a 0600 and Souke, the little shit, had class at ten am.
As usual though, Hope thought about the one thing she usually did before she went to sleep.
Isao.
She breathed in as she shut her eyes.
Four years. It's been four years since that day, Isao. I can't let go of you. I never will. I still love you. I always will. Isao, I miss you so much. I miss your arms around me. I miss your dark eyes that just used to stare into mine and make me feel alive and your smile, your touch, your kiss…. Oh, Isao…. I love you so much.
She couldn't help to think about it. It was in her thoughts every night before bed.
Isao smiled at me. He kissed me and told me he loved me, said he'd be back soon…then from the ground below, I watched as his plane exploded…Isao, my love…I miss you so much. Faulty gas line in the plane…. faulty gas line my ass! He was murdered! How could they have…oh Isao! Isao, no!
She shut her eyes and a tear rolled out of them as it always did. At night, she let her pain come through. It had been that way for four years. During the day she was tough, unstoppable, confident and strong. At night, she melted down and let her emotions come through. She allowed her grief and pain to surface.
Six months of mandatory psychiatric evaluation after Isao's accident, by recommendation of her own mother, had yielded that she was going through a normal grieving period.
Still to this day, she missed him with all of her heart. It was one of the reasons why she never wanted to be with another man. Isao was her one and only. Her true love. The love she would never let go of.
She began to cry. It must have been loud enough because she heard a knock on the door.
"You okay, Sis?" The voice on the other side asked.
She wiped away her tears and said. "Yeah I'm fine! Do you mind turning off that damned stereo and going to sleep, Souke! I've got to be up at 0600!"
"In a bit." He told her. "I'm going to make some decaf tea. You want some?"
"No." She said.
"Okay, Sis. Good night."
"Good night, Souke." Hope said.
"Hey, Sis?" he said to her gently. "If you want to talk, I'm just a knock away, okay?"
Hope breathed in as she said. "Okay, Souke. Good night. Sorry I yelled at you."
"Hey, I'm your brother." He told her. "Yell away."
She chuckled and nodded. "Night, Souke."
"Night, Hope." He replied as she heard his footsteps from the other side of the door walk towards the kitchen.
She breathed in as the tears came out of her eyes and she pulled the comforter over her head. She breathed out one word before sleep took her into her dreams.
"Isao…."