The Lecture: Chapter 7
I.
Kim woke to a large, calloused hand ever so gently massaging her back, lips gently kissing her hair. She refused to open her eyes. If she looked, last night might have been a dream, and she never wanted to wake up.
"Diamond, poor diamond, how little you know what mischief you have done." She heard Ron murmur as he kissed her hair again.
"What?" Unable to stop, she opened her eyes to gaze into loving, somehow sad, chocolate pools. "Are you calling me a diamond?" She stretched up to hug his neck and return his kiss with sleepy passion.
"Just an old story I was thinking about." Ron softly smoothed her auburn locks back from her face. "Doesn't matter." He gently returned her kiss, a controlled passion on her lips. "I love you."
"I love you too," Kim reached to twine her fingers in his beard, "but why does that make you sad."
Instead of answering her, Ron kissed her deeply. He began caressing her, rediscovering places that derailed her thoughts. Heat she had only recently discovered began to flame up in her body, into a blaze that consumed them together.
II.
"Ummmm…Ron...Ron?" Kim jerked upright in panic. "Ron?" Glancing wildly around her room, she found a velum envelope beside her pillow. Opening it eagerly, she removed a single heavy sheet.
My darling Kim, my love, my KP.
I can't seem to reach beyond your wonder. My love. What a joyous experience to finally be able to tell you that. In the eastern world, the monks and priests teach of Nirvana and Shangri-la. I know now they are wrong, I found paradise in your arms last night. I never want to leave.
I love you,
Ron.
Kim had just begun to pout (after a small bout of happy tears), "If he loves me so much, where is he?", when a soft knock on her door preceded the entrance of Diana.
"Good morning, Miss Kim." Diana smiled at her widely.
"Good? It's wonderful." Kim trilled, before she realized she was naked and scrambled for the sheet. Holding the silk in front of her, blushing, she attempted to be nonchalant, "Are you going to dress me up again."
"No," the girl began giggling, "I'm just here to straighten the room and deliver an invitation to breakfast from Yori."
"Diana, everyone here seems to be on a first name basis, why don't you call me Kim."
A large smile was her answer, "If you will call me Dee, I would be happy too." She reached in the closet, retrieving a semi sheer silk peignoir, handing it to Kim.
Donning the gown, Kim asked curiously, "Dee, you say you're a student, but you perform a maid's work. Why?"
Bending to fill the deep bath, Dee stopped laughing, "Kim, does either preclude the other?"
"Well, no, I guess not, it's just…"
"Ron-sama is rich and you wonder why his students do menial work."
"That'll do, so why."
"It is an exercise in humility and pride. All tasks, even the menial, are important and must be done well. To take pride in even a simple chore."
"What about Ron?"
Dee giggled. "You will see him doing the lowliest of tasks. I believe he particularly dislikes cleaning the restrooms, but they do shine when he finishes."
Remembering Ron's room, Kim giggled also. That she really wanted to see.
"Do you know where he went?"
"I know he left the area and will be back this afternoon. I do not know exactly where he was going." The girl frowned suddenly. "I do hope he was not going to the hospital."
"He's not sick is he?" A suddenly worried Kim asked. "He seemed all right."
"You should know," Dee grinned slyly, "but he does not go for treatment. Sometimes he can help."
"How?'
"Money, sometimes, other times he…helps. I do not know exactly how, but he is always very tired after those occasions. I have heard of him sleeping for two days. Now, if you will bathe, I will lay out your clothes. Anything else?"
"No, Dee, but would you lay out the jeans and white shirt please? And tell Yori I'll be there shortly."
"All right, Kim, enjoy your bath." Placing towels over the warmer, Dee left.
III.
"Yori, can I ask you a personal question?"
The lovely ninja smiled, "About Ron-sama and I?"
"Well, yes, but mainly about Ron." Kim managed, "Where has he been all these years? Were you with him?"
"I do not know where Ron-sama was. I was not with him." Yori smiled.
"You don't know?"
"Not for certain. I have heard him speak of places he has been. There have been stories of him circulating for years. But I had not seen him for eight years when he returned."
"Didn't he go to Yamanouchi when he was reported dead?"
"No, he came to see Sensei almost a year after that. Sensei said he was alive, but could not be reached."
"Not even with that projection ability of Sensei's?"
"I do not fully understand it, but no, Sensei could not reach him. I did not see him when he visited. He came in the night and left before dawn. I saw him again when he returned seven years later. He had become a legend in the orient."
Kim almost gawked. Ron, a legend? "What kind of legend?"
"A legend of a golden master who sought something. What he sought depends on which story you listen to. Wisdom, enlightenment, lost love, death in battle; they have all been his quest."
"Death?" The idea horrified Kim.
"The stories tell of battles against impossible odds, implacable foes. They say he disappears when his battle is over."
"Do you believe the legends?"
Yori looked thoughtful, "Some of them. I have seen Ron-sama do amazing things in the two years I have been his student."
"His student?" Kim was incredulous. "I thought by now you would be a master."
"We are all students," Yori smiled reproachfully, "if you are speaking of belts and that nonsense, then yes, I am tenth don in six different arts. However, the martial arts are not the only wisdom."
"I'm sorry, I did not mean to offend you, it's just the idea of Ron as some legendary sensei is just…"
"You still underestimate him. I remember your surprise when we first met. I do not know why, but I know Ron-sama always restrained himself when he was with you."
Kim looked down, playing with her fork, "I think it was to make sure I stayed in the spotlight. After that night, when I finally recovered, I began to wonder about Ron. I saw him do things that night that I…I don't know...at the time I just accepted them as luck or "dumb skill" as he called it. The more I remembered, the more I wondered, but it was too late for answers."
Yori reached across the table to still Kim's nervous hand with her own. "Do not let regret consume you. You have made Ron-sama happier than I have seen him." A mischievous grin appeared in the dark eyes, "Especially this morning."
Kim's head jerked up, face flaming, "We just...uh…that is…we…"
Yori began giggling. "You Americans and your misplaced modesty. You made each other happy, what else do you need to say."
Kim smiled, "Yes, very happy, but, Yori…"
"A question?"
"Please, when I met you, you seemed to have feelings for Ron, you still do. Why didn't you..."
"What? Marry him? I have offered to be his second wife many times."
Kim began choking and sputtering on the coffee she had attempted to swallow. Finally she was able to gasp, "Second wife? Why second wife, why not…"
"His first wife? Ron-sama has been married for many years. His wife left him for another man."
IV.
Ron collapsed onto the mat, his head hanging. He needed sleep badly, a shower almost as badly. Global Justice had reorganized their security at the top secret lab he had infiltrated tonight. He had taken a few hits from automated systems, but managed to remain off their screens and unobserved. The final strike would be in forty-eight hours. He just hoped he could…
"Ronald Dean Stoppable!" His door banged open. "They told me you were back, so come out and quit hiding." A flame haired fury stormed into his rooms.
"KP?"
"Don't you KP me you lousy liar. How dare you?"
"What…Kim, what did I…?" Ron's tired brain was trying to come back on line. "Kim…"
"You lied to me! I want to know why and I want the truth."
"Lie? What lie? Kim I…"
It wasn't skill; it was pure luck that caused him to fall out of the way of her hand. "Whoa, Kim, what's the matter?"
"You…you..."
"Sensei?"
The two occupants of the room turned to the doorway. A young girl stood in the open door, precariously balancing a tray.
"Yes, child, do you need me." Ron asked gently.
"N...no... sensei, I was asked to bring this to you."
"Then please bring it in."
The girl walked carefully towards him. Ron grabbed the tray, helping her ease it to the mat. "What is this?"
"Tea and nourishment, Sensei."
Smiling, Ron reached to pat the girl on the shoulder. "Thank you; I hadn't realized how much I needed this. Would you like to join me?"
Giggling, the child answered, "No thank you, I've already ate." She leaned over to whisper, "but Mama said I could have an extra slice of chocolate cake if I hurried."
"Run, then, before someone else eats it." Ron teased, "Next time."
Giggling, the little girl ran out.
As soon as the child left, Kim walked over, shut the doors, and stalked back to Ron. Before she could renew her attack, Ron gave her his goofiest grin.
"KP, I know I've done something, even if I don't know what." He poured two cups of tea, "but I haven't eaten since I left this morning. Would you please sit down and tell me what I've done. Then, if you kill me, at leastI'll have a full stomach."
Kim sputtered, choked, and finally managed to hold back a laugh. Accepting the tea, she sat on the matt, legs folded.
"Ron, last night was my first time." Ron nodded encouragement. "It wasn't that I didn't want to, or that I didn't have opportunities in the last ten years. But after I realized how I screwed everything up, I just couldn't. It wasn't so much that I couldn't trust men, as I couldn't trust my own judgment of men. If after knowing you all those years, I could misjudge things that badly…and now I find you've lied to me."
"Kim, how have I lied to you?"
"You're married!"
"Oh, that."
Her mouth opened and closed but no words emerged, just some incoherencies.
Ron actually grinned at her, further inflaming her temper.
"If you can calm down enough to listen, I can explain."
"You...you...that's what every other two timer on the planet probably says when he's caught." Kim fumed.
"They probably do," Ron laughed, "but will you listen?"
She nodded curtly.
"Do you remember the mission to Japan in our junior year? Nakasumi?"
She nodded, puzzled.
"All right, do you remember the tea ceremony we attended? The one you fell asleep at."
"Yes, so?"
"Do you remember the old guy that kept asking you questions, how I kept prompting you?"
"Barely."
"Do you remember me sharing a cup of tea and a rice cake with you?"
"Not really."
"Believe me, it happened."
"Ok, what has a tea ceremony got to do with this."
"Kim," Ron looked both worried and proud, "that was the night you became my wife."