The Lecture: Chapter 9

I.

"Monique, can you meet me?"

"GF, where have you been for the last week? I thought you were a desk jockey now, no more freak fighting?"

"No freak fighting, Mo, but I really need to talk."

"Sounds serious. OK, let me think where to drop the kids and I'll meet you. Where?"

"Bueno Nacho, where else?"

II.

Ron found her in the armory, inspecting the equipment for tomorrow's raid. "Yori?"

Yori turned and bowed deeply. "Sensei."

"You know that always throws me off." Ron fought a reluctant grin. "That's why you do it, isn't it?"

"No, Sensei, it is my respect for you." Yori said, with twinkling eyes.

"Uh-huh, yeah. Well, if we're going to be that way." Ron returned Yori's bow. "Yori-chan, most honored and most beloved student, will you speak with me?'

Yori giggled.

"In other words, Yori, my friend, were you trying to get me killed?"

Yori giggled louder, "Ron-sama, how can you think that?"

"You told Kim I was married."

"Yes."

"Why?'

Yori frowned, "She wanted to know why you and I had not joined."

"So you told her…"

"That you were already married, yes."

"What else?"

Yori raised questioning brows.

Ron grinned at her. "C'mon, Yori, I know you. Your sense of humor is going to get us all slaughtered one of these days. What else?"

The lovely oriental peered up at Ron through her long lashes. "That I had offered to be your 'second wife'."

"You didn't?" Ron gasped.

"Why not?" A suddenly furious Yori retorted. She stepped close, hugging Ron tightly. "I have offered before, my friend and best beloved, I will always be willing."

Ron's hands flapped helplessly, finally settling on her waist as he returned her hug. "Yori-chan, I thought that was past, that we had settled that. What about Hirotaka?"

"My husband knows. He understands that I love him but that you are my best beloved." She released him. "Now, I must make sure all is ready for your lecture tonight. And prepare myself."

A totally brain fried Ron finally managed, "Uh-sure-ah- go ahead. I'll just um stay here and uh, and uh."

Yori departed laughing, "I will see you later, Sensei."

III.

"Where did you leave the kids?'

"At Bonnie's Brats," Monique chuckled, "where else?"

"Who would have believed, back in high school," Kim laughed, "that Bonnie Rockweiller would one day own the most popular nursery and daycare center in Middleton."

"Well," Monique shrugged, "Bonnie says that since she has to take careof six anyway, she might as well make a little money at it."

Kim laughed outright. "I always wished somebody had taken a picture when the doctor told her she was having sextuplets."

"I'd rather have a picture of Josh's face when he heard the news." Monique snorted.

"Yeah," Kim sighed, "All our friends. You and Felix, Brick and Justine, Tara and Big Mike. All married and raising families."

"Why the trip down memory lane, girlfriend? I thought you told me you were content with your life; that you didn't need a family. It's way too early for BAC to be ringing."

"BAC? Biological alarm clock?"

"Yeah, so what's up?"

Kim stared at her soda, playing with her straw. "It's just…everybody has someone, a family, and I just found out…"

"What, found out what?"

"Mo," Kim hesitated, "remember Ron?'

Monique reached to hold her friend's hand. "Kim, you loved him, but he's…"

"No, Monique, please, this is important. I want you to think about before the prom that last year. Think hard. How did Ron act toward me?"

"Kim, you can't keep beating yourself up over what happened."

"Please, Moni, this is important to me. I've never asked and I really need to know."

Monique sat back, perplexed. "OK, if you really have to talk about it."

"I do, believe me."

"Well, everybody except the chess team and you knew Ron was in love with you. I never understood if you just didn't see it or if you ignored it."

Kim stared at her clasped hands. "Go on."

"How do I say this without hurting her?" "Kim, did you ever notice how Ron walked, how he stood?'

"Explain."

"Well, for example, how tall was Ron?'

"Five foot seven, same as I was, maybe a little shorter."

"Kim, Ron was at least five nine, maybe five ten."

"No, no way."

"Way. GF, Ron always slouched around you, made himself look smaller. How about where he stood?'

"Huh?"

"Ron always stood and walked behind you, a little to one side. Like a bodyguard, always watching your back."

Kim swallowed. "What about his feelings, his attitude?"

"As far as I know, Ron never confided in anyone, not even Felix. Kim, it's been ten years, it's hard to…"

"Monique, it's very important."

"All right," Monique sighed, "other than his pride in youand protectiveness, I only have one very clear memory of Ron's feelings."

"What?'

Monique had a sad, serious expression. "Kim, I'd really rather not get into this."

"I've got to know, tell me, please."

Monique sat silent for a moment, eyes downcast. Finally she looked straight into Kim's eyes. "My last memory of Ron was at the prom. I saw his eyes, when you and Eric went back on the dance floor. I remember praying I would never feel or cause that much pain."

IV.

Monique stared sympathetically at her quietly crying friend. "Kim, I'm sorry. I never meant to tell you."

"It's all right, Nique," Kim's smile was misty; "I just never realized how much I had hurt him. I knew I hurt his feelings, but I thought I'd buy him a naco and make up the next day. I hurt him worse than you or I ever thought, that whole year."

"What do you mean?"

Kim drew a deep breath, looking squarely into her friend's eyes. "Ron and I were married."

For the only time Kim could remember in their long friendship, Monique was speechless.

"It's a long story," Kim continued, "I didn't know. I just found out this morning."

Monique finally regained her speech. "That's not nearly enough, girlfriend, NFW, chill, spill, and start dishing the dirt."

"It happened in Japan. We had a mission in Tokyo. After the mission, Ron insisted we go to a tea ceremony. He said his friends would be insulted if we didn't go. So we went. But, between Bonnie, cheerleading, traveling, and the fighting, I was exhausted, and well, I fell asleep."

Monique's face flushed darkly, her eyes watering. She finally broke out in loud guffaws. "You fell asleep? You slept through your wedding?" She howled.

Kim glowered, blushing. "Amp down, Mo, it's not that funny. If I had been aware and awake, it wouldn't have happened."

"How…how did Ron…" Monique gasped between giggles.

"There was this nice old man who gave us a tea ceremony. I don't remember much except his asking me questions and Ron telling me what to say. Ron spoke some Japanese, I spoke none. And I trusted that little sneak."

"I always knew Ron had depths but I never would have thought he was that tricky." Monique grinned. "How did you find out? After all this time, who told you?"

"He told me."

"Who told you?"

"Ron."

Monique's grin vanished. "Baby girl," she began softly, "Ron couldn't have told you, Ron's dead."

Kim squeezed her friend's hands. "Ron is alive, Mo, believe me. That's where I've been all week. I'm telling you the truth. But, please, just for a little while, you can't tell anyone, not even Felix. I'm telling you because I had to tell someone."

"All right," Monique began skeptically, "let's say I believe you. Why didn't he come back, where has he been, and why is he back now?"

"Short answers, Erick, the orient, and I'm not exactly sure." Kim grinned, "But he is back, I love him, and he is not leaving me again."

Monique waved her hands, "Whoa, whoa, TMIMMQ."

"Too much information…?" Kim ventured.

"No, that much info makes more questions."

"I don't have a lot of answers, but ask away."

Monique paused, sorting through the myriad of mysteries. "Number one, what's he like after ten years, and number two, are you still married?"

"The same, only more so. Taller, stronger, sometimes I see echoes of loneliness and pain in his eyes. For the most part though, he's trying so hard to look cheerful for others, just like he always did for me. He says we're still married, and if we're not I'll make sure we are. And this time I'll be awake."

"I can't wait until I can tell Felix that one," Monique giggled, "but where's Ron been?"

"All over the orient I guess. Yori told me a little about his travels."

"Yori? Yori…that sounds familiar…where have I…"Monique's eyes widened in memory, "That girl you were jelling over? She's been with Ron all this time?"

"No, only the last couple of years," Kim frowned, "or so she says. I haven't asked Ron. By the way, since when do the Japanese practice polygamy?"

"Huh?"

"Well, as one of Club Banana's top reps, you deal with the Japanese all the time. I thought you would know."

Monique gave her friend a puzzled look, "What brought that up?"

"Yori told me she offered to marry Ron," Kim huffed, "and he and I are still married in Japan he says."

"What exactly did she say?"

"She said she offered to be his second wife but he refused."

Monique's puzzlement vanished in laughter. "Girlfriend, I sometimes forget, what with all the world traveling you've done, how naïve you can be."

"All right," Kim signed, "what have I missed this time?'

"Kim," Monique managed through her giggles, "'second wife' is Japanese slang for a rich or powerful man's mistress, not his wife."

The redhead's blush bloomed bright, "Ohhh, my…."

V.

"Kimmie cub, we're always happy to spend time with you, but why this? This has to be the most boring lecture I have ever been to. Although these lotus cookies are very good." James Possible stood with a cup of coffee in one hand and cookies in the other. "But someone needs to tell that woman that English has inflections. That monotone…I've heard automated systems with more life."

"Yes," Anne chimed in, "and telling everyone that only serious martial artists and anyone who had been called or thought of as a loser needed to stay, I've never heard of such a thing. Then to top it off, anyone who showed up tonight would get full credit if they needed it, whether they returned or not." Anne shook her head, "I've never heard of anything like that. Most speakers want as large an audience as they can get."

"Trust me," Kim barely restrained her laughter, "it gets better. We'd better go back in, there's someone at the podium."

Exchanging long suffering looks; the Possibles followed their daughter back into the hall.

A new speaker stood at the podium. "Good evening, my name is Yori Himatsu. Now that we've discouraged the merely curious and those only wanting credit, I would like to apologize for the last hour and a half." Yori gestured to the previous speaker. "Miki usually does the stone face as a joke, but she can do it longer than any of us. Are there are any questions so far?"

A coed behind Kim stood, "I understood this lecture would be given by the Chosen One. I've heard some of the legends and I'd like to know, is there such a person and is he here?"

"Yes to both your questions. Erabareshi Mono will be out shortly. He prepares. Anyone else? Yes, sir?"

"Miss, I run a dojo here in town. I have also heard the legends of the Chosen One; can you tell me if any are true? Especially that he cannot be beaten."

"Many are, but you will have an opportunity to find your answers. I see some of you brought your gi's in hopes of participating in a demonstration, perhaps?" There was a murmur of agreement. "All who wish please follow Miki, brown and black belts only please. If you don't have your gi we have plenty. Twelve people followed Miki.

"While they prepare, Sensei?"

Ron walked out on the stage. His suit was perfectly tailored. His hair and beard trimmed and braided.

"Oh, man," Kim heard the coed behind her moan, "that's not chosen, that's choice."

"I told you." Her friend replied softly.

Kim barely restrained herself from an impromptu exhibition of martial arts. "He's mine!"

Anne's eyes opened wide as she reached to grasp James's hand.

Ron strode to the podium, smiling at his audience. "Never be normal!"

James winced as his fingers were crushed.