"The death of the Lily-Pad"

I knew what I had to do. Even though it was a mere slip of paper, bearing only the name "Arashino" and an address far away from the gun-making factories of Osaka, it felt like heavy lead in jacket pocket. My simple cotton shoes slipped noiselessly on the battered tatami mats that led to Hastumomo's room.

Looking back, I could not recall exactly why I did what I did. I only knew that I wanted to hurt Nobu. I initially thought that I had wanted to hurt the Chairman. But this was not my true intent. No.

My love for the Chairman was like a parched well of ink. It had served a purpose, once, long ago when I was a struggling maid, trying to find focus in making my dreams of becoming a geisha a reality. No, the real person I wanted to hurt was Nobu. And I knew that the only way I could do it was through myself.

I had thought long and hard over my plan as I labored to carefully write down the correct address on a piece of rice paper. I had the guile to pull it off, but I had to summon the courage to do it. It was not just about tricking Hatsumomo, it was about building a gulf between Nobu-san and myself. What I was about to do was treason in his eyes.

I slid the door open to Hatsumomo's room without knocking. Immediately her pregnancy bloated face looked up at me in surprise and anger. She had been lying on her bed, her huge stomach extended out in front of her. She looked uncomfortable and puffy. The regiment of heavily salted fish and other preserved food-stuffs had not been kind to her figure.

"Get out!" she snarled. I calmly smiled. I was baiting the tiger, and I knew it.

"Oh, Hatsumomo," I began in a conciliatory tone, "You look so unwell. Are you?"

"Get out, you conniving whore!" She threw her kabuki magazine with one puffy arm. I easily dodged it and came up to her bed.

"Now, now, you must be calm." I smiled again, this time wider. "You don't want to upset yourself, especially in your current condition."

"Current condition or not, get out of my room before I throw you out by the front of your teeth!" Hatsumomo panted, and tried to heave herself out of her bed. Her girth was too wide, and she stumbled and almost fell over. I went over quickly and with two quick shoves, pushed her back onto her former position. Her forehead was already shiny with sweat from the exertion.

"For goodness' sake, Hatsumomo, you act like I am trying to kill you." I clucked my tongue. "Though you might succeed in doing that if you continue to get excited like this. You could bring the baby on early."

"What do you want?" Her black eyes glittered with fatigue and caution. She truly was a tiger ready to pounce. I told myself to be careful. A tiger with a cub to protect was more dangerous than a lone tiger.

"I want to propose something to you." Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"What, has little Miss Sayuri Nitta gotten herself in trouble? Or worse?" She smiled slowly. Maliciously. "Perhaps that one-armed freak has given you a venereal disease? If so, no need to be ashamed, I know the name of an excellent herbalist."

"Now, that is no way to talk to your savior." I chided sweetly. Moving gracefully, I sat on the floor next to her bed. Her eyes moved over me like she envied me my freedom of movement. The floor, I noted was dusty. It seemed the maids had not been in here for quite some time.

"Manners, Hatsumomo are everything. Even a person like you needs them to get ahead in this world. You know as well as the next person that beauty…" I coughed delicately. "Well, beauty fades with time, along with popularity. A geisha needs to count her stores carefully before she makes any long term moves."

"I get along quite nicely!" she spat from her bed. She rubbed her stomach. "When I am done with this, I am going to get a nice tidy sum! Even better than your so-called Donna could afford. The Chairman has limitless resources at his disposal."

"Is that so?"

"It is, little Sayuri, whore to the one-armed freak." She continued rubbing her stomach like it was a jeweled egg. "You are more stupid than I thought! You think I got myself this way blindly?" She snorted and tried to shake her head.

"I am going to give birth to a child whose father has wealth beyond measure! He has no sons. I am going to be rewarded handsomely! Certainly enough to retire in grandeur and leave this relice of a shit-hole okiya."

"From what I hear," I began carefully, "The Chairman has given no thought of what will happen to you when they close down Gion for good." I rubbed my pant legs, trying to brush off some of the dust that had gathered there. "In fact, Mother mentioned that she had no idea what was going to happen to you."

"The Chairman has arranged everything!" She settled back snugly against her pillow. "He has no sons. I am his vehicle to perfect happiness."

"Poor Hastumomo," I clucked my tongue. "To be so deluded! It must be your current state. Well, I hope for the child's sake that everything will work itself out. I will pray to the Gods that your child will be male, and that Chairman will have enough sense to get you out of Kyoto before they start dropping the bombs."

"For your information, little Miss Stupid, I am already on the list to be evacuated to the one country provinces! I leave in two-day's time."

"Oh dear," I pretended to look troubled. "I checked the out-going lists, and I don't recall seeing your name on it."

"You are so stupid, you would miss a fly buzzing in your face!"

"Oh, I don't think I am so slow as that." I reached into my pocket. "Here." I offered her the paper. Her clammy hand snatched it out mine.

"What is this?"

"Perhaps your salvation." I shrugged. "It's entirely up to you, of course. But, seeing as how the Chairman has made no plans for your safe evacuation, or his future child, I would think you would be happy to have it."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why are you doing this? You would rather see me blown to death in a factory than to see me give birth to the Chairman's son." I shrugged.

"Believe, it was not my doing. It was my Donna that arranged. The man who you so charmingly referred to as a one -armed freak." I rolled my eyes.

"Perhaps you are spot on about my feelings for you. A bomb would improve your physical presence on this earth. It would certainly make you look smaller. But I've come here to do my Donna's bidding and not my own. I am your savior, yes." I looked towards the piece of paper she had clutched in her hands.

"However, it is Nobu-san that has arranged your safe passage. Arashino is a close friend and will give you shelter until it is safe to come back to Kyoto. I was told to tell you that the last train leaving for Arashino's province leaves early tomorrow morning. If I were you, I would take it. I doubt that there is going to be many others heading in that direction."

"Why would your Donna do this?"

"Indeed, who knows? I don't care much." I got up and brushed my hands down my pants. "My Donna has arranged something much nicer than Arashino's for me to stay. So I don't care what he does for his charity cases."

"If I survive this, and give birth to the Chairman's son, I won't be a charity case! I'll have finer kimono and jewels than you will ever have."

"Maybe" I said. I walked over and slid the paper door open, "Perhaps if you recover your figure." Her face reddened. I shut the door and held my breath. If there was movement, I knew my planned worked. I waited a few seconds in anxious silence.

Then I heard Hatsumomo heave herself out of her futon. The floor trembled slightly as she moved about her room. She was packing for the country! She would be taking my place at Arashino's.

My work was done.