I wanted to take to thank everyone who reviewed and to the silent readers out there. It is later then I thought so I am not going to take time to thank everyone idivially as I have been with this story. Not that I don't appreciate it, only because it is late and the kitten I am fostering keeps jumping on buttons.
A qoute from Broken Angel who gave a life to the name Ryoko: "The name Ryoko can actually be a girl's name or a boy's name in Japan. And also as far as I can gather, it actually means 'child of Ryo' or I've seen 'dragon' listed as well."
This next chapter is blah but a must. For just future tease: Ryoko will soon make an appearance.
"Ryoko Ishida?" Tk said the name aloud and nodded his head. "I like it."
"Do you?" Matt stood up and ran his hands through his hair. "I've been trying to come up with a name for a while, well ever since dad gave me hell for calling the kid an It." He headed towards the bathroom.
Tk paused not sure, if he wanted to go out into the living room where his grandparents sat uncomfortable with their ex-son-in-law or follow Matt into the bathroom. He chose the later, walking through the door as Matt just jumped in the shower.
"So how did you come up with Ryoko?" Tk dropped the toilet seat down before sitting upon it while he waited for his brother.
"I was actually reading this amazing story…" Matt spoke up from behind the shower curtain.
"Honestly? Wow," Tk whistled, "Dad must be proud. He has waited a long time for this moment."
Matt threw a wet washcloth at his brother. "Smart ass."
Tk smiled wickedly and pulled the lever for the toilet to flush.
"You stupid jerk!" Matt spat.
"Hey," Hiroaki poked his head through the door, "You two want to stop playing around and hurry up? Your grandparents are waiting."
"Yes, Sir." Both boys said in union before their father closed the door.
"Why don't you go out there and wait?" Matt asked.
"Hello." Tk
"Seriously, leave Tk. Dad shouldn't have to face his ex-in-laws alone."
"What am I going to say?"
"You don't have to say anything at all. You being there will prevent anything being said." Matt watched as his brother walked out of the bathroom.
Tk dragged his feet down the hall to where his father and grandparents sat. The room was full of uncertain tension that was ready to become a battle with the sound of a pin dropping. He hated this, he never understood why they could not just be decent for his sake, at the very lest!
"What's wrong sweet-hear?" His grandmother asked him in her thick French accent as she reached out an arm to him.
He flopped down between her and his grandfather giving his father a sympathised smile. "Nothing."
"Doesn't look as nothing is wrong to me." His grandmother went on.
"Guess I am just hungry." Tk shrugged his shoulders.
"Sorry I held you up." Matt bolted out of the bathroom, his hair still damp from the shower. "Grand-père. Grand-mère" He leaned down to give each grandparent a huge. His grandmother lingered, hugging him closely.
"Ah, look at you!" She pulled him away to admire his frame. "How tall you have grown!"
"Glad to see you kept your French heritage!" His grandfather beamed, "No offence Hiroaki. Just amazing to see the spitting image of me within your children's look."
"Don't mind him Hiroaki, he's has always been full of himself." The boys' grandmother chuckled.
"Aw, well that's another trait Matt picked up from you then!" Tk grinned until he felt his brother's elbow in his ribs.
"Well come, let us be off. There is much to see!" Their grandmother hooked her arms through her grandsons' arm and marched them out the door. Matt gave a quick wave of good-bye to his father.
Matt was exhausted as his grandparents dragged him all over town. Site seeing, amusement parks, breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner; it all gave him a headache. Of course, it did not help that his grandparents kept trying to bring up Nancy, trying to talk reason in him. It was not that he wanted to despise her his whole life, he wanted closure to move on but he could not let go of the pass. She was his mother and he did love her but he did not trust her enough to open his heart to her. She destroyed it once already and time has mended the pain but not healed it.
"Your mother is excited about the baby." His grandfather slipped his large hand lightly behind Matt's neck to keep the younger boy from escaping. "She went shopping for the child, did you know that?"
Matt took a drink from his water bottle, letting the cool drink slip slowly down his throat.
"She even purchased photo alum, a place to keep pictures of her grandchild." Matt could see from the corner of his eyes the hopefulness that filled his grandfather's eyes. Eyes that were so much like his own.
"Are you excited about being a great-grandfather?" Matt whispered.
"Of course! Everyone is bragging about their great-grand children but none look as good as I do."
"Is that so?" Matt laughed.
"Your grandmother keeps me fit." His grandfather smiled warmly at his wife.
"I hope I find someone like her," Matt looked over at the older man. "You're a lucky man, Grand-père!"
"I know it. I never let a day go by with out telling myself that. I meant her during the war, did I tell you that?"
"Aye, you have. More then once I might add." Matt grinned.
"She is a lucky woman also, don't forget that."
"Never!" Matt gave his grandfather a wide-eyed look.
His grandfather laughed and patted Matt on the back. "What do you say, one more time on the old roller coaster?"
"I don't know…'' Matt looked at his watch.
"Come on Matt!" Tk looked back.
"What do you think Grand-mère?" Matt asked the elderly woman at Tk's side.
"I think I would like to sit this ride out," His grandmother said wearily. "Darling, why don't you take Tk and Matt can keep me company?" She headed for a bench under a lamp.
"Oh, I fell into that one." Matt gave a quick glare at his grandfather who only shrugged.
Matt sat beside his grandmother in silence as they watch the roller coaster line vanish their two love ones. He felt his grandmother's eyes on him and he slowly turn to give her his attention.
"You know we have been easy with you. Your grandfather decided that your father has lectured you enough and now you need support not only from him but from us also."
"Grand-père is a wise man." Matt sighed and leaned his back against the bench. He glanced up at the stars that teased the earth with a wink.
"I really wish…"
"I would give Nancy a break." Matt finished.
"It is just because…"
"She's been hurting from my coldness for so long." Matt sighed. "I've heard this story before."
"It isn't a story Matt." His grandmother's eyes flashed with anger. "You are turning more and more like the men in your life."
"Dad…"
"I don't mean just your father either!" This time his grandmother interrupted him. "You are just like your grandfather also. So unbelievable thick headed you don't even know what is for your own good!"
"How can you even say that, Grand-mère!" Matt looked over at the older woman. Her face held more wrinkles then he could remember, her body look frail and her hair was whiter then he last remembered but her eyes were stronger.
"Look how this whole relationship you have with your mother is affecting you!"
"It isn't affecting me. It's the constant nagging from everyone else that I find annoying!"
"I know you, Matt. I know you blame your mother for your parents break up but that was years ago. Isn't it time to forgive her?"
"I know you mean well, Grand-mère but it is my forgiveness that she is seeking and I will do on my time, not everyone else's!"
"You do enjoy torturing her so, don't you? It still hurts you so you need her to hurt with you."
"I don't want to talk about Nancy."
"She is your mother; do not be disrespectful of my daughter in my presents!"
"She gave birth to me, she stop being my mother once she left me!" Matt stood up and stormed off.
"Matt, you come back here!" His grandmother called from behind but he ignored her. "Look at yourself! You are also walking away!"
He walked through the jungle of people that were enjoying themselves, he walked passed the crowded sidewalks, pass the sound of laughter, pass the lights of the park, he walked into the night leaving his grandmother to worry.
He found solitude at an end of an empty pier. He took a seat on the wooden structure, his feet dangling over the edge. The moon was at it is fullest as it looked down at the boy that looked into its face, searching for answers he could not find. He did not know why he could not just forgive Nancy, it would give everyone reason to get off his back. Instead, he dug his heels in and refused to budge. He felt guilty leaving his grandmother like that but he was so tired of hearing the same story of how sad Nancy was with out him. It always came back around to how she feels.
He was so involved in his own thoughts; he did not even hear the footsteps echo off the wooden structure until a hand lay heavily on his shoulder. Matt looked up to dark eyes of his father, he blinked before turning back to the restless ocean.
"Your brother called," Hiroaki sat down beside his son. He rubbed tried to rub the sleep out from his eyes but it lingered. "You shouldn't have left your grandparents like that. You upset your grandmother, she was nearly crying. Worrying what happen to you, what could happen to you?"
"I know." Matt whispered.
"Aren't you tired of running yet, Matt?" His father looked over the sea.
"I'm not running." Matt whispered back.
They sat side by side for a half an hour before Hiroaki spoke again.
"When your mother left, I thought my world would crumple. I did not know how I could go on with out her. I love her, Matt. Even to this day, I love her. I regret not being the man she wanted me to be and I think she also now regrets not giving us the chance. We could never go back and Tk wanted that so much, to be a family he remembered. It would never have worked out. I love her and I let her free. I thought it was the hardest thing that I would ever do until I came home to only one son. Yes, your mother wanted the divorcé, it was her idea and she had a list of reasons why she would be happier living with out me. She did not count on losing you. I see Tk almost everyday and if I do not see him, he calls me up. Your mother does not have that. You have made her feel as though she lost a child in a death. If I ever lost you, I would die. You and your brother mean far too much to me and I cannot go on living with out you. However, I understand that this is your problem to sort out and you will forgive when you are ready. Promise me though; promise me it won't be too late for either of you. Don't misunderstand me, Matt. I am not seeking out her side, I am only walking in her shoes." Hiroaki stood up and held out his hand. Matt looked up at his father, feeling like the little boy that just finished crying over a bruised injury. He sighed and reached out for his father's hand.
Hiroaki pulled Matt to his feet and together they walked home, in silence but the father and son bond continue to grow.