"I see…yes. Thank you." Miyabi hung up the phone and turned to the young couple in front of her desk. "That settles it then," she said to them. "Your first appointment with Doctor Kawamoto is tomorrow at twelve-fifteen, Lady Aoi. How have your exercises been going?"
"She's been doing great," Kaoru reported. According to the doctors, someone would have to perform range-of-motion exercises with Aoi-chan's legs at least twice a day from now on, to keep her muscles from wasting away. "She finished her routine in record time today."
Although he was trying to hide it, Miyabi could not help but notice a tiny smirk at the corners of his lips. Although she did not approve of mixing business with pleasure, she decided not to reprimand Kaoru for the waste of time. After all, they were married, and finding the time and place for intimacy had been difficult enough for them during their engagement.
"Very good," she said with a nod. "Chika-chan and Tina-san should be almost finished preparing breakfast now. You should go wash up, Lady Aoi. Sir Kaoru? A moment, please?"
Kaoru turned to Miss Miyabi when Aoi-chan was gone. "Ma'am?"
She handed him something that looked like a letter. "Bad news, I'm afraid. I wanted to let you break it to Lady Aoi yourself."
"What is it?" he asked, scanning the letter.
Miyabi sighed. "The Sakurabas have received the insurance check from their claim for Lady Aoi's injuries. Unfortunately, it seems they have decided to withhold the lion's share of it for…unspecified reasons."
"'Unspecified,' huh? I'll bet," Kaoru muttered. The reason was perfectly obvious. Kenji Sakuraba had been forced to legally accept Kaoru's engagement to his daughter, but had made his feelings on the matter crystal clear. Although Kaoru was endlessly grateful for the acceptance, he had no doubt that Aoi-chan's parents would jump at the chance to get even with their rebellious progeny. But because, on their own honor, they could not afford to simply leave their own daughter crippled, they had to send something. The paltry sum stated on the letter in Kaoru's hand was enough to cover perhaps a day or two of physical therapy, and that was only if the doctors determined that she would ever walk again.
He crumpled the paper in his hand angrily, fought the urge to throw it across the room.
"Sir Kaoru…" Miss Miyabi began.
"Why, Miss Miyabi?" Kaoru demanded. "So he doesn't like me. I can get over that. But Aoi-chan is his daughter! To abandon her like that, just to get at me? It's unbelievable. It's sick!"
"I agree," she said quietly, hoping that ignoring his temper would force him to tone it down. "But there is nothing we can do about it. After all, it is technically their money. But I have a policy of my own on Lady Aoi. I filed yesterday, so it should be in soon. And with your job, all of the medical bills should be paid off in less than a year."
"It shouldn't have to take that long," he said quietly, the frustration still edging his voice.
..
"I don't understand, Kaoru-sama. Why would my father do something like this?"
"I don't know," he admitted, not wanting to tell her his theory. He looked out through the window of their bedroom, his back toward her. "But we'll have to find out. We need that money."
"You mean to talk to him, then."
He turned to her and shook his head. "You'll have to do it. Obviously, I'm going with you, but there's no point in my saying anything. He hates my guts."
"That is not true."
Her stern rebuke surprised them both: she had never snapped at Kaoru-sama before.
"Forgive me," she apologized instantly. "I did not mean to be cross with you. But he is my father, Kaoru-sama. He is stern, yes, but he is fair also. It is not in his heart to hate anyone. He is…very protective. That's all."
Kaoru bent down and kissed the top of her head, his way of showing affection now, since he couldn't embrace her. "You're right, Aoi-chan. I'm sorry." He quickly began pacing the room, and tripped over the futon. She sniggered at the site of him rubbing his sore rump. He laughed too, and realized that they both needed it.
"I guess I'm just frustrated," he said, sitting on the futon, arms around his knees. "I want the best for you, Aoi-chan. I know your father does, too, but I guess we just have different ideas about what that is."
"No, you don't." She lifted her arms slightly, signaling that she wished to out of the chair for a while.
He lifted her down, and returned to the futon. He held her against him, enjoying her warmth, and the feel of her clothing.
"You both want the same things for me," she explained, leaning her head on his shoulder. "But you differ about how to go about getting those things. You want to give me those things through closeness and intimacy, the way a husband should. Father tries to do it with kind words and providing for my needs, the way a father should."
She drew back and looked into his eyes. She's always had the most beautiful eyes, he thought. "You are both good men," she said, and returned her head to his shoulder. "The two most wonderful men in my life."
With the last four words, her voice started to trail off, and Kaoru realized he would be here for an hour or two. But he didn't mind. He gently laid her down on her side on the futon, and watched her sleep.
..
The drive out to the Sakuraba Estate was uneventful. Tina was an excellent driver, considering she had gotten her license only about two months ago.
"See you guys later," she called, waving at them as Kaoru and Miyabi helped Aoi out of the car and into her chair.
Tina rode off in a cloud of dust, and Miyabi quickly went inside the house, leaving the couple to be alone.
"It never changes," Aoi said with a happy sigh, rolling alongside Kaoru. "It's so beautiful here."
The old dirt road wound off into the distance, speckled with sunlight and shadow from the green canopy overhead. Birds and chipmunks flittered about, and the peaceful background noises of nature surrounded them.
"It sure is," Kaoru agreed. He said nothing more.
"Kaoru-sama? Is something wrong? You look nervous," she observed.
"I am nervous. You know, the last time we were here, it didn't go so well."
"I disagree. I know there was a lot of tension between you and my father, and there still is. But he saw your point of view in the end, even though he may not have liked it. Whatever your disagreements, I think he respects you. Look!" she suddenly pointed.
They had come to a familiar spot. Beside the path was an old cherry tree with writing engraved into it. A flood of memories came to Kaoru
He and Aoi-chan had carved those initials into this tree when they were too young to know what love was, let alone have any interest in the opposite sex.
"It's almost like we were fated, even back then," he muttered, almost to himself, running a hand over the carved wood. "Do you have it?" he asked.
"Mmm hmm." She drew the silver key from the pocket of her kimono, and handed it to him.
"That is what this day will be like, Kaoru-sama. Not like our last visit, but the one before that, almost twenty years ago."
He could only hope she was right.
..
"Kaoru-san."
"Sakuraba-san," Kaoru greeted, bowing deeply at the waist.
"And my dear daughter," he greeted Aoi. She rolled forward and embraced him around the waist. "What has happened to you is…an injustice beyond words."
Kaoru blinked, confused. Injustice? It was an accident, he thought. What's going on here?
"I trust things are well, aside from this?" Kenji Sakuraba asked Miyabi.
"They are, sir," Miyabi said with a sharp bow.
"Excellent. Please sit," Sakuraba-san invited. Kaoru knelt before the table under the family emblem, and his father-in-law began their meeting. "I know the reason for your visit."
I bet you do, Kaoru thought sourly. "Sir?"
"I will not grant your request. But I think you will not resent me when I tell you why."
From his kimono, he drew a sheaf of papers and handed them to Kaoru.
"Who the heck is Shiro Katanaze? Let's see, legal fees." Kaoru read, scratching his head. "You're suing him? But it was an accident," he protested. "I'm sure the guy didn't do it on pur—
"Read further," Sakuraba-san commanded.
Kaoru glanced further down the page. A single word jumped out at him.
His blood seemed to freeze and boil at the same time. I'll kill him. I swear I'll kill the bastard with my bare hands.
"Intoxicated," he read. "You're telling me the man was drunk?"
Sakuraba-san nodded. "Do you still wish for the rest of the insurance money?" he asked rhetorically.
"Money?" Kaoru practically shouted, trying not to stutter with rage. "I want this guy's head!"
"Sir Kaoru!" Miyabi rebuked. Sakuraba-san gently waved her to silence. "As do I," he replied evenly to Kaoru. "But murder would do no good for any of us. Justice will be done upon him, I assure you."
He stood, and Kaoru and Miyabi followed suit. "I take it you understand my reasons now?" He held out a hand. "I may not have approved of your marriage to my daughter, Kaoru-san. I am still not certain that I do. But that decision was never in my hands: Aoi's happiness comes first. You and I may not see things the same way, but I ask you to stand with me this time."
"You bet." Kaoru shook the man's hand.
..
"No way!" Tina breathed, keeping her eyes on the road. "Are you serious, Kaoru? Any jury with half a brain would burn that sucker at the steak!"
"Only if they get to him first," Kaoru muttered darkly.
"Do not say such things!" Miyabi snapped from the back seat. "There will be a hearing first, and most likely a trial. In that event, I will of course testify, and I expect each of you to do the same."
"But what should we say?" Aoi asked. "I was unconscious for most of that night. I remember very little."
"You need not say anything on your own," Miyabi advised. "The attorneys will do most of the talking. All you have to do is answer their questions as honestly as you can. But," she added more forcefully, "all of you, please be very careful what you say in the mean time, especially in public. Let there be no mistake, I want as much as the rest of you to see that man in prison until he is far too old to drive again. But anything derogatory, or any threats or talk of revenge could work against us if it got out."
..
The others had already gone to bed. Kaoru, unable to sleep, had changed Aoi-chan's diaper, and shared a few close moments with her, before helping her into bed.
He stood on the walkway, looking up at the stars. A drunk driver, he thought, feeling his blood get hot again. How could anyone be so irresponsible?
He wondered if Katanaze-san even knew what he had done. Of course he does. He may not know that he left a woman paralyzed, and could have killed her, but he knows he made the choice to tie one on, and that others would have to live with the consequences of that choice.
He heard footsteps, and turned toward the house. "Taeko-chan?" he asked when he saw the moonlight reflecting off her glasses. "What are you doing out here?"
She emerged from the shadows, and walked over to stand next to him. "Miss Manager"—they were all so used to the old cover story by now that it was difficult to break the habit, now that they new the truth—"sent me to help Miss Aoi—oh," she realized. "I supposed you've…already taken care of it."
He laughed. "Yeah, I did. She's my wife, Taeko-chan, it's no big deal."
"Of course," she said shyly. "Tina-sempai told me what happened this morning. Are you alright?"
"No, I'm not alright," he admitted. "I'm furious." He shook his head. "I'll never forgive him, Taeko-chan. I can't."
Taeko did not respond for a moment. She just stood next to him, deep in thought. She tried to understand the emotions he must be feeling. Of course he's angry. If I were married, and some drunk person hurt my husband, I don't think I could hold it in, either.
"When I was a child," she began, "there was this thing that happened. I was on the playground, at school. There was a little boy, and a little girl. They were arguing. I can't remember what it was about, or if I ever even knew." She stiffened a little. "And then he hit her, Sempai. He didn't just hit her in the shoulder, or slap the side of her head. He punched her. In the face.
"I was so angry that I cried. I wanted to hurt him. I thought he was a coward for hurting that little girl. But I didn't have to hit him. Three other boys did. They saw what he had done, and they all jumped on him at once, and beat him up.
A whole group of teachers broke up the fight. I don't know what ever happened to that boy, but I didn't see him again after that. Maybe he was expelled, or sent to the hospital. But do you know something? You would think I was glad he got beat up, but I wasn't. I was horrified. Those boys hurt him ten times worse than he hurt that girl. Maybe he deserved it, but that didn't give them the right. And I realized that it didn't give me the right, either."
Kaoru stuffed his hands in his pockets, and continued staring at the night sky. "I guess it kind of eats you up inside, doesn't it?"
She nodded. "It does worse than that. You end up taking it out on other people, sometimes people who haven't done anything wrong to you."
He instantly realized what she was getting at. "But I'm not him, Taeko-chan," he defended himself. "If he had left me paralyzed, maybe I could forgive him. But not Aoi-chan. Not my wife." His voice started to shake. "Barely a week after our wedding. Forget medical bills, court fees, that stupid chair. I could have been burying her right now.
I would never hurt anyone, not on purpose, or by being stupid. But I hope that son of a bitch rots in jail for the rest of his worthless life."
Taeko shook her head, disappointed that she had not quite gotten through to him. "Well, I think he will be there for a long time, at least." She turned to go. "Good night, sempai."
"Taeko-chan?"
She stopped, turned to him. "Hmmm."
"That little girl? That was you, wasn't it?"
"No, sempai, it wasn't." With that, she turned again, and walked back toward the house.
..
"We have a good report," Doctor Kawamoto said, smiling. He laid the clipboard on his desk and looked at Aoi and Kaoru proudly. "Your labs are all excellent, and the magnetic resonance scans show no further damage. The CT-scan did show some swelling around the lower spinal area, but that is to be expected. I can prescribe a lasic to keep it down."
"You said something the night of the accident," Kaoru recalled, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "About some sort of procedure." He took a deep breath, and asked the Big Question. "Did you mean might she might be able to walk again?"
"That is my goal," Kawamoto affirmed. He raised a hand before Kaoru could say more. "But please understand, both of you, that I can make no promises. There are…issues with this surgery. It is quite new, and it has only worked on two patients so far."
Kaoru decided not to ask what had become of the patients it hadn't worked on, or how on Earth he was going to pay for it.
"What sort of issues are there?" Aoi asked. She turned to her husband. "If it means I could be cured, Kaoru-sama…"
"We don't know that yet, Aoi-chan" he reminded her gently. "Let him finish."
"Thank you, Hanabishi-san. The good news, Mrs. Hanabishi, is that you are a candidate for the procedure. Now then, let me explain what we would do…"
..
"I will do it," she told him resolutely. The doctor had left them alone for a while, to discuss their situation.
Kaoru's heart sank. He just didn't know what to think of this. From what Doctor Kawamoto had said, this operation didn't sound like a risk: it sounded like a death sentence. It's either let her stay crippled for the rest of her life, he thought, or risk losing her entirely.
"You could die," he pleaded.
"I know."
She looked away from him, out the window behind the doctor's desk.
"I have been your wife for less than three weeks, Kaoru-sama. But we have loved each other for more than twenty years. I know it is selfish of me, but please. I ask you for this chance." She turned her chair to face him. "That morning a few days ago, when I…" She couldn't even bring herself to say it. "The looks on their faces, Kaoru-sama," she whispered through the tears on her cheeks. "I don't want to see them go through that again. I could not bear it."
Kaoru was close to tears himself now. He stood and went to her, held her face in his hands. He couldn't believe the depths of humility in those eyes. "You don't have to ask me, Aoi-chan. I love you. This is your body, and you have the right to make this decision." He pulled her head to his chest. "If this is really what you want, then we'll find a way."