CHAPTER FIVE

A YEAR AND A HALF LATER

I was walking home in late afternoon with my arms loaded down with groceries thinking 'Lidia is going to be so surprised!' It's her birthday tomorrow and I was tasked with getting the ingredients for her special dinner we are going to throw her. Andre I should be keeping her busy so that leaves Abriana, Beatrix, and their husbands to set up everything else. I was passing the square where I performed when I first came here. I kept to the edges of the usual bustle of the square when I heard the first notes of someone playing the violin. I paused to listen thinking it sounded a lot like the violin that I had lost. I couldn't see the violist through all the people I hesitated a moment before I remembered where I needed to go then started moving again. I looked over to where it sounded like the music was coming from trying to get a glimpse of the violinist but there was a large crowd in that direction and couldn't get a glimpse so I left the square behind.

"Aruto you brought the stuff thank goodness I thought you got lost or something," Abriana told me when I got there. I was out of breath from running part of the way to make up for the time that I lost while in the square. I set the groceries down and went to check how far they got in the preparations.

"I got a little held up in the square there were a lot more people there than usual today," I told them going back and started taking out the groceries that are going to be needed right away.

"That's lucky for us then because Andre called while you were out and told us that Lidia was heading for the square, hopefully because of all the people she didn't see you," Beatrix told me as she came over and took the groceries that she would need, then handed some to her husband, Santino. "Honey could you start on the Mid- Sumer bread salad?"

"Sure but wouldn't the bread in the salad get soggy by tomorrow?" He asked as he took out the cutting board.

"Yes it would but that is how Lidia likes it I myself don't like it that way but it is not my birthday so we are going to make it the way she likes it," Beatrix replied and Santino just shrugged.

"As long as the birthday girl is happy right?" He replied as he started to cut up the bread. As a few moments of silence Abriana and her husband Davide come rushing in.

"Guys Andre and Lidia are on their way here right now Andre is trying to stall her but they are not that far away," Abriana burst out starting to hurry around and put the decorations that were laying on a few tables away and Davide hurried to help her. "We need to hide the stuff quickly." I started to put all the groceries back into the bags they came in. Santino threw all the bread into the bowl for the salad along with the UN chopped ingredients. Beatrix went to help Abriana get the decorations into the back to be hidden. I finished putting the groceries back in the bags and headed after them.

"Where would you want me to put these?" I asked them holding up the bags.

"Just put them in here since there are no perishables is should be fine we'll also put the decorations in here as well. Lidia never goes into this closet and it is unlikely that she would look in it today so this should be a safe place to put them," Abriana instructed them shut the door when the items were inside and went back out to help Davide and Santino. We had almost everything hidden except for some bread and a bag which Abriana hid with cloth. We all turned to the door when we heard Andre and Lidia outside.

"Quick everyone act natural," Santino said sitting down in the nearest chair pulling Beatrix into his lap. Abriana and Davide sat across from them and I sat at a table next to them. We all got settled right when Andre opened the door up for Lidia. She gazed around at all of us with surprise.

"What are all of you doing here? The restaurant is not open today," Lidia asked as she walked over to us not sounding angry that she found us in her restaurant without her permission.

"We wanted to meet up to visit and here was the most convenient place to meet up," I explained quickly to cover up what we were really doing here and the others nodded in unison. "Anyway Lidia what are you doing here is something wrong?" she walked over to where we were siting and say down next to me Andre followed shortly after her.

"I wanted to make sure that I locked this place up tight then I was going to find you actually Aruto. In the square there was a young boy who looked just like you and an older dirty blonde man who were looking for you," Lidia told me and I felt like my heart was going to stop. So he would come all this way to find me huh? My little Ikotu.

"D-did the boy have a violin and the blonde man have a soft spoken voice?" I asked not wanting to believe it was them.

"Yeah actually we talked to them for a bit the man approached us first while the boy played the violin for tips like you were doing the first time Lidia met you. He's really good and he might be able to give you a run for your money now," Andre told me which confirmed to me that it was them and made me feel really proud of Ikotu.

"I gave him that picture we took of you that one day that photographer came in and really liked your playing so much he took a few pictures. He asked for it so I gave it to him hope you don't mind." Lidia told me and I remembered that day it felt like a while ago since I had my violin and I ached to have it back.

"No I don't mind at all but did you tell them of my current location?" I asked her hoping she didn't since things would still be messy in Japan and if Ikotu knew I was here he would never leave I do want him to be here but he belongs in Japan with Souko. Besides what would I even say to him anyway?

"No, we didn't in case you wanted to go see him yourself or if you didn't then he wouldn't come fine you," Lidia told me and I nodded starting to get lost in thought again.

"Ok thank you for everything," I responded before I got totally lost again. I was thinking of things I could say to him if I did see him. 'Hey Ikotu sorry for just leaving and your mother and sister but you were all being threatened by the vice president of the company I was going to take over from your grandfather. I could never tell him that he probably wouldn't believe or understand anyway. It would be just as well I didn't go and see him then because I would want to go back to Japan and it would be a big mess. If I do go and see him I think he deserves an explanation as to why I left and that I would not be going back to Japan with him to keep them safe. After that I battled with myself on whether or not I should or shouldn't go and see him. I felt kind id silly because I was acting like a nervous teenage boy about to ask a girl out for the first time. I finally settled on going to see him the next day since it was too late to go now. It was my turn to get Lidia away from the restaurant. I decided to try getting her to go home. "Hey Lidia why don't we go home? It's getting late don't you think?" I asked her as I came out of thought to everyone staring at me.

"It is true that it's getting late let me just get what I came for and then we can leave," She told me walking into the back. We all followed her but stopped in the door way leading to the back and watched her walk back towards her office. Suddenly she stopped near the supply closet where we his the decorations and stooped to pick something up off the floor. It just turned out to be a small piece of bread that she tossed in the garbage without a second look. She continued on her way to her office without further incident. We all let out a breath of relief and turned back to the dining room.

"Thank goodness she didn't find anything incriminating that would suggest we were planning a party," Abriana whispered and we all nodded in agreement.

"So Aruto you get Lidia to come here at about noon tomorrow we will be ready by then," Beatrix whispered and then looked into the back. "Here she comes remember noon." I just nodded as Lidia came into the dining room.

"Alright Aruto I'm ready to go now," she told me as she headed to the door. I noticed that she had something tucked under her arm as she walked past.

"Oh good let's go then bye everyone see you tomorrow," I said as we left the restaurant.

"Are you going to be meeting them here tomorrow also?" Lidia asked as we started to walk away. I realized that I had made a mistake and quickly thought of a way to fix it.

"Yeah we wanted to meet here again tomorrow at noon. Do you want to come along there is always room for you," I asked hoping she would say yes.

"Of course I would love to come I almost never see Santino and Davide they seen to always be busy at work," Lidia told me and I let out a sigh.

"I you don't mind me asking are you going to see your son?" she asked and it took me by surprise.

"Well I mean he came all this way and I know he's here why not see him at least put his mind at rest that I'm ok. Did they say where they are staying?" I asked in case she was told where they were staying.

"Yeah they did tell me actually the blonde one. They are staying at the inn that is in the square," Lidia told me and I built a picture of it in my mind.

"Alright I will go and pay them a visit tomorrow," I declared planning to go after the party.

"I bet it will make Ikotu really happy to see that you are ok," Lidia told me and I hoped that it was true. I just hope that I had the courage to follow through with those plans after what I have done to him.