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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


 

I - Father

Vivian Grey’s funeral was a garden of red roses.  From the altar to the lobby, guests were surrounded in the deep, velvety red that the young woman had enjoyed so much. Though large in number, the attendants were vaguely related some family, friends and the neighborhood it seemed. The chatter and even the violinist in the corner ceased when a silent swish announced the arrival of the deceased’s family. The French doors casted rainbows across the chapel floor.

Ms. Grey gave birth to four well-mannered children; three boys and a girl. Led by their aunt Sarah, the children, in their early twenties, kept their heads low only nodding at a few of their remorseful friends.  The second youngest, Nadia, peeked from under her hat at the floating guests. She had no idea her mother had touched so many people. It was clear every heart was aching, every face in pain until she noticed a group of three men standing near the fountain.  Stern and concentrated, it was the young gentleman in the middle that first caught Nadia’s eye. He sent a solemn and possibly understanding nod along her way.

Aunt Sarah noticed him as well and grabbed her niece’s elbow.

“Don’t worry about them go say hello to your mother’s friends.” The woman patted her head for reassurance before the family dispersed among the visitors. 

Nadia did as she was told and walked in the opposite direction having only the desire to chug glass after glass of the provided champagne. The only female in her life that she looked up to and inspired to be had now vanished for good. Gone were the days of mother-daughter night outs and luncheons. The singing in the kitchen, the words of wise and grace. Nadia didn’t even have a boyfriend yet.

Suddenly the champagne lost its taste and she set the half-empty glass hard on the cloth table. Her face began to burn, tensing as she remembered every moment she defied her mother. All for what? Though their relationship was good, Nadia’s pride kept her from many chances to apologize and now…

Someone to her right cleared his throat and Nadia hurriedly wiped her face, her vision blurred by tears. It was the gentleman from before. His hair though short was gelled back revealing a small loop earring. Like his cohorts in black who were making their way through the crowd, he wore a red tie and a Rolex watch that gleamed as he tucked a lose strand behind his ear. He was definitely around her age.

“Ms. Nadia. I wish we could have met under happy circumstances.” He contrasted with the other mourners, a man of the Far East as they say. “It’s better now than never.”  

His accent was light, his smile non-existent and the young woman liked the mystique he held in his eyes. He pressed his rosy lips together and bowed offering a beautiful bouquet of lilies.

Nadia blinked away lingering tears. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t know you. You were a friend of my mother?”

“Your father. He apologizes for not being by your side during this dark hour. Something has come up with his business and he had to cancel.”  His accomplices, both in shades, bowed in unison.

 

“What?” Nadia’s eyebrows knitted together as she accepted the flowers. Her father was an Iraq war veteran and unfortunately the victim of friendly fire. She glanced down at the bunch of exotic petals. Her mother always loved to put white flowers in her hair when she was happy.  If Nadia wasn’t so confused and depressed, she would have felt moved by the thoughtful gift.

“My name is Aiko Takeda and the men behind me are Riku and Genji. They also work with your father.”

Nadia stared at the tougher looking men before addressing Aiko. “You do realize my father has been dead for 3 years now?”

The brim of Nadia’s hat came up to the man’s lips and he reached to cup her puffy face. “Ms. Nadia, you have grown far too old for such little lies.”

After many handshakes and “thank you”s, the preacher entered the chapel and everyone followed. While Aunt Sarah ushered the Grey children inside, counting heads, she happened to spot her only niece making acquaintance with three suspicious looking characters.

Her eyes widened when she recognized the red tie on the male touching Nadia’s face. Her heart skipped a beat and she actually crushed the program in her hand as she pushed through the crowd. She nearly tripped on the shiny hardwood floor and managed to grab a hold of Nadia’s arm.

She exhaled. “Nadia, sweetheart the service is starting.” Sarah eyed the men as she practically shoved her niece away.  Nadia took one last look behind her before joining the moving crowd. Aiko watched her. She was much softer than he imagined and she walked like a gazelle with long legs mostly hidden under an embroidered dress. He would have liked to study her more but her aunt blocked the view.

“You have quite some nerve coming here.” Sarah spoke through her teeth.

“It’s a reasonable gesture.”

“Oh! On the day my sister is put into the ground?  Get out of here.”

The men straightened their posture and Aiko took a step closer. This woman was nothing like the late Vivian Grey. She was older and held a tired expression that seemed to have been present long before her sister’s passing.

“Our business is not with you woman.  It is Ms. Nadia we wish to speak with.”

“That child has no business with you. She needs to grieve her mother.”

“And we grieve with her. To deny us the honor of paying our respects would be an insult to not only our boss but to Nadia as well. ”

 

Sarah sucked her teeth glancing at the wall where a polished metal cross hung. “You are welcome to sit in for the service but after that you need to leave. You can’t speak to Nadia. Not today.” She turned to walk away.

“How long to you intend holding on to this lie?”

Sarah grabbed a statue for support.  “She doesn’t need to know.”

“She might already have a clue.”

“What are you saying?” Sarah approached him again. “What the hell did you tell her?”

The bright pews were filled to the armrests packing in elaborate hats, suits and paper fans. Nadia sat with her brothers on the front row playing with the soft petals of a white lily. She slowly looked behind her for the sixth time, wondering if Aiko, the mystery would come strolling in with his daunting goons.

The chapel dimmed for a moment, as a cloud passed over the glass ceiling and the preacher took his stand behind the podium, behind the white coffin. What could be seen, under all the roses, sparkled in the sunlight and Nadia found peace in not looking at it.

Instead she thought about Aiko and the remark about her father. Everyone knew Jamal David Bennett was dead. Everyone.  Yet the covert Asian man spoke as if the guy was stilling walking the Earth. It was impossible, illogical, unless…

The possibility made Nadia apprehensive and she turned to her youngest brother Brandon who leaned over his knees to weep. The twins, Darrel and Damien, grieved in silence staring at the casket as if their mother would climb out at any second.

It was true Nadia could see the remnants of Jamal Bennett in all her brothers in some way. That stirred her. She really didn’t look a thing like the fallen solider but then she was always told that she took after her mother, a spitting image. Sure Nadia’s complexion was lighter than the boys but then again so was her mother’s. They were all African-American.  Nadia finally looked at the casket and found herself moving towards it and finally placing a hand on the magnificent surface.

“You would have told me if I was someone else’s daughter, right?” She whispered low enough to where the preacher could not hear.  “You wouldn’t keep that from me, right?”

A knot developed in Nadia’s stomach and she suddenly felt ill. The lilies in her left hand dropped to the floor as long fingers grasped her right.  Black eyes peered into her perhaps speaking for his inanimate lips.

“Aiko.”

Nadia had no idea how long he’d been standing there and was just as pleasantly surprised when he pulled her into a hug. It was stiff yet incredibly warm and Nadia felt comfort as she cried into his shoulder.  Aiko stared at the predominately black congregation becoming full aware of his significance but continued to press the woman into him liking the fingers on his chest.  

“Ms. Nadia,” He leaned into her ear, breathing in her floral scent. “The man you knew as your father is not who you think he is. Forgive me for relaying such untimely news but I want nothing more than to be honest to you.”

Nadia lifted her head, clearly in pain. “It would be so much better if you lied to me.”

“Even if that were possible I would not.” He found himself brushing her cheek with the back of his fingers and pulled away remembering who she was.

An organ abruptly ran over the scales and proceeded to play Amazing Grace. The guests sang along rising to their feet as the preacher instructed. Aiko remained focused on the young woman he flew over one thousand miles for. He knew getting close to his boss’ daughters was a sin that was easy to avoid but Nadia was undoubtedly a challenge.  She was just so soft.

He hummed to himself and reached into the breast pocket of his jacket to pull out an envelope. Nadia took the white paper as if it would explode at any moment. 

“Besides the flowers this is the only offer he can give, Ms. Nadia. I unfortunately cannot force you to go.”

Her fingers actually trembled as she opened the envelope. “A plane ticket?” She could barely hear herself over the choir. “To Japan?”

Aiko bowed. “Forgive me for saying, but your Aunt Sarah can no longer choose your destiny. You belong in Japan with your father. But that is my opinion alone. You are more than able to make your own decisions.”

Appearing out of thin air as it seemed, Aunt Sarah slapped Aiko’s chest with her program. “Didn’t I say you couldn’t talk to her? Leave! Now!” She had been dealing with Aiko’s lackeys who kept her outside the chapel. She stood between the couple. “Nadia, you can forget everything this wackjob said. Ignore him. He’s a complete stranger.”

Aiko remained fervent. “You can calm yourself woman. Ms. Nadia and I are finished speaking.” He turned to stroll down the aisle.

“Wait a minute, Aiko.”

Sarah grabbed her niece’s arm. “Don’t you dare run after him and what is that he gave you? Give it to me.”

Nadia snatched her arm away. “It’s none of your business.”

“It involves a complete stranger and my only niece so of course it’s my business.”

“Half the people here only knew Mom from the neighborhood so what stops you from freaking out over them? The better question is why is he talking about my father being alive and in Japan of all places?”

Her aunt faltered in keeping direct eye contact and hesitantly reached to rub her arms.  “That is nothing to concern yourself with Nadia. Your mother is dead. Don’t you want to grieve her death?”

Nadia shook her head and ran down the aisle. Even with such a dramatic display, the preacher still preached, the people still mourned and the organ still blared. If anyone suspected a thing, it would be presumed she was just overcome with emotional grief.

Aiko had made it to the parking lot and slid into the back of a black Mercedes. He rubbed his temple while twirling a cigarette between two fingers.

Genji, his driver, watched him through the rear view mirror and cursed in Japanese. “Shit. I always knew you liked foreigners Aiko but out of all the women in America you choose Lady Nadia.”

“Don’t speak like that. I never said I liked her. I only pity her.”

“I do as well.” Riku in the passenger’s seat chimed in. “On the day of your mother’s funeral you find out your dead father wasn’t even your biological parent. Harsh.”

Aiko hummed and looked out the window just as Nadia’s hands pressed against the glass. She gasping tapping the window just as the engine started up.

“Talk to your woman, Aiko.” Genji teased with a grin.

“Shut up and roll down the window.”  He tried his best to remain as solemn as their first exchange.

“Why now?” Nadia bit her lip. “Why come today? If this is all true, then why didn’t my mother say anything?”

“That is not for me to answer,Ms. Nadia. I am only following orders. Perhaps your Aunt Sarah can answer on your mother’s behalf.”

She grasped the car door minding the ticket still in her hands. Sarah would have to be dealt with later. “My father, the real one, does he at least want to see me?”

Aiko stared at the little fingers gripping his car, the perfectly manicured nails, and the ring on her pinky. He wanted to kiss the silver accessory.  “As myself, it would move him to see your presence but he understands if you want nothing to do with him.”

That same stinging sensation crept into her eyes and Nadia dropped her gaze. Everything she thought she knew about her family, about herself, was unraveling and it had to be on the day of her mother’s burial. Nadia crumbled the empty envelope in her hands.

“I know this hurts, Ms. Nadia. But you no longer have a family here. Your place, your real family, is in Japan. You have until the date of the flight.”

Nadia exhaled into the breeze, eyes glossy as she stared into the black Mercedes. Tiny petals from the surrounding trees caught in her curly hair that fell to just passed her ears. She leaned away from the car clutching the ticket to her chest, her cleavage that Aiko hadn’t noticed until now. Her eyes were soulful, sad as if waiting for him to speak more about this new revelation.  Aiko found his boss’ daughter too stunning.

He cleared his throat and returned to his usual blank-faced demeanor. “Until he meet again, Ms. Nadia.”

“Okay.” She quietly squeaked out as the car lurched passed her kicking up dust and flower petals. It disappeared over a hill and Nadia stayed put until she could no longer hear the expensive car.

“Nadia!”

She turned to look at her aunt but all she saw was a traitor.

 

 












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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.