"Well, now, this is a right expensive vehicle." Darren ran his hands over the soft leather interior of the E Class Mercedes Benz. He adjusted himself in the front passenger seat and smiled broadly. "Mr. Yukimoto's people don't want for cash, do they?"

"Grandpa, I told you, the house is like a museum and there are lots of servants and things I have to keep away from so I won't break em." Shouda sat in his grandma Percy's lap. He looked at his mom and grinned.

"Shouda, tell your grandma how to say, ‘nice to meet you' again." Percy gave him a squeeze.

"Hajimemashite."

"Hajimashta..."

"No, grandma, hajim-e-mashi-te."

"Jahimenachte," Darren practiced in the front seat. Shouda burst out laughing and leaned forward.

"Ha-hajime-mashit-e grandpa."

"Oh, hajime..."

"How do you say, ‘bold faced lie?'" Ward mumbled.

"Bod-man." Sara warned. Shouda was exhibiting no signs of nervousness at all. Lately, anything that involved him seeing his father made him ecstatic. Ward was his usual spectator-ready-to-turn-into-the-peanut-gallery self. The vibe she picked up from Darren Percy was that of a mission. They were calm enough, but then they always were before entering a battle. Sara prayed to the Lord not to let this lunch turn into a battle. If for no other reason, because Shouda would be there.

They pulled into the familiar curved driveway and stopped in front of the grand entrance. This time the front doors opened before they were out of the car. Two male servants quickly headed for the truck of the Mercedes and began unloading luggage. Another male servant stood just outside the door and two female servants stood inside. Shouda took Darren's hand with his right and Percy's with his left and headed up the stairs.

"Those are bonsai trees." He explained motioning with Darren's hand.

"You don't say. I thought they were smaller." Darren inspected one of the gigantic specimen carefully.

"Some types are very small and some even flower. Did you know that?"

"No, I did not." Darren squeezed Shouda's hand. "Is that something you learned up at that big fancy school of yours?"

"No, everyone knows that grandpa." Shouda shook his head.

"Did you hear that Percy? Everyone knows."

"I did." She adjusted her sunshades and smiled down at Shouda. Darren returned with a sour expression before Shouda pulled them into the genken.  Mr. and Mrs. Umezawa were standing in waiting. Yuki and Kaoru stood in front of them.

"Take off your shoes here and put those on." Shouda instructed and pointed to the mules waiting side-by-side.

Yuki had no idea how this would all turn out. His glance at Sara told him she was thinking the same thing. Shouda, however, seemed to be having the time of his life as he guided his grandparents. When he turned his attention to Yuki, his smile broadened even more and he came up and gave him a hug.

"Dad, we arrived safely. Grandpa likes the car you sent for us."

"I am gratified that he approved." He hugged his son in return and turned to Sara's parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Richards, welcome - to our-home." His welcome was in English and he bowed very low.

Darren took the lead and bowed. This time his bow was better. It was more at a thirty degree angle. Percy followed her husband. Shouda had earlier explain that the lower the bow, the more respect was demonstrated. Darren Percy had grumbled about it but took to practicing. It was a custom they could neither fathom nor let go of their own pride enough to completely comply with. Western cultures are not governed by physical displays of respect.

"Thank you young man. This must be your pretty little wife." He turned to Kaoru who bowed keeping her eyes lowered.

"Yes, this is - my wife, Kaoru." 

"Haijimemashite." Darren bowed slightly and Kaoru's surprise registered on her face. He pointed and chuckled at her to which she laughed discreetly and bowed again. She stepped aside and exchanged greetings with Percy before Yuki presented them to his parents.

"Father, mother, may I present Mr. Darren Richards and Mrs. Percy Richards." They both bowed after he finished his presentation in Japanese. He then addressed Darren Percy in English, "Mr and Mrs. Richards, my father Umezawa Kenji and my mother Umezawa Izumi." Again, another thirty degree bow and Mr. Umezawa stepped forward and shook Darren's hand.

"It is a pleasure to have you in our house Mr. Richards." He said in perfect English.

"Thank you, call me Darren." He said with a surprised smile. Mr. Umezawa approached Percy and extended his hand. When she offered hers, he took it and brought it toward his lips with a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you." He said before lightly touching it to them. Yuki's brow arched and he looked at Percy. For a moment she was shocked, she recovered quickly.

"Nice to meet you." She responded flatly.

"Allow my wife and I to show you your rooms."

Mr. Umezawa continued with Darren while Percy walked beside Mrs. Umezawa.

"Do you understand English too?" Percy looked at Yuki's mother expectantly who blinked a few times.

"No," and sped up.

Percy was in a quandary as to how she should take them. Mr. Umezawa with his smooth English and Mrs. Umezawa with her curt attitude. No wonder they had a selfish gigolo for a son. She observed that Darren was getting on well with Mr. Umezawa. They talked and laughed as they walked down the halls. They were shown into a very open room much like a living room. There was a bedroom off to one side and a bathroom to the other.

"I am sure you will be comfortable here." Mr. Umezawa inspected the rooms as he walked around. "Shall we see the reset of the house?" He led the way and Darren eagerly followed.

Percy had to admit the rooms were luxurious. Not that she and Darren didn't have money of their own, but she wondered how her very practical daughter ended up getting involved with the son of such a rich family. Sara had never hid him from them, in fact, she had spoken of him often. In her communications, he had always come across as being much like her daughter, that is to say, they suited each other. Percy never figured him for a rich man's son.

Meeting him at the airport and in the time they had spent together since, he seemed grounded, somewhat quiet, very patient and hard working. She would not say that she liked him, after all, he had impregnated her daughter and left her high and dry. Still... 

"Come."

The voice broke her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Mrs. Umezawa standing at the door.

"So you do know English."

"No."

"Then how do you know what I'm saying?" Percy put her hands on her hips.

"I guess." Mrs. Umezawa beckoned her with her hand impatiently. "The house." With that, she left. Percy sucked her teeth before leaving the room. For the first time since she arrived, she wished she could speak Japanese as well as Sara. She had a feeling she and this woman needed to get a few things straight.

Lunch was patterned after the Western style of eating. Although the food was Japanese, modifications were made to make it more palatable to the foreign tongue and forks and spoons as well as chopsticks were placed on the table. The conversation was a mixture of Japanese and English. Those fluent in both languages would fluctuate between the two depending on the intended audience. Yuki continued to persevere in his monotoned yet careful English. Mrs. Umezawa chose Japanese with English words spattered throughout. 

The air was pregnant with the charge that comes from a meeting of cultures. Awkwardness, frustration, insecurity, eagerness, the drive to communicate meeting all oncoming challenges until the participants begin let go of the tight hold they posses of their own traditions of thought and gradually let those of another in. 

"Well, I don't see any point in squeezing around the elephant in the room." Darren began as he finished off his water. Percy followed with a reverent sounding ‘hmm.' "Your son and my daughter have a child."

"That is correct." Mr. Umezawa nodded calmly. Mrs. Umezawa looked pensive.

"Your son is married to this very charming Kaoru." He smiled in her direction.

"Yes, they are married."

"What exactly is your plan of action here? Your thoughts as to how we should handle the situation?" He leaned back slightly in his chair and rested his hand on his thigh. Sara smiled at Shouda who was looking back and forth between his two grandfathers. 

"This is precisely what I wished to speak with you about Darren. I am glad that you have brought it up here so we all can hear the outcome. We wish to be a part of Shouda's life since we found out about him. I think we can say that we have grown fond of each other. Am I not right young Shouda?" He turned confidently to his grandson.

"Yes!" Shouda nodded vigorously.

"Good. We also wish to respect and support Sara's wishes. She has already outlined some of these to us."

"I'd say so." Percy lifted her chin.

"We are also committed to looking after her in anyway that becomes necessary."

"I see." Darren rubbed his finger back and forth under his bottom lip calmly looking at the table, then he looked Mr. Umezawa squarely in face. "I appreciate your hospitality and the good words you've given. I think I have Percy's absolute agreement when I say these feelings in short." Darren leaned forward and his forehead rippled as his brows arched. "We did not raise our daughter to be a strong free thinking black woman, do the dip and dodge to keep her away from useless Negros, educate her, spur and support her creativity and suffer the loss as she moved to the other side of the planet, for her to end up with your boot on her neck."

"Amen." Percy nodded her head and re-situated herself in her chair.

"Boot? What boot?" Mrs. Umezawa blinked and looked between her husband and Darren.

"Go on and translate that for her. While your doing that," he looked around for a servant and held up the an empty serving dish, "I'd like some more of the seaweed salad. Percy, we need to learn how to make this."

Mr. Umezawa interpreted his speech smoothly and quickly as he eyed a servant to fill his guests request. Then he turned from a disgruntled looking Mrs. Umezawa to Darren.

"That is exactly why my wife, who is at times...overzealous, has agreed to Sara's requests concerning Shouda. It is our hope that she will look over our failures in the past and continue to be as kind and thoughtful as she has been thus far." He smiled at Sara who smiled and lowered her eyes.

"That sounds right nice, don't you think so Percy?"

"I do, sounds pretty as a politician." She gave her brightest Atlanta smile.

***

Everyone stayed until late afternoon, then it was time to prepare. The Mr. and Mrs. Umezawa had invited Darren Percy to The Symphony Hall to enjoy a performance by the Ōsaka Philharmonic Orchestra. The Umezawas departed and Sara and Shouda walked Darren Percy back to their rooms. Shouda ran to help Ward inspect things while Sara stopped her mother and father at the door.

"Thanks dad." She gave him a warm hug and leaned back. "The way you let your feelings known was so familiar and strengthening. I miss that being away from you."

"Baby, you know you always have our support." Percy looked affectionately at her daughter and glided her fingers down Sara's face.

"I know, but its still nice to see it in action Darren Percy style." She laughed.

"What is this Darren Percy style?" Percy asked confused.

"What do you mean?" Darren concurred.

Sara smiled broadly, "Seriously? You don't know? That Atlanta bulldog with peach blossoms decorating its neck way you have of doing business."

"Don't talk such nonsense," Percy slapped the notion away with a flick of the wrist before roaming further into the room, "you and Ward always did have fanciful ideas about us."

Sara only laughed and called after Shouda.

"Come on then, grandpa and grandma have to get ready for the symphony."

Yuki looked up at the early evening sky. The dust particles in the air blazed a surreal purple flame across it. Some other feeling smoldered in his heart leaving a pulsating dull pain in its wake. He liked Mr. Darren and Mrs. Percy. They were much like Sara, open, honest and alive. They had accepted his parents honorably and were committed to respecting them in their own way. How different things would be if he had acted honorably in the past.

The front door opened and Sara, Ward and Shouda stepped out onto the porch.

"Dad," Shouda grabbed his hand, "you will walk us to the car?"

"Yes." He glance up at Sara as she closed the door softly behind her before turning to walk down the steps with his son. "Did you enjoy lunch?"

"I did enjoy it. Your dad and my grandfather get along very well." Shouda swung their hands back and forth as they walked.

"I think so too. It is good."

"I wonder if grandmother Richards and your mother will get along. They did not talk much." He looked up at his father.

"No, they did not. Some people need time to get better acquainted though. We must continue to be patient."

"I agree." The two men smiled at each other as they reached the car. Yuki bent down and gave his son a hug before ushering him into the back seat after Ward. Then he turned to Sara who discreetly closed the car door. "It is done."

"Yes, it is." They looked at each other.

"I think it was much better than at the airport."

"Oh, much." They laughed.

"You were very calm."

"So were you, but then, you usually are."

He looked embarrassed. "You mean boring."

"I mean calm." She said with a bit more force. She placed her hand on his cheek, "Yuki, you are handling this very well."

He went to reach for her hand, but changed his mind. "I should go and prepare." He smiled and nodded before opening the door for her. She glided in and he shut it after her. It was then that he noticed the warmth on his cheek reflected the feeling in his heart. They both pulsed with a painful energy.

***

The Umezawas and Darren Percy walk up the steps between the brilliant ivory columns of The Symphony Hall. Mr. and Mrs. Umezawa the epitome of refined Japanese elegance. Darren Percy the perfect representation of Atlanta's finest. Many heads turned as they walked into the receiving hall. An attendant waited to show them to their seats as they mingled with other attendees. 

Mr. Umezawa introduced them smoothy and self-confidently as the grandparents of his grandson Shouda Richards. Everyone was very polite and asked safe questions. Finally, they made their way with the attendant to their seats. The Umezawa family had two rows of permanent seats in the second box on the upper left side.

To her credit, when Percy found herself sitting next to Mrs. Umezawa she made another attempt to be friendly. After taking in the enormous flue pipe organ and wood façade that almost completely covered the wall behind the stage, she turned to the paternal grandmother of her grandchild.

"Do you like the symphony Mrs. Umezawa?"

"Of course, who does not like."

"You'd be surprised." Percy said flatly.

Mrs. Umezawa turned to her, "You do not like? But, Sara is so cultured for western woman of difficult origin."

"What?" Percy's head jerked toward the woman just as the lights lowered and the orchestra tuned together.

***

Shouda slept soundlessly in his bed while Sara and Ward talked of the day over another bottle of wine. This time, there were two glasses.

"I think there will be problems between ogre Umezawa and mom." Ward tipped his glass in Sara's direction as if to solidify his observation.

"You think?" Sara laughed. "Definitely."

"And what was the little rendezvous by the car between you and your baby's daddy?"

"Rendezvous? We simply spoke briefly of the evening and fortified each other resolve. It was more like a strengthening of allied forces."

Ward burst out laughing, "Good one. However, I don't remember seeing anything about Eisenhower caressing MacARthur's face anywhere."

Sara threw his pillow at him before laughing. "Subconscious gesture." They laughed for a bit before Ward became quiet again.

"Its too bad we can't knock off the wife."

"Bod-man. I have no desire to get rid of Kaoru. Don't even joke about it. Besides, I am with Kamir, they are married and I'm no home wrecker."

"Too bad about that too."

"Bod-man!"

"Do me a favor and pretend not to be bored when I fly out tomorrow. Oh and keep me posted. It's like a soap, clash of the cultures, four grandparents and a child out of wedlock."

"Fool." Sara inched up closer to him and put her arms around him. "I will miss you though."

"Likewise Sara...is there anymore wine?"

"What? No, say something full of mushy familial love." They laughed and squirmed.

"Hell, if you want mushy you got to give me more wine."

***

Percy threw her purse on the bed and stalked into the bathroom.

"Percy, you have been huffing and glaring and curving your face into that fake smile all evening. What is the matter with you?" Darren blinked after his wife with one hand on his hip.

Percy came charging back out of the bathroom. "That woman, that foreign, pale faced, insolent, squatty, rice chompen bullfrog of a woman said my baby was a westerner of difficult origin..."

"Wait a minute now."

"...and she implied that I was uncultured after assuming with her flat ass that I didn't like the symphony." She turned on her heels and plowed back into the bathroom with Darren close behind.

"Wait a minute Percy. Now, she could have said a lot worse..."

"Don't you give me the run around Darren Richards," Percy carefully pulled her blouse over her face and make-up before beginning to twist her dreads up, "the only reason she didn't was cause she didn't have the vocabulary."

"Why do you let yourself get so riled up by such a simple minded woman? I don't understand."

"Simple minded? Do you see my butt?"

"What?"

"I said do you see these large ham hocks I got back here? I know I got some junk in this truck just as well as I know that woman. Simple minded my large back Atlanta ass."

"Percy."

"I'm telling you right now Darren. I am keeping a jar of Vaseline ready whenever I am with her, because one day me and that woman are going to come to blows. Do you hear me?" She reached for her facial cleanser and jerked the lid off.

"All right baby, just calm down." Darren found himself slightly amused by the whole situation to tell the truth. It had been a while since this side of Percy came out. It brought back good memories of the Tuskegee University.

"She's a damn Japanese racist." Percy said jamming the toothpaste in the brush.