For the second day in a row, Kaoru sat at what Sara now called the accounting desk glad it was occupied by someone else. She glanced over at Kaoru. With the ledger open she flipped from computer screen to computer screen rapidly. Before closing the store, Sara had reviewed her work the previous day. Her trained eye told her Kaoru knew her art well. Sara grabbed an order board and went to her office where her clients sat deciding on the last few details for University graduation announcements and invitations for a celebratory gathering. 

In her office, she sat patiently with the graduate, her mother and father as they calmly debated a few options and made their final selections. She smiled politely, congratulated them on their choices and highlighted all their positive aspects. Together, they meticulously filled out the order board, checking and rechecking the request in confirmation. 

When everyone was satisfied, they stood and bowed, she discreetly guided them to the assistant who, with equal discretion, informed them the amount of the deposit. The father shook Sara's hand a bowed again, then happily gathered his family and ushered them out the doors.

"Everyone's stomach muscles must be in top shape."

Sara turned to Kamir perched against the wood of her office wall partition.

"Kamir, its nice to see you."

He walked towards her.

"How are we today?"

"We are fine." Sara smiled.

He put up his finger.

"I'm sorry, I don't quite believe you." Sara looked down. "You must think a horrible kind of brute. I force you to ride rickshaws, follow you to private explosive family gatherings, touch you inappropriately for so short an acquaintance, show up unannounced and unexpected at your place of business and call you a liar to your face." She looked back at him with a small smile. "Now that you put it like that, I am a brute."

"I enjoyed the rickshaw ride?" She rocked her left heel from one side to the other.

A smirk touched his lips.

"Well, what are we going to do about it?"

"About what?"

Kamir rubbed his chin then brightened.

"I know, take me to the Aquarium."

"In the middle of a work day? I have appointments." Surely he had to be joking. 

"Actually, I'm your next appointment."

"Wait a minute." Sara turned to check her book but Kamir grabbed her hand. She turned  back to him surprised.

"Sara, trust me, I'm your appointment for the next two and a half hours."

A kaleidoscope of emotions spun and twisted over the surface of her face. She didn't try to remove her hand from his, as he suspected she might. There was gentle pull and a slight tremble. Her lips parted slightly, she blinked and her next words were low and laced with apprehension.

"Kamir, the last time I did this, it turned out horribly."

"You have every right to be cautious, we're both adults. We don't know what might happen tomorrow or the day after that. I don't know how long I'll be here, you don't know whats going to happen next with your affairs, but call me selfish, call me a brute. I won't stand and do nothing." They stared at each other. She reminded him of some the beautiful old temples that stood in his country sentinels of the past. The were weathered sturdy, yet little by little - year after year, tiny fissures creeped up their columns, over their arches, along the walls and ceilings threatening to level them to the ground.

"I don't want your pity."

"You have my admiration."

"I don't know what we can do for each other."

"Help your brother's boat across and your own will reach the shore."

She squinted.

"Did you just pull a Hindu proverb on me?"

"I did." He watched her smile despite herself and laugh. He let go of her hand.

She turned, "Since you're adult and all, come on back while I get my stuff."

He followed, "That's right cause you're paying."

She laughed then stopped mid-step, "Wait, are you engaged?"

"What? No." He stood in place while she started walking again. He wasn't sure what just happened, but he had a feeling it was significant. He followed her into her clinic. "So this is where you work your magic."

"You remember Umezawa Kaoru-san? She is Yukimoto's wife." Sara grabbed her purse.

"Kamir Dubashi. Yes, I do," Kamir bowed. "Forgive my intrusion the other day. It was very impolite."

Kaoru had not payed much attention to him when Sara came for Shouda. She surely had not taken in any of his details. Now that she was able to look at him properly, she could not remember ever seeing someone so beautiful. His bow was more fluid than Japanese men, she could tell its origins were from another place. He also looked back up after bending over and caught her eye, this also was very different. She remained in her seat and bowed her own head.

"Think nothing of it. It was an exciting day for us all." Her eyes trailed up to his and then  dropped to her lap, her smile elegant and demure. When she felt brave enough to sneak another look, his eyes were on Sara.

Kaoru turned to her as well. She moved around confidently with her purse hooked on her shoulder mumbling to herself in English. She check this, moved that, jotted down a few notes, put a few things away and stood proudly taking in her clinic. Sara had accomplished something with her life, made decisions that changed her life forever. Moving to Japan could not have been easy, yet she had done it. Adapted. Become successful. 

She could look with pride at what she had put together. This is what Kaoru wanted and exactly what she did not feel. Is that what Yuki admired about Sara years ago, and not herself? Is that what Dubashi-san admired about her now? Where had she gathered her strength from?

"When exactly did you decide you were going to open a business in Japan?" Kamir asked as if he had been inside of Kaoru's mind. Kaoru looked at him.

"I do not know that my thoughts ever purposely ran along those lines Kamir. However, at some point, this became my goal. We have to have goals if we ever wish to accomplish anything." Kaoru watched their relaxed posture and the way Kamir looked at Sara with a flirtatious smile.

"Thank you Kaoru for your help. I am leaving now, but will be back later. Please, do not feel obligated to stay."

"I am very happy to be able to do this for you Sarua. Do not worry, I will not over exert myself." She laughed as Sara chewed at her bottom lip in concern and touched her hand lightly. They both smiled down at Kaoru. She became self-conscious under Kamir's gaze and her own smile slowly faded as she looked down into her lap.

"Very well," She heard Sara say.

"Shall we go?" Kamir asked.

"Yes, bye Kaoru." She nodded to her lap as Sara left.

"Kaoru-san." She nodded again at Kamir's words.

She sat for a few minutes in the same position after they had left. A goal Sara had said...

***

They walked quietly through the Aqua Gate, a long underwater tunnel. Blue Damselfish darted around above their heads and a few Javanese cownose rays glided passed them in inspection, the oral openings of their cone like snouts flapping open and closed. Next was the Japan Forest with samples of Zelkova serrate, an assortment of Maples and fuzzy leafed Strawberry geraniums.

"Have you been here recently?" Kamir asked as they watched an Asian smallclawed otter busy about with his stomach hairs.

"Not since Shouda was little and that," she said pointing to a Giant salamander as it took a breath, the nostril of his huge wide head sitting on the surface of the water, "made him cry." She laughed. 

"No surprise there. God, that thing is enormous." It sat docile enough it large limbs sticking out to either side and its tail extended as it held itself still in the water.

"I believe it was bigger than he was." They walked on.

"How is Shouda doing?" He watched Sara for signs of something, but didn't get any.

"He's great. Having the time of his life with Ward. I'll feel better once he starts at the Academy though. Yuki, his mother and I are taking him there tomorrow."

Kamir stopped.

"She apologized?" He was surprised, he didn't think the woman had it in her.

"Yes, yesterday with Mr. Umezawa and Yuki and Kaoru and Ward and Shouda all in audience." she bent over laughing. "Scared me to death."

"I bet. Good for you Sara. You've harnessed the beast." He guided them forward.

"I doubt that seriously, but one must seek peace in these types of situation."

"Or, hire a hitm..."

Sara's hand covered his mouth.

"Don't say it. I don't know what my threshold for temptation is at the moment."

He removed her hand from his mouth and smiled down at her. Maybe it was the lightless underwater atmosphere, or maybe it was the comfortable familiarity they shared, but he was suddenly struck by the idea of finding out what her threshold for temptation was.

"Seals, I hear seals." He needed to switch tracks. He had no doubt he would find out, but not at this moment. Right now, he wanted to enjoy her company, hear her laugh, assure her he was harmless.

He watched Sara coo at the small finless porpoises and laugh at the King penguins as they waddled about. She stared in wide-eyed awe at the massive Whale shark, in apprehension as the octopus crawled closer to their position in window and in horror at the Giant spider crab as it sat with two of its segmented legs sticking up in the air as if practicing to balance. Kamir couldn't quite figure her out. How in the world had a simple down-to-earth woman gotten herself mixed up with a family like the Umezawas?

"So there I sat in Bergdorf Goodman as my brother tried on outfit after outfit in the Gucci boutique driving the poor attendant crazy. He stood in the mirror and stuck various poses just like a fashion model." She laughed remembering the attendants frustration and the looks of customers as they walked past.

"Was that before or after he started modeling?" They sat upstairs in a restaurant with bowls of steaming tempura and rice. It had been quite a shock to Kamir when they entered the establishment. There were tables and chairs on the first floor, but Sara had walked to a stairway where she left her shoes, donning slippers and started to climb them as if it was the most normal thing in the world. He had quickly done the same.

Sitting at a low table on floor cushions a waitress had brought tea, which she served and then Sara had ordered an assortment of tempura, miso soup and rice.

People walked the streets below them.

"He was discovered there actually." Sara picked up a lightly battered shrimp and dipped it in sauce with her chopsticks. "He couldn't have been anymore than fourteen at the time." She stuck it in her mouth.

"That was your first visit to New York? Where from?" He tried his best to imitate her fluid movements and dropped his eggplant several times before finally reaching his mouth. Sara didn't seem to notice.

"That was our first visit to New York, come to think of it. Darren Percy brought us with them. Two Atlanta bulldogs taking on bighead Yankee businessman." She laughed. "They are fearless those two."

"Darren Percy?"

"That is what everyone calls my father and mother in reference, even my brother and I. Darren - my father's name and Percy - my mothers. They come in a pair."

"From Atlanta." Kamir copied a southern drawl.

"No, that's a Texas accent." She shook her head.

"Atlanta." He tried again.

"Louisiana."

"You got to be kidding me, you can hear the difference?" He slumped his shoulders.

"Sure can." She drawled. 

"Wow, sounds the same to me."

"Yeah well, don't say that if you find yourself in the South or Texas. Liable to get yourself in trouble." She raised her eyebrows in warning.

"I'll make a note of that."

***

Sara arrived home that night feeling pleased with the day. Kamir was easy to be around and uninhibited. Of course, she hadn't thought that side of his personality so great when he forced her to ride the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, but as they sat up at the top and looked out over the bay and Ōsaka, she had sighed in appreciation. 

"I'm home." She called and slipped out of her shoes.

"Mom, welcome home." Shouda gave her a hug. "Guess what? Uncle Ward and I made dinner!" Then he disappeared into the kitchen. 

"What?" she padded further into the apartment and saw the table set and Shouda passed with something on a tray.

"You look good sister-C, happy." Ward kissed her on the forehead as he passed in an apron.

"What did you make?" She sniffed the air.

"Baked ziti. Mom, go wash your hand so we can eat please." Shouda looked at her in exasperation.

"Okay, okay." She headed to the bathroom.

πππππππππππππππ

The ride to the Academy was quiet. Mrs. Umezawa sat still in the front seat next to Yuki in contemplation. He was surprised that she did not spent the time lecturing her grandson. Perhaps she was wary of Sara and so did not bother. He had not said anything either as he was poised ready to stop his mother from ruining anything else.

Sara and Shouda said very little, but he noticed in the rearview mirror how his son sat under his mother and held her hand. Both of them looking out the window as they wound through the streets, Sara occasionally caressing his head or rubbing his arm. Shouda looked calm enough and he knew Sara could calm any storm with her touch.

It just did not make sense!

"It makes no sense Sarua. Why would he do such a thing? We came to a clear and amicable decision not two days before." He sat on the floor in his apartment with a drink next to his thigh. He felt betrayed. They had worked so hard for the merger. "We went to lunch, we all ate and drank and there was a feeling of finality to the whole deal. He thanked us, we even shook hands several times."

Now he felt like a fool.

"I cannot believe he was dealing with another company simultaneously. He must have known that night," he felt Sara move behind him, "as he drank that expensive sake and ate fatty tuna, that he would be accepting the other company instead." So much time and money down the...

He felt her hands squeeze his shoulders they kneaded into his muscles firmly before rubbing down his arms and back to their original position.

"Can you imagine how much this will cost the company?" He said with less conviction. She targeted his neck with her thumbs pressing from the base of his scull down repeatedly. Then the pads of her fingers pressed into his hair at the occipital bone and carded up his scalp. His eyes fluttered. "We will work it out, I think."

She pulled his head up slightly by the base of his scull then shifted and rubbed her fingers through his hair starting at the temples. She tugged his head back gently so that he was looking into her eyes and smiled.

"Of course you will Yuki." Then she kissed his forehead. He turned around, sitting back on his knees and hauled her onto his lap. He touched his forehead to her, then his nose and then...

"Yuki, the turn is here, you will miss it." His mother's voice brought him out of his daydream and he turn the car just in time to the right. "What were thinking Yukimoto? You would takes to your office most likely. Your brain is working on auto pilot." She tapped his shoulder. "The Academy is just down the road."

He glanced at Sara through the rearview mirror, she lifted her eyebrows in question and he cleared his throat and returned his eyes to the road.

"Dad, did you know grandma and grandpa Richards are coming?" Should suddenly announced.

"No, they are..." Yuki looked back at the two.

"My parents, yes." Sara glanced at him in the mirror.

Mrs. Umezawa pulled her visor down and peered at Sara in her mirror.

"Your parents are coming Sarua-san? Why did you not tell us? They must stay with us, it would be rude to have them stay anywhere else."

"Well, we will be a bit tight in my apartment..."

"Of course." She said superiorly.

"I thank you for your hospitality. I will talk the matter over with them when they arrive." Sara looked at her with growing impatience.

"When will that be?" Mrs. Umezawa blinked back.

"Tomorrow! They should be in the air right now." Shouda wiggled happily in the back seat.

Yuki turned into the Academy parking lot and parked his car. Sara and Shouda got out and Mrs. Umezawa waited for Yuki to open her door. As they walked to the entrance, Mrs. Umezawa struck out ahead, Yuki took his son's free hand and smiled down at him.

"Sarua tells me she always takes you to school and picks your up, is that so?"

"Yes, everyday. Sometimes she brings a treat." He wiggled his eyebrows at his father.

"Well, we will see what we can do. However, this collecting and delivering you will remain the same. Either myself or your mother, is that okay with you?" He squeezed Shouda's nose.

"Yes, I think I can handle this."

Mrs. Umezawa turned to inspect the trio and looked as if she would say something.

"Proceed mother." Yuki gave her a look and she huffed and turned around. He glanced at Sara who's lips curved into a smile, but she continued looking straight ahead. He lifted his head and squeezed Shouda's hand and they followed.

Much fanfare was made, of course. The next Umezawa was entering the Academy.  Yuki felt that perhaps the Board wondered what would happen to their meal ticket since he and Kaoru had not produced a child. They were very happy now and bowed very low, the Director meeting them at the door. They were shown into his office and they flattered his mother, himself and Shouda. Sara was not treated badly, but she wasn't treated as an Umezawa either.

This upset him. Sara was the mother of his son, regardless of them not being married. She had come with him to see and approve the school, surely they would not be so foolish as to snub her. After a conversation in which only she was not included, he opened his mouth to set the matter straight.

"I notice, Director, that you do not speak to my grandson's mother." Everyone stopped moving. Shouda looked from his grandmother to his mother and Yuki found himself doing the same. Sara looked much like a wild animal caught in the headlights of a car.

"Umezawa-san, I am mortified that you think I do not speak to Richards-san." The Director stood very quickly and bowed.

"Not to me, Director. I will have it understood, that just because my grandson's mother is not married to my son, this does not mean I will accept any ill treatment of her." She lifted her head proudly and glared at the Director.

"Yes, Umezawa-san."

"You should also be aware, Director, that she will be here to see him to and from school on many occasions and anything that she considers a problem, will be a problem." Yuki emphasized his last words clearly.

"Yes, Umezawa-san." The Director turned to Sara who still looked a bit dazed. "You will have my full cooperation at all times. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to confide in me and trust that I will handle it quickly and to the best of my ability." He bowed low. "Please forgive me if my manner has offended you Richards-san. We are very honored to have young master Umezawa enroll in the Academy."

"You can call me Shouda Richards." He piped in.

The Director looked at the Umezawas then Shouda once more. "As you wish."

They were led out of the office where the Director and Shouda parted and headed to his class together. Shouda waved at his mother, father and grandmother as he walked away. Yuki looked at Sara who seemed distressed.

"He will be fine."

"I hope so." Her mouth twisted up a little.

"Of course he will be and if he isn't we will raise the Academy to the ground. The Umezawa with our donations, we do not give gold coins to cats." Mrs. Umezawa huffed.

Sara turned to her with a confused looked.

"Umezawa-san, in the Director's office, thank you for speaking up for me but..."

"Do not think you have tamed me Sarua-san. I did so for Shouda. I will not have him distressed because the Director is a fool." With that, she headed to Yuki's car.

Yuki and Sara looked after the cantankerous woman and then at each other before laughing.

"Small battles." She offered.

"They do not necessarily occur in succession." He countered.

"But they do win the war." She smiled mischievously and followed after Mrs. Umezawa.

Yuki fell in behind her.

"Still so headstrong."

She turned her head slightly to the side as she walked.

"And you? Regaining your fortitude." She continued to walk without looking back.

Yuki smiled to himself and walked to the car where he opened the door for his waiting mother and after closing the door for Sara, rounded it and slid into his own seat.

***

Sara sighed when, for the millionth time that day, she thought of Mrs. Umezawa's invitation. She promised Mrs. Umezawa before she got out of Yuki's car that she would talk with them about it. She dreaded the thought. This would be their third visit to Japan in twelve years. The first was soon after she moved, the second, when Shouda was born and now. Culture wise, it was much easier for she and Shouda to go back to the States every few years. Her clinic phone beeped.

"Hello, Sara Richards, how may I assist you?"

"Sara, its me, Kamir."

"Whats the matter? Are you lost?" She looked around for her purse.

"No," she heard him laugh. "I'm so glad you have such confidence in me. Just for the record, I am a proud male, I would crawl through the Thar Desert without water before I would call you if I were lost."

She laughed at him and he laughed at himself.

"Okay so then, you just called me to chat like girlfriends?"

"Woman, what do you think of me? I have absolutely no desire for you to think of me as your girlfriend. I must be doing something wrong. I want lunch." 

"Oh, is it lunchtime already?"

"I'll be there in ten." She heard him moving about.

"Wait, I might not be free."

"You are. Ten minutes." He hung up.