Part 12 (1/2)

Chapter Eighteen.

As Mary waited for Mitsuo to join her, she felt the wind lift her hair and mold her thin cotton dress to her slim body. Love had transformed her and she was completely happy for the first time since her father died.

Mitsuo was her first love. She was certain she would never love anyone else. He loved her so much, he allowed her to set the pace although it was clear he wanted her. She respected his self-control. Although they were very pa.s.sionate together, Mitsuo never crossed the line. He thought she was a timid maiden. He didn't know she was afraid. The final act seemed tawdry and dirty to her. She loved kissing and touching, but she was afraid going all the way would ruin everything. And she was terrified he'd despise her as a fallen woman if he discovered she had been spoiled.

Then, of course, there was the Sadako problem. They rarely talked about it, but it weighed heavily on both their hearts. Mary considered Sadako her best and only friend. How could she betray her like this?

”One cannot choose who to fall in love with. The heart wants what the heart wants. Attraction is destiny.” Mary remembered her mother's words, but it didn't make her feel better.

Her quandary made torment and ecstasy her companions for the past three months. She knew Mitsuo also agonized over the choices before him. Mary didn't make demands. She wanted to enjoy the moment for as long as it lasted.

”Mary.” A voice interrupted her thoughts by whispering into her ear as arms slipped around her waist.

Mary turned and smiled at Mitsuo. Throwing her head back, her lips parted and she threw her arms around his neck. ”I love you,” she announced before kissing him.

Mitsuo's fingers threaded through her thick hair, ”what makes you so happy?”

”Being with you.”

Mitsuo put his arm around her waist. They walked in aimless silence for a few minutes. When he stopped, he cupped her chin in his hand, ”I've joined the Army. They've created an all-Nisei unit, the 442nd.”

Mary stopped walking. ”Why?”

”Because this is my country,” Mitsuo grabbed her hands in his. ”Don't worry. I'll come back. And when I do, we'll get married.”

Mary melted against him for a moment before backing away. She put her hand on her throat. ”Your parents...Sadako.”

”Before I leave, I'll announce our engagement.” Mitsuo put his arms around her. ”I want to be with you for the rest of my life.”

In spite of the complications, Mary felt sublimely happy.

Mary sensed the oppression in the Kawae household as soon as she entered the house after working in the store all day. Kawae san paced in the parlor with his head down. In the corner, his wife sobbed in Sadako's arms. Mary bent her head, trying not to witness to their suffering, but Sadako called to her.

Sadako fell into Mary's arms.

Mary hugged the trembling girl. ”What is it?”

Sadako cried so hard she couldn't talk.

Mary shook her. ”Sadako, what's the matter?”

”We've been relocated!”

”I don't understand.”

”The government told us we have forty-eight hours to pack up and leave for a relocation center someplace in Arizona,” Kawae san said.

”Why?”

”Because father runs the j.a.panese-language school,” Sadako wrung her hands.

”I still don't understand.”

”They want to make sure we're not spies.” Sadako wiped tears from her eyes.

”What about the store? Your house?” Mary dropped her hands.

”It's not fair!” Sadako began pacing. ”I'm an American!”

Sadako's mother looked at Mary and said. ”We can only take what we can carry. We're allowed only two suitcases each.” Masako Kawae's eyes swept sadly around the room. Their house was more luxurious than most j.a.panese. They had a tansu, a wedding chest from j.a.pan filled with silk kimonos. Zabutons, the brightly colored sitting cus.h.i.+ons j.a.panese favored, were placed around a low table on top of straw tatami mats. A decorative scroll hung on the bare wooden walls as well as a portrait of the Kawaes in j.a.panese dress. There was a small shrine in the corner of the room for Sadako's brother who died as a little child. Mary could see despite their pain, the Kawae's had remembered the little bowl of rice inside the shrine. The smell of incense floated from the shrine.

Masako's eyes lingered on the wedding chest. ”I brought that from j.a.pan. It was my grandmother's.” Her eyes went around the room. ”We must take poor Tadas.h.i.+'s shrine.” She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief as Sadako rushed over to comfort her.

Mary wept.

The next evening, Mary packed her things to return home. Sadako came up the stairs to her room and began to pace back and forth. Ordinarily, Mary would have noticed something was up, but she was preoccupied with thoughts of Mitsuo, the war, her future, and the relocation centers.

Sadako stopped pacing. ”The Tanakas are coming over tonight.”

Mary turned. ”What for?”

Sadako brightened. Her mouth curved into a little smile. ”It's a good surprise. Make sure you come downstairs when they arrive.” Before Mary could say anything, Sadako closed the door and ran down the stairs giggling.

A few hours later, Mary entered the living room and saw Mitsuo standing next to Sadako. Her arm was linked through his. Mitsuo avoided Mary's eyes. Sadako was so happy she looked almost pretty. She wore her best dress and clung to Mitsuo.

Then Mary saw the gold ring on her left hand.

Sadako rushed to Mary's side, hugging and kissing her. ”Mary! Now I can tell you my secret. Mitsuo and I got married today!”

Mary turned her eyes to Mitsuo who looked at the floor. Without a word, she turned and walked out the door and up to her room.

There was a knock on her door. Mary lay on her futon with her head turned to the wall and her eyes closed. She heard the door open followed by the soft pad of footsteps on the floor. She opened her eyes and saw Keiko Tanaka. ”It all works out,” Keiko said. ”Sadako can stay here now she has a husband who enlisted. When the war is over, Mitsuo can go to school. Sadako loves Mitsuo enough for the both of them.”

Mary tried to sit up, but Keiko gently pushed her down. ”We cannot change our destinies. That is the way of things. I'm truly sorry for you and I'm also sorry for Mitsuo.”

”How did you know?”

”I'm not blind. I've seen the way you two look at each other. But marriage and love seldom go together. In time, Mitsuo will learn to be happy with Sadako. She brings him financial stability and a future as her dowry. With you, he could never become the doctor he wants to be. In the end, he might have despised you for destroying his dream.”

Mary squeezed her eyes and tried to shut out Keiko's voice. To her great shame, she cried.

Kazuko returned home from selling baskets of tomatoes and sat down on the floor atop two faded zabutons. She took a cigarette from her ap.r.o.n pocket and lit up, savoring the strong, bitter taste. The weather was sultry, but not unpleasantly so. She felt sure there would be rain later tonight.

Looking out the window, she spied Mariko and Takeo walking together, their heads bowed in conversation. They were beautiful and intelligent with an air of aristocracy like her parents. Perhaps that was why she was unable to feel the spontaneous warmth she felt for her other children. Dragging on her cigarette, she wondered where all the years had gone.