I Will Love You Forever Pt. 2 Ch. 06

Duke shrugged, "I hear things."

"What else have you heard?" Lawrence asked.

"That we're getting a new warden....."

"What?" Lawrence asked alarmed.

"Yessir, I heard that Warden Simmons is being transferred to a minimum security prison."

"Who's taking his place?" Lawrence asked his mind racing.

"Dunno." Duke replied.

"When is this supposed to happen?"

" Duke replied. " Word is that the warden doesn't want to leave but he was given no say in the matter."

"What else do you know?" Lawrence asked.

"Nothing, but I'll keep an ear out."

"Fuck!" Lawrence swore forgetting his no cursing rule for the second time in a few hours. Depending on who Simmons' replacement was everything that he had done here could be blown to hell. Escape had never been a part of his plan but it was now something worth considering. Simmons had been easy to fool and manipulate but whoever was replacing him might not be that easy but on the other hand, the replacement could be someone that he could work with. It was time to begin planning his escape but he would wait to activate the plan until he saw who the new warden was and what he was like.

***********

Spring break came and went faster than anyone could imagine. Andrew and Hathaway's group had grown in numbers and as Andrew had suspected, they needed to elect officers. Andrew could feel Ernie's stare on his back and knew that he had made an enemy. Ernie stayed in the group because it was the only group like it and they were the only friends that he had.

Not once did Becca cross Andrew's mind, he was glad that she was gone and suspected that her leaving was a part of Ernie's anger. No man no matter how weak he was liked knowing that he had been used and it had been a bitter pill for Ernie to swallow. Andrew also knew that Ernie was waiting for Becca to come back. That he would at the very least beat her ass didn't concern him, as far as he was concerned, she deserved it.

What he couldn't forget was what she said about him having a thing for the Jap's wife. The accusation was one that he hadn't examined to closely out of fear that it was true. Could Becca be right? He asked himself for the umpteenth time. Was it because of her that he made no moves on the little group? Maybe, but he didn't think so. The timing wasn't right and Hathaway was right, they had to exercise caution.

********

Andrew was in his room when Hathaway arrived. He hadn't told his parents anything about him other than to say that he was a friend from school. Whether they believed him or not he didn't know although he couldn't think of a reason for why they wouldn't. He could hear his mother asking Hathaway to wait while she called for him.

"Andrew! You have a guest!" she called up the steps.

"Ok mom, send him up!" Andrew called back.

A moment later, Professor Michael Hathaway was sitting in the chair at Andrew's desk.

"Nice house." he commented as he looked around.

"Thanks but is it wise for you to be here?" Andrew asked.

Hathaway smiled at him, pleased that the boy and that was how he thought of him, was thinking.

"It's fine and we need to talk." Hathaway replied.

Andrew felt a nervous fluttering in his stomach, had Becca said something after all?

"As you are well aware, our group is growing." Hathaway said. "And you've been doing a good job of leading it but you need assistance that I can't give you. I can advise you but I can't be seen meeting with the group, if that happened then we would have to disband and reform."

"I understand." Andrew said.

"Pick assistants and make sure that they are people that you can trust. Now tell me what is happening with the black woman and her husband.

Hathaway listened without interrupting and then agreed with Andrew's decision to leave them be for the time being.

"Let them become complacent and when you do begin to act, make sure that it is covertly. You want them to know that it's you but not be able to prove it. Start with the Jew as he seems to be their weakest link."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore." Andrew replied and filled Hathaway in on the fight.

"I heard about that but he still remains their weakest link. Tell me, how did you handle the disobeying of your order?" Hathaway asked.

He already knew, he wasn't without his resources but he wanted to hear what Andrew had to say.

Andrew took a deep breath and answered the question honestly.

"What are the chances that he will disobey you again?"

"Slim to none." Andrew replied confidently.

Hathaway wasn't convinced especially since there was a woman involved.

"And what of the lovely Becca Cartwright?" Hathaway asked.

"What about her?" Andrew asked nervously. He now understood that Hathaway was telling him that he knew everything.

"Wasn't she the reason that your order was disobeyed? So in essence, the disobedience began with her, am I correct?"

"Yes but...."

"So how was she disciplined?" Hathaway asked leaning forward in the chair expectantly.

"I....."

"Did you discipline her?"

"No.... I warned her but she got the message and..."

"Took a train to visit relatives in South Carolina I believe." Hathaway interrupted. "So you discipline the males for disobedience but the females get away with it?" that hardly seems fair.

"But she....."

"Was the one who initially disobeyed the order not to touch the... what is it that you call them? Oh yes the melting pot. She must be very talented with her mouth in order to get one of your most trusted friends to do as she asked."

Hathaway paused to give Andrew time to think about what he was hearing.

"I understand." Andrew replied.

"Do you?" Hathaway asked staring into Andrew's face.

"I got it; I should have punished her as well." Andrew replied.

"Yes but its too late now but in the future... Well I see that you get my point so there's no need to belabor it. I'll contact you in a week to find out who you have selected as officers."

Andrew stood when Hathaway did relived when there was nothing more said about Patricia.

"Thank you for coming Professor."

"You're welcome and please, call me Michael. I am no longer your instructor in the traditional sense."

Andrew walked Hathaway down the stairs and out to his car, when he went back into the house, his father was waiting for him.

"You got a minute?" Harlan asked in a tone that told Andrew that he had better make the time.

"Sure pop." Andrew replied.

He waited until his father sat down before sitting down himself.

"How's work going?" Andrew asked.

"Fine but that isn't why I want to talk to you." Harlan said. "I want to know what you're into and before you say nothing, I know better. Who was that man that was just here?"

"Michael? He's a friend from school and I'm not into anything."

"Did you knock that girl up? Is that why she left?"

"Girl? What girl?" Andrew asked and realized that his father was talking about Becca. "No, we're not together anymore and she's spending the summer in one of the Carolinas visiting family."

"What about these friends of yours, why haven't we met them? And the one that was just here seemed a little off. Andrew, you're into something, I can tell. I seen guys in my unit act the same way when they're doing something that they shouldn't be...."

"Pop, I'm fine!" Andrew said ending the discussion.

Once again, Harlan didn't press the issue after all, who was he to talk?

************

"Are you ready?" Kenji called to Patricia. The one day that he was dreading had arrived. The trip to Manzanar. The memory of the day that he left for the camp was etched deep in his memory; it was one of the most painful days of his life. Even as he thought about it, tears formed in his eyes. If it had been painful for him, it had to have been hell for her.

They had talked about many things but never that day and he thought he knew why, it was just too painful but if they wanted their children to know about that time, they needed to talk about it. In many ways, this day was much like that one. It was beautiful out, the sun was shining and he was waiting for Patricia to come down the stairs. That day...

"I'm ready!" Patricia said coming up from behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. She didn't really want to go but like Kenji, she believed that it was important.

Kenji turned around and hugged her tight. It took him a few minutes to convince himself that he wouldn't be staying at the camp and that he would be returning home with her and the children. Patricia hugged him just as tightly but she was crying, that day was the most painful day in her life with her father disowning her and losing Ralph almost rivaling it.

"Kirei, we don't have to go."

"Yes we do, I want Ralph and Marie to know what happened to you, to us." she replied.

Kenji nodded and kissed her before calling for the children.

Three hours later, they were at the gates of Manzanar. Patricia and Kenji were holding hands so tightly that it was to the point of pain.

"What is this place papa?" Ralph asked.

"This place is a place where many of us who are Japanese lived." Kenji replied.

"You didn't live with mama?"

"For a few months, no and it was not because I didn't want to be with her."

"I don't understand." Ralph said.

"Before you and your sister were born...."

"They put you here because they were afraid of you." Ralph said when Kenji finished his explanation.

Kenji had never really thought about like that, he knew that the government was calling it national security but it was as Ralph had said, it was simply fear. Kenji drover through the gates, his stomach churning as he remembered the first time he entered the camp. The view of the surrounding mountains was just as breathtaking as it had been then but the buildings ruined the effect. The buildings were still the same; the hospital where he had met Paul was still there as was the orphanage.

After a few minutes, he helped Patricia out of the car and then the children. Ralph looked around him and took Marie's hand as Patricia took her other one and Kenji took hers.

Patricia cried when she saw the barracks where Kenji and Hana had lived for months and then understood why he hadn't wanted her to go with him. He had been right; this was no place in which to raise a baby.

"How did you survive this?" she asked as she looked around the small dust caked room taking note of the cracks in the walls. The pieces of cloth that that Kenji and Hana used to try to block the dust out were still crammed in he cracks

"It is only because of you that I did." Kenji replied.

"No one should ever have to live like this." she murmured as tears ran down her face.

"You are right." Kenji agreed as he took out a handkerchief and dried her eyes.

Ralph's eyes were wide as he looked at the small hard cots, "Gramma Hana lived here too?" he asked.

"Yes as well as many others." Kenji replied as he led them from the barracks to the orphanage and then to the hospital as he told them about his life at the camp.

Kenji was carrying Marie, already tired from the walk while Ralph held on to Patricia's hand.

"Papa? Were you scared?" Ralph asked.

"Yes." Kenji replied. "I was very scared but not for myself but for your grandmother. However, I was scared for your mama. She had you in her belly and I was so far away from her and I had to rely on others to keep you and her safe."

"Why didn't you just leave?' Ralph asked not understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I wanted to." Kenji replied, "But it would not have been the best thing for you or your mother. Sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to because of those we love. I stayed because I love you and your mother, do you understand?"

Kenji could see by Ralph's expression that he didn't really understand.

"Sometimes when you are told to watch after your sister, you do not like it, is that true?" Kenji asked.

Ralph blushed but answered honestly, "Yes papa."

"But you do it anyway, why?"

"Because I don't want anything bad to happen to her." Ralph replied as he began to understand.

"If I had left as I wanted to, I might have gotten hurt or caught and that would have hurt your mama and you so I stayed." Kenji said.

Two hours after they got there, they on their way back down the mountain. They hadn't been on the road for more than thirty minutes when both Ralph and Marie were sound asleep. Patricia looked back at them and smiled, they were their babies.

"Kirei we have never talked about that day."

"I know, sometimes I still dream about it." Patricia replied. "It always seems so real, like I'm right there watching it happen again and sometimes if I wake up and you're not there...."

"I know kirei; it is the same for me." Kenji replied. "I will never, ever forget that day."

Patricia laid her head on his shoulder and listened to him as he sang the song about the soldier who left for war and came back to his true love.

**********

The first day of class after spring break came too fast to suit anyone.

"In a few more weeks we'll be off for the summer!" Patricia said excitedly as she packed lunches for her, Joel and Kenji for the following day.

"Any big plans?" Abby asked.

"We haven't talked about it but I'm thinking about a big end of the semester party." Patricia replied.

"Sounds like fun." Abby replied. "Patricia did you and Kenji ever open that envelope that I gave you a few weeks ago?"

Patricia stopped what she was doing. She had forgotten all about the envelope and apparently so had Kenji.

"No, I am so sorry!"

"Don't be sorry but make sure that you open it." Abby said.

*********** Later when the Ralph and Marie were in bed, Patricia got the envelope and took it to Kenji.

"Abby asked me if we looked at this yet." she said as she sat on the sofa next to him.

"I had forgotten all about it." Kenji confessed, "Why don't we open it now?"

He put an arm around Patricia as she opened the envelope, "It's awfully big for just a letter." Patricia said as she pulled out a stack of papers. The top sheet was a letter written in Ralph's spidery handwriting. Patricia looked at the date and gasped, Ralph had written the letter shortly after she and Kenji had gotten married.

"Dear Kenji and Patty,

If you are reading this then I've met my maker. I know that you've noticed the date and seeing as I'm dead, I don't know when you're reading this. I just wanted you to know that you two kids have brought much happiness to a lonely old man not just you but Abby too. I just wanted to thank you for that. I also wanted to leave you something and you can do whatever you want with it but the house in South Carolina is yours. It's bought and paid for and the papers for it should be somewhere in the stack that one of you, probably Patty is holding in your hands.

The second thing is this, I have a little bit of money and it's yours too. It isn't much but I hope that you can find some use for it whether it is for college or whatever you need. But this is what I would like you to use if for, you two have never had a honeymoon and god knows that you deserve it so if you can and there's nothing else pressing, take a nice trip just the two of you. The account numbers are in the paperwork somewhere and all you have to do is go to the bank. If there are any problems Abby can help you, we used the same attorney and the same bank.

I know that you're wondering why I'm leaving all of my earthly possessions to you instead of looking for my sons. I don't know how to answer that except to say that you two have become like my children and in many ways, you are like the children that my birth children never were to me.

Kenji, take good care of my Patty as you always have. Keep her safe and love her- she deserves it and boy, you had better get your ass in medical school as soon as this war shit is over! I know that I've said it before but I'm going to say it again, you're going to be one hell of a doctor.

Patty, girl you were like a ray of sunshine to this lonely soul and one hell of a cook. I know how headstrong you can be but you let your man take care of you in the ways that he knows how and you take care of him too. You make sure that you go to college too; you've got the head for it and can be anything that you want.

I love you both even if I didn't say it,

Ralph Goodman"

Patricia held the letter with shaking hands. Neither of them had had any idea of how much Ralph had cared for them even then. Patricia laid her head on Kenji's shoulder none of them speaking. After several minutes Kenji spoke.

"I think that we should honor Ralph's request for the use of the money. We will let it sit where it is until such time we can go on a honeymoon."

"He loved us." Patricia said softly.

"Yes Kirei, he did." Kenji agreed.

*****************

Monday morning the first day of class after spring break, Andrew got to class just after Kenji and Joel did. He looked over at them and didn't like what happened next. Instead of glancing away at him with fear in his eyes, Joel met his gaze and didn't look away. That Joel looked away first didn't occur to Andrew, it was the fact that Joel was even looking at him at all.

Andrew took a good look at Joel and noticed for the first time how he was filling out, bulking up and exuding an air of confidence and then he looked at Kenji who was as cool as ever. The urge to throw something at both of them rose and was gone, he couldn't afford to act rashly but neither could he afford to continue to let them slide by untouched.

Maybe he would give them a little parting gift on the last day of class.

**********

Ernie glared at Andrew when he wasn't watching. Surprisingly, it wasn't the "melting pot" that he was angry with; it was Andrew and that bitch Becca. He was further angered when he wasn't chosen as one of what Andrew called his "cabinet". For weeks after the fiasco with Becca, he was harassed without mercy and had become an outcast of sorts. It wasn't until a week or two ago that the teasing was over with but no one was telling him anything. He was now an outsider looking in and all because of one blowjob.

He couldn't wait for Becca to get her ass back home; he would make her give him so many blowjobs that the thought of them would make her ill. He felt his cock stir at the thought and quickly squashed it when he saw Andrew turn around to face him.

"Something on your mind?" Andrew asked him.

"Not a thing." Ernie replied with a smile that didn't reach his pale blue eyes.

**********************

One night after the children were in bed and Kenji was studying, Patricia pulled out all of the notebooks that she and Kenji had exchanged while he was in the camp and began reading. It wasn't long before she was crying as she read about those first weeks that they had been apart.

"Kirei?" Kenji called softly. She hadn't heard him come in.

"That day.... That day I felt like my heart was being slowly yanked out of my chest. That is how badly it hurt. It was all that I could do not to run to that bus and get on it, it was all I could do not to call your name because if I had, you wouldn't have gotten on and they would have taken you to prison, that was the only thing that stopped me. I waited until the bus was out of sight before.... I wanted you to be proud of me; I didn't want those people to see me fall apart. I... I never want to feel anything like that ever again."

Kenji held and rocked her as she talked and cried.

"I know Kirei, I felt the same way. I even questioned the decision no to have you come with me but it wouldn't have been the right or safe thing to do. I kept telling myself that you were only two-hundred miles away from me but Kirei; it might as well have been the moon. It was weeks before I could sleep and then when I found out that you carried our child... if Nick hadn't been there, I would have left."