I Will Love You Forever Pt. 2 Ch. 04

The last person was Abby. There was no denying what Ralph wanted but that didn't stop her from trying to get him to rally.

"Come on you old coot! We're supposed to watch those two kids graduate! They've finally gotten a break and you want to leave?" she asked sobbing. It dawned on her then that she did love him; it was a deep friendship kind of love but something deeper as well. They had been happy together all that had been missing was the physical part of it. Ralph Goodman was her husband. They had shared more than couples married for years and only now could she admit that she loved him.

"Ralph, I love you, don't leave us."

Ralph touched her face with a shaking hand and struggled to make his mouth say the words that he was thinking.

"I.... lo... love.. You." The right side of his face lifted in a smile as he touched the face that he had longed to touch for a long time.

Abby grabbed his hand, kissed it, and then kissed his cheek.

'I'm sorry." the nurse said, "but you really have to go."

Abby pulled away but not before kissing Ralph again, "fight you stubborn old man." she whispered in his ear.

Ralph patted her back and then watched as she walked away.

At two am Ralph lay awake waiting for someone to come. When the attendant finally came, Ralph was relieved to see that it wasn't the one from the night before. This one actually seemed to care about the people in his charge.

He tried to tell the young man that he wanted to shave and ended up using his good hand to pantomime what he wanted.

"Oh!" the attendant exclaimed happily, "A shave!"

Ralph sagged back in relief.

"Sure! I have time to do that, I'll be right back."

Thirty minutes later, Ralph was shaved, clean and dry. He grabbed the attendant's arm with his good hand and gave it a hard squeeze of thanks.

"You're welcome." the attendant replied patting Ralph's hand.

After he was gone, Ralph closed his eyes and thought about his family. Not his son Lawrence but the all of the people that were closer to him than any blood family could ever be. He drifted off to sleep thinking about Abby wishing he had told her how he felt about her before now.

He fell asleep, his soft snores indicating that he was at peace.

The attendant made his rounds an hour later and found that Ralph Elmer Goodman had slipped away in his sleep.

**********

The call came around four am. Everyone was at Patricia and Kenji's house all of them wide awake with the exception of the children who were asleep on the floor in the living room. Patricia began to cry softly, the rest of the family soon joined her.

"What now?" Patricia asked.

"There is no point to going to the hospital unless we wish to see him once more." Kenji said. "And we need to make arrangements, Abby, has he spoken to you about his wishes?" Kenji asked.

"Yes... he told me and if you don't mind, I would like to see him again." Abby replied.

"Of course, I will take you." Kenji replied, "Nick will you call the hospital and tell them that we are coming?" A few minutes later, Abby was standing by the bed that held Ralph's lifeless body. She kissed him gently on his cheek, patted his hand and walked away.

Hana and Hattie were in the kitchen making fresh coffee and tea for those who wanted when Abby and Kenji returned. Joel was setting out a plate of freshly made toast for people to nibble on; no one had an appetite for anything more.

"Would you like me to take care of the arrangements?" Nick asked hugging Abby.

"He was my husband so I'll do it. If I need help I'll ask." she replied.

By the end of the day, the arrangements had been made. It didn't take long, there was no other family to notify other than Lawrence and Abby refused to call him. The services were set for December 22 at a funeral home not far from where Ralph and Abby lived. There would be no programs or anything fancy, Ralph would have wanted it that way and the only ones in attendance would be them.

December 22 had arrived faster than they thought possible. Joel stayed at the house with Abby to keep her company and to do any errands that she needed done. The repast was going to be held at Abby's house at her insistence even though Patricia begged to have it at their house.

"I need and want to have it here." Abby replied.

"What do you want us to bring?" Patricia asked.

"Nothing and before you say anything, I'm sure."

The service was short, to the point and over in an hour. It was how Ralph would have wanted it. Each of them, Joel included told of some remembrance that they had of their time with Ralph. Some of the stories were humorous, some of them not but to anyone who would have been listening, they would have known that Ralph was loved and was going to be sorely missed.

The repast meal consisted of all of Ralph's favorite foods prepared by Abby with Joel's help. After the meal, they sat around and talked about Ralph sometimes laughing and sometimes crying until late into the night. Patricia, Hanna and Hattie offered to come back to help Abby pack up Ralph's things.

"I would like that." she replied.

"Why don't you stay with us?" Hana asked, "Paul is leaving for San Diego in the morning ...."

"Thank you but no, I'll be alright and if I need anything I'll call."

That night when everyone was gone, Abby sat on Ralph's bed and cried. Twice she had lost love, the first one, Lorena; she knew that she loved, the second one, Ralph; she realized that she loved him too late. She jumped when there was a tap on the door. Cautiously she went to the door and peeked through the curtains to see Joel standing on the porch.

"Joel? What's wrong? Why are you here?"

"After my parents died, I was alone and I would have given my right arm to have had someone stay with me." he explained. "And I know that you said that you would be alright and I believe you but I just don't think that anyone should be alone after the loss of a loved one."

"How did you get here?" Abby asked ready to send him home if he drove.

"I walked."

"Did Kenji send you?"

Joel's hesitation told her what she needed to know.

"It was my idea too." he replied. "He wanted to come but I volunteered, Patricia needs him."

"Well, come on in." Abby said as she walked away from the door. It wasn't long before she found herself glad that he had come back. Between the two of them, they packed up Ralph's things that were going to be given charity. The only things that she kept were the chessboard and pieces and a photograph of a very young Ralph with a mischievous grin on his face.

Abby touched the picture with her fingertips and whispered a final farewell.

*********

Kenji and Patricia tucked two exhausted children into bed and went to their own room.

"I can't believe he's gone." Patricia said softly as Kenji held her.

"He is not gone Kirei." Kenji said kissing the top of her head, "he lives in our hearts and in our memories."

"My parents aren't so young anymore, they could die too."

"Yes Kirei this is true, but they are still here with us and we need to enjoy that time."

Patricia nodded and blinked back tears, there had to have been a way to know that something was wrong with Ralph other than vague suspicions and there had to have been a way to stop it. What that way was, she didn't know but she was going to find out.

Kenji felt her stiffen and then relax as if she had come to some kind of decision, he would ask about it later right now they needed to comfort each other. He reached for the zipper of her dress and slowly eased it down watching as the dress slid off her shoulders. He loved the contrast of the white bra against her dark skin combined his lightly yellow tinged skin against hers.

Patricia pulled his shirt out from his slacks, slid her hands underneath and massaged his muscled back starting at his waist and moving up as far as she could go before his shirt got in the way. Kenji stepped back long enough to remove his shirt and immediately pulled Patricia back into him and held her so tightly that she could hardly move.

She turned her head so that her ear lay over Kenji's rapidly beating heart listening to it trying not to imagine what it would be like not to ever hear it's normally slow, steady rhythm again. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced the thought out of her mind as she hugged Kenji even closer.

They stood like that for a long time, each of them trying not to think about the unthinkable, life without the other and saying a private good bye to a man that had meant so much to them.

"I love you kirei, I will always love you in this life and in the next." Kenji said his voice choked with emotion as he gently pushed her back so that he could look at her.

"I love you too," Patricia said softly and stood on her tiptoes so that she could kiss his chin. "Make love with me." she whispered as tears ran down her face. She needed to feel his warm body naked against hers and feel his warm breath blowing into her mouth as they kissed.

Kenji didn't need to be asked twice, he was already moving them toward the bed undressing as they went even before she had completed the request. By the time they reached the bed, they were naked; their clothes lay on the floor where they fell.

Kenji eased Patricia onto the bed and positioned himself between her legs and was about to enter her when she stopped him. For just a second, he didn't understand why and then he realized that they hadn't inserted the device to prevent pregnancy.

As quickly as he could, he inserted the device and was soon buried deep within the warmth of her body. Within moments, it was over and both of them fell into a physically and emotionally exhausted sleep.

*********

Christmas was celebrated at Abby's house per her request. Joel for the moment had moved in with her, keeping her company and helping with the meal preparations.

"You're a nice young man." Abby said as they made the final changes on the decorations, "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

Joel didn't know how to respond and blushed.

"Joel, may I speak frankly?" Abby asked when he didn't reply.

"Of course."

"I don't quite know how to say this so I'm just going to say it, Kenji and Patricia love each other with a love that the poets write about...."

"I know that." Joel replied.

"Let me finish." Abby said. "I also know that you have feelings for her and don't bother denying it, I'm not blind and neither is Kenji."

Joel blushed but kept his silence.

"He hasn't said anything because he's very secure in Patricia's love for him and to some degree he understands how you could have feelings for her. What man wouldn't want someone like her? She's beautiful, intelligent and compassionate but Joel, she's very married and she loves her husband."

"I know....."

"So I'm going to make a suggestion." Abby said interrupting him. "When you get back to school, you start looking for a woman who's available. I'm not telling you to settle for the first one that comes along but I am telling you that there is a woman out there that will see you for who and what you are, a good man with much to offer."

Joel was silent for a moment, had he been that obvious? He wondered.

"I would never do anything to come between Kenji and Patricia." he said softly. "They became my friends when I had none and made me family when they didn't have to and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that no matter what my feelings for Patricia are."

"Glad to hear it." Abby replied, "Because if I had sensed anything else you would be gone. Now, hand me those silver ornaments will you?"

*******

The days after Ralph's service were difficult for everyone especially Niko. He missed his Uncle Ralph so deeply that on Christmas morning he made an announcement.

Patricia had just finished making breakfast when Niko came into the kitchen followed by Kenji and Marie.

"Niko, did you wash your hands?" Patricia asked.

"Yes mama and my name isn't Niko."

Kenji and Patricia looked at each other and then at Niko.

"It isn't?" Patricia asked confused.

"No."

"Ummm okay, then what is it?" she asked.

"Ralph." Niko replied.

"That is a fine name." Kenji said without missing a beat, "you honor your uncle."

From that day forward, Niko was called Ralph quickly but politely correcting anyone who called him Niko.

********

Everyone including Sally, the children, William, Hiroshi, Dai and baby Hiro was at Abby's house by noon. Christmas music was playing softly and the smell of roasted turkey filled the air. It was quiet at first until Abby had had enough.

"I miss him too!" she exclaimed, "but he wouldn't want us to sit around like sad sacks. He would want us to laugh and have a good time in his memory so please...."

"Do you remember when Ralph tried to create this dish made from.....?" someone asked.

The mood lightened as they realized that Abby was right. The announcement that Niko now wanted to be called Ralph brought tears of happiness to Abby's eyes.

"He would have loved that!" Abby exclaimed as she hugged Niko and kissed his cheek.

After dinner, as they cleaned up the dishes, Patricia pulled Abby aside.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

"As well as can be expected I guess, I'm glad that Joel was here which reminds me, I need to thank Kenji for sending him."

"We didn't want you to be alone and we knew that you would have tried to make Kenji come home and Joel volunteered." Patricia replied.

Abby looked at Patricia and wondered if she knew how Joel felt about her and decided that she didn't. It was either that or she was choosing not to acknowledge it but it really didn't matter either way Abby decided, Kenji and Patricia's marriage was strong enough to weather any storm.

*****

Joel watched Kenji and Patricia together and decided that Abby was right; he needed to start looking at someone other than the wife of his best friend. He could only hope that when he found someone that she had just an iota of the qualities that Patricia did.

*******

Andrew was bored. All of his friends were busy with their own families leaving him with much too much time to think. As per usual, his thoughts were about Kenji and Patricia Takeda and the Jew. As of yet he hadn't planned anything specific and hadn't found out where they lived. Part of the reason being that he hadn't looked into it was that he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from doing anything rash.

He tried to get ahead on his reading for school but couldn't concentrate. For some reason he couldn't get the little group out of his mind. He wondered what it would be like to have real friends, not friends like he had... they weren't' really friends. They hung with him because of his father and because they were afraid of him. Would they lay themselves on the line for him like the Jap did for the Jew? Hell no! and he knew it.

Maybe that was part of it. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that while he hated the Japanese and Jews in general, half of what he was feeling was jealousy. Then there was the Jap's wife... He stopped his line of thinking, it could only lead to trouble that he wasn't prepared to deal with.

He slammed the book shut and thought about calling Becca but changed his mind. He wasn't in the mood for her and hadn't been for quite some time. He ran through his options and soon figured out that he really didn't have any except for Becca who he knew would drop whatever she was doing to go for a "ride".

He went downstairs to the kitchen, picked up the phone and dialed her number.

"Fifteen minutes." was all he said and hung up.

*******

Becca's heart began to race as soon as she heard Andrew's deep voice on the phone. She was actually beginning to wonder about him and their relationship. Clearly, something was bothering him and although he hadn't said anything, she thought she knew what it was... the Jap and she reluctantly admitted, his wife.

She saw the way he looked at the black woman when he thought no one was looking. It wasn't lust or even desire really but more a curiosity. The curiosity she could understand as long as it didn't go beyond that and interfere with her goal of making Andrew fall so in love with her and marry her.

"Becca Kelley" was written in a notebook that she kept under her bed. The notebook was her wedding planner and contained everything from the wedding date and the guest list that she updated weekly. Part of her plan included being available whenever Andrew called and giving him the best blowjobs that he ever had. But lately, he hadn't been interested and deep in her gut she knew that Patricia Takeda was the reason.

As far as Becca could tell, Patricia didn't know that Andrew existed. Whenever she saw her, she was either studying or having lunch with that handsome husband of hers. Even so, she was jealous. Patricia Takeda was a threat to her and Andrew's future whether she was aware of it or not.

"Shit!" she cursed when she realized that five of the fifteen minutes had passed. She ran up the stairs to her room, stripped and quickly but thoroughly washed under her arms and between her legs making sure to reach all of the nooks and crannies in case Andrew decided to eat her out.

She frowned as she tried to remember the last time that he had done that... it had been weeks but maybe tonight that would change she thought as she dried herself off and sprayed a little perfume on her mound. She rummaged through her closet and picked a dress that she could get off and on easily forgoing the bra and panties.

She had just finished dressing when she heard the impatient beep of Andrew's car horn. She grabbed her jacket and ran down the stairs without saying anything to her parents.

Andrew drove to their usual spot and parked. Without hesitating, Becca was out of her dress and reaching for Andrew's flaccid cock, which by now would normally be rock hard and throbbing in anticipation of her mouth.

"What's the matter baby?" she cooed as she tried to coax his cock into becoming hard by massaging it through his jeans. When that failed, she unzipped his jeans, reached in and pulled it out. Without asking, she took Andrew's still soft member into her mouth and began to suck and lick at it until finally, it began to respond. When he was finally hard, she began to nurse on him in earnest. Within minutes, Andrew came with a loud groan as he filled her mouth.

"How was it baby?" she asked as she wiped the corners of her mouth with her discarded dress.

"It was good, thanks." Andrew replied.

"Just good?" she teased.

"What is it that you want to hear?" Andrew asked sarcastically, "That is was fantastic?"

"No, I was...."

"Get dressed." Andrew snapped as he tucked his now flaccid cock back into his jeans and started the car.

When Becca hesitated, he looked at her, "Well? What are you waiting for?"

As he drove her home, Becca wondered what was wrong with him. Patricia Takeda's name popped into her head and she quickly discarded it. Andrew hated anyone who wasn't white and some of the races who looked white as well. When he was in a better mood, she would ask him what was bothering him. Until then, she would just have to bide her time.

********

By the end of January 1946, Emperor Hirohito announced to his subjects that he was not descended from the Shinto Sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami and that the emperor was not a living god, George Woolf the Jockey who rode both Seabiscuit and Bold Venture to victory was thrown off a horse at the Santa Anita Park during a race- he died the following day at the age of 35. General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers began a purge of the Japanese government. Over a two and a half year period, 210,287 people were either barred or removed from public office, Robby Krieger-American rock musician and songwriter for the group 'The Doors' is born, The United Nations General Assembly meets for the first time, 22 year old Malcolm Little was arrested in Boston for breaking and entering. While in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Malcolm X.