I Will Love You Forever Pt. 2 Ch. 05

Becca started to say no and then decided on the truth as she saw it.

"Admit it! You're jealous of that Jap and his black bitch! I see how you look at her when you think no one's looking!"

Andrew fought to keep his expression neutral.

"You haven't been interested in me since you first saw her! Last night, did you come because you were thinking about her?"

"Shut up Becca." Andrew said not liking how close to the truth she had gotten.

"Why? Is that the reason?" she asked crying and too angry to care that she was treading on thin ice. "And you know what? Yes, I sucked Ernie off and yes I asked him to mess with the Jap and the Jew and do you know why? You're too goddamned afraid to! You walk around talking about how your father was a war hero and maybe he is but you Andrew Kelley are a wannabe! You talk a good talk but that black bitch is still here along with her mongrels! I loved you! All you had to do was at least pretend that you cared just a little... oh but wait! The great Andrew Kelley hates liars but which of us is really lying? Which of us is afraid of doing what needs to be done? But you know what I think?" Becca asked,

"I think that you want the bitch for yourself but you won't admit it. I think that the only reason that they're off limits is because of her! What will your so called friends think when I tell them that you have a thing for the Jap's wife? What will Hathaway say? Hmmm? I bet by the end of tomorrow that there'll be another leader. Good bye Andrew, I hope that the bitch is worth it."

She started to get out of the car but Andrew stopped her.

"You've had your say now I'm going to have mine." he said holding her arm in a viselike grip. "Your new boyfriend told me everything and it's to his credit that he did although he did try to lie about it. In one afternoon, you and he managed to blow what plans I had to hell and back. Ernie won't be back at school for a few days because... well if you go to see him you'll know why."

Becca's mouth went dry; she could only imagine what happened to him.

"As you know, I don't believe in hurting women so this is what's going to happen, you're going to stay the fuck away from me and anyone in my group and that includes Hathaway. If anything happens to anyone in that little melting pot, I'll hold you personally responsible and I'll have no compunction about sending someone who doesn't mind hurting women to you for a visit. If I hear one little rumor about anything, I'll know that that it came from you... Am I clear or do I need to prove my point?"

Becca tried to pull free so that she could get out of the car but Andrew held on to her.

"You didn't answer the question." Andrew said calmly.

"Fuck you and your ....."

Andrew whistled and waited. After a few moments, Brad and Dean appeared at the far end of the back parking lot. It was at that moment that Becca realized that Andrew meant what he said, he really could and would have her hurt and that he wouldn't feel remorse. He would justify dealing with her being hurt by saying that he wasn't the one who did it. She also wondered for the first time why she had been so attracted to him. Part of it was his looks, part of it was because he was popular but mainly it was because of his politics and that she thought that he would go far.

He was a coward who was afraid of more than he would or could ever admit to.

"One more time." Andrew said, "Do you understand what will happen if you interfere with us in anyway?"

"Y...Yes."

"Do you understand that the Takeda's and the Jew are off limits to you and anyone else who you're thinking about involving?"

"Y...yes."

"Do you understand what will happen if I hear one rumor about me or anyone in my group?"

"Good, I'll take you home and remember what I told you. One more thing, stay away from Hathaway got it?"

Becca nodded, this was an unfamiliar Andrew and he scared her. "I got it." she said softly.

Andrew nodded at the two men, started his car and drove Becca home without saying another word to her.

Becca got out of the car and didn't look back. If Andrew thought that he had seen the last of her, he was sadly mistaken. This one time taught her a lesson; she couldn't afford to be impulsive. She would do as she planned and head south to visit relatives, she simply couldn't face the stares and whispers that would plague her until someone or something else came along.

*********

After his meeting with Bernard, Paul swung by Kenji and Patricia's house. He had talked with Bernard who finally admitted that he wasn't comfortable with sitting with Patricia in class.

"You weren't supposed to that!" Paul snapped and then backed off. "All you were supposed to do was introduce yourself to her."

A few minutes later, Bernard left feeling better that he didn't have to sit with Patricia but was all right with just saying "hello." Paul sat at his desk for a few minutes before leaving to go to see Kenji and Patricia.

They had just tucked the children in when he showed up. After declining the offer of refreshments, Paul told them about Hathaway and Bernard,

"So the only reason Bernard talked to me was because of you." Patricia said softly.

"Yes." Paul said, "but if it counts for anything, he really does like you he just...."

"I get it." Patricia said wearily. "He doesn't want to be seen with us because of Andrew and his friends."

"That's the gist of it." Paul said sadly, "but I want you to be careful. I've been hearing rumblings about Hathaway and his extracurricular activities."

"Kenji thinks that he might blame me because he lost his job." Patricia said.

"That is a very real possibility and one that I hadn't thought about when me and another faculty member went to the dean." Paul admitted. "My concern at the time was that he would flunk you out of his class. Patricia I'm sorry if I made things worse."

"You didn't and thank you for your help because you and I both know that Hathaway would have succeeded if you hadn't stepped in." Patricia replied.

"You're welcome and let me reiterate, please be careful. How's Joel?" Paul asked changing the subject.

"He is still in considerable pain but quite proud of himself." Kenji replied as he looked at Patricia out of the corner of his eye.

"Kenji, you be careful too." Paul said as he stood to leave. "One more thing," he said before he walked away, "there are people who are on your side, they're just afraid to say and show it."

Patricia knew that Paul meant for the statement to be comforting but it wasn't. It was like someone saying that there was water or food available but then there was no way to get it. She didn't convey her thoughts to Paul because she didn't want to hurt his feelings but also because she knew that he understood.

"Paul thank you for coming and for your continued friendship and support of us." Kenji said offering his hand.

"Yes, thank you." Patricia said as she walked up to Paul and hugged him.

After Paul was gone, Kenji looked at Patricia. There was very little of the sparkle that he loved seeing in her eyes. The beating that Joel took was part of it, the constant stress of never knowing what was going to happen was the rest of it. What she needed Kenji decided, was to be cared for.

"Come Kirei, let me care for you," Kenji said holding out his hand to her. He led her to the bathroom, turned on the shower and helped her undress. "In you go." he said, "take your time, I will care for the children."

As soon as Kenji closed the bathroom door, Patricia began to cry. She almost missed the days when they had to hide in the house in some ways; it was so much easier than now. At least they knew whom they were hiding from and could take precautions. And poor Joel... She cried through the shower but by the time she got out, her resolve was back.

"We can do this!" she said as she dried off and put on her nightgown. She kept talking to herself as she brushed her hair and then her teeth reminding herself of all that they had been through together and that they had always prevailed. "And we will this time too." she murmured.

"Better?" Kenji asked from the bathroom door.

"Better." she replied. "Where are the children?" she asked.

"They are at Abby's house along with Joel." Kenji replied.

"What? What are they doing there?" she asked surprised.

"It has been too long since we have had the house to ourselves and while you were in the shower, I called Abby to see if she could care for them for two nights and Joel volunteered to help her." Kenji replied.

"Two nights? But Joel...."

"It is done." Kenji said, "We need this and we need to sleep."

In spite of her protestations that she wasn't tired, Patricia was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow and Kenji wasn't too far behind her.

The two days were gone before they knew it but it was what they needed. The sparkle was back in Patricia's eyes and they were both well rested and anxious to see Ralph and Marie. Abby brought them back on Sunday afternoon, stayed for lunch and fixed a plate for Joel who was still in a lot of pain but was still proud of himself.

"And he should be." Abby said after updating them on Joel.

*********

The weeks following the fight between Joel and Ernie were quiet. Ernie wouldn't even glance in Kenji and Joel's direction. The only evidence of the beating that he received courtesy of Andrew and the crew was his nose. It had been aquiline and perfectly shaped, now it was bent slightly to the left.

Joel now stood taller and walked with more confidence. The boxing lessons from John and martial arts lessons from Kenji went a long way toward building his self-confidence as well as the fact that he was bulking up because of the exercise and good food.

What no one missed was that Becca was gone. Just as she feared would happen, her name was all over the campus and the whisperings weren't kind. Even the girls who were supposedly her best friends were giggling and sharing secrets that they swore to keep. Becca was unaware of all of this; she was long gone visiting family in the south for the summer. Unfortunately, for her, her parents didn't take the news of her not returning to school well but overrode her decision.

"You will come back here and finish!" her father snapped, "end of discussion!" Becca was on a train a few days later headed to South Carolina.

The only two people that her leaving mattered to was Ernie, as he hadn't collected on what he thought she owed him and Andrew. For him her leaving meant that she wouldn't be here to spread what he convinced himself to be lies. He didn't want Patricia Takeda and she wasn't the reason why he hadn't moved on the Jap and the Jew.

**********

Finally, spring break had arrived much to the relief of Kenji, Patricia and Joel. Several days of relaxing was what all of them needed. Joel for all practical purposes had already moved to Abby's house but spent some nights at Kenji and Patricia's house when their study sessions went too late. By the time he finally moved, Ralph and Marie had gotten used to the idea and the fact that Joel sometimes spent the night helped.

By mutual agreement, Kenji and Patricia decided that they wouldn't as much as look at their books. They would spend those days relaxing and spending time with their children and family. As of yet Kenji hadn't mentioned the trip to Manzanar or teaching Patricia how to drive, He was hesitant to start filling up their precious free days although they would be good things to do.

Of the two activities, it was the trip to Manzanar that Kenji dreaded but he wanted his children to know the history of the place, he wanted them to know this of his Patricia's history.

"What are you thinking about?" Patricia asked as she out a cookie sheet full of freshly baked cookie sheets on the counter.

"I was thinking that it is time that you learned how to drive." Kenji replied as he took a hot cookie from the sheet.

"Really?" Patricia asked excitedly.

"Yes Kirei, really." Kenji replied smiling at her.

"When? Now?" Patricia asked.

Kenji laughed at her enthusiasm; it remained one of the things that he loved most about her.

"Will tomorrow be soon enough?" he asked taking another cookie.

"Yes!" Patricia squealed and hugged him. "Tomorrow is perfect!"

******

Sunday morning came and Patricia was up early anxious to have her first driving lesson.

"Kirei, it is only six, Nick and mother will not be here until ten, come back to bed; I miss you."

'I'll go make breakfast!" she replied as she threw on her house robe.

Kenji got up, looked down at his erection and shrugged before getting dressed for the day. He could have stayed in bed but there was no real point to it if Patricia wasn't in bed with him. He could hear her puttering around the kitchen getting ready to make what he considered the best breakfast, eggs cooked over easy, pancakes and fried potatoes with tea.

He peeked in on the children before heading to the bathroom. Satisfied that they would sleep for a while longer, he hurried to the bathroom and then down the stairs for one of his guilty pleasures. Patricia had a habit of singing while she cooked, and as soon as the meal was prepared, she stopped singing. The thing was she only did this in the morning when she thought that she was alone.

Kenji closed his eyes and listened to her soft but melodic voice as she sang a rendition of Nat King Coles's "I love you for sentimental reasons" sometimes it would be "let it snow, let it snow" and it would be July. He never knew what song that she would be singing and it didn't matter, he loved it. He never let her know that he was listening because he knew that she would stop.

As soon as she stopped singing, he knew that breakfast was ready.

"It smells good." he said walking into the kitchen and hugging her.

"You could have stayed in bed." Patricia replied already knowing that he wouldn't have.

"I missed you, sit and let me serve you." Kenji said taking the plate from her with a kiss.

Patricia sat down and waited with one ear listening for Marie who was always awake before her big brother. She was surprised that they managed to get through breakfast before they heard little footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Mama?"

"In the kitchen baby." Patricia called while smiling at Kenji.

"Why can't it always be normal like this?" Patricia wondered as she thought about Andrew Kelley, Hathaway and Lawrence Goodman. She stopped herself from thinking any more about them deciding that she wasn't going to let them ruin these moments. It was the moments of normalcy that had gotten them through the war and it was moments like these that would get them through whatever was coming next.

"Come pretty one." Kenji said gently, "I will fix your plate."

Marie gave Patricia a hug before going over to Kenji to be picked up for her morning hug and kiss. By the time Kenji finished fixing her a plate Ralph had appeared. He kissed and hugged Patricia, then Marie before bowing to Kenji and then hugging and kissing him.

He was growing into a tall handsome boy looking very much like his father but more like his mother in personality. Patricia watched him and already knew what the future held, an endless number of girls chasing him and him driving them to a distraction because he could be aloof. In that way he was very much like his father but then like his father, he was affectionate and those he loved knew that they were loved. Catching her looking at him, Ralph smiled at her revealing a little of the rarely seen mischievous side of him and the dimples that would become more pronounced as he grew up.

Patricia sighed as she looked at Marie and almost felt sorry for the young men that would come to court her of whom she was sure would be many. A very protective father and mother as well as an older brother would carefully scrutinize each of them. Patricia could already see what Marie would look like as an adult, she would be beautiful with her Japanese ancestry giving her an exotic look. With a start of pleasure, Patricia realized that she was thinking of the future in a positive way.

Things were going to get better.