I Will Love You Forever Pt. 2 Ch. 19

"Yes," Kenji replied.

"What gave you that idea?" Dr. Coleman asked.

"It only made sense," Kenji replied.

"That was good thinking," Coleman said. "Thank you for coming," he said by way of dismissal.

Kenji hurried back to the hospital lobby to call Patricia. He passed Mai and Vera, but kept going. He felt Mai's eyes on his back and ignored it.

****

Things hadn't settled down for Mai. If anything they were getting worse. Not only was the topic for discussion about what Kenji said or didn't say to her, it was also about her talk with Patricia. To make things worse, she still had to go home every evening and listen to her father's rants about what a failure she was. The only good thing was that he hadn't stopped paying for her education. She did have a little money, but it was nowhere what she needed in order to do as Ani had suggested-walk away.

She and Vera were on their way to the conference room when she saw Kenji rush by. There had been rumors circulating about him too but they were of the good variety. Supposedly he was being interviewed by the head of surgery for the resident surgical position. If he got it, she wouldn't see him unless it was by accident. Part of her hoped that he got the position-it would make things easier for her. But on the other hand...

Vera looked at Mai and shook her head. So far other than approach Kenji a few days ago, Mai had pretty much behaved herself, but Vera felt the need to alert Mai's father. She hated what she was doing and had originally said no. But when Mai's father offered to move her into a nicer apartment that was closer to the hospital and pay the rent for a year...how could she say no? She had been sharing an apartment that only had one bathroom with three other female residents to save money. Two of them were on night rotation and the other two were on on days. Since it was a two bedroom, they shared the beds. The idea of a place of her own was too much to resist. He sweetened the pot by adding a stipend which meant that she could quit her part time job. She didn't want to think about what Mai's reaction would be if she found out.

To ease her conscience, Vera didn't ask any questions. That way she wouldn't have to report what Mai said. She could say that she saw Mai talking to Kenji for a moment before he walked away-that couldn't get Mai into trouble would it? There was a phone in her apartment compliments of Mai's father so that she could call without anyone listening. The next phone call was scheduled for the evening. Vera had been hearing the rumors about Kenji too and hoped that he got the position. In spite of her betrayal, she liked and cared for Mai as a friend.

Mai was walking in front of her and when Mai stopped short, Vera ran into her.

"Mai?"

When Mai didn't answer, Vera peeked around her to see what the problem was. All she saw was a Japanese man sitting way in the back of the room.

"Mai? What's the matter? Who is that?"

Slowly Mai moved forward. She had expected Shotaro to be long gone back to Boston. She sat her notebook on a table and walked up to him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hello Mai," Shotaro said.

"What are you doing here?" Mai asked again.

"I am finishing my residency here," Shotaro replied. "I will join the staff at the end of it."

"What about your... what about her?"

"She came with me. I have already secured a place for her to live..."

"Wait... you brought her with you? What were you going to do? Go between the two of us?"

Shotaro saw no reason to lie or to sugar coat what his plan had been.

"I was going to marry you and keep her in an apartment," Shotaro said. "That was the plan until we were actually on the train, but I changed my mind. I love her and I did not want to marry you. The child also changed things."

"Does my father know that you are still here?" Mai asked shocked that Shotaro had planned to continue his infidelity. The woman was here? She had actually agreed to be his mistress?

"No and it is of no concern of his. I am sorry that I allowed this to go on for as long as I did. It is my hope that you will find someone with whom you can be happy."

Mai walked back to her seat without responding. She ignored Vera who was looking at her clearly curious about who the man was and how Mai knew him. Vera sincerely hoped that whoever he was, that he could help Mai by distracting her away from Kenji.

After the conference, Mai stayed sitting. She needed a few minutes to compose herself. Finally she got to her feet and left the room. First rounds would be an hour giving her time for a cup of tea to calm her nerves. She walked to the hospital lobby and for the second time that day, she stopped short. Shotaro was talking to a young woman of obviously mixed heritage. She almost discounted it thinking that maybe he was assisting her with something and then she saw it-the smile- and she knew who the woman was. Something deep inside of her gave way as she watched the tenderness in which Shotaro touched the woman's hand.

Something had to give.

*****

"Finally a damned break!" Nick exclaimed. "Are you sure that Ellis doesn't know anything?"

"I'm sure," the voice on the other end of the phone said. "He's getting ready to run for public office- he thinks he's safe."

"And the man who will talk to us, where is he?"

"He's safe but here's the best part, he thinks that he can get a few of his buddies to talk to us as well."

"What does he want in return?" Nick asked.

"A front row seat when Ellis goes to trial," the voice replied.

"How familiar was he with Jacob Lincoln?"

"According to him, Jacob Lincoln was a saint. He says that Lincoln taught him and a few others how to read and write. He also encouraged them to better themselves."

"Alright," Nick said. "Keep me posted and call me or Will anytime of the night if anything new pops up."

Nick hung up and began to write a note to Saul.

"Call me."

He made a quick call to Will who let out a loud "Yes!" They talked for a few minutes before hanging up. It was time to start getting their ducks in a row.

*******

By the end of 1952- Martin Luther King is pledged as Alpha Phi Alpha. Malcolm x, nee Malcolm Little is released from prison after serving six of a ten year sentence. He meets Elijah Muhammad in Chicago and converts to the Nation of Islam.

The Governor of Georgia-Herman Talmadge criticizes television shows for making blacks and whites appear as equals.

Eleven black students go for the first day of school at Claymont High School in Delaware. They are the first black students in 17 segregated states to integrate an all-white public school. The next day, the superintendent is informed that the students will have to leave as the decision is being appealed. The superintendent, the faculty and the school board refuse and the students remain in school.

Congressman John F. Kennedy then only 35 years old, runs for the senate. His campaign was managed by his younger brother Robert.

*

Korean War

The Battle of Heartbreak Ridge occurs. It is a month long battle that was a part of several major battles known as "The Punchbowl". Over 3,700 hundred Americans and an estimated 25,000 North Koreans and Chinese died during the battle. POW list are exchanged but then North Korea backs out. There are riots at Koje-do prison camp and the fight for Hill 851 also occurs. The communist hold the "1952 POW Olympics" at Camp 5, Pyuktong.

*

The McCarran-Walter act makes it possible for first generation Japanese Americans to become naturalized American citizens.