FOREVER NOW – Chapter 2 – by UltimateSin

FOREVER NOW – Chapter 2 – by UltimateSin

The last time I’d seen my father, he’d been fit and healthy. The man I saw in the hospital was clearly not in a good way. But he was awake when I walked in, immediately going to his side and taking his hand. The fact I could feel strength in his squeeze told me he wasn’t done just yet. “No crying yet, Mark. The Grim Reaper ain’t got me yet.”

“At least you’re alive, old man.”

He smirked and started to cough. “Don’t make me chuckle.”

Mum wheeled a chair closer so I could sit down, letting go of Dad’s hand so I could hold hers. Hana sat to my other side, taking my other hand. Dad smiled at that. “How’s the old ticker?”

“I’ll need surgery but the white coats are confident I’ll see this off. Get through that, and I won’t give you all another fright for another couple of decades at least.”

“You need anything?”

“Look after them while I’m in here. That’s all I ask, son.”

“I’m back for good, Dad. This was the wake-up…”

“None of that nonsense, Mark. No-one is to blame for me ending up in here. Just one of those things.” He looked me up and down. “Certainly done some growing these past few years. Good tan. Been beating off the women?”

“Dad, I was in Saudi. I was a single man. I spent most of my time either at work or alone in a compound. The fact I was there at all verged on a miracle. They generally prefer family men.”

“Was it worth it, at least?”

“Yeah. Being paid in US dollars for five years came in handy. Made some investments. Saved most of the rest and put that in good accounts with top interest rates. I won’t say I’m rich, but I’m definitely comfortable now that I’ve finally returned home.” I paused and added, “More than enough for you to retire and take it easy, Dad. You’ve worked hard to provide for your family. Maybe it’s time to take a break, or at least scale back?”

“And my business?”

“Plenty of options, Dad. You don’t have decide yet. The most important thing is getting you back on your feet and back home so Mum can inevitably fuss over you.” I glanced to see Mum with a tissue, dabbing at her eyes. “No doubt you’ll be put on a strict diet, careful exercise, and mothered to death.”

It made him chuckle again, this time without the coughing. “I prepared your room,” Mum said, “Soon as you called.”

I thought I’d show off for a second. “So should we speak in English?” Then I asked in the language, “Or should we speak in Japanese?” Then I switched to a third, “Or should we speak in Arabic?”

Mum looked at me, impressed and surprised at once, before a broad grin broke out. My sister giggled next to me. “Was that Arabic?” she wondered.

“Indeed it was,” I replied in the language.

“Are you fluent?”

“I can converse casually if necessary,” I replied again in the language, “But I mostly learned it for business reasons, to converse with colleagues from the region. And it’s a sign of respect for the local customs and culture.”

The fact I’d just said all that in said language earned another look from Mum. I think she was left rather impressed.

“Any other languages you’ve learned?” my sister asked.

I switched to English. “A little French as that’s always handy if I was sent to Africa by the company. And it helps if you’re in Spain or Italy as the language is similar enough you can figure it out.”

“Oooh, what can you say in French?”

I lifted her chin and met her eyes. “Je regarde la plus belle fille du monde.”

“What does that mean?”

I certainly smiled. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

We sat chatting with Dad until we’d obviously tired him out. He’d already been in for one surgery, his next was in another couple of days, then he’d need to recover before coming home. Mum was handling all that for now, though she knew I’d now pitch in. Once Dad was comfortable and asleep, we headed outside where, I’ll admit, I sighed with relief. “At least he’s alive,” I said, “He looks older, but considering the circumstances…”

Returning home was enough to raise a smile. The house had been given plenty of TLC since I’d last seen it. Mum’s garden was in full bloom as she loved her flowers. Grabbing my bags from the boot, I followed them inside to find the walls had been given painted, and additional decorations had been added. Carrying my bags through to my room, Mum had made the bed and obviously prepared for my arrival.

“Want some tea?” she asked.

“I’ve been drinking that non-stop for nearly five years, Mum. But I’d love one of your teas.”

Hanako was waiting for me to turn around, following her to her bedroom. She’d remained at home as she was studying to get her Masters then a Doctorate in history, as she wished to teach about the history and culture of her mother. And I assumed she knew who had funded it all for her. Her room had changed from the one of a near-teenage girl, and I could see the influence of both places she would call home.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she fidgeted slightly so I took her hand in mine, giving it a squeeze. “The last time we sat like this, you said you were leaving,” she whispered.

I turned to look at her. Her large brown eyes looked up at me in return. I could see the hope in them. “This time, I’m sitting here saying I’m back and not leaving again.”

She hugged me tightly for that, kissing me softly on the cheek. She was still hugging me when Mum cleared her throat. She was standing in a traditional floral kimono, one I remembered fondly from the many she’d worn while I grew up. So I knew how she wanted to take tea this time. I’d always kept one with me while travelling, not that I ever wore it. I kept it as a reminder of Mum and my sister, and only ever wore it while with the family, as a sign of my respect of their culture. I still remembered the day I spoke near fluent Japanese with my grandparents. As reserved as they were, I remember the pride on both their faces at their adopted grandson showing his respect, but more importantly love for his adopted family.

Letting them know I’d change, it took a few minutes to remember how to put it on properly, but looking in the mirror once I was done, I walked out to see Mum and my sister waiting for me. My sister was a vision of absolute fucking beauty. Must have shown in my eyes as she started to blush again, while Mum smiled at me.

She had obviously adapted the traditional ceremony, along the lines of a chakai (tea gathering), but even my father had embraced the traditions of his wife. I loved watching Mum prepare the tea, and being the first time in a long time, I found myself getting rather misty eyed as I watched her. Mum was now fifty but she was almost the stereotypical middle-aged Asian woman. Would have assumed she was ten years younger, at least. Barely a wrinkle on her. Hanako spent most of her time watching me instead, I think still in slight disbelief I was there.

“Okay, Mum, your tea is the best,” I said, switching to Japanese. Now that we were in the family home, I’d happily converse in it.

“No-one will believe that my brother is fluent.”

“But you do sound a bit bogan when speaking English, Hana.” There wasn’t a Japanese word for bogan, so that made us both chuckle, “You sound much prettier when speaking our Mum’s native tongue.” That earned one of those giggles I loved hearing from her. Whenever I said ‘our Mum’, she got that smile on her face that lit up the room.

“I was amazed how quickly he picked it up, Hanako, though I think my son did it to impress his Mum.”

I smiled, as she wasn’t wrong. “How are the grandparents?” Dad’s father had passed away when I was ten. The other three were still alive, last I’d heard anyway.

“Still both kicking along. Happily living in their retirement village. Your father’s mother is still fit enough, though she’s suffering the health problems one does expect with elderly people.”

“Good. I’ll make sure I go see them before too long.”

“Want a beer now, Mark?”

“God yes. I’m dying for one, Mum!”

We cleared away everything before gathering back in the living room, now with a beer in hand, Mum in her favourite chair, at least reupholstered, my sister refusing to leave my side. It was late afternoon, so we chatted away for a couple of hours about our lives. My sister was still studying, Mum was a language teacher, so they both had plenty of stories. I could share stories about things I saw at work, the places I’d been, people I’d met, but I’d admit five years in Saudi was long enough for any man. “Nearly five years of no booze and no bacon, Mum. I’ve paid penance for any previous and future crimes.”

“Not a drop of booze?” Mum asked.

“Not outside diplomatic compounds. And, trust me, you don’t mess around with them regarding it. Even a westerner caught with it could be punished severely. So when I did manage to get away for a weekend, it sometimes got a little wild. As for pork, being non-Muslims, we can technically eat it, but it’s honestly not worth the hassle. Most of us just respected the customs and dealt with it. Probably healthier for it. They all smoke like bloody chimney’s though. Half of them will probably get lung cancer in our lifetime.”

Finishing my beer, although Dad was in hospital, I wanted to take the family out for dinner. As soon I suggested that, Mum knew what I wanted to do. Show off in front of them. If you want authentic Japanese cuisine, you either go to Japan, or if you can’t afford that, you try your luck at the restaurants that pop up in the city. A few have been around for decades, while others come and go seemingly every couple of years.

Mum and Hanako didn’t change, but I did throw on a pair of slacks and clean long sleeved shirt. Leather shoes, pair of sunglasses, cuff-links, I liked to dress nice whenever I wasn’t in my work clothes. Joining the pair in the living room, I offered to drive as the city had changed, but not enough that I’d forgotten how to get around. Mum obviously knew the best place to go, directing me to a good parking spot once we were close enough.

She’d obviously booked ahead as we had a table for three waiting for us when we arrived. The young waitress arrived to eventually take our order, and she was probably second or third generation, her accent as thick as my sister’s when it came to speaking English. So I ordered in Japanese, just to see the reaction, as I asked a few questions having eaten the food since I was a little boy, and knew what I liked, and I definitely knew what Mum and my sister enjoyed.