Reality Strikes

by Karin De Havin

  With the big city left far behind, the landscape changed into rolling hills dotted with small farmhouses. The green tile roofs on the houses stood out against the brown fields. Following Setsuko’s hand-drawn map to the cousins’ small country home, I caused more than a stir as I walked through the town of mostly farmers. There must not be too many blonde sightings in the country. I smiled as I passed a farmer dressed in a traditional short kimono, leggings and a conical straw hat. As he bent down to tend his rice field, he looked just like the old drawings I’d seen in the living room at Tori’s house. Her grandfather must have felt homesick looking at them.

  I stood at the entrance of Tori’s cousin’s home. The door was already opened for me. Strange. My surprise arrival was foiled by the town texters, and also the fastest gossiping over fences I’d ever witnessed.

  Stepping into the entryway of their traditional farmhouse, I came face to face with Tori’s extended family. After taking off my shoes and stacking them on the shoe shelf and donning a pair of well-worn slippers, I walked into the main room filled with traditional low to the ground wood furniture scattered around on hardwood floors. After bowing deeply to twenty people all dressed in what must be the family uniform of khaki work pants and dark grey long-sleeved sweaters, I wished one of the cousins was a chiropractor. A cute girl about my age, who looked like she could be Tori’s sister, broke the fashion trend by wearing a bright red sweater to match my own. She motioned me over to a pretty blue checked floor cushion.

  As I scanned the many faces, a lump stuck in my throat. Like they were going to tell some American girl if they had any skeletons hidden in their family closet.

  Besides, I didn’t want to hear anything bad about Tori’s dad or his parents. Her father practically adopted me. I asked him for advice about things I’d never mention to my own father. Best of all, he never judged me when I asked a stupid question. My father analyzed everything I said, like one of his patients. No. Tori’s relatives would have nothing but good things to say about her dad. He was perfect.

  The girl who looked like Tori introduced me to the cousins one by one. “This is Tori Mukagawa’s friend.”

  In attendance were two uncles and one aunt. The rest were a collection of their adult children and fourth cousins twice removed. My head spun and I hadn’t said a word yet. I bowed again to everyone and said my well-rehearsed line. “Watakushi wa Erin desu.”

  Tori’s twin sat down on a cushion next to a low table and motioned for me to sit next to her. She stretched out her hand. “My name is Keiko. I am glad to meet you. I bet you are tired. My mother will get you some tea.”

  Still petrified with fear, I managed to squeak out, “Arigato.”

  Keiko’s mother poured tea for everyone. I rolled the cup in my hands, enjoying the warmth from a small heater by the table. The aroma of the strong tea drifted past my nose. It smelled like fresh popcorn. The mother put out plates of sweet bean cakes.

  Although not my favorite Japanese sweet, I hadn’t eaten lunch, so I gulped down two. Keiko’s father passed me the family photo albums. I recognize Tori’s dad in more than ten pictures through the years. Weird. He must have come to visit more times than Tori thought.

  I ran my hand over Tori’s father’s picture, wishing I could bring him back to life. All the questions I rehearsed with Setsuko vanished from my memory. Tori would never forgive me if I came all this way and didn’t complete number eight on her list.

  After a few yoga breaths, I finally managed to spit out my first question. “When did Mukagawasan go to America?”

  Keiko’s father, in mid sip, spilled the entire contents of his teacup all over himself. Oops, guess I asked the wrong question. This wasn’t going to be as easy as I fantasized.

  Keiko’s mother wiped up the spilled tea. “We don’t talk of such things.”

  I sat on my heels wondering if I should give the family Tori’s grandfather’s pen. They didn’t seem to be his biggest fan. Tori gave me the pen as her gift to the family, so I pulled the box from my backpack, leaned over and handed it to the father. “Here, Tori wanted you to have her grandfather’s pen.”

  The father opened the box and then turned the pen over in his hands and put it in his mouth. Oh crap. Did I say something wrong? What was he doing?

  The father took a few fake puffs on the pen.

  I’d accidentally used the word for smoke instead of pen. Oops. I hoped that was my first and last slip up.

  Kenzo and Setsuko would be very disappointed to know their number one student would make such a stupid mistake.

  Keiko motioned for her father to pass the pen to another member of the family.

  She gave me a weak smile. “I’m so sorry. My father likes to joke around. I think your Japanese is very good.”

  I returned her weak smile as the family passed the pen from one member to another until it reached Keiko’s uncle. He turned the pen over in his hands and read the inscription. Then he threw the pen on the floor. “I will tell you why he left. Because Nobu was an idiot.”

  Well, I guess I knew what the family thought of Tori’s grandfather’s big move to America.

  Keiko let out a nervous laugh. “The family has some bad feelings.”

  Although I was glad for this bit of news, I still had no idea why the family disliked Tori’s grandfather so much. “What did he do?”

  She leaned back on her cushion and put her legs closer to the heater. “Who cares about Nobusan? Tell me about you. Where are you from?”

  Great. I may have just missed the only chance I had to get more family gossip. I decided I better answer her question. “I from Idaho. I go to Seda Academy.” I hoped she understood my feeble attempt at Janglish.

  Keiko seemed impressed by something I said as she turned to her father and mother and talked so fast, I didn’t understand a word she said. Then she turned back to me. “Seda is a very good school. You must be smart.”

  I was feeling anything but smart sitting in a room full of people who could barely understand me because I had the vocabulary of a seven-year-old. “No. But thank you.”

  Keiko’s brother chimed in. “Do you have a Japanese boyfriend? I am available.”

  Did he just say what I think he said? Things were quickly going downhill. I figured I had nothing to lose by asking an equally loaded question. “So what bad thing did Nobusan do?”

  The father leaned forward on his cushion almost spilling his tea. “Nobusan stole all the money out of the family bank account before he left.”

  Wow, I’d finally struck family gossip gold. Even though I was an outsider, they seemed to not care what they said. The relatives began arguing back and forth about how much money was in the bank account. The amount varied from a million to two million yen. In American money it was about twenty-two thousand dollars. Boy, Tori’s grandfather should be glad he never came back to Japan. I’d hate to think what would have happened to him with this unruly mob.

  Why hadn’t Tori’s dad told her about his father’s family betrayal? If he could lie about this, what else could he have been hiding?

  Midori placed a bottle of whiskey in front of Keiko’s brother. Things were about to get really interesting. Who knew what other dirty laundry they were about to air once they got drunk? So far, they’d only shattered my vision of Tori’s grandfather. He must have been an amazing person to raise such a wonderful son. Would her dad be next?

  Keiko’s brother passed me a glass of whiskey. “I heard American women like to drink.”

  He probably assumed that from watching American TV shows like Sex in the City. I tried to defend American women’s alcoholic tendencies. “Not true. American girls just want to have fun.” I’d sunk to a new low. Defending myself with a Cyndi Lauper song.

  Keiko covered her mouth and let out a giggle. Her uncle didn’t seem to get my joke and quickly downed another glass of whiskey. In fact, the whole family seemed to be experiencing their share of anxiety as within an hour everyone could barely sit up straight. The conve
rsation quickly veered from juicy family tidbits to such boring topics as what they were going to have for dinner.

  Patiently, I waited for the perfect time to ask my last question. Once they decided on pork sukiyaki for dinner, I found my moment. “Does the family have any bigger secrets?”

  Keiko’s uncle dropped his glass. “Suzukisan doesn’t wear underwear.”

  One of the cousins laughed so hard he toppled off his floor cushion.

  I gave Keiko’s uncle my best beauty pageant smile. “That’s very interesting. Can you tell me some of the history of the family?”

  Keiko’s brother pointed to an alcove just off the living room. “Our house is haunted by one of our ancestors. He lives in there.”

  Was this the real reason Tori wanted me to come to her relatives? No, she had no idea about the paranormal world. Or did she?

  Donning my best Men of Letters face of bravery, I got up from my floor cushion and marched straight for the alcove. Inside the plain white room stood a wooden shrine. Pictures of the ancestors hung around the room similar to the ones at the Moris’. Except the Mukagawa family shrine was very simple. No fancy carvings or gold gilt touches. Yet, something shimmered over in a dark and foreboding corner of the alcove. As if a force pushed me toward it, step-by-step I slowly approached the object. In the corner, perched on a triangular shelf, sat a cross-legged carved figure with a disfigured face wearing a strange conical hat that had been covered in gold leaf. The black clad figure held a large gold knife in its hand. A familiar chill filled the room. Did the Heavenly Burger ghost follow me all the way to the Mukagawa’s? A soft white film stood between the wood figure and me. Was the ghost finally going to reveal itself? A blast of air hit my ear and a voice said, “Aku o tomenakereba naranai! Ima shuppatsu suru!”

  The words scared me. I raced back into the living room to the safety of the family.

  They were so drunk they didn’t notice I even left the room. Everyone except Keiko’s brother, who had disappeared. Keiko tittered on her floor cushion and blurted out, “Well, if you want to know the big secret. Tori isn’t really a….

  One of the uncles chimed in to finish the sentence, “She isn’t really a Mukagawa.”

  Although this was huge news for Tori, I sat still reeling from what the ghost said to me.

  “Evil must be stopped! Leave now!”

  Chapter 9

  Death Comes to Visit

  December 19-9:00 AM

  I woke up feeling strange. Was it from my strange encounter in the Mukagawa shrine room or from the weight of the huge news I had for Tori? Or could it be the enormous battle I had with Okasan yesterday?

  Things seemed fine on Saturday when I arrived home from my big trip. No one said anything to me. However, on Sunday, a black cloud hung over the Mori household. I don’t know if Okasan woke up on the wrong side of the bed or what, but she went from being pleasant at breakfast to a screaming shrew at lunch. Normally I wouldn’t care about her endless ranting. But it was another story when I knew she was complaining about my various shortcomings. I decided to break my rule and speak Japanese. “Don’t worry, I won’t be here much longer.”

  Okasan stood speechless. She looked startled and wondered how she could suddenly understand English. I could see the wheels turning in her head. She clapped her hands together barely able to contain her excitement. “When?”

  I said in my newly acquired perfect Japanese, “I will move out of the house by February.”

  Okasan’s huge smile said it all. She was thrilled by the news.

  Now was my opportunity to ask her why she had been sabotaging my stay in her home. “I knew you’d be happy. Guess that means you can stop being mean to me.”

  She cocked her head to the side like a bird getting ready to preen its feathers. “What do you mean?”

  How could she stand there and act so innocent? “So, you are not the one who has been stealing my map?”

  She hung her head. “Not me. But I know who it is… I can’t say.”

  Does she know about the ghost? Who else could she be protecting? I watched her retreat to the safety of her bedroom. There was only one person she cared about—her only son. A flood of emotion swept over me. Now everything made sense. The ghost repeatedly tore up my list, but it was Hiroshi who kept sabotaging my trip to Tori’s relatives. He must have wanted me all to himself. Putting me up on his Twitter page was his declaration of love. He tore up my map because he probably thought I was heading off on a trip with Kenzo. I should be flattered, but instead I wanted to march down to his bedroom and kick his butt. All this time I’d been mad at the ghost!

  Thank the Japanese gods it was Monday and I could escape to school. My body ached as I headed downstairs. This crappy feeling better be a passing thing. I had finals this week. At least after they were over, I could look forward to the semester break. I had a lot to be healthy for.

  I threw on my heavy gray cardigan sweater and long wool coat to keep me warm. The chilly air swept over my face as I opened the door. Christmas was just days away. The TV weatherman predicted snow. Even the thought of Christmas coming didn’t seem to perk up my spirits. Somehow, I managed to force myself out the door and walk the freezing mile to the station.

  Riding the train to school, I fought back the feeling my body was shutting down. I couldn’t shake the thought my aches and pains might be from the hundred-pound gorilla on my back. No way could I wait until I got back home to tell Tori she was adopted. The burden sucked me dry. There was never a good time to tell your best friend such shocking news. I felt almost as betrayed as Tori would when she found out. To think of all the effort her father spent instilling Tori with such pride in her Mukagawa heritage. It was the main reason she longed to win the scholarship. Now—nothing but lies.

  Looking around the train car for a distraction, I faced a sea of surgical masks. I guess I wasn’t the only one feeling sick. In Japan, when people felt ill, they put on the masks out of courtesy. The men all wore the plain white hospital masks, but some of the young girls wore highly imaginative ones. I laughed at a girl who had painted a cat’s nose and whiskers on her standard white mask. Another girl had the dreaded Hello Kitty blazed across the front of hers. I could paint my own but, knowing me, I’d paint ten different designs and not think any of them were good enough for public viewing. Still, the idea of being a walking gallery was awfully tempting.

  Somehow, I managed to climb the stairs to my history class and take my seat. I must have not looked my usual gorgeous self as Adam stared at me with a strange look on his face.

  “Hey, what’s up with you? Still celebrating Halloween? You’re green.”

  I smiled weakly. “Thanks. I’m flattered.”

  Mr. Tanaka took roll and then handed out the final. I skimmed through the exam and breathed a sigh of relief. The teacher seemed to be obsessed with the same part of Japanese history I loved, the Meiji period from 1868-1912. It was a time when the feudal past of the samurai and shoguns had been left behind and the country slowly walked into the future.

  I whizzed through the exam. With more effort than it should have taken, I leaned forward and pulled myself up from my seat and dropped off my answers. Leaning against the railing outside, I hung out until Adam finished his final.

  “How are you doing? You still look green.”

  “Actually, I feel a little better, especially after the final. I’m sure glad the exam wasn’t very hard. The way I’m feeling, my brain is only operating at fifty percent.”

  Adam sighed. “You’re kidding, right? I hope I got a C. The Meiji Period was so confusing for me. I liked the Edo Period much better. The huge battles the samurai fought before they lost power were amazing.”

  Why wasn’t I surprised Adam would like that period? Guys and their fondness for battles. I gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “You did fine. Most of the short answers were on the Edo Period.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I know, but that one little section isn’t going to count for much.”r />
  I knew he was right, but I didn’t want to make him feel any worse.

  Adam took my arm. “I’m taking you down to the lounge and then I’m going to find Gina. You look like you need a nursemaid.”

  Gina was probably the last person I’d recruit for the job. Not that she wasn’t a good friend; she just had virtually no patience. It must be at the top of the list of qualities you needed to be a nurse. Adam plopped me down in one of the leather club chairs and that was the last thing I remembered.

  Setsuko hovered over me when I woke. “Erin, can you hear me? What’s wrong? You look sick.”

  Gina gave me a nudge. “Duh. I think she’s trying to turn as green as the Astro Turf on the café patio. Why don’t we lay her out on it? I bet no one will be able to see her.”

  Gina’s remark confirmed she was a bad candidate for nursemaid status.

  Setsuko held my wrist as if taking my pulse. “Do you think we should find Mr. Shinji and tell him about Erin? She looks terrible.”

  I managed to sit up straight in the chair. “That’s sweet of you, but I’m fine. Can one of you do me a favor and get me something to drink? I don’t really feel like eating.”

  Adam and the girls huddled together and had a confab about who should do what.

  As usual, Setsuko was eager to take charge. “All right, here’s what we’ll do. Adam and Gina are going to go get you some of that chicken you like so much from the machine. You need some protein. I’m going to get you some of that Cold Sweat drink. It’s like Gatorade with a bunch of caffeine thrown in. That should do the trick.” She gave me a wink. “I think it might actually have ten percent fruit juice, too.”

  Cold Sweat? Hadn’t I seen that in the vending machines when we first came to campus? Maybe nurse Setsuko was right. I just needed a little chicken and a can of magic Sweat and I’d be as good as new. Getting comfortable in the chair, I sat back and struggled to keep my eyes open.

  Setsuko leaned over me and blocked my view. “You know that favor you owe me?”