by E A Hunt
About to open his mouth to remind his sister of the truth about her deceased friend, Ren stopped when he saw an email from his tech guy. Opening it quickly, he smiled. Audra’s address was at the top along with an apology about being delayed due to some new security protocols the DMV had added to their system.
Quickly changing to another screen, Bram transferred the man’s payment then went back to his email. Writing down the address, he stood. He needed to get to Audra
“Where are you going?” Kenzi questioned, standing.
“I have some business to take care of,” Ren replied, rounding his desk and heading towards the office door.
“Now?” Kenzi asked, hot on his heels.
“Yes now,” he replied, placing his hand on the office door.
Kenzi slid before him, blocking his exit. “You can’t go now - the project manager for the condos is coming to see us,” she reminded, wondering what had her brother in such a rush.
Damn he’d forgotten all about that meeting. He’d put it off three times because of issues which had arisen back in Japan and here in the States. He was the head of the Yakuza in the States, his cousin Hiro was the head in Japan, and there were many times their mutual interests coincided and needed to be addressed. “Can you take the meeting?” He asked.
His sister had been begging him and their father, Toshi, for more responsibility in the family. His father had been against it, thinking all Kenzi needed to do was marry a proper Japanese man and produce children. Ren on the other hand, thought that giving Kenzi something to do was good idea. She could have a legitimate business much like Seamus had with his brother Fin and his restaurants. If Seamus ever went down, Fin’s restaurants couldn’t be touched and that meant Nelle and any children she and Seamus had, would be all right.
“No, I can’t handle it because unlike you Keizo,” Kenzi started, using Ren’s given name, “I haven’t seen the building nor the plans.”
“Whose fault is that?” Ren questioned, hating his given name. He was the third son in the male succession line of the Tsao family; his father had been the second son in succession and his given name was Jiro (second boy) –Toshi Tsao. Following tradition therefore, he and Ren’s mother had named him Keizo, meaning third boy in Japanese; Keizo Toshi Ren Tsao. He’d gone by Ren since he could remember, only hearing his given name when trouble was afoot, or his men were addressing him after he’d given them a direct order.
“Do you know how long it took me to get that hair appointment? I’m not missing it to go look at some musty old building,” Kenzi countered.
“For someone who wants to do more in this family, you’ll do anything in order to get out of actual work,” Ren replied. The initial condo idea had been Kenzi’s after she’d been out looking for a condo to live in because she was tired of being based outside of the city where she partied. Ren had thought the idea sound and had talked his father into letting Kenzi lead after he had presented the idea first to Bram, since the Mafia Shqiptare happened to own the building they wanted to use, and then to The Four. His sister had been ecstatic at first, coming up with lots of ideas and putting them down on paper. But as the project started to take shape and the building started its renovations, his sister had seemed to lose interest - leaving Ren to pick up the slack.
“I work Ren,” Kenzi defended.
“Playing dress up is not working,” he replied. Since their mother’s death, Kenzi had taken over the role of hostess for this father’s home. Ren thought she did a wonderful job but that wasn’t what he would call work.
“I don’t play dress up,” she spat. “I plan and organize the parties Father was so fond of having before he decided to become some kind of recluse,” Kenzi finished. Her father had tried to continue with hosting events at their home after her mother’s death but the parties nor her father had been the same, so they’d simply stopped having them.
“Parties are not the same as renovating and selling condos. An idea you were the one to come up with.” Ren reminded her
“Yes, but I didn’t present it to The Four like it was my idea - you did,” Kenzi countered.
“And why was I the one to present it Kenzi? Because you were too busy with Isadore,” Ren told her. He’d been more than glad to let her give the presentation to The Four but Kenzi had, liked always, found something more interesting than an idea she’d come up with
“Yes, planning her engagement party and wedding. And if that harpy Bram’s married to currently hadn’t ruined the party, Bram would be married to Isadore now… and my friend would have the happy life she’d always dreamed of and not be lying in some shallow, unmarked grave!”
The grave her friend was in wasn’t exactly unmarked if you knew where to look, which Ren did but Kenzi didn’t. Isadore had sealed her fate once her deeds came out into the open. Feeling Bram closing in on her, she’d kidnapped the then pregnant Sara and tried once again to take her and her unborn baby’s life. Sara wasn’t going to allow another child of hers to be taken, so she’d taken Isadore’s. That was Sara’s right as Bram’s wife and the mother of his children. The Four lived by very simple rules and taking a life which was not yours to take meant sudden death.
“I don’t understand why you defend that woman time and again,” Ren questioned his sister as he stepped away from her. “She took an innocent child’s life when she ran over Sara, then she tried to kill Bram! Isadore was not innocent, but you’d like us all to believe she was.”
“Despite her deeds she was my friend. She grew up in this life and was the only one I could talk to about it. Not only that but all she wanted was to be happy and she knew she could be happy with Bram,” Kenzi replied, wiping away a tear.
Seeing his sister cry was not something Ren enjoyed but he couldn’t comfort her when it came to Isadore. Kenzi had always turned a blind eye towards the woman. “There are others you can talk to about this life Kenzi. Maybe even Sara, once she calms down a little.”
His sister had called Sara several awful names at his Aunt’s funeral causing her to be removed. Sara was still pissed, and Ren couldn’t blame her. His Aunt’s funeral was a solemn but celebratory event not one where his sister should have got pissy drunk and insulted the wife of the head of the Mafia Shqiptare.
“You can talk to her about this life. She and Nelle have become good friends. Maybe you can join in their circle,” Ren offered. He knew this life was hard. You don’t know whom to trust or whether someone wanted to be your friend because they were working for the police. So, he understood Kenzi needing Isadore.
“Eww! I wouldn’t go anywhere near those two,” Kenzi snapped, “they are beneath me. They don’t understand this life, they only live it because of what it can give them!”
None of that was true and Ren knew it, but it seemed Kenzi was determined to hold on to her hatred of a woman who’d done nothing but protect herself and her child.
“I’m done,” Ren told her. “You are not willing to listen to reason, so I’m done with this conversation.” Moving Kenzi out of the way, Ren opened the door to find his father standing there with a stoic expression on his face.
“Father,” he bowed respectfully as a greeting.
“We have a guest,” Toshi addressed his children as he walked into the room. He could hear their arguing all the way in the atrium at the back of his home. “If you two are done acting like children I’m sure Ms. Woodward would like to speak with you about the condos,” he gave each a stern look. Once Ms. Woodward departed, he was going to have a word with his children about their argument. One which should be a moot point since Fate, whom he was a firm believer in, had had its way in the situation involving Bram, Sara, and Isadore. Meaning his daughter needed to leave a situation that didn’t concern her alone.
“Yes Father,” both replied, giving a slight bow.
“Ms. Woodward,” Toshi called, stepping aside to allow the willowed woman to enter the room.
Ren gave a little acknowledging bow to the woman who’d walked into the roo
m. She hadn’t exactly been his first choice when choosing a project manager. Joanne Woodward was tall - at least five foot nine inches - with long auburn hair and a lanky willowed appearance. When she’d first walked into his office in the building they owned in the city center, he’d been ready to dismiss her until he’d checked her references. All had been stellar, and her background check had come back cleaner than anyone he’d ever seen. The woman didn’t even have a parking ticket. “Joanne, it is good to see you again,” Ren started. “Please allow me to introduce my sister.”
“I’m Hatsuko (first daughter) Kenjii Tsao,” Kenzi introduced herself with an outstretched hand. “You can call me Kenzi,” she offered. She’d been called Kenzi, her Anglo name, since she’d started school where none of her teachers or classmates could pronounce her given name or her second name.
“Nice to meet you Kenzi,” Joanne replied taking the proffered hand of the woman before her. She had to admit, the woman was adorable with her oval face, rounded black eyes and tanned skin tone. She reminded Joanne of a china doll, especially with her jet-black hair cut in a short bob which surround her face. She released the woman’s hand and, turning towards Ren, reached out a hand to him. “Ren,” she acknowledged, noticing the tension in his stance. Maybe she needed to come back another time.
“Joanne,” Ren replied, taking the proffered hand. He needed to hurry this meeting along. Releasing Joanne’s hand, he turned towards his father who was still standing beside the office door and said, “Father?”
“I will leave you to it,” Toshi replied, before turning and leaving the room.
Ren watched his father go, knowing once he was done here that he would need to see him before he left to find Audra.
“Please have a seat,” Kenzi gestured towards the group of chairs surrounding a lower round table, not far from Ren’s desk.
“Thank you,” Joanne replied taking one of the chairs closest to the door. She needed to be able to make a quick exit if the argument she’d heard while being showed to the office ensued once again. Removing her laptop from her case, she opened the machine.
“As requested, Ren,” Joanne started, “I placed an ad in several interior design magazines for this project and have weeded out those who I don’t think will be suitable for what you’ve requested.” She placed her laptop on the coffee table and turned it so everyone in the room could see. “I have narrowed the list to ten. Some are local and some aren’t.”
Ren nodded as he took the chair across from Joanne and Kenzi as sat on the floor looking at the laptop screen. He’d requested designers with several years’ experience and who’d staged places for sale before. He’d also wanted those who wouldn’t try to bleed him dry for said staging.
“I don’t want the ones who aren’t local,” Kenzi replied as she scrolled through the names. “Having someone from out of town means we have to put them up somewhere and that will cost way too much,” she advised.
Glad that someone had suggested this, Joanne spoke, “Then that narrows our list to four.”
Murmuring a small ‘excuse me’ to Kenzi, Joanne turned her laptop back to face her and removed the out of town names.
“I have a generic email ready to send out to those who are local, asking them to come to the building in two days with their best designs for you and Kenzi to look at.”
Ren nodded. That was a good idea. Most of the remodel was done and all the condos had been fitted for the number of rooms – some of which would be studios – which would be advertised for sale. If they wanted this project to be finished within the next six months, they would need a designer as soon as possible.
“Please send out the emails and let them know this is their one shot at a very lucrative project.” Ren informed Joanne
Joanne nodded as she pulled up the generic email and shot them off to the four who needed to be contacted. She looked at Ren and asked, “Is there a certain design you are looking for?”
When she’d first been offered this position, she’d asked this question wanting to get a general idea of what Ren Tsao was looking for. He’d answered her with a blank stare. She’d hidden her smile, knowing Ren Tsao was a businessman not a designer.
“Something sleek and modern,” Kenzi piped up.
“With where this building is located, I believe something a little homey would be good too,” Joanne offered. The building wasn’t far from a neighbor which consisted of several young families. Offering a more homey appearance could bring more families to the up and coming area
Kenzi looked at Joanne, “I think I know what I want in my project, Joanne. And what I want is sleek and modern. People like me” she pointed to herself “aren’t looking for homey,” Kenzi finished standing. She was not about to let this woman tell her what she wanted in her own building.
“Kenzi calm down,” Ren said. He didn’t want Kenzi to lose her shit with the woman who was doing the bulk of the work. Work Kenzi should be doing herself. “Thank you, Joanne, for your suggestion.” He reached out a hand to her, “Let’s see what the designers come up with.”
Joanne took his hand as she stood, “I think that’s a good idea.” Releasing his hand, she continued, “Please note some of the designers may come back and ask what direction we would like to go in before they come up with any designs.”
Ren nodded, he could understand that. Going into any situation blind was never a good idea. Knowing the layout led to a better advantage. “Tell them we are leaning towards sleek modern look and a homey one. Also provide them the link to the virtual tour of the penthouse unit,” he replied. Once a unit had been cleaned out and fit for adequate living, Joanne had had pictures and videos taken, stating that some people would want to see the before and after images, once the condos were staged.
“I can do that,” Joanne replied. She closed her laptop and returned it to her bag and straightened. “It was nice meeting with you again Ren,” she said, and with a final small bow, turned and walked from the room.
“She completely ignored me!” Kenzi fumed.
“I would have ignored you also. You weren’t professional in the least,” Ren replied as he walked out of the room.
“Why should I be professional when she suggests something that is nothing like what I want?!” Kenzi countered, following.
“What you want?” Ren shook his head as he entered his mother’s atrium. His father was tending to his mother’s lotus flowers but they seemed to be drooping, missing his mother’s delicate touch - much like her family was. Sighing, Ren walked the short distance to the wrought iron table that his mother had placed in the atrium years ago for herself and the other wives of the original Four. He placed a hand on his mother’s chair. Decorated as a lotus flower, it had once been her favorite.
He remembered for a moment how he would sit at her feet, when he wasn’t learning the business, and listen to her and the other wives complain about their over protective husbands or what their sons were getting up to.
“Are you and Kenzi fighting again?” Toshi questioned his son, as he sprayed the last lotus flower and smiled at the plant. He tended to it and several of the other blooms in the atrium every day. Caring for these flowers, the flowers his beloved Mieko had cared for every day, gave him a sense that he was still caring for his wife.
“There is no fight Father,” Ren replied. His father had never been a fan of him and Kenzi fighting, believing that they should always stand united as a family.
“That is not what it sounded like to me,” Toshi replied, as he faced his son. There was something different about Ren this day. Gone was the weariness and heartache which seemed to have followed him from Japan so many years ago.
“It was nothing Father,” Kenzi replied from the doorway of her mother’s atrium.
“I find that hard to believe Hatsuko Kenjii,” he said, turning towards his daughter. He knew Kenzi’s heart. She’d loved her friend and wanted what was best for her, but Isadore had crossed a line which could never be forgiven.
�
��Father -” Kenzi started.
“You must let go Hatsuko Kenjii. You must learn to heal, or you will be led down a path of darkness. One from which you may never return,” he cautioned his daughter.
“Yes, Father,” Kenzi murmured.
With a small nod, Toshi faced his son once more. “Now about these condos,” he said as he pulled out a chair and sat down. “What is the update?”
Toshi knew it was his daughter who was supposed to be handling this project but he also knew that her attention only lasted long enough for an idea to be born. She had no true follow through.
Ren gave his Father a quick overview of the plans for the next two days and said, “I believe we can make quite a profit here.”
“Were we still thinking of renting a few of the units out?” This had been Bram’s idea when it was presented to The Four. Not all the condos would sell and instead of having units sit empty, renting them would still generate good income on the unsold units - as long as the potential tenants knew the condos could still be sold at any minute.
“Yes,” Ren replied. “The lower two floors of the five stories will be rentals and the two above will be condos for sale, while the entire top floor will be marketed as a penthouse unit with three bedrooms, two baths, its own elevator access, and private back entrance.”
Walking through the building with Bram, he’d already mapped out a tentative plan.
“Good, good,” Toshi replied, confident now that once the project was finished, it would be a sight to behold. “Seems the project is coming along nicely.”
“It is,” Ren acknowledged. “Father if you will excuse me, there is some business I need to see to.”
“Go. Go,” Toshi waved his son off as he poured himself some tea, “It is time I have some time alone with your mother’s flowers.”
