He slung his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. ‘Life’s not fair. Anyway, I want to meet your cantankerous old grandmother.’
Now she felt horrified. ‘Why would you want to do that?’
He smiled down at her. ‘I want to see if you’ve inherited any of her traits.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
AS A DOCTOR, Avery Flynn had met a lot of cantankerous patients in his time. But he’d never met anyone like Hiroko Satou. She definitely won the prize.
From the second they left their shoes at the entranceway and entered her single-storey home he could sense the tension in the air. Not that he could understand a word of what was going on.
She didn’t shout, but her tone spoke a thousand words. Katsuko tried to introduce him but he was instantly dismissed with one look. Then the tirade clearly aimed at Katsuko started.
Avery had never been rude, but as the staccato words flowed freely he started to get annoyed. It was clear Katsuko was doing everything she could to placate her grandmother, who clearly wasn’t listening.
After about fifteen minutes Katsuko threw her hands in the air, walked through to the kitchen and started banging things around. She’d already warned him she’d need to make something for her grandmother’s dinner.
He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. It could appear impertinent. But he was a twenty-eight-year-old man—not a boy—and now he could understand clearly why Katsuko had looked nervous on the way over.
The smell of food cooking quickly wafted from the kitchen. ‘Can I do anything to help?’ he asked.
There was a tiny rise of the old woman’s eyebrows. Interesting. Katsuko had said she didn’t speak or understand a word of English. Avery wasn’t so sure.
‘No, thanks’ came the reply from the kitchen. ‘She wouldn’t like it.’
Avery caught the sharp gaze of the woman in the wheelchair currently scowling at him and gave her a knowing smile.
He started to walk slowly around the room. As expected, it was clutter-free with everything in easy reach. She had a giant modern television on the wall and her tablet sitting on the table next to her. It seemed she wasn’t entirely steeped in tradition.
He stopped as he caught sight of a photograph in a frame on the wall. A beautiful young Japanese woman, around Katsuko’s age, dressed in a traditional red kimono smiled back at him. The photo had aged a little around the edges. It had obviously been there for a while. He glanced around the rest of the room, looking for any photos of Katsuko. There were none.
‘Your daughter was beautiful,’ he said quietly. ‘You must miss her.’
She blinked and her scowl deepened.
He kept walking. Her eyes occasionally darted towards the kitchen. She could hear Katsuko making dinner. Avery kept walking slowly, aware that the old lady’s eyes were following his every move.
‘Katsuko’s a great nurse. A real credit to you.’ He pointed to the photo. ‘I can see she gets her beauty from her mother.’ He paused. The old woman really did have an unwavering glare.
He faced her square on. ‘You must be very proud of her.’
Finally, she drew her eyes off him, giving him a look of disgust. She understood a whole lot more than she admitted to.
Katsuko stuck her head back through the doorway. ‘Dinner will be ready soon. I’ll just go and get her bed ready for later.’ She crossed through the main room.
Avery leaned against the wall again. Hiroko Satou watched her granddaughter leave the room, then turned to glare at Avery again. He crossed one leg over the other and folded his arms. It was like a Mexican stand-off. But he wasn’t afraid.
He could see the fury emanating from the old woman. In a lot of ways he felt sorry for her. Her gnarled hands were sitting on her lap. Her bare feet were visible under her blanket. The toe joints looked swollen and distended. Every bone in her body must ache. How many years must she have felt like this?
Had she been frustrated when she’d been unable to look after her granddaughter? Was that why she had such a poor relationship with the General?
But what was her excuse for the way she made Katsuko feel? There was no excuse for that.
He opened his mouth to speak again just as Katsuko came back into the room. Her grandmother started talking instantly, her eyes darting between Avery and Katsuko, her words low and fierce.
It took around ten seconds to realise that the latest rant was about him. Katsuko looked uncomfortable and she kept trying to answer, but her grandmother cut her off at every turn. It appeared that all her venom was now aimed at Avery.
He hated this. He had no clue what the words were, and he didn’t care in the least that they were about him—all he cared about was the fact that Katsuko looked as though she was about to burst into tears.
If they were in the emergency department and a patient or relative spoke to her like this, she wouldn’t be long in putting them in their place. But here, in her grandmother’s home, she looked the most vulnerable he’d ever seen her.
He straightened up and walked over to her, putting his arm around her waist. Every muscle in her body stiffened but he pretended he didn’t notice. He was sending a clear message to the woman who was upsetting the woman he cared about.
‘Let me help. What can I do?’
The words were simple but he hoped the look in his eyes told her a whole lot more. She stared up at him for a few seconds. Her brown eyes fixed on his and he could see her swallow nervously. ‘Let me help you,’ he urged.
Her grandmother spat out some more words and Katsuko blinked back tears before turning and going back into the kitchen. Two minutes later she appeared with a bowl of food for her grandmother.
Avery went into autopilot. He wheeled the chair over to the nearby table and positioned her carefully. Katsuko brought some chopsticks and a napkin for her grandmother and gestured for Avery to sit down at the other side of the room. A few seconds later she joined him. ‘She doesn’t like people watching her eat. She struggles to hold the chopsticks now.’
She stared down at her hands and he put his arm around her again, staring across at her grandmother defiantly. It was ridiculous. It made him feel like a teenager again, but he wasn’t intimidated by the woman and he could see the affect she had on Katsuko. It was almost poisonous.
‘Why do you come when she texts?’
Her eyes were wet. ‘Who else would come?’
He pressed his lips together. ‘I get that she’s in pain. I get that she’s from a different generation. But I’m struggling to see what you get from this relationship.’
She blinked in surprise. ‘What does that mean? She’s my grandmother.’
‘She is. But you don’t have to like her. And you don’t have to jump when she texts.’
She shook her head in bewilderment. ‘But then she’d have no one.’ She sighed. ‘I try not to. Sometimes I text back and tell her I’m at work. One time she threw her carers out seven days in a row.’
‘Did she treat your mother like this?’
Her lips trembled. ‘I remember lots of arguments. My father used to refuse to visit. He didn’t want my mother to bring me here.’
‘But here you are.’
He left the statement hanging between them.
There was so much he could say here. So much he wanted to say. But he wasn’t sure how appropriate it was. It certainly wasn’t appropriate to say it in her grandmother’s house.
He took a deep breath and spoke quietly. ‘As I’ve grown older I’ve realised the old adage that blood is thicker than water means nothing. You should surround yourself with people who love you—or no people at all. People who have a positive impact on your life.’
Her brow furrowed. ‘Does that mean you don’t see your family?’
A wave of sadness flooded over h
im. ‘My parents aren’t the best example of family. And my sister seems to have learned from their examples. The air force helps me keep a distance. It’s my family now.’
Katsuko glanced over towards her grandmother. She’d finished her food, her slightly trembling hands were back in her lap and her eyes were closed. Katsuko reached over and laced her fingers through Avery’s. ‘That’s sad,’ she whispered.
‘So is this,’ he replied.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE CATCALLING STARTED as soon he walked in.
‘Woo-hoo, Captain Flynn, how are those kissable lips?’
‘Hey, Avery, do you have a death wish or something?’
Frank walked past, shaking his head and tutting. ‘The things some people will do to try and get a transfer out of here.’
Avery looked about, catching a few raised eyebrows. He walked down to the desk where the majority of the staff were standing.
‘Well, if it isn’t our very own Romeo,’ said one of the nurses. The rest of the staff were laughing and looked at him in expectation. He felt a weird prickle go down his spine.
For the last few weeks he’d continued to see Katsuko on a regular basis. They weren’t entirely keeping it a secret, he just hadn’t discussed it with anyone he was working with.
And things had been a little awkward. After the visit to her grandmother’s house Katsuko had pulled back. She hadn’t said the words, but she’d been distant.
It should have dented his confidence but it hadn’t. It wasn’t his confidence he was worried about. It was hers. The visit to her grandmother’s had taken the sparkle from her eyes and the shine from her confidence. He hated that—probably more than he should for a guy that was a temporary arrangement and only looking for some kind of fling.
Because he liked her. He liked her more and more. Their connection felt so real. She was feisty. She was good company. And she was sexy as hell. The perfect woman in every way. So why wasn’t he telling the world they were dating? And why wasn’t she?
He frowned at the faces around him. ‘What on earth are you guys talking about?’
Glances were exchanged but no one spoke. Blake Anderson walked up behind him and gave him a slap on the back. ‘Come with me, Captain Flynn. We need to have a chat about your risk-taking behaviour.’
He was smiling but there was seriousness behind his eyes. The rest of the staff found their voices again.
‘You’re in trouble now.’
‘The plane leaves for Ohio in an hour.’
Avery had no idea what they were talking about. Risk-taking behaviour? Maybe in the past, but not recently. He followed Blake into his office and closed the door behind him.
‘Are you going to tell me what all this is about?’
Blake looked at him carefully. ‘No one has told you?’
‘Told me what?’ Avery looked over his shoulder. ‘Is there a camera in here? Is this some kind of game show?’
Blake pulled his phone from his pocket. ‘There isn’t a camera in here, but there sure was one where you were a few weeks ago.’ He touched the screen and turned the phone around. ‘You really haven’t seen this?’
Avery took the phone and tilted it to get a better view of the screen. It was like a movie. A film clip.
The view was high, as if taken from one of the street cameras. It was Hachiko Crossing at night, lit up by all the neon lights. One second the crossing was swarming with people, the next the camera zoomed in on a couple. A couple kissing in the middle of the crossing, just as it emptied and the lights were about to change.
Avery’s breath caught somewhere in his throat.
There was no mistaking the couple. There was no mistaking his fedora.
And there was no mistaking the heat of the kiss.
He looked up at Blake. ‘What on earth...?’
Blake still looked faintly amused. He folded his arms across his chest. ‘Look at the caption.’
Avery scrolled back above the video clip. The words were written in English and—he presumed—Japanese: Can you identify the mystery couple?
He shook his head. ‘But this was weeks ago. Who filmed it? I never saw anyone.’
He felt distinctly uncomfortable. Had Katsuko seen this? What would she say? Would she be happy or upset that people knew their relationship had developed? He played the clip again and tried to ignore the instant dryness in his throat. There was absolutely no mistaking his intentions with that kiss. He had one hand in her hair and the other firmly on her backside, pressing her against him.
Blake sighed. ‘Check out the comments.’
Avery glanced underneath the video and blinked. More than a thousand comments. Then he looked at the views. ‘What?’
Blake held up his hands. ‘It seems you’re a bit of a slow burner. It appears that one of the street camera operators caught sight of your liaison and decided to post it, asking if anyone knows the couple. It’s gone viral. People have been posting it all over. And if you scroll through the comments you’ll see that some people have identified exactly who you both are...’ he paused ‘...and which air force base you’re from.’
Avery groaned. ‘Oh, no.’
‘Oh, yes.’
‘I need to speak to Katsuko.’
‘I think someone else is speaking to her—at least that’s the impression I got when the General phoned me an hour ago.’
Avery cringed and closed his eyes for a second. ‘What did he say?’
‘You really want to know?’ From Blake’s tone it was apparent that, no, he really didn’t want to know. ‘Consider yourself spoken to about being a captain in the US Air Force and being caught on camera undertaking risky behaviour. You made it off that crossing with less than a second to spare.’
‘I was kind of caught up.’
Blake smiled. ‘I could see that.’
Something shot through Avery’s mind. ‘You only saw this an hour ago? How did everyone else see it?’
Blake shrugged. ‘Coincidences, I imagine. I’ve got to assume you haven’t been online this morning. I imagine you have a few messages waiting. Once you’d both been identified and tagged, the video clip circulated like wildfire among the staff.’
Avery groaned again. ‘Great, just great.’
Blake gave him a serious stare. ‘Avery, do me a favour, don’t get caught on camera in future—I can’t afford to be down one doctor.’ He pressed his lips together for a second. ‘And just so you know, she might be called firecracker but she’s not as confident as you think. She’s popular around here. Treat her badly and it won’t just be the General you need to worry about.’
* * *
Something was wrong. It was her day off but she could hear the front door opening. Seconds later there was a shout. ‘Katsuko?’
What on earth was Don doing home? He should be at work. She rubbed her eyes and climbed out of bed, walking slowly out into the corridor and standing at the top of the stairs. He didn’t look particularly happy.
‘I’m off today.’ She sighed. She’d never fall asleep again now. ‘What’s wrong?’
He gestured towards her. ‘I need to speak to you. Come downstairs.’
She frowned. ‘What? Can’t this wait until later?’
He shook his head. ‘No. It can’t.’
By the time she got down the stairs Don had flipped open his laptop and had a video clip showing. Now she was really confused. She’d thought he wanted to talk to her.
‘Watch’ was all he said.
Two minutes later she had her head on the table. Shock. Embarrassment. And definitely cringeing.
‘I think just about everyone on the base has seen this.’
‘They have?’ She didn’t even ask where it had come from. She could find that out later.
‘Y
ou were standing in the middle of the crossing. You barely made it off the street.’
She tried not to smile as memories of the kiss flooded through her.
‘How do you think it reflects on this air base—on me—if members of our medical staff are seen behaving in a way that could put people at risk? What happens if the next big thing is people mimicking what you did? How long do you think it will be before one of those couples ends up the ER?’
She sat back in the chair. She wasn’t normally a morning person and her patience was always short. Don was saying everything except what he really wanted to.
‘It was only a kiss.’
‘I’m not talking about the kiss.’
She stood up. ‘Yes. Yes, you are. I’m twenty-five. I could be living in another country somewhere by now. I probably should be. It might surprise you exactly how many kisses I’ve had.’
He held up his hand. ‘Too much information.’
She licked her lips and tried to let her befuddled brain make sense of things. ‘I get it that you’re not entirely happy about two members of base staff kissing in the middle of the busiest junction in the world. Believe me, it wasn’t pre-planned. At least, not by me. I also get it that you might ask their supervisors to speak to them. But this isn’t a big deal, Don. This isn’t something you get reprimanded over.’ She ran her fingers through her hair. ‘So, if you want to ask me something about Avery, ask me.’
He raised his eyebrows and remained silent. It was difficult not to try and immediately fill the silence. Don had always been extremely good at this. It was one of his ‘techniques’. He’d told her once he used it often—particularly when trying to get to the truth of an incident. People tended to panic and fill the silence with babble—babble that probably gave more away than they intended.
It might be first thing in the morning but Katsuko was far too smart for that. She raised her eyebrows back at him.
The corners of his mouth started to turn upwards. ‘What do you know about Avery Flynn?’
She stepped forward and gave him a knowing nod. ‘I guess that’s the question I should be asking you. At this point, I imagine, you know his file off by heart.’
One Kiss in Tokyo... Page 12
