Mercedes continued to look around the room, momentarily forgetting about the jewelry. “Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Asaka.”
“Please, call me Okaasan.”
“Okaasan!” Takashi scolded. “Stop push—”
Mercedes placed a hand on his arm. “It’s okay, Takashi. I used to call her that when I was a kid. I just figured, with all the time that had passed, it would be better not to.”
Mrs. Asaka waved her hand. “Nonsense.”
“Yeah, so about that,” Takashi said. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
Mercedes scratched her arm, trying to figure out how to word herself. “I met your father, and Rei, though only once or twice. When we met in game and you introduced yourself with your last name, it rang a few bells, since you were about the age of Mrs. Asaka’s oldest son and had the same number of siblings, but it was just too coincidental we’d meet like that. Especially after so many years had passed.” Mercedes chuckled. “It wasn’t until you showed me the texts today that I realized it could be that coincidental.”
Takashi stared at her, baffled, and Mercedes ducked her head. She felt really dumb now. She should have just asked him more questions about his family. But she also knew why she hadn’t. Mercedes had a habit of running from that part of her life. She tried to move on, like she promised her mother she would, but with the way her life had gone, it wasn’t easy for her.
Mercedes looked at Asaka. “I’m sorry for not coming back to see you. I just…”
Asaka held up her hand to stop her. “I understand. You don’t need to apologize. You mother’s passing happened quick, and it affected all of us. I expected going back to the shop would cause you too much pain. Then time passed by, as it does to us all.”
Her words made Mercedes feel a bit better, but no less guilty. She could have come by once or twice in the last thirteen years.
Takashi looked around. “Rei-chan and Otousan haven’t joined us. Are they out?”
His mother shook her head. “Otousan is out to the store and Rei-chan is—”
“I’m right here,” came an annoyed feminine voice.
The three looked toward the foyer to find a woman in her mid-twenties standing in the doorway of the living room. She looked much like Mia and Takashi, though unlike her younger sister, her raven hair flowed well past her shoulders. Man, these people really won a genetic lottery.
“Look, Neesan, Niisan brought his girlfriend home for dinner!” Mia beamed.
“Mi-chan, she’s not my girlfriend,” Takashi corrected, his eyes not leaving the eldest of the two sisters.
Rei scoffed. “I can see that, Mi-chan. Just so you know, Takashi, Emi will be coming over for dinner. She’s in town, and I invited her over before Okaasan told me you’d be bringing her.”
Mercedes did her best not to react to Rei’s acid stare. I knew I shouldn’t have come here. The tension between Rei and Takashi was because of her. He’d made off-handed comments about it before. She’d just hoped it was blown out of proportion. Apparently not.
Takashi’s eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth to spit out a response to his sister, but their mother beat him to it. “Rei, you will respect our guest!”
Rei ground her teeth and then walked out of the room. Asaka sighed and looked at Mercedes, but a timer went off in the kitchen. Asaka said a quick apology on her daughter’s behalf, and then excused herself. Mia followed her, offering to help.
Mercedes looked at the floor. “Takashi, would it be best if I left? I don’t want—”
Takashi placed his hand on hers. “Don’t let my sister get to you. Emi and I didn’t work out as a couple because it didn’t work out. It wasn’t because a lack of trying or faithfulness. Rei’s going to have to grow up eventually and realize that.”
The way he worded that… He didn’t outright deny she’d been involved in the split. “You worded that too carefully.”
Takashi sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I have a deep connection with you. You and I both have talked about it. Emi and I didn’t have that. We tried, but the longer we tried, the more we realized it wasn’t going to happen. So we split on mutual terms.” He held Mercedes’ gaze. “You were not directly involved in our breakup.”
Mercedes could tell he was being sincere, but she couldn’t shake the doubt in her. She did her best to smile. “Okay.”
He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, like he had done earlier today. The gesture sent a wave of mixed emotions through her, just like before. Was such a gesture okay for friends to do? Was she overthinking this?
Takashi continued to gaze into her eyes. His dark, kind eyes captivated her. A lump formed in her throat when his lips slipped into a half smile.
The front door opened, ripping their attention away from each other, and two people entered. Takashi and Mercedes stood up when an older gentleman in his mid-fifties with reddish-brown skin and dark hair, and a young woman around Mercedes’ age with tan skin and long raven hair entered the living room. She’s gorgeous.
“Otousan, you’re home,” Takashi said. He looked at the woman. “Emi, it’s good to see you.”
That’s Emi? With her stylish clothes and good looks, Mercedes felt inadequate again. She’d seen a few photos of her when Takashi and she were together, but it didn’t compare to reality. If Takashi couldn’t make it work with someone like her, no way I have a chance. How could she compete with that?
Emi smiled and waved. “Hey you two. You’re both looking well. It’s good to see you again, Mercedes.”
“You too, Emi.” She looked to Takashi’s father. “It’s been a while, Mr. Moreno.”
The older man smiled wide and rushed over to her, pulling Mercedes into a big bear hug. “That’s an understatement, Mercedes.” He pulled away, keeping her at arms’ length. “And call me Miguel, please.”
She nodded, unable to stop herself from smiling. “I can do that.”
Miguel looked her over. “Look at you. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman behind my back.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“When Asaka told me you were coming over, I couldn’t believe it.” He pulled out a rolled-up magazine stuffed in his back pocket and held it up. “You’ve done well for yourself over the years.”
Mercedes took the magazine, finding herself on the cover, posing with her father in front of her mother’s car. “I didn’t realize this issue was out yet.”
“Just came out today.”
Takashi held out his hand. “May I?”
Mercedes nodded and handed the magazine over. Asaka called out for Miguel from the kitchen, looking for the supplies he went to the store for. He excused himself, leaving Mercedes with Takashi and Emi. Well, Emi, since Takashi focused in on the magazine articles covering her and her father’s work.
Emi suddenly hugged her. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you in person, and so soon.”
An awkward feeling fell over Mercedes. But just as it started to settle in, Emi pulled away. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t stop to think if you’re okay with such contact. I’m a hugging person.”
Mercedes did her best to smile and push away the lingering discomfort. “It’s okay. I don’t come from a huge hugging family, so it’s just a little odd to me.”
That was the worst lie she’d put together, and she could tell Emi wasn’t buying it, but she hadn’t prepared herself to fake anything today. Mercedes just didn’t want to cause any extra issues with Takashi if she could help it.
The two of them looked up when someone came down the stairs. Emi smiled at Rei, who smiled back until she noticed Mercedes.
Before anything could be said, Takashi’s mother came into the room. “Dinner is ready.”
Takashi looked up from the magazine. “Perfect. I’m starving.”<
br />
Mercedes laughed. Just the response she expected from him. She followed everyone into the dining room, eager for a home-cooked meal prepared by Asaka. She remembered some of the dishes her mother had learned from her and brought home for the family to enjoy. It’d been so long.
Mercedes sat down at the large table, Mia insisting they sit next to each other. The young girl’s bubbly nature put a smile on Mercedes’ face. Takashi pulled out a chair next to her, but to her surprise, offered it to Emi. Mercedes put on her best face and watched him sit across the table from her, putting down the magazine his father had brought home earlier. She wondered if she’d done something wrong to make him want to sit there, but when Rei sat down next to him, she then wondered if it was because of his sister he was acting like this.
Asaka had gone all out the meal. There was enough for everyone plus several more, as if she were expecting more company. Or knows the men have bottomless stomachs.
Food was passed around until plates were full. Mercedes expected a rather quiet meal to start, as that was what she was used to with the families she knew, but Takashi’s family was different.
“Emi, are you still doing all that volunteering?” Asaka asked.
Emi nodded. “Of course.”
“And you still have time for your friends and family.”
“Always.”
“I was told you have a new boyfriend,” Asaka said. “I hope he treats you well.”
Emi smiled. “Yes. He spoils me a little too much.”
“Nonsense, no such thing.” She ate some vegetables. “Does he have a good job?”
“Yes. He’s head of the technical department for my father’s law firm.”
“Good, good.” Asaka looked to Mercedes. “And you, Mercedes?”
Mercedes found herself in the middle of taking a drink. She hadn’t expected Asaka to ask her anything so soon. “Hmm?”
“Takashi tells me you and him are only friends.”
“That’s right.”
“Why is that?”
Mercedes was sure to bite down on the food on her fork, attempting to hide the warmth rushing up to her face.
Takashi pinched his nosed. “Okaasan…”
“Don’t ‘Okaasan’ me, Takashi. I don’t see why—”
Miguel placed a hand on his wife’s hand. “Dear, leave the two be, please?”
Asaka sighed and went back to eating. Emi, to Mercedes’ surprise, giggled, along with Mia, though that wasn’t as surprising. She, of course, could feel the irritation radiating off of Rei in waves.
Mia looked up at Mercedes with innocent eyes. “What’s it like having a bionic arm?”
Mercedes stopped eating her rice. She figured this topic would come about. Young kids were fascinated by the technology, and most didn’t have the opportunity to learn about it, as many adults around them didn’t like to talk about it. “Well, that’s hard to explain. I don’t feel anything on that side, and I just think about doing something like I would with my real arm, and it does it.”
Mia poked the artificial arm. “So you don’t feel that?”
“Mia,” Miguel warned.
Mercedes smiled. “It’s fine. No, I don’t feel that.” She grabbed Mia’s hand and turned her wrist. “I don’t feel any of that.”
Mia pursed her lips. “Then how are you able to do that?”
Mercedes pointed to her head. “I have a chip implanted on my brain that transmits the proper signals.”
“How does it work?”
Mercedes shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s a question for Narissa.”
The young girl’s brow furrowed. “Who is that?”
Before Mercedes could say anything, Rei spoke, much to Mercedes’ surprise. “Dr. Narissa Okafor. She revolutionized cybernetics and how we use them.”
Mercedes pointed a finger at Rei. “What she said.”
Takashi and his father chuckled. Mia’s brow furrowed at her sister. “How do you know that?”
“Because it’s my job to know.”
This caught Mercedes’ attention. “Takashi said you were a full-time student still. Are you going for a Biomedical Engineer degree?”
“Yeah.” Rei then ate some more food, indicating she didn’t want to talk to Mercedes. Mercedes frowned but didn’t push. She couldn’t make the woman like her.
Mia, oblivious to her sister’s mood, went back to asking questions. “Can you crush a person’s bones with it, like in the movies?”
“Mi-chan,” Asaka warned.
Mercedes chuckled. “No, I can’t. At least, not intentionally. Cybernetics are calibrated in a way that limits the strength output, keeping them from becoming too dangerous.”
“Oh, darn… Do you miss having your arm?”
Mercedes took a quick breath. She figured questions like this would pop up. They usually did. “All the time.”
“I read a book that talked about something called… phantom syndrome… or something like that. Do you have that?”
“Phantom limb syndrome. And yes, I do get it on rare occasions.” She gestured to her shoulder, and then her elbow. “Sometimes it’s localized in places, and sometimes I feel it throughout my arm.”
Mia’s brow furrowed. “How can that happen when you don’t feel anything in the arm?”
“Because the nerves in my body get confused, and say there’s something wrong with my limb.”
Mia pursed her lips. “How did you lose your arm?”
Mercedes swallowed, the muscles in her back tightening. She knew this, too, was an inevitable question.
“Mia, how is school?” Takashi asked all of a sudden.
This pulled his sister’s attention to him and Mercedes took the opportunity to take a drink of water and shove some food into her mouth.
“School is okay,” Mia said. “I’m not doing so great in math. But I’m doing great in science! It’s a lot of fun.”
Mercedes put down her drink. “You have a lot of years to decide in the end, but do you know what you want to do when you’re older?”
Mia nodded and ate some food before speaking again. “I want to be a biologist. Or make games.”
Mercedes chuckled. “Vastly different fields you have in mind.”
“Yeah, but that’s okay. I like them both.” She looked up at Mercedes. “Takashi says you work on cars all day. Did you have to go to school for that?”
“Well, technically I didn’t, because I’ve been helping my dad out at his shop since even before I was your age. But I did get a bachelor’s degree in Automotive Engineering, plus I have at least seven certificates for various specialty cars.”
Miguel whistled low. “Do you need all those?”
“If we want the shop to be seen as a certified shop for repairs on newer cars, we need to have at least one technician with certifications for the vehicle type. All of our main techs have one or two, but I went a little nuts and got a number of them. I liked the challenge.”
Miguel chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
Mia looked to Emi. “Emi, did you go to school… what do you do again?”
A sputter of chuckles went around the table. Even Emi found the young girl’s words amusing. “I’m a fashion stylist. But I’m trying to get my foot in the door in the fashion industry with my own line.”
Mercedes’ interest in Emi grew. “What type of style are you going for?”
Emi regarded her with interest. “How much do you know of the industry?”
She shrugged. “A little bit. One of my best friends is a former model.”
Emi pulled out her phone and scrolled through it, showing her a picture of a drawing. It looked casual, but had an oriental, high-class flair to it. The next they flipped to had the same flair, but more b
usiness-casual. The two of them went through several images together, each as impressive as the last.
Mercedes caught Takashi watching them carefully, but he looked happy. She guessed he was glad she was getting along with Emi, though it wasn’t hard to. Getting past Emi’s friendly nature was getting a bit easier. It didn’t feel as threatening, meaning it was all Mercedes imagining the threat. It’s hard not to feel threatened by her, though…
“Wow,” Mercedes said, flipping to another image. “These are great. Have you actually made these into a wearable product?”
Emi flipped through her phone and stopped on a casual piece that wasn’t a drawing, but full clothes on a mannequin. “I made this one. Well, my mother helped. She’s a hobbyist costume designer and has way better skill than me right now.”
Mercedes’ brow furrowed. “And no one has taken an interest in these designs?”
Emi frowned. “I had a few, but then they decided to go with some other designs.” Emi cocked her head. “Who is your ex-model friend? Curious inquiry.”
“Her name’s Shira. Shira Schneider.”
Emi’s eyes went wide. “You know the Shira Schneider. Daughter of Flynn Schneider?”
Oh, right. Mercedes had a habit of forgetting Shira’s family was a big deal in the fashion industry. They acted so normal and down-to-earth.
“Uh, why is she all excited?” Takashi asked, his brow raised with a mix of confusion and interest.
“Flynn Schneider is one of the top fashion designers in the world!” Emi beamed. “He and his wife, Anita, are big supporters of smaller designers. They run an agency here in San Francisco that looks for new talent. I submitted some designs two weeks ago, but I haven’t heard back.”
Mercedes whipped out her phone. This wasn’t the time to fight with petty insecurities. Emi wasn’t a horrible person. “Tasha, please call Shira.”
“Of course, Miss Mercedes.”
Emi’s eyes widened. “You don’t have to do that.”
Mercedes held up a finger as she listened to the phone ring. C’mon, you should be having dinner about now and not playing hard-to-get with your two boyfriends.
Spellbinding His Ranger Page 9
