by Jade, Imari
“I've never known you to talk to yourself.”
Cristal spun around to find Satoshi standing in the doorway. “What are you doing here?”
“I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop buy and invite you to lunch.”
He was trying so hard to make amends. “Okay,” she agreed. “My eyes can stand a rest. I’ve been looking over copy all morning. Just let me call the printer and give him the go-ahead.” She picked up the phone and pressed in the numbers. “Hello, this is Cristal Gentry. I’ve just looked over the proofs you delivered. Everything looks great. Print them.” She hung up a few seconds later. Satoshi was still standing, waiting for her. “Let me get my coat.” Cristal grabbed her coat from the hook and Satoshi helped her into it. They stepped out the office and walked toward the administration desk.
Barbara looked up from her typing and smiled at Satoshi.
Satoshi smiled back at the secretary, but not in his usually teasing/flirting manner.
“We’re going out for lunch,” Cristal told Barbara.
“Have fun,” Barbara said, not taking her eyes off Satoshi.
They walked toward the elevators.
“She’s your biggest fan,” Cristal told him.
“I thought you were my biggest fan,” Satoshi said.
“No, I’m your best buddy. Now where are you taking me for lunch?” The elevator arrived and they stepped inside.
“Somewhere nice and secluded. I don’t feel like dealing with a bunch of fans today. He put his dark sunshades on.
Satoshi sounded kind of depressed, Cristal noted. But she didn’t pry. She had her own demons to deal with.
Satoshi took her to a place nearly on the outskirts of town. He helped her out of his sports car and then helped her inside the restaurant.
“This isn’t a Japanese restaurant,” Cristal said as they entered the waiting area.
“No, it’s American,” Satoshi said. “I found it a couple of years ago. You know, you can take the Japanese guy out of America, but you can’t take the American food from his memory.”
A waiter arrived and showed them to a private table overlooking a snow-covered garden. He handed both of them menus. “I’ll be back shortly to take your orders.” The waiter walked away.
“This is so great,” Cristal said, looking down at the menu. “Is that a real cheeseburger and fries?”
“Yes,” Satoshi answered. “Not soy.”
“Ooh, they have macaroni and cheese.”
Satoshi chuckled. “You sound like you’re five years old.”
“Macaroni and cheese is hard to forget,” Cristal said.
The waiter returned a few minutes later bringing water and utensils. “Are you ready to order?”
“We’ll have cheeseburgers and fries with a side order of macaroni and cheese,” Satoshi ordered for them.
“And would you care for something to drink?”
“Pepsi,” they both said together.
“I’ll be right back with your orders.” He smiled at them and left.
Cristal looked around. “Why haven’t you mentioned this place before?”
“I like to think of it as my little piece of heaven. Yori and the others aren’t too big on American cooking, and well, you and I have never been on a date, except for the one time I took you home to meet my parents.”
“And whose fault is that?” Cristal asked.
“Mine,” Satoshi admitted. “It’s my fault. I have learned a very valuable lesson in the last two years.”
“Which is?” Cristal asked.
“Never be the emissary between your best friends and women. It always backfires.”
The waiter returned with their plates, drinks, and two bottles of ketchup.
Cristal opened one of the bottles, dousing her burger with some of the sauce and then drowning her fries with ketchup.
Satoshi did the same thing. “This is the only way to enjoy.”
They spent a most pleasurable afternoon and then Satoshi drove her back to her office.
“You have visitors,” Barbara told her once she made it back to their floor.
“Who?” Cristal asked.
“It’s a surprise,” Barbara said.
Cristal shrugged and walked toward her office. She opened the door, stepped inside, and groaned. Distraction. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Mr. Niigata sent for us,” Hiroyuki told her. “We just got finished with the meeting with him and just stopped by to say hey.”
“Hey,” she told him. “Now leave. I have a lot of work to get done by the close of business today.”
“Maybe you should not have gone on a lunch date,” Kioshi told her. He had his butt planted in her chair behind her desk.
“I did not go on a date,” Cristal insisted. “Who told you that?”
“Miss Barbara,” Izanagi answered from his place aside Kioshi. “She knows a lot of information.”
“She’s a gossip,” Cristal told him. She turned to Kioshi. “Get your little narrow behind out of my chair.”
Kioshi rose and stared her in the eyes.
“Have you grown taller?”
“Just a little,” he said. “Soon I’ll be taller than you.” He walked away from her. “And for the record, my behind is not narrow.” He raised the hem of his jacket and gave her a peek. “It’s adequate.”
Cristal stole a second glance as he walked away from her desk. It was adequate. “How is your rehearsal coming?”
“Excellent,” Izanagi said. “Aomori has been very helpful and Ichiro is teaching Hiroyuki how to cook and set a table properly.”
Cristal chuckled. “He is the best at keeping house.”
“It is woman’s work,” Kioshi said.
“Says who?” Cristal asked.
“Says any man,” Kioshi answered.
Cristal sat down. “And what do you consider man’s work, Mr. Smarty-pants?”
“Making the money and sexing the women up in the bedroom.”
Cristal shook a finger at him. “Stay away from Takumijo. And for your information, women are capable of making the money and sexing their men up in the bedroom.”
“I don’t believe this,” Kioshi said. “You will have to prove this to me.”
Cristal almost fell for his challenge. “Maybe when you get older, sweetheart, but right now, I only sex up men.”
“You mean like Satoshi?”
“No. He and I are just friends.” She didn’t know why she had to explain herself to him.
Kioshi glared at her. “Then he is very stupid. There’s no way I can only be friends with you. Business associates maybe, but never friends. It’s lovers or nothing.” He stormed out of the office.
Izanagi blushed at Kioshi’s outburst.
“What’s his problem?” Cristal asked.
“I think he has the hots for you,” Hiroyuki explained.
“Then throw some water on him because there’s no way he’s sexing me up in the bedroom. He’s barely pubescent.”
“I will talk to him, Miss Cristal,” Izanagi said.
“Thank you. Someone needs to talk some sense into him.”
Izanagi bowed. “I will see you tomorrow.” He left, taking Hiroyuki with him.
“Ooh, he’s so arrogant,” Cristal said after they left. She got back to work. “Women’s work, huh!”
****
“What are you guys doing here?” Satoshi asked Ryoto and Raiden as they lay in their seats in the den.
“They’re visiting,” Ichiro said.
Satoshi bent over and tickled both babies under their chins. “And where is Mommy?”
“She had a doctor’s appointment,” Ichiro answered.
“Is she okay?” Satoshi asked, straightening up. “She’s not sick, is she?”
“No, she’s not sick. It’s just a checkup and Daddy is spending time with his boys.”
“Where’s Dae-Hyun?”
“Off. Shaundra says he needs a rest.”
“How
long a rest?” Satoshi asked.
Ichiro shrugged. “I really don’t care. All I care about is these two guys.”
Raiden gooed at him.
“That’s right, young man. Daddy plans to spend a lot of time now with you guys. I’ll teach you how to fix hot pot for Uncle Satoshi. He just loves it.”
“Where’s Tak?” Satoshi asked.
“He’s at the stylist,” Ichiro told him. “He wanted to get his hair done before we all rush in tomorrow.”
“Smart move. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“How was your lunch date with Cristal?”
“It was okay,” Satoshi said. “She didn’t kill me.”
“Well, I’m glad the two of you are getting along.”
“Well, we’re not back one hundred percent, but we’re getting there.”
“It’s all in your court,” Ichiro told him, taking Raiden out of the seat and cuddling with him. “Just tell her how you really feel and someday you can have one of these with her.”
Satoshi smiled. “Maybe so.” He picked up Ryoto. “But until then, I’m going to spoil the heck out of my godson.”
****
“You’re looking well, Mrs. Yoshida,” Doctor Ito told Shaundra after he finished examining her. “Your stitches have healed and physically, you’re very fit.”
“I’ve been exercising and a friend has been teaching me martial arts.”
“Always a good exercise. Your blood pressure is down, and all your lab work looks good. How are you sleeping? Are you getting any rest?”
“I’m getting a lot more now that the boys are sleeping through most of the night.”
“How are the nightmares?”
“Few and far between,” Shaundra said. “Most of my memory has returned, and I haven’t passed out since having them.” She stretched. “I’ve never felt better in my life.”
“I’m glad,” Doctor Ito said. He wrote out a prescription for her high blood pressure medicine and handed it to her. “Any problems in the area of sex?”
“None,” Shaundra said. “Everything is working as good as new.”
“I’m sure Mr. Yoshida is happy for that. He is still the talk of this hospital, and all the nurses are still in love with him.”
“I won’t tell him that part,” Shaundra said. “That is too much young competition.”
“You are not old, Shaundra. And if you keep up whatever you’re doing right now, you’ll be around for a good long time.”
“Will I be around long enough to see the twins graduate from high school?”
“It’s possible,” Dr. Ito said. “But you know that’s out of my hands.”
“Yeah. I’m just hoping I haven’t run out of favors with God.” Shaundra thanked the doctor and left his office. She stopped by to see Keiichi Wantanabe before calling Ichiro. “I’m on my way home,” Shaundra told her husband.
“Can I drop the babies off later?” Ichiro asked. “Satoshi and I are still playing with them.”
“Sure,” Shaundra said. “I’d like to take a nice relaxing bubble bath for a change.”
“So loving the visual,” Ichiro told her. “Get some rest. I’ll call you before I come over.”
“Okay,” Shaundra said.
“How was your checkup?”
“I got a clean bill of health,” Shaundra told him.
“Good. I want you healthy for the next tour.”
Shaundra chuckled. “We’ll see.” She hung up and drove through town. A familiar-looking car drove up to a local love hotel. Shaundra stopped at the red light. It looked like Amaya’s car with Harper driving. The light changed and she drove by the hotel. She chuckled. Harper wouldn’t be caught dead with Amaya’s crazy ass.
****
“Come up for air, Ich,” Shaundra told her husband after he’d sent her over the edge twice with his sexy mouth.
Ichiro crawled up to the top of the bed and lay down next to her. “I was just checking out the plumbing. Everything does seem to be in working order.”
Shaundra rolled over on him. “This is the only sure way to test it.” She sank down on his swollen member. “Oh my gawd, I miss this so much.” Ichiro filled her completely. Shaundra moved her hips slowly forward and backward, rubbing until she got him into the perfect position.
“Pregnancy has been kind to you,” Ichiro said, reaching up and rubbing her flat abdomen. “You’re ever bit as beautiful as you were the first time I saw you when you entered that lounge when you arrived in Japan.”
“I was a lot skinnier then,” Shaundra said. “I didn’t have so much junk in my trunk.”
Ichiro gripped both her hips, pulled her toward him, and let his cock sink in deeper. “I’m not complaining.” He squeezed her hips and then moved his hands behind her and cupped her ass while she continued to ride high in the saddle.
“Oh!” Shaundra moaned.
“Are you okay, baby?” Ichiro asked.
Shaundra’s body shook through another stomach-quivering orgasm. “Yeah,” she said hoarsely when she could speak. “I’m better than okay. I’m straight.”
Ichiro chuckled, moving his hips below her to get her back into the game. He moved in and out of her.
Shaundra moaned again. “This can’t be happening. I’m coming again.”
“I’m not complaining,” Ichiro said, riding this one out with her. He slid her off him. “My turn.” He flipped her over on her stomach. “Bottom’s up.” He ran his hand over her ass before positioning her on her knees. Ichiro crawled between her legs and unloosened her hair until it cascaded down her back in auburn waves. He entered her.
Shaundra moaned as he impaled her with his long, thick cock. Fuck an old man. She’d take a young and virile twenty-year-old any day.
Ichiro yanked her hair gently as he rode high on her rump. “Ooh, Mrs. Yoshida. Your ass is to die for.”
Shaundra backed her butt up on him, taking him in deep.
“Aw, shit,” he said. “You are going to make me scream.”
“Just make sure you call out the right name this time,” she teased.
“Are you ever going to let me live that one down?” He popped her on one of her butt cheeks.
“Ooh,” Shaundra said. “That feels good.”
“Kinky wife.”
Shaundra chuckled.
“That sounds so sexy.” Ichiro slapped her on the other cheek.
“Ouch, now that one hurt. I won’t tease you anymore.”
Ichiro went back to work on her, humping her like crazy until she went off again, taking him over the edge with her.
Ichiro pulled out, drenching both of them in semen. He rolled on the side of her, breathing hard. “I think I’m empty.”
“Nonsense,” Shaundra said, crawling between his legs and taking his soft dick into her hands. “The night is still young and I want to play.”
“Oh my gawd,” Ichiro said as Shaundra wrapped her lips around his cock. She licked him clean and then went to work on his balls.
“Ooh!” Ichiro said. “Maybe, just maybe, I still have a little left inside of me. Maybe we can make a set of girl babies this time.”
“Dream on, stud,” Shaundra told him when she came up for air. “You’re all the baby I need. She touched the tiny hole beneath his ass, reducing Ichiro to a trembling mess.
****
Yori drove home but did not stop. He just sat there idling, staring up at the two silhouettes on his bedroom window. One he made out as Amaya’s. The other, unmistakably a white guy…Harper. He’d suspected the two of them were having an affair for a couple of weeks now. Amaya was always coming home late and immediately running into the bathroom to shower, and then there were all those wrong numbers when he picked up the house phone, and the numerous pages to her cell phone. He wasn’t stupid, just giving her enough rope to hang herself.
Yori drove down the street and headed toward the farmhouse. He didn’t even plan to run into the house and bust them. If she wanted Harper, fine, she could have him. All she
had to do was ask for a divorce and he would have gladly given it to her. And he never even saw this coming. She was so busy accusing him of sleeping with Shaundra when she was the one with the dirty little secret. He chuckled. His father didn’t raise a stupid son. He had all the proof he needed. He patted his pocket. Money couldn’t always buy happiness, but it could buy some very expensive surveillance cameras. He purchased some so small no one could notice. And he had them planted all over the house.
Ichiro’s car was noticeably missing. So was Takumijo’s. Satoshi’s car sat alone, next to the vans and limousines. Yori entered the house. Satoshi came down the stairs to greet him. “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” Satoshi said, grabbing his jacket.
They were going out on the town alone…something they hadn’t done in a long time. Yori was in the mood for dancing and Satoshi needed to get out of the house and meet some pretty young thing to get Cristal off his mind for a while.
“Where to?” Satoshi asked as he locked the door.
“None of our usual haunts. I heard about this new club in town that features live bands.”
“Sounds like fun,” Satoshi said. “I feel like dancing.” He climbed into the car and Yori got into the driver’s seat.
Yori put on his sunglasses. “Red-light district, here we come.”
****
“Why in the hell did I listen to Yori?” Satoshi asked the next morning as he entered the dining room feeling like death warmed over. Takumijo looked worse than he did, and Ichiro just looked tired.
“Because you are an idiot,” Ichiro told him. “I sure hope he wasn’t out drinking all night.”
