Chapter 13
Allies, Accomplices and Assailants てきみかた
Evangeline
“Tea?” I catch Bridget’s gaze before smiling to Mrs. Takeda. Calling her mother-in-law never feels quite real. I don’t know if it’s because of the circumstances of my marriage, but it’s more than awkward.
“Thank you, Okasaan.” She smiles smoothly. Pouring for us both despite actually being the responsibility of me and my fellow wife of second sons. It’s clear to me her actions are those of contrition.
“Please allow us to serve, ma’am.” I meet Bridget’s frantic gaze, understanding thick between us.
“Yes.” We both lean forward at the same time to grab the teapot.
“No.” The soft, firm words accompany a wave of our matriarch’s delicate hand.“It’s the least I can do after my younger sons’ mistreatment of you.”
Pouring the steaming liquid into our cups with the practice of having the tea ceremony so ingrained is as natural as the sun rising every morning.
Silence drops between us like an invisible cloak. The chirps of birds and animals frolicking in the garden are the only sounds as we all take a sip of our tea.
“I brought you here as soon as I heard they brought you back to Tokyo from wherever they had you hidden. A mistake on their part.” A clever smile spreads across her face.
Left with no doubt just where my husband and his brothers got their ruthless streak, I can do nothing but huff out a laugh.
Though someone put Prosper out of commission for the time being, her network remains.
Now that Flower is indisposed, it has fallen to others.
Our newest family member will arrive at any moment.
Please know that you’re not without friends.
Cake?” Smiling serenely, she motions to the array of food — a mix of Japanese, European and American confections and sandwiches.
“We appreciate that,” I manage after accepting and sampling a delicate sandwich.
I ain’t going to lie, I’m famished. When the family retainers came for me, I’d not eaten yet. But it’s not like I can demand they wait until I eat when the head of the family requests my presence.
“We do—” Bridget adds, but I notice her hesitancy.
“Riyu and I are trying to work things out.” Shooting Bridget an apologetic glance, I eat another sandwich, which barely touches the hunger I have.
“Umm, same.” Bridget shrugs right behind me, looking sheepish.
I know the feeling — a million feminist angels just lost their wings at our admissions.
“Ah, well, I too know what it’s like to be in love.
My husband had a way about him, and I’m sure his sons no doubt inherited the same persuasive abilities.
” The way Madam Takeda blushes is enough to make you forget that she’s the mother of three grown men and presently sits at the top of the Takeda Dynasty.
“However, should you ever need me, I am here. Though what we accomplished last time was no light feat, we can endeavor to top ourselves.” Her pride in helping us escape her sons is not lost on us.
“Why did you do it?” I have to know, and so does Bridget, but the way she leans forward.
“They needed a comeuppance. Seeing how Flower was able to get Akchiro to come around after she stood up to him — actually stood for the type of family relationship she and Asa deserved — only to see my younger sons making the same mistakes. I felt I could help them with a little intervention before they lost you forever.” With each word, more and more passion fills her words.
Her sons are not perfect, and instead of standing quietly by and letting them ruin our lives, she stepped in to stop them as only a mother could.
I don’t know what the result of her actions will be, but it almost seems like this is a fresh start.
“Now, what is your plan to bring them to heel?” Turning her sharp gaze from Bridget to me, she awaits our answer with intrigue.
“It’s kind of hard plotting against your son when he’s only just given me access to anything.” My words sound paltry. “Not so much as resisting him, but letting him see how we can be—”
“Pshaw.” She tsks away my words. “How about you, Bridget?” Frowning when my bestie comes up empty, she gives us both a ‘woe as me’ sigh.
“Powerful men only answer and respect power. You girls are clever. You’ve learned my sons well enough to know what appeals to them.
Set your standards high and stick to them.
They will not relinquish any control to you without a fight.
Fighting them head-on is not the way. Our culture is one that respects the long game.
They gave face when they lost you and showed there is nothing they won’t do to keep you. Use that.”
“How do we do that?” I want to know.
“Men hate inattention. They will always react poorly to being ignored.” Her gaze strays behind us.
Bridget and I turn to meet the gazes of our husbands.
“Very insightful, Haha,” Riyu says drily, coming over to where we are sitting.
Both men bow and then go over to their mother, kissing her on the cheek. While we occupy the settee opposite Mrs. Takeda, they decide to take seats on either side of her.
“You were saying?” Takashi queries, but his gaze never leaves my friend. He looks irate. As if she’s orchestrated the entire thing rather than his mother.
“Nothing to concern yourself with.” Okasaan waves him away dismissively.
“No, I want to know what misinformation I need to combat with my beautiful wife.Your influence has been so significant, Haha, surely you want to elaborate more.” He barely uses tatemae to disguise his genuine anger of his mom’s interference.
“Yes, tell them how hard we were to wean, Haha.” Riyu shoots a smirk my way. “I’m sure Ev, wants to know what to expect when she gifts me with child.”
Sputtering, I nearly choke on my tea at his smart-ass remark.
I wasn’t ready to share that we’d agreed to maybe try to get pregnant again.
We were barely back together. We have a long way to go as far as making our marriage work, let alone bringing an innocent child into this very precarious situation.
“Riyu,” my tone is admonishing. He flicks a cool look my way.
Obviously they think we are in communication with their mother or got in touch with her as soon as we returned to Tokyo, which would have taken some extraordinary planning but being men who regularly do the impossible when it come to business and seeing us do the same with BITE they probably think we are capable of of using the limited resources and mobility we now have to make miracles out of thin air.
“Your wives are true blessings to this family. Their loyalty to you is unquestionably something that makes me feel awe. Despite my offer of further intervention to appeal to your honor, they have insisted on, how do young people say? Work it out without further assistance from me.” Seeming a little miffed, she pours them tea and offers refreshment to her stunned sons.
Bridget and I both burst into giggles watching them balance their tea, sandwiches and cakes.
“I’m sorry you look ridiculous,” I laugh.
“Totally.” Bridget joins me.
My husband’s smile is the stuff of dreams.
“I’m planning a trip to the opera in a few weeks to see Taylor-chan’s most recent production, based on the her version of Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. Would you like to join me?” Our mother-in-law smiles in our direction, ignoring the way her sons stiffen.
“We’d love to.” We answer in unison, ignoring the daggers being shot our way.
Waiting for my husband every day as he decides when or if he’s going to fully trust me is not something I look forward to.
I can barely breathe as it is. Suffocating under his expectation and waiting for crumbs of attention does not a happy wife make.
Haha is right in one respect — we need every avenue open to us to lead our own lives again.
We are not their pets. We are their wives — full stop.
“Wonderful. It’s settled then.” Okasaan clasps her hands in delight, but I don’t miss the calculation in her eyes.
Knowing we have her as an ally emboldens me.
“I’m super excited,” Bridget chimes in. I can tell from her tone she’s just doing it to get a dig at Takashi.
“Be that as it may, our schedules are not our own since Akchiro is handling his family business.” Riyu cuts in, trying to give excuses for us not going.
“If you mean taking care of his pregnant wife, making sure she has everything she needs as she prepares to give birth after having two miscarriages, then yes, it’s family business.” She reminds him primly.
Thinking about what I just went through causes my words to choke in my throat. “Um,” I rise, my nose stinging and my cheeks heating. “Forgive me, Okasaan.” Bowing to her only, I sped walk away from the group deeper into the garden.
I don’t stop until I come upon a grove of bonsai. The fragrance and, hopefully, good luck of the trees surround me.
Taking deep breaths, I try to calm myself.
“Aww, honey. I didn’t know.” Bridget’s arms hug me from behind.
Turning, I bury my face in her arms, letting the sobs take over. “I know.” I manage through my tears.
“Men are so fucking stupid, I swear,” she mutters, hugging me tight. “Haha, is giving them a stern talking to. Sometimes I can’t believe that such a sweet lady could have such ruthless sons, but then I saw a little bit of that takedown, and I shudder to think what it must be to disappoint her.”
“I bet.” I pull away, seeing nothing but love and shared sorrow in her gaze.
“Here,” she says, handing me a handkerchief even though I have one. “You look terrible.”
“Thanks, hoe,” I say, dabbing beneath my eyes.
“You bet. At least the waterproof mascara is holding up.” Giving me a gentle squeeze, she asks. “Are you sure you want to try again so soon?”
“We are still talking about it.” Comes the deep voice of my husband from somewhere deep in the trees.
The breath is sucked out of me as his tall form as he soles emerges out of the thicket.
“Y’all need to stop that samurai appearing out of nowhere type shit.” Bridget grumbles, shooting him a mean look.
“May I have a moment with my wife, imouto?” Neither of us misses how Riyu stresses the younger sister at the end of his request to let her know it is indeed not a request at all.
“Of course, ani.” Bridget shoots him a wink just to get under his skin as she leaves.
As soon as we are alone, he bows deeply.
“Yurushite kadusai.” Rising, he looks at me with somberness shooting through his gaze as he apologizes.
“I was a thoughtless husband. I do not deserve your kindness. I do not deserve your touch. I’m unworthy of one such as you.
” Heat flushes his face. “It’s no wonder you fled from me.
I would not blame you if you did again.” He bows deeply again.
“If I could spare you the pain you endured when we lost our baby, I would. It was so selfish of me to ask again so soon. Please forgive your selfish husband.”
Silence descends as he slowly rises, his face awash with the pain that we both are feeling.
My feet feel like lead as I take the necessary steps to come over to where he stands, like a man sentenced to death by firing squad.
Wrapping my arms around his tall, wiry form, I hug his waist, burying my head into the solidness of his chest.
“I already have.” Tears burst free again as he hugs me back, drawing me tightly into his arms.
“You can’t mean it.” Comes the reply, muffled by the curls of my pixie cut.
“We’re married. We’d better get used to forgiving each other, or we ain’t going to make it.” I pull back to look into the onyx of his steady gaze.
“You’re remarkable.” He murmurs.