High Flyght – Chapter 1

The sharp stomp of my boots echoes off the pristine white walls as I make my way to my mother’s hospital room.

Jinzo’s head turns at each door, checking the room numbers as he keeps me from running ahead and disturbing everyone on the floor.

“233, 235…” He mumbles. Glancing at me from the corner of his eye, he hesitates. “Are you going to be all right?”

“All right?” I ask, my voice rising. “All right? What do you think?”

He slows down so he’s walking right next to me.

“I think I wasn’t sure an hour ago when you got the call. I mean, I’m still getting to know you and everything. But now I realize that icy silence is not what I thought it was.”

I stop dead in my tracks, and a nurse scuttles around us.

“I… am… so pissed off, it’s not even funny. We left funny on a deserted planet and flew away ten years ago. That’s how angry I am.”

Jinzo runs his hand over the short hair on his head and sighs.

“I don’t like being lied to,” I tell him and proceed down the hall.

“Technically,” Jinzo begins, running up to me, “it’s an omission. Your father has been radio silent for weeks, right? So try not to be too mad at them. They’re only trying to protect you.”

“Jin —” I begin, ready to tear his head off.

He rests his hand on my arm. “They’re being stupid parents. My mother and father do this to me all the time, too. And I’ve been as angry as you are right now.”

My anger cools ever so slightly.

“I’ll treat you to coffee and a croissant after this?”

I huff a breath out of my mouth and marvel at how he’s figured me out already. “Do you think you can cool me off with caffeine and sugar? Am I really that easy?”

He places his hand on the small of my back and moves me along.

“No comment. I do not wish to incur the Wrath of Vivian today.”

We pass a nurses’ station and come to room 243. A curtain is pulled over the door entrance, swaying in a light breeze. The smell of cherry blossoms knocks me back, and I inhale sharply.

Mom.

“Hello?” I call out as I move the curtain aside and walk into the hospital room.

My skin crawls as I take in the hospital bed, the screens on the wall displaying her vitals, and Mom’s pale face as she turns towards me.

I leave Jinzo in the doorway and cross the room to her.

Any residual anger melts away as Mom’s lips twitch into a smile, and my father stands up from the chair next to the bed.

“Hey, Mom.”

She lifts her hand from the bed, and I swoop right in to hold it in mine. Her skin is withered and papery, and I can see why. The bruises on her left hand where the IV is inserted show she’s been here for a while. Hospital air is as dry as the desert.

“Vivian, what are you doing here?” Mom asks, and her eyes dart to Dad. “Nuno, I told you not to bother her.”

He shrugs. “It was time.”

“I’ve been calling you both now for weeks, and no one has responded to me.” I glance from Dad to Mom. “How long have you been in here?”

Dad sighs as Mom presses her lips together. “She’s been in and out of the hospital since we moved into Tomu’s apartment. First, we thought she had food poisoning. Then it was her blood pressure. Now her heart is showing signs of stress.”

Stress.

I nod, my head bouncing to a slow beat. I’m sure my own blood pressure is off the charts, and some nights I barely sleep, which only makes the situation worse. But I’m young and can handle it. Mom is not a spring chicken anymore.

“Mom…” I coach my voice to give her a smile by imitating her from my childhood. “You have to be well or who will take care of Dad?”

Dad laughs, and Mom smiles. Mission accomplished.

I glance over my shoulder. Jinzo is hovering in the doorway and waiting for a signal that he can come in.

Dad takes three long steps forward with his hand extended. “Hi there. I’m Nuno Kawabata, Vivian’s Dad.”

I squeeze Mom’s hand and let go so I can stand like a respectful daughter.

“Jinzo Lee. It’s nice to meet you.”

Narrowing my eyes, I examine their body language. Dad is relaxed, a good sign after all he’s been through. Jinzo is feeling a little stiff, I think. His shoulders are higher than usual, and his legs are locked straight. He’s here to support me, but I suspect he’s been eager and nervous to meet my parents. He’s wearing something casual yet tailored today, nothing shabby. Over the last two weeks, I have become impressed with his style and wardrobe. He doesn’t skimp on clothes, but he isn’t flashy either.

I hold my breath as he approaches my mom in her bed.

Damn. This is not good. Mom’s manner is cold, frosty even. One reason she never added to her own relationship network was because of the stigma of stealing another woman’s man. She and Dad are childhood sweethearts, and she never had eyes for anyone else. Mom saw the OEN broadcast, and she knows about Jinzo and Cressida.

What does she already think of Jinzo before he even opens his mouth?

“Ms. Kawabata, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been unwell.” He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out an envelope. I blink a few times to cover my surprise. I didn’t know he had anything. “My family sends their wishes for a fast recovery.”

Mom’s eyebrows climb into her hairline as she takes the envelope. I’m curious enough to stand next to her and read over her shoulder.

It’s a personal note from Jinzo’s mother, Hera. “Ms. Kawabata, all of us at Lee Shipyards wish you a fast and full recovery. We can’t wait to meet you, your husband, and Vivian in the near future. I’ll be in touch soon to inquire about your health and make plans to host you here. All the best, Hera Lee.”

“Lee Shipyards,” Mom whispers. She bites her bottom lip as she replaces the card in the envelope.

Considering that I only just found out last night that Mom was in the hospital, and it’s still before lunchtime, it’s incredible that Jinzo pulled this gesture out of thin air.

He smiles and rocks back on his heels. “See? Now you have to rest up because there’s still so much more to look forward to.”

My dad stares straight through Jinzo, and my chest aches. Mom is here in this hospital because she had already given up. She let the stress of losing the farm and Tomu, my asshole brother, get to her. She didn’t turn her hurt to anger like I did. She let it fester and try to kill her.

But Jinzo is right. There is so much more to look forward to in this life. Even if we lose the farm and the property, I can still build something new for my family. I can give my mom grandkids, a new business, and a new way of life. It doesn’t have to end here.

I step away from Mom’s bed with a smile. “Now, I want to have you out of here soon, Mom. There’s lots to do. Marcelo was just asking about you this morning. He’d love it if you got more involved with the selection process for my relationship network, and we can’t have you working out of a hospital bed.”

Mom slips the card from Jinzo’s mother onto her lap and clears her throat.

“Gentlemen, can I speak to Vivian alone, please?”

Uh oh. My scalp crawls with tingles as Dad shoots Mom a deathly stare. But he won’t argue with her.

“Jinzo, let’s go get a cup of coffee,” he says, jerking his head at the door.

“Sure.” Jinzo’s eyes dart between Mom and me. “Ms. Kawabata,” he says, inclining his head. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

“It was nice to meet you, Jinzo,” Mom says, and I believe her. Something in her voice is pleased. Her eyes, though, are sharp when they focus on me.

The door closes behind the men, and I shift back and forth. Mom runs her fingers along the length of the envelope from Jinzo’s mom.

I break the silence. “I really wish you had contacted me sooner. I’ve been worried sick these last few weeks.”

“I got your messages.” She sighs, closes her eyes, and leans her head back on the bed. “After that news segment on OEN, I just… I just couldn’t do it anymore.”

“Do what?”

“Everything.” She opens her eyes and looks at me. “I went through my whole life, staying out of the gossip rags, building lasting relationships, and raising you to be the face of this business. Then I see you flirting with Ken Mata and embarrassing our whole family on one of the trashiest newscasts this side of the Duo Systems?”

I swallow hard, and my upper lip breaks into a sweat.

“Mom. I wasn’t doing anything salacious. I was talking to a friend.”

“Friend? I asked you to go to Mr. Mata to get the Amagi into Flyght, not to date him again. I didn’t even think the two of you talked to each other anymore.”

I open my mouth once and close it, thinking back on our original conversation, the one we had with the entire family present. Mom is right. She never told me to get back together with him.

“I haven’t been. Well, I hadn’t been. I… I thought you’d be pleased with him now.” I clear the frog in my throat and wish that I had a glass of water. Out the window, the day is bright and sunny. The trees are turning brilliant shades of flaming red, burnt orange, and buttery yellow. I would give anything to be outside right now. “Ken has built a successful business. He’s eager to start our relationship again… and…” I want to tell her about how he’s going to support my illegal side business, but I should keep that a secret until I’m sure I can pull it off.

“And?”

“And I think he’s willing to chip in to repurchase the farm.” Maybe? Well, if he’s a part of my relationship network, I could convince him.

A breeze brushes against my cheek, and I tuck my hair behind my ears.

Mom shakes her head. “We don’t need his money. Vivian, you have to break it off with him.”

Movement catches my eye, and I glance behind me to see Jinzo’s shoes under the curtain. Great.

I reach out and squeeze Mom’s hand. “Mom, I don’t know what you have against Ken. I’ve never understood it. And three years ago, I was too weak to say no to you. But now?” I shake my head. “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad. He wants to help, and I want to let him back in my life.” I let go of her hand. “If you want to help Marcelo out, he’s looking for two more men for me. But I’m making the final choices, not you.”

Mom is silent, her stare darting out at me from the corners of her eyes.

“Now, you rest up and get the hell out of here.” I lean in and kiss her on the cheek. I’m surprised she doesn’t pull away.

“I raised a strong and dedicated young woman,” she says as I turn away. “A little foolish, though.”

I laugh and wave before parting the curtains.

“I never said I was perfect.” I get the last word as I close the curtain on her.

Jinzo is standing there, eavesdropping with two coffee cups in his hands. He follows me out the door, and we close it behind us.

“For a second there, I thought she was talking about me,” he says, handing me the coffee. “What’s she got against Ken?”

“I have no idea, really, except for her highbrow attitude. I’ve never understood why my parents told me to break up with him.” Though now I’m beginning to suspect that there’s something more here I don’t know about.

We walk away from her room, and I glance around for my dad.

“Where’s Dad?”

“Getting something to eat in the cafeteria. Do you think we should look into why your parents didn’t want you to marry Ken? I mean, it seems a little suspicious.”

“Maybe?” I wave him off. “But they just didn’t like his family. It was elitism at its finest.”

Jinzo hums. What’s he thinking?

I look away from him as we pass the nurses’ station, and I recognize one of the men paging through patient charts on the wall screens. His hair is full and twisting in a hundred directions, and he’s grown more of a beard since the last time I saw him. It’s Tomu’s downstairs neighbor, the one who caught us tossing the apartment.

My head swivels to watch him as we walk past.

“Are you… are you dating anyone?” pops into my head along with his name, Gus.

I get one more look at him before he fades from view and we turn a corner. Yeah, he is handsome. I could see myself dating him. But a nurse? I’m not sure if that’s the best choice for another companion. I flick on my wristlet and scroll through my messages while we wait for the elevator.

Augusto Correa forwarded me that message about my brother, the one left by Mr. Sumo at Gus’s apartment. Correa. I recognize that last name. Is he related to Lady and Lord Correa? The military couple we just brought to Ossun? I save his contact details to my address book and turn off my wristlet.

“Don’t worry about my mom and her paranoia,” I say as we board the elevator. “She gets no say anymore in who I date or marry. She’s allowed to advise, and that’s it.”

“Okay,” Jinzo agrees. “Let’s get lunch and then make our way back to the Amagi to prepare for tonight.”

“You picked up the shovels this morning?”

I smile at the old woman trying not to eavesdrop on us. She probably thinks we’re planning a murder.

“Yep. We’re all set.”

Great. Because there’s a box my brother buried in a field, and I’m going to find out what’s inside of it.