Sometimes, love can be found when you least expect it...
Akari Takeda walked on the dark side for fifteen years until death gave her the chance at a new life. Determined not to waste the time she has left, she moves to Boston with her young son to...
"You have someone who picks you up, right?" Lincoln asked as he tidied up the wrappings from the first aid supplies.
"How do you know?"
Had he been spying on me?
"I saw you getting into his car one night as I was leaving."
Oh. "Yes, I have a...a friend who comes each evening."
"You need to get your friend to detour via the hospital on your way home tonight."
"I'll be fine."
"You don't know that." He crouched in front of me again, his eyes pleading. "You play so beautifully. Don't risk that by not getting yourself checked out. Please?"
When he put it like that, how could I say no?
"Okay, I'll go."
"You promise?"
I nodded, and he smiled under his messy beard. "Good. You want me to walk you downstairs?"
My legs shook as I got up from the piano stool, and I clutched at the polished top with my good hand. Lincoln put out an arm, but stopped himself while it was a few inches away and slowly stepped backwards.
"Is that a yes?"
I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak. Something about this man brought a lump to my throat, but I didn't understand what. Feelings were like that—they crept up at the most inopportune times and left me trying to puzzle out their meaning while the world carried on without me.
Lincoln held each door open while I trudged towards the exit, exhausted from the emotions of the day. Clint raised an eyebrow at my new companion as he got out of the car to open the door for me. Then his eyes went to my wrist and widened.
"It's nothing," I said. "I just need to make a quick stop at the hospital on the way back."
"Of course, ma'am."
There was the "ma'am" again. It seemed the habit was ingrained. This time it was Lincoln's turn with the curious look, which I ignored as I slid into the backseat. Today was bad enough without trying to explain the bizarre life I led. Instead, I gave him a quick wave through the window as the car pulled off, then settled back in the seat for the ride to the emergency room.
"Uh, is there any chance you could not mention this to Emmy?" I asked Clint.
"Sorry, ma'am. She's going to find out one way or another. Better to tell her now and get it over with."
I sighed as I settled back against the soft leather. He was right. Of course he was right.
"I'll call her in the morning."
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With a sore wrist and now a bulky bandage, I gave up on the idea of practising at the weekend, and after an awkward phone call to Emmy, who unsurprisingly already knew what had happened, I spent my days off playing with Hisashi. Most of the time, I was blessed to have a good baby, but he'd also inherited his father's rebellious streak, and I had a hard time convincing him that the cuddly cat Bradley had mailed to the apartment on Thursday wasn't edible.
