Connections

Finishing Touches

“Can anything go right today!” I growled as I tossed dishes around the kitchen in my restaurant. I had spent the night upstairs. The boys and Kaoru had taken the house to get everything ready. Today I was going to marry the man I had loved since I was five years old. If I could get out of this kitchen!
My back up chef came in. She had been running late since her son had gotten into trouble or something. “Kojiro, what are you doing down here!” she cried. Snagging a wet cloth she dabbed at my sleeve. I was already wearing most of my tux.
“They needed help.” I complained.
“No!” she swatted me with the towel. Flipping it to her shoulder, she shoved me towards the stairs that led to the apartment. “They were fine. I’ve been talking to them. You just want a distraction.” She pushed me up the first step.
“What if he runs away? Maybe he won’t show up?” I  mumbled. Giving voice to the fears that kept me up most of the night. She slapped my ass.
“Dumbass, that’s why you are having it at your house. I already sent Viktor and the others up there to get the food and cake set up. They told me the tent guys were all done, the valet people had all shown up, and Kaoru was still blissfully asleep. Just what did Langa give him?” she asked eyeing me with suspicion.
“A sedative. He should be waking up….” I was interrupted by my phone ringing. I fumbled it out of my pocket. “…now.” I smiled stupidly at the number that popped up.
“Good morning, love.” I cooed into the phone.
“Kojiro, I can’t find my dress shoes!” Kaoru whined. I chuckled.
“I put them on the top shelf of the closet. Wait, I thought…”
“Not your strong suit. I got them. Love you.” The line went dead. What was that all about? I went up to the apartment. We weren’t getting married until tonight, but I had nothing to do until then. I looked at myself in the mirror. Deciding it best to not wear the tux just yet, I stripped it off. Seeing my old board in the closet, I smiled.
I found a gaudy bright Hawaiian type shirt, some cut off shorts and a pair of sneakers to toss on. Snagging the board I ran outside. Shadow passed me on his way to bring the flowers up to the house. He beeped, I waved. I went first to the cherry blossom tree. It was in full bloom once more. I stood there looking over it. Kaoru, this was where I fist saw you. I thought.
You were twisting your hair all up in knots, so worried about being alone. I had to come save that beautiful hair. Oh how dad hated the fact I told him pink was my favorite color. Then, he met you. I chuckled at the memory. Next I went to the cemetery. I walked respectfully to the twin graves. Kneeling I touched my mother’s name.
“You were right all along mom, I loved him then and still do now. You always accepted that about me. I’m marrying my best friend today. I wish you could be here. He would be so happy to see you. You guys got along so well.” I told her. I glanced to my left. My father’s grave sat there.
“Dad, you tried, I know you did. I guess you just couldn’t understand my attraction to men, when I was also attracted to women. I’m glad you accepted me as is. You would love the food I made for today. I miss you both so much. Miya would have done so much better if he had known you.”
“I doubt that. You’ve done well for that boy.” A voice spoke from behind me. I jerked up. Surprisingly Tadashi stood there. I glanced around shooting to my feet.
“Relax, I never bring him here.” The slender man stated.
“You visit my parents graves?” I asked surprised. He nodded.
“A lot actually. Your mother always had the best advise for any situation. I wish I could hear her again.” He smiled fondly at the stone. Turning to me, he smiled again. “I wanted to give you this. We were friends once too.” He held out an envelope. I eyed him.
“It’s just a little wedding present. I’m am so happy the two of you found your way to each other, finally.” A note of sarcasm slipped into his tone on the last word.
“Yeah, look we didn’t want…” He held up a hand to stop me.
“I understand. You didn’t want Adam to crash the party.” He sighed heavily. “I will do my best to prevent that, but you are dressing up his newest Eve, so who knows what he plans.”
“Langa is just a kid. He’s with Reki! Can’t he just leave him alone?” I raged.
“What Adam wants he thinks he should get. I’ll do my best to keep him away. Congratulations Kojiro, you both deserve this happiness.” I watched as he turned to walk away. When he reached the cement path, I wasn’t at all surprised to find he had left his skateboard there. With one final wave, he vanished. I opened the envelope.
Inside were pictures of Kaoru and I through our teen years. There had to be a hundred or more. “Adam was always obsessed with you both.” The letter began. “These are only copies, I didn’t dare remove the originals. I made sure Adam wasn’t in any of them. Thought you could display some at the reception. At the bottom is your wedding gift. Your friend always, Tadashi.” I flipped to the last photo and dropped to my knees. Tears spilling down my face as I looked at the picture.
It was in front of my old house. Dad stood with one arm around mom’s waist, the other was across my shoulders. He was laughing as I tugged Kaoru into place beside me. Mom had taken his hand. I recalled our neighbor was taking the picture. For some reason, when the film was developed, this picture didn’t turn out.
It hit me then that for Tadashi to have this photo, him, or Adam, had to be hiding in the trees behind our neighbor. It was crazy to think we were all looking that way. I smiled through the tears as I looked at their faces.  Flipping back I saw about six others all similar. One Kaoru had his arm around me, he stuck his tongue out, showing the piercing there no one knew about, yet. We had laughed. There was one of Kaoru hugging my mother, or maybe she was hugging him.
“Thank you, Snake.” I whispered to the ground. I went to the house.
“What are you doing here?” Reki yelled. I handed him the envelope.
“Give these to Shadow he can use whatever he wants.” Then I tucked the two pictures of myself and Kaoru, and him and mom into Reki’s shirt pocket. They were wrapped in the letter. “Give these to my future husband. Tell him, I can’t wait until tonight.”
Turning I walked away. Stepping onto my board, I skated down the hill. In a few hours I would be back.
(Kaoru POV)
Reki burst into my room waving something in his hands. The person behind me jumped.
“Child!” they abashed. I chuckled how many times had I heard them yell that at me.
“Joe just left, told me to give you this.” He dropped a letter onto my vanity. In his other hand he held an envelope.
“What’s that?” I asked. Reki shrugged stating Joe said to give them to Shadow. I plucked it out of his hand. Inside were hundreds of pictures of Kojiro and I. We were teens. I frowned. Picking up the letter, two more photos fell out. I read Tadashi’s words. Tears spilling out as I picked up the pictures.
Before anyone could say anything I ran into the bathroom. Locking the door I curled up to cry in the empty tub. I had loved Kojiro’s mom as if she were my own. I had always wanted her to be. My own parents, well they never where as nice.
“Mom, is something wrong?” Reki called. “Dad said to tell you he couldn’t wait to see you tonight.” I washed my face. The red-haired boy stood outside the door. I showed him the photo.
“Is that your mom? She’s beautiful.” I shook my head.
“No, this was Kojiro’s mother. The sweetest woman you would have ever met.” I hugged my son.
Once more my door was rudely thrown open. A regal looking woman stormed inside. She held her head as if her imaginary crown would fall off if she looked down. Her rich dark hair hung in waves down her back. She turned up her nose as she saw me. A man came in behind her.
“Is he ready yet? I swear he takes longer than you.” The man was stern looking in his three piece suit. They looked at me as if they saw dog shit on their shoes.
“Mother, Father, so glad you could make it.” I bowed my head slightly.
“Carl, the dinning room is set up, do you mind?” I asked the non binary Nanny I had as a child. They had come to help me get ready. They were also the person I had named Carla after.
“Of course!” they grinned. Spinning away in their bright red dress, their killer heels making them a few inches taller than dad. I grinned at the horrified looks on my parents faces. Once they were far enough away, I let Reki go.
“Those are the coldest people you will ever met. Now take this to Shadow. He was complaining about not having enough photos for today.” Reki smiled and took the envelope, leaving me alone. My son. I sat down, pulling one picture I had hidden out.
It was of Kojiro and I nearly naked in the town square water fountain. I tacked it to my vanity mirror. Because of him, I had the best childhood. Now, I would have the best life with him as my husband. I smiled goofily at the photo. Once I got through lunch with my parents,  that is. I sighed heading to the dinning room.