everything & the moon (everything & then some book 1)

the crossroads

the crossroads

     The following Sunday morning Willow left home just after ten, a bounce in her step and a container of homemade candy in her arms. She caught a bus to the western side of the city, getting off fifteen minutes later in front of a quaint single-story yellow and white home. The front lawn looked as neat as always, and small shrubs lined the walkway, flowers of varying colors on them. There was a front porch where there was a wooden swing and two rocking chairs, all of them painted white.

     Opening the gate, Willow was pleased to note the silver sedan parked in the driveway next to a dark blue hatchback. She practically skipped up the walkway to the front door and rang the doorbell.

     "Good morning Willow! What a pleasant surprise!" Kenji Miyagi said when he opened the door. He was a Japanese man in his mid 70's who stood at about 5'8". His tanned skin was wrinkled and his thinning short black hair was heavily streaked with silver. He had a thin moustache and beard that he kept neatly trimmed, a round nose, and kind brown eyes.

     He was dressed in soft linen pants and a white T-shirt with a mosaic orange turtle printed on it, his feet bare.

     He smiled broadly at her in welcome and shifted to the side so that she could enter.

     "Good morning Mr. Kenji," Willow replied, giving him a sincere smile of her own as she entered the house. She took off her nude lace flats, placing them next to a pair of black shoes by the door."I brought some candy that I made. I thought you might like some. Is Sensei here? I see his car outside."

     Behind her, Mr. Miyagi closed and locked the front door.

     "He's in the kitchen. We were just starting to make breakfast." He took the container from her.

     "I'll help," Willow offered immediately.

     "Oh, you don't have to."

     "I insist."

     He laughed softly and shook his head, leading the way on silent bare feet.Though he had a slight limp from an old injury, he was always graceful. She had wondered a few times if all the men in his family were, and kind of envied them for it. It had taken her years to stop being so clumsy. These men just did it with ease.

     She had first met Mr. Miyagi during a party the Asian Association in her community that Korean mother belonged to had thrown about eleven years ago. His niece - Marcus' mother - had also been visiting him at the time, and she'd thought that Simeon would be a good fit there for a summer job, and their mom had agreed. Simeon, who had also been dragged to the party, agreed to do it only if he could bring her along. Those days spent curled up under the counter was how she discovered her love for graphic novels, comics, and manga.

     When Simeon had gone off to college, she'd spent hours after school at the bookstore keeping Mr. Miyagi company until her mother could pick her up. He had become like a grandfather to her - and the coolest one ever, at that.

     "Good morning!" she greeted cheerfully as she entered the kitchen.

     Mr. Miyagi's kitchen was magnificent. It was a spacious room with everything in shades of black, gray and silver. It had modern appliances, several sets of cabinets, a double oven, and a deep sink. Before retiring and taking over the bookstore, Mr. Miyagi had been a chef in his cousin's Asian restaurant, so this space was his domain.

     She knew very well that he didn't need her help with breakfast, but he would let her do easy tasks sometimes just to let her feel useful.

     Marcus sat at the dark gray kitchen island on a sleek black counter stool, his body slumped across the smooth granite top of it. He was dressed in a white T-shirt and red basketball shorts, white ankle socks on his feet.