“We talked about it and agreed that we’ll publish our story if you’re the writer of it.”
“Wait, what?” I looked at her. “I can’t—”
“Then we won’t do it.”
I frowned. I’d heard their story from Officer Richards, and while Malachi was laying around I’d gone out to find them. I knew people wanted to hear a story like this but I didn’t think I’d have to write it, I was planning on hiring a ghost writer.
“The story is already written,” Mr. Yamauchi said as he steadied the blanket and bento boxes that sat in his lap. “Just make sure to describe how handsome I am.”
“You weren’t that handsome though.” Kikuko laughed as she finished packing up and stood behind his chair.
“Sure…make sure to describe her beaver cheeks too.”
“Bring up my cheeks up one more time I’ll leave you to the beavers!” Kikuko grumbled as she pushed him forward. “Have a good evening. Get home safe, Esther, and send the information to our daughter.”
“She’s a lawyer, did you know?” Mr. Yamauchi asked proudly. “Has she called today?”
“Not yet. She’s waiting for us to let her know when.” She waved to us once more before leaving with him and walking along the cleared path that led back towards their home.
“Every day she walks him to this field. Tells him a story and he magically becomes lucid for a short while,” I whispered, watching them as they made their way to the other side of the forest. “By the time they get back home he forgets again. Every day it’s like this and they’re both happy. It’s beautiful.”
“Li-Mei,” he said randomly.
“What?”
“The woman who I’ve loved nine hundred and ninety-nine times.” He turned to me. “In this life her name is Li-Mei Zhou, and just like in all of our past lives she doesn’t remember either.” He frowned as he tucked his hands into the pocket of his jeans. “I know you wanted to help me see other people’s lives…I’m not upset about it. But it does make me frustrated with my own story too.”
He’d moved on too quickly. I was still on Li-Mei. “Li-Mei Zhou? My Li-Mei?”
“Why is she yours?”
I didn’t answer because she wasn’t my Li-Mei but she was my friend, and now…now I didn’t know how I could not tell her about this.
“Don’t tell her,” he said as if he could read my mind. “I want her to be happy in this life and I’ll try to do the same. That’s what you wanted right?”
I didn’t know.
My head hurt the more I tried to.
MALACHI
“She really made an art room,” I muttered to myself when I flicked on the light.
When I’d finished with a painting I tried to never look at them again. However, Esther, intrusive, the-sun-is-always-shinning-even-when-it’s-pouring-outside Esther, had put them up on easels. I was forced to face them all…all the images of her. And for some reason, though it was eerie in a way seeing all her eyes, in every different shade, staring back at me, I didn’t feel the pain. I couldn’t with Mr. Yamauchi words circling my mind.
“The secret to a long life, Malachi, is loving to live, knowing suffering for the sake of love isn’t suffering, and finding joy in that.”
Reaching over I turned off the lights and locked the door from the inside before closing it.
10. WAKE UP CALLS
MALACHI
SATURDAY
BEEP…
BEEP…