The last steps of the ritual of cleaning and preparing the tea are witnessed by the guests. Madam Oy poured three scoops of tea into a bowl for each person. The steamy fragrance drifted up and tantalized the noses of the guests.
The guests know their time in the tearoom is almost at an end when they are offered thin tea. This tea rinses their palate and prepares them for leaving the spiritual tea world. The cushions and hand warmers were indications of relaxation. Several minutes passed before the guests rose to leave.
“Thank you so much, Madam Oy. The tea was quite good, and your art for the ceremony was comparable to none. We shall certainly return.” The principal guest spoke and left first. The other guests complimented her profusely.
“Another beautiful and fulfilling tea ceremony, Madam Oy,” said Takumi.
“Yes, my child. You have become quite adept at making my guests feel comfortable, and for that I thank you. Your studies are coming along nicely.”
3
SOME CLIENTS THOUGHT SHE was an oiran, or Japanese prostitute, but that wasn’t the case at all. It took talent to entertain the kind of men that she came in contact with.
It was unusual for an apprentice geisha to live, and work under, a madam who owned a teahouse. Takumi’s mother knew the owner well; in fact she’d grown up with her. It would take many years to be a geisha. The three years Takumi had spent at the teahouse were a fraction of the time she would need to perfect her skills.
For now Takumi was having more fun than she had ever had in her entire life. She was surrounded by beautiful women day in and day out. She helped them dress. She played music for them. Some nights she climbed out onto the roof and dreamed of becoming one of them. She would look up at the stars and wonder when she would find her own true love. Little did she know that she had already met the one destined to be her soul mate.
Aiko, meaning “love child” in Japanese, was the name of Takumi’s roommate at the teahouse. She took no classes and didn’t know the ways of the geisha. She’d been given to the madam, by her family, to repay a debt. She earned her keep by cleaning up after the parties, tea ceremonies, and many regulars who frequented the establishment.
She’d been a great help to Takumi in the beginning. She guided her where she needed to go and helped her stay out of trouble. Aiko was also a great listener. She quickly became the one Takumi could turn to no matter what her problem.
Takumi loved hearing Aiko talk about her family back home. One night, when neither of them could sleep, Aiko shared the story of how she came to live at the teahouse.
“My brother used to frequent teahouses just like this one every evening. He liked listening to the stories the geisha told. He observed the fan dances, the tea ceremonies, and reveled in the attention. The consideration he loved most of all. I come from a poor family, and my brother just wasn’t meant to be a fishmonger’s son. He was so drawn to the excitement and the lure of sexual promise.”
“Most of them are, Aiko. According to my mother, men are good for only one thing.”
Aiko smiled and continued her tale. “Tadako liked to throw his m
oney around, what little he had of it. He started selling opium to support his socializing. Before we knew it, he was running a tab at every teahouse in this area. He disgraced our family but my parents could not shun him. He was the firstborn son. They held such store in him.
“Your madam offered to help. She paid his debts and asked for nothing in return. It was whispered around the village that she and my father were once together. I volunteered to come here. It was the only way to save the family honor and stop the gossips. I did not want my mother to be shamed. My brother goes out on the fishing boat every morning now and seems resigned to his destiny. He has even started seeing a local village girl.”
It surprised Takumi that Aiko didn’t sound bitter; in fact, the love in her voice could be heard when she spoke about her family.
“I’m so sorry, little Aiko. It’s not right that you were meant to take the burden of an entire family. You should be free to live and love as you wish.”
“Do not worry, Takumi. I am where I need to be, where I want to be more than anyplace else. I was not so sure about my decision before you came. You have become my best friend and I cherish you. Let’s get you ready. I’ll be right back.”
Takumi realized how much Aiko had come to mean to her. As soon as Aiko returned, Takumi was calling her name.
“Aiko, I need my face paint. Have you seen it? Please help me, Aiko. I can’t be late. Chika will kill me if I am not there to help with her kimono.”
Aiko rushed into the room from the outside. “I am here, Takumi. Here is your face paint, right where you left it, behind your silly fan.”
Aiko smiled as she handed the face paint to Takumi. She gently put each of her hands on a shoulder and guided her to the dressing table.
“I will put it on for you. Calm yourself, you are the best apprentice geisha here.”
Takumi was often praised by those she spent time with and was used to it.
“It is harder on you, Takumi, since you do not live with your mentor geisha. The owner of this teahouse is not a geisha. You have no one to learn from day in and day out. I heard Madam say that she was surprised at how well you are progressing.”
Takumi relaxed as her friend spoke to her. The circular motion of fingertips on her cheeks and neck was calming as well. Takumi stretched her head back and relaxed as the stress left her body. Aiko was right. She was doing everything she was supposed to do, everything she could do.
Aiko covered Takumi’s full lips with red lipstick and drew black accents around her eyes and eyebrows. Aiko also put a touch of red around the eyes. It was unusual for Aiko to be helping with the preparations to go out, but the madam had a teahouse to run and Takumi’s mentor geisha lived elsewhere. She preferred it this way. Aiko was good at what she did and seemed to be getting better every day.
Looking in the mirror confirmed Takumi’s thoughts. Aiko took pride in her work. Aiko started rubbing the white paste on Takumi’s chest. It felt so good. Little Aiko always knew what Takumi needed. The paste was made even with several strokes of a bamboo brush. The soft bristles heightened Takumi’s senses and caused her breasts to tighten. Her nipples poked out and enlarged. Aiko could see everything since Takumi was not yet dressed. Aiko whisked the brush over the engorged nipples. Takumi gasped.