Chapter 10: Finally Home

The front door of the pod opened to Ruth’s and Yoo-Jin’s tear-streaked faces. They fell on me with open arms and kisses. They thanked the Shore Patrol for making sure I got safely home. The SPs, assured them that it was their pleasure, saluted, and set off back to the transport station.

As soon as the door of the pod closed, I steeled myself to hear the shouting start. I had been in this place before. Instead, Ruth and Yoo Jin took my hands and quietly pulled me into the dining area. They held out the chair at the head of the table and, when I had sat down, put Phyllis put Bitsy in my lap.

“When was the last time you ate?” asked Ruth.

“I don’t remember. I think I had some bar pretzels ... yesterday?”

I heard a clucking from behind and when I turned, I saw Phyllis and Kyle, bringing me a bowl of stew and a chunk of hot fresh bread. The sight made my mouth water. The aroma made my stomach almost cramp with hunger. Without a word, I picked up a spoon and dug in. The first few bites hit hard and wanted to fight it out with the remnants of my bender, but reinforcements arrived with further spoonfuls, settling my stomach. Ruth placed a tumbler of water in front of me.

“Don’t forget to hydrate.”

After I had started to slow down, Ruth asked me if I wanted to see the rest of the family. I did want to, I decided. I said

“Sure.” Ruth led me to the couch in the main living area and nodded to Yoo Jin. Yoo Jin opened the door to the garden.

Amy tore in first, almost screaming with tears. Ruth tried to get in her way and calm her down, but Amy dodged easily around her and leaped into my lap. Oof! She flung her arms around my neck and bawled for several minutes. I saw Yoo Jin motion to the rest of the family to hold up while Amy’s hysteria was dealt with.

I held Amy and rocked back and forth for several minutes. When she became coherent enough to talk, she scolded me for leaving her, begged me to tell her what terrible thing she had done that would make me leave, promised that she would clean up her bedroom every day, and begged me to forgive her mother for anything that she had done.

I squeezed her and kissed her forehead. I told her that she was my special girl, and I didn’t leave her, I just took a couple of days off to think things out. And I told her that she was the biggest reason that I came back. Yoo Jin looked thoughtful at that remark.

“No, Richard, the biggest reason you came back was that Marine corporal. I think he must have weighed in at 300 pounds.” Yoo Jin snarked. I scowled at her but returned my attention to Amy.

Amy believed me though and, after a while, loosed her death-grip on my neck enough to sit beside me on the sofa, plastered to my hip, as the rest of the family came in.

Kyle had troubled eyes, but I met them with a direct gaze and held out my hand to shake. He relaxed and smiled and took my hand, the sap. I pulled him into my lap and gave him a kiss to let him know that he was important to me. He leaned against my chest for one deep breath, and then stood behind the sofa with a hand on my shoulder for the rest of the afternoon.

Kellie leaned down to hug me and whispered into my ear,

“I know what it’s like when you have to run away for a couple of days.” She kissed me and picked up Annabelle, our daughter and stepped back.

James held back, unsure of his place in the clan. I nodded to Yoo Jin, and she beckoned him over. He was unsure what to do, so he gave a short bow and stepped back to the wall. I smiled. My old Sensei used to say,

“When in doubt, bow.”

Lastly, Paula came in. She didn’t say a word but knelt in front of me with her head dropped, looking at my feet. Finally, in a small voice she said,

“Master, I forgot my place and I endangered you and the family. I beg your forgiveness.”

“I give you my forgiveness freely,” I said,

“But I want address your fears.”

I turned to the young girl sitting next to me.

“Amy, let me say before everyone that you have a home here, come what may. I am holding open one of my concubine positions until your 14th birthday,” I looked up glaring,

“No matter what Mama Ruth and Mama Yoo Jin say. If you score high or low on the CAP test, you have a home here.”

Amy punched my arm.

“Score low? Are you kidding? I’m gonna be an A-22 pilot, have ten concubines that are madly in love with me and lust for my body. Then I’m coming back here to live like Mama Ruth and Mama Yoo Jin, forcing you to do the right thing.”

The room erupted with laughter, and I saw a small smile briefly pass over Paula’s face. I thought about the red-headed concubine out of whose bed the SPs had pulled me.

“Amy, I want to ask you for a date.”

“A date?” she asked.

“Yes, a date. On the evening of your fourteenth birthday, after you have taken your CAP test, I want to invite you into my bed. No conditions. No holds barred.”

Amy thought for a minute.

“Can Mommy be there?”

I thought for a minute. I would have preferred to have this as a private moment, but the moment was really going to be hers, not mine.

“Yes, Amy. You can have anyone you want on your special day. That includes your mother.” Amy squealed again and hugged me, and then she jumped off the couch and hugged her mother. Paula looked at me with profound gratitude in her eyes.

Perhaps I was still angry, but I fully intended to take advantage of that gratitude.

Later that week, Ruth and Yoo Jin took me on a picnic, just the three of us. We flew out to the seashore and played in the surf. They were sleek as seals and my body couldn’t help but respond. Later, we lay on our blanket under the big sun umbrella and we three made slow and tender love, spending lots of time on caresses and kisses.

I loved taking all the time we needed to kiss each other. Ruth lay next to me on the blanket, held in my arms. The sea breeze ruffled her hair and make her nipples crinkle. I kissed all over her face, my eyes open, wanting to see her closely, wanting to see what her reaction to my kisses would be.