Chapter 6

The week after New Year’s during one of Sean and Megumi’s calls, the topic of conversation centered around Megumi’s cousin, Suki Yakamura. Megumi told Sean, “I spoke to Suki last night for quite a while. Her English is passable, but it’s kinda halted. She has no confidence about her ability to converse in English. I believe that she and Josh will be able to communicate in English if he’s both patient and understanding. Sean, as far as being confident about herself, she is like I was only worse. She has a beauty and attributes she doesn’t believe she has. Josh could really help her blossom with his encouragement and acceptance as her boyfriend.

“She is very self-conscious about her breast size. The first place that guys look is at her chest, not her eyes. She’s also been the butt of vulgar innuendo, teasing and abuse. On top of that, she just received some very bad news. She failed the college entrance exam. It’s a very traumatizing thing in Japan. They have a special name for people who fail the exam.

“Maybe you’ve heard of a “ronin” when learning about Japan. Normally, foreigners hear the word in a historical context. Masterless samurai who roamed Japan in olden times. But don’t be misled by the use of the word Ronin here. Ronin are samurais without masters, but in Japan this word can also mean something different. Roninsei, is also a term used to call a person who has failed to pass their first try at a university entrance examination in Japan. Passing an entrance examination is a very crucial part of a Japanese student’s life. Once they fail, they need to wait another full year to take the entrance exam with the same school. Since she will be moving to the U. S. for two years, my uncle, in my opinion, wishes to be rid of her. He’s going to try and arrange a marriage for her. This way he can come to the U. S. free of any burden of a child who is considered a failure. Basically, he will pick out a Japanese man and probably marry her here in America, then they will return to Japan as a married couple. Right now, she’s a mess.”

Sean sighed and asked, “So, how does Josh fit into this picture if at all?”

“When I sent her the pictures you sent me of him, she went crazy. She exclaimed, ‘Hijo ni goka!’ That means, and I quote literally, ‘he is very gorgeous.’ I could be wrong, but I think that if she and Josh can begin dating, her dad might back off from the arranged marriage. Mostly because Josh has been accepted to a nationally recognized university, he’ very handsome, and he will become my brother-in-law. If those two connect and possibly marry, this will strengthen family ties. Something that’s very important in Japanese culture.

“But, Sweetheart,” Sean remarked, “Josh will turn eighteen in early May. He has never dated or had a bona fide girlfriend. There was a girl that he spoke to on the phone for a month or so during the ninth grade, but that’s it. Joshua is a very sensitive and kindhearted guy. He’s not a jerk, and Suki’s bra size would not be an obstacle for him. But, like your Mom, ours expects Josh to do well in college.

“He would most likely be very shy at first. He’s definitely not the type to come on strong with her. He’d respect her. In fact, because she is a true Japanese girl from Japan, and not a second-generation girl who has been Americanized, he would probably put her on a pedestal. Suki is a very pretty girl. Put her in a kimono and he’d probably become a puddle of goo.”

Megumi giggled loudly at the mental image. She said, “Suki said she really loves his warm smile and his big, beautiful soft, gentle eyes.”

“Yeah, he’s got those caramel brown bedroom eyes. They hide nothing. What you see with Josh is what you get. So, what do we do? Do we play, as Mom described us, “matchmakers” and put them together or what?”

“I’ll tell you what I believe in my heart to be true. I love Suki very much. She is not a brainiac like me, and is basically just a poor to fair student, but she is loving, loyal, and a very sensitive, sweet girl. I love Joshua as my brother-in-law, and if they could establish a relationship and become a couple, my heart would soar with joy for both of them.”

“Baby Girl, I’ll agree with your heart and trust your gut instinct about them. Now for the next step. How do we get them to make the first move? Who contacts who first?”

“Do you have a pen and paper handy?” she asked.

After retrieving something to write on, he said, “Go.”

“Suki’s email address is sukiyaki.at&>^dotyahoodotco.jp and her Discord tag is Sukigirl1408. I suggest that Josh write her an email, introduce himself and ask her if she’d be interested in getting to know him. He could do like I did, and he could send her a Friend invitation on Discord. He could also send her a selfie. She’d really like that. Believe me, she will not turn him down! If he told her he thought she was pretty and wanted to get to know her, like him, like you said of Josh, she’d turn into a puddle of goo. Just remind him that they can speak in English, but that he’ll need to be patient and understanding with her. Sean, she’s really infatuated with him. Like me, she’s never had any one-on-one relationship with a boy. She’s never held hands or been kissed.”

Sean chuckled and replied, “Well, tell Suki neither has he. On a very positive note. Josh has led several kids to Christ.”

“Oh boy! I’m starting to see those “coincidences” again; aren’t you?”

“Sure am. Okay. I’ll call Josh tomorrow and we’ll have a heart-to-heart about Suki. Explain to her that she is 14 hours ahead of him.

“On a different note, I am going to rent a ‘vette when I get to BWI. It’ll be a reserved rental. You, my darling baby doctor, will experience true speed. I promise we won’t go over 140 unless you want to. The speedometer reads 220 and the factory says the top speed is 212.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Yup! Crazy in love with you.”

Megumi giggled and quipped, “I know. I’m just so loveable!”

“Yes, I really know how to pick ‘em, don’t I?”

’YOU!? I picked you unless you’ve forgotten.”

“How did you pick me? Out of a hat, by lottery, how?”

“I cast my lot into the hat, and the Lord chose you.”

“Oh, so you’re a sneaky girl who uses Scripture against her mate to win a repartee?”

“Sore loser! By the way, who taught me that verse?”

“You’re a sneaky girl. Just like God is a sneaky God.”

“How is God sneaky?”

“You’ve been in the same state as me for 5 years! What was He waiting for? For you to become an American citizen?”

“I can’t answer that. Maybe he was waiting for my boobs to grow.”

Imitating a buzzer, Sean said, “BONK!! WRONG!! Psalm 139, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” See? He knew what size boobs you’d have before you even had any.”

“Alright. I can’t debate Scripture with you. All I can say is that you probably were not ready to receive beautiful, little me.”

“That, my dearest love, is most likely the reason. But I know and love you now. That’s all that matters.”

“I miss you! Hell, Sean. I’ve never even met you in person! Are we weird or what? Falling in love with someone we haven’t even seen in person! You had better be prepared, Buster. When I see you at the airport, I’m gonna run and leap into your arms. If you drop me, you’ll have to carry me everywhere for your entire leave.”

“I’m ready, Baby Girl. Are you really gonna do that in front of your mom?”

“You betcha! I’m gonna scream loud enough to wake the dead too!”

“Hell yeah! My mom suggested that we all go to dinner and get to know each other since you and I are getting married. Just think. If Josh and Suki begin communicating, you and I can maneuver those two to sit together at dinner. It would be like a first date. After that, we can double date. Her Dad might let her go out if it’s with us, don’t you think?”

“I like the way you think, my dearest husband to be.”

Megumi asked, “Does Josh have a job?”

“Yeah, he’s a night manager at a Chick-fil-A. He graduates from high school on his birthday: May 10^th.”

“What is his major in college?”

“Like me, corporate accounting. Hey, could Suki get into college in the U. S.?”

“Now that you mention it, probably yes. In general, in Japan it’s harder to enter university, but easier to graduate”

Sean pondered, “What if she applied to and was accepted to the University of Maryland like Josh?”

Megumi added, “and they dormed together away from her dad?”

“Get her the info to apply to Maryland, UMBC. Download and print everything she needs and help her fill everything out so she can hit the ground running when she gets here. This is perfect because colleges are no longer requiring an SAT or ACT test score for admittance.

“Okay, this question is for both Josh and me. Is it okay to hold hands in public?”

“Holding hands is okay, but no arm around her waist or shoulder. Also, avoid any lovey-dovey eyes at each other.”

“What about carrying her around?”

“If she has a turned ankle, then piggyback is permissible. Why, do you plan on dropping me?”

“Not on your life, but like a good boy scout, always be prepared.”

Megumi giggled. Changing gears, she asked, “Have you heard any word on when you’re returning to the states?”

“No, but the word is sometime between the 15^th and 20^th. I think they’ll tell us next week. The only regret I have about leaving here, is that I never got around to visiting Petra.”

“Petra? That sounds familiar.

The city carved entirely from stone. Petra is Greek for stone. Peter’s name means ‘rock.’ The entrance to Petra was filmed in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Petra will figure in during the last days in the Book of Revelation.”

“Interesting. Well, my darling flyboy, I need to hit the books. My slave driver fiancé is making me complete two years of study in one so he can have and do unmentionable things to my innocent body.”

“Hmmm, sounds like fun.”

“Which reminds me. Are you into cuffs, paddles, floggers, or bondage? After I’m legally yours, do you intend on buying me a collar?”

“That’s an interesting question. Do you want a collar?”

“Maybe just for play, but certainly not to become your slave.”

“How about the other stuff, interested in any of it?”

“No. Definitely not. I want to be cuddled, loved and treated like a princess, not a masochistic slave.”

“Wow! Where did an innocent girl like you learn that fifty-cent word?”

“My darling husband-to-be, I may be innocent, but I have a very expensive edgu-ma-cation. See? Yesterday I couldn’t spell doctor today, I almost are one.”

Sean laughed. He said, “I just love how you’ve blossomed into a fun, confident woman. I love you so much, I sometimes want to cry because I have your love. My wife, a doctor. I feel so blessed. So much more than I deserve.”

“How do you think I feel? Like I told Daddy, you make me feel precious and valuable. You think I’m beautiful. You make me feel so alive and that life is really worth the living.”

“You know, God’s Word is pure truth. It’s so humbling to have it come alive within our hearts. Psalm 27:13 says, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord here, in the land of the living. The greatest blessing for each of us has been each other.”

“Amen to that.”

Jordan is seven hours ahead of Lutherville, Maryland where Sean’ s home was. He sent Josh a text at 7:20am, his time. He would be on the bus to school. That way, he knew Josh would read it and reply. He sent:

I will call you at 11pm this evening. Need to talk to you about something very, very important. Okay?

Josh replied “N.P. [no problem].”

Sean called and Josh answered at 11:10pm. Josh asked, “Hey Bro, why so melodramatic? What’s the problem?”

Sean started. “Do you remember talking with Megumi for the first time?”