Chapter 6

It had been a warm morning and the afternoon was even hotter. Debbie had just sat down for a cup of tea when she heard the doorbell ring. Grumbling, she heaved herself out of the chair and waddled to the door.

Standing on the porch was a slim Asian girl. Her long black hair was tied back in a lose braid falling halfway down her back. Debbie noticed right away that although she definitely had Asian blood she was bigger-chested than your average oriental and her eyes were rounder than expected; her hands were clasped in front of her.

The girl kept her eyes looking down towards Debbie's feet. Suddenly she bowed from the waist and spoke softly. "Mrs. Matthews? I am Kikiroko Fujimora. I have come to apply for the position of nanny."

"Please come in Ms. Fujimora." Debbie stepped back as the girl entered the hallway.

"I usually don't interview without Mr. Matthews but why don't you come in and sit down."

Debbie ushered the girl into the living room and gestured to a chair across from hers.

"Please have a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you, Mrs. Matthews, but please allow me." Without waiting for a response she walked over to the table next to Debbie's chair and poured a cup. Refolding her hands she gave a slight bow walked to her chair and sat down. Sitting straight not touching the chair back, legs primly together and eyes downcast.

"Before we go any further my name is Debbie; no need for 'Mrs. Matthews.' Now please tell me a little bit about yourself."

Kiki, as she was called, was originally from Okinawa in the Japanese islands. She was twenty years old and had been in the US for three years. Her cousin was a visiting professor at the university and she had come over to assist him in his research as well as pursue her own studies. She was well into her own course of study at the university but her cousin was due to leave soon and she would lose the faculty tuition discount when he returned home. She was looking for work with a flexible schedule that she could fit around her classes. Without continuing on as a student she would be forced to return home. This last she said very softly with her eyes fixed on the floor.

"You don't want to go home, do you Kiki?"

"No Mrs. Matth ... Debbie-san." Kiki's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Why not, honey?" Debbie asked softly.

Kiki bit her lip and closed her eyes. "I must tell you my shame. You need to know. I am a halfbreed, tsuihousha, an outcast. My father was an American GI stationed in Okinawa when he got my mother with child. He refused to claim me and soon left for America. Later my mother married and they had their own children."

"Oh honey, that's nothing to be ashamed of! You had nothing to do with what your father did or didn't do. Surely nobody can hold that against you?"

Kiki looked up at her. "You don't understand, Debbie-san. In Japan to be a halfbreed is very bad thing. No one wants you. No one hires you. In Japan halfbreed is good only for labor or as..." her eyes dropped along with her voice, "a prostitute."

For some reason Debbie liked this girl. Certainly her heart went out to her, but there was something else as well. Maybe she's feeding me a bunch of bull, Debbie thought, but she didn't think so.

"I'll tell you what, Kiki: Mark will be back this evening. Let me have your résumé and you come back at about seven so he can meet you. If everything works out I think you can have the job. As you can see I need a little help around here. It will be a big job, but if you're willing we can give it a try."

"Yes, you are almost mama-san." She got an almost wistful look in her eyes. "Thank you, Debbie-san. I promise you will not be disappointed. I work very hard. I help you very much." She stood up believing she had been dismissed. Debbie struggled to get up but Kiki was instantly by her side gently pushing her back into the chair.

"No, mama-san" she said firmly. "You rest. I let myself out. I will be back tonight." Debbie slumped back into her chair gratefully.

Debbie sat and sipped her tea wondering if she had done the right thing. There was no logical reason for it but she felt something wonderful had happened.

During dinner Debbie told Mark about Kiki, a little apprehensive that he might take affront that she had already for the most part hired the girl.

Mark just waved his hand and said, "If you like her and want to try it then she's yours."

"I checked her references and they seem to check out. Also I looked up a little bit about Japanese culture while I was at it. She's right; Eurasians in Japan are treated like crap, legally!" Debbie enjoyed playing the subservient to Mark, but it was her choice. What she read about the treatment of non-Japanese ― and Eurasians were considered non-Japanese ― made her blood boil.

Looking at her with a very serious expression Mark said, "Then by all means you must save your young lady from those evil Orientals." His face was serious but his eyes were laughing.

"Oh you!" missing with a half-hearted swing, he started laughing out loud.

At precisely seven the doorbell rang. Mark answered the door, Debbie following behind him.

Kiki was standing on the porch obviously dressed for an interview. She had on a long print dress and covered her to the ankles, feet in plain flat sandals, hair brushed till it shined and flowing over her shoulders and down her back.

Mark smiled and held the door open for her. "You must be Kiki, konbanha Kiki-san." He bowed to her as she entered.

Kiki's mouth dropped open in surprise and she bowed deeply and started speaking Japanese very quickly.

Lifting his hands in surrender he started laughing and said, "Please, please, I'm sorry I've just used up about all the Japanese I know! Please come in."

"You honor me greatly ikkano aruji," her head still bowed.

Debbie stepped around Mark and giggled. "Hello Kiki. Won't you please come in?"

They sat and talked for a while, Debbie and Mark outlining what they were looking for and what the pay would be.

"You would Debbie's companion and helper," Mark stated. "If it's all right with you I don't see any reason why you can't start tomorrow."

"Doumo arigatou, Mark-san," Kiki said as she got up to leave, "Debbie-san, I will be here in morning."

Within a week Debbie could never imagine living without her. She was a constant companion, helping with the cooking, laundry, and shopping. With no classes in session she spent almost all day with Debbie from early morning till just before the Matthews were getting ready for bed. Debbie found her to be extremely bright, funny and wonderfully friendly. Once she became accustomed to Debbie she began to trust her as a friend more than an employer and they would spend hours chatting like magpies. Debbie loved every minute they spent together but somehow that bothered her.

"Kiki, don't you have any friends you'd like to see? I love the time we have together but a beautiful young girl like you must have dozens of boyfriends chasing you around. You shouldn't be spending all your time with an old cow like me."

"Oh no, mama-san," Debbie never could break her of calling her that, "it seems very difficult to make friends here and the boys ... Well all they want to do is ― how do you say it? ― get in my pants."

"They can't all be like that. Don't you want a boyfriend?"

Kiki hesitated for a second and softly replied, "I want what you and Mark-san have, mama-san. I see that you love each other very much. I know it is much to ask but I want nothing less."

Debbie hugged the girl tightly, "Oh Kiki, you'll have that someday. You are too precious and wonderful not to have everything you want. But there's more, isn't there? Its not just boys being boys, is it? You can still enjoy yourself even while they try their best to poke you." She looked down and patted her big belly. "And sometimes it's even fun if they do. So do you want to talk about it?

"No, mama-san." She buried her face in Debbie's shoulder. "Maybe sometime, but not now."

They were standing crying in each other's arms as Mark walked through the door. "What's wrong? What's happened? Are you okay?"

Breaking apart, Kiki began drying her eyes and Debbie said, "We're fine, nothing's wrong."

"Well something must be wrong. What's the problem?"

Debbie sternly looked at him and said: "Men!"

"And what has my ignoble sex done now?"

"All men want to do is screw and leave!"

"Ah, yes, well, I think I'll leave now and go set the table," he turned and walked out quickly muttering something about females, crying, and Christmas tree ornaments

Kiki turned to Debbie, "Christmas Tree ornaments?'

Debbie started laughing "I'll tell you about that some other day."

The two of them ― and when he was available the three of them ― became inseparable. With Kiki helping, the housework went quickly and easily. Meals took on a definitely oriental flavor, something Mark and Debbie learned to appreciate. Kiki was amazed at the amount of food one man could eat and not gain a pound, except maybe for muscle.

"That's the football training, Ki. He burns up as many calories as I can force down him. He's a wide receiver. That means he's running all the time, for hours on end."

Kiki had a puzzled look on her face. "I have heard on this Feetball. It is a game I know but I do not understand. I know Mark-san is very popular here at school. Everybody knows him and when they find out who I work for they want to know about him. Especially the girls." Kiki blushed furiously as she said it.

Debbie laughed knowing Kiki was embarrassed to tell her Mark was the target of all the young hotties on campus. "Yes they do have a tendency to follow him around, don't they. Well he is a very handsome man isn't he?"

Kiki blushed a deep red and said "Yes, very handsome man, most handsome at school."

"Well I think so too and of course playing football helps. If you want to know why football makes him so popular try thinking of him as a well-known Sumo wrestler back in Japan."

Kiki's face lit up with understanding. "Ah Sumo! Yes, very popular! Yes, I see now. Mark-san very important! But he seems to be so nice, like real person not some, mmmm, Big Shot!"

"That's the way he has always been. He doesn't pay much attention to the fuss; says it's silly for everyone to treat him like he was something special just because he can catch a ball and run with it. Just treat him like you would everybody else, that's what he likes."

"But mama-san he is the ikkanoaruji (master of the house) and it is my place to treat him so. It is my honor to serve him and show the proper respect! You act as servant to him, I have seen it. Should I do no less?"

"Yes Kiki, but I enjoy serving him. That's my choice; it's a game we play. You can treat him with all the respect you want, he deserves that, but he is just a man like any other. Well maybe not like any other man; he is unique and he's ours to take care of."

"Yes Debbie-san, we must take care of him very well!"

"Welcome back to Wildcat Roundup! Today we have a special guest with us: Mark Matthews, the freshman phenom wide receiver. Mark, thanks for coming today."

"It's a pleasure to be here, Bill."

"So Mark, your first college game is under your belt and what a game it was! Ten receptions, 175 yards and two touchdowns! Practically career numbers in just one game! Tell everybody out in our listening audience what it feels like to be in the Big League and how you like our school!"

"Thanks, Bill. I'm glad the team had a good game and I'm happy to help in any way I can. But remember without Marcus, our quarterback, our blockers and running backs I wouldn't have had a chance to help. This is a team effort. I'm only one of the weapons our coaches have. I love the school and couldn't think of being anything but a Wildcat."

"And that's all the time we have. Again, thanks for joining us, Mark."

"Thank you, Bill."

"When we return, Bruce Baccus, head coach of our Wildcats, will join us to discuss next week's game."

Debbie knew Kiki had been taking classes ― she was over here on a student visa for God's sake ― but she never even thought to ask what her major was. The day she found out Debbie almost decided to marry Kiki herself.

Her back had been killing her for the past two months. She was sure the baby had to weigh 20 pounds and she was carrying every pound of it sticking right out in front of her. Mark had insisted he continue their massages even if they didn't always result in sex ― well not always anyway. But he could only do it in the evening when he was home. That helped a lot and she didn't think she would be able to sleep at all without them, but that left the rest of the day for an aching back and swollen feet. After bending over to pick up a dropped sock she rubbed her fists into the small of her back and let out with a loud groan.

"Are you okay, Debbie-san?" Kiki called from the next room.

"Oh I'm all right Ki; my back is hurting is all. That's what I get for carrying around this heavy little beast I guess."

Kiki rushed into the room and set down the basket of laundry she was carrying.

"Here, let me help." She came around behind Debbie and started to rub her lower back.

"Oh that feels wonderful, Ki! Mark's massages help so much but he can only do them at night. Oh this is good."

"Then you should have one now, mama-san." Grabbing Debbie's hand they walked down to the massage room.

"Kiki this isn't part of the job description. You don't have to do this, you know."

"Hush mama-san, you're hurt I can help. I would do this for you even if you didn't pay me. Besides I am studying to be Physical Therapist; this is good practice for me."

Kiki had Debbie take off her blouse and stretch pants and lay on the table. She couldn't lie on her stomach so she settled for her side leaning over toward her stomach. Kiki looked at Debbie's maternity bra and panties and shook her head.

"No, no. Everything off, now."

Debbie blushed. She hadn't been naked in front of anyone but Mark and her doctor for ages. Kiki noticed her blush and smiled.

"No need to be embarrassed, Mama-san. In Japan it is normal to be nude with other people, even strangers, and I'm no stranger, am I?" Taking some oil from the oil warmer she spread it on Debbie's back and began to rub the pain away.