Laundry day

City A

Dream

“Shhh just let me love you,” Elizabeth looked up at Mr. Yamada as he spoke and kissed her gently on her neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her collar bone and worked his way down to her chest.

“Mommy wake up its Saturday!” Yoshio screamed and jumped up and down on the bed. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at her son happily jumping on the bed.

“Shh come here,” she smiled at him and he jumped down on top of his mom.

“It’s just laundry day,” Elizabeth said tickling Yoshio.

“But it’s near the park,” Yoshio said as he laughed from the tickling.

“Should we pack a lunch and have it at the park?” Elizabeth asks her son as he snuggles himself in her lap.

“Yes,” he responds with excitement hugging his mom around the neck.

Elizabeth packed a lunch and packed up their dirty clothes.

“Ready,” Yoshio said coming out of his room. Wearing shorts and T-shirt with a cute big eyed puppy on it.

“Okay, do want to carry out lunch?” She ask him holding out the lunch box to him.

“Yes,” Yoshio said grabbing the lunch from his mom.

City A

Laundry facility.

“I’ll get the change you wait here okay,” Elizabeth said sitting down the laundry bag.

“Okay,” Yoshio sits down on top of the big bag of laundry.

“Hi Benjiro,” Elizabeth walked over to the counter.

“Hi Elizabeth,” Benjiro said looking her over. She was wearing some little black shorts, a T-shirt with a flower that had a smiley face on it. Her thick long black hair was braided down in two braids.

“Can I get some change?” She put some money on the counter.

“Yeah sure, is Yoshio with you today?” Benjiro asked and handed Elizabeth the change.

“He’s alway with me,” Elizabeth smiled and walked away.

“Yoshio, why don’t you go say hi to Benjiro,” Elizabeth said. Yoshio bounced over to talk to Benjiro.

City A airport

“I’ll be back in a week or so depending on how well it goes,” Yoshio’s father said. The airport was crowded with people hustling and bustling.

“I’ll take care of everything while your gone,” Yoshio assures his father as he went through security.

The sun was bright and warm. Yoshio drove down the road the road. There were people walking up and down the sidewalks. He wondered what Yoshio was doing. Did his mom take him out to the park. It was such a nice day.

Yoshio stopped the car at the red light and a large group of people crossed the road in front of his car.

He was shocked to see Yoshio walking cross with a smile on his little face. He was holding his mom’s hand and there was a man with them and Yoshio was holding his hand also. They picked him up and swung him up on the sidewalk. They looked so happy.

He could feel his heart sinking deep down in his chest. He was sad looking at how happy they were; he wanted to be with them. Yoshio didn’t think that Elizabeth might be interested in someone else.

Yoshio’s Mansion

He put his keys down near the door and he looked at his huge empty house and didn’t want to be there alone. He walked into the kitchen and took out a beer from the refrigerator.

Yoshio sat on the sofa looking at the blank tv screen. His heart was slowly breaking.

Monday

8:00pm outside the construction site.

Yoshio had waited all weekend to speak with Elizabeth. His chest was tight and his heart began to beat fast when they he saw her and Yoshio walking towards him. She looked so different from the way she looked on Saturday. That day she looked ladylike and soft but today her face was covered in cement dust and sweat. She wore baggy work pants and a huge construction vest over a large shirt. She had her work boots slung over her shoulder and Yoshio carried her helmet in his hand.

“Mr. Yamada how are you? I trust your weekend was favorable,” Elizabeth bowed and he just looked at her and didn’t speak.

“Not as favorable as yours,” he said as Yoshio jumped into his arms. That not what he wanted to say that’s just what came out. Elizabeth seemed confused as he and Yoshio got into the car.

She got into the car and didn’t say anything. Mr. Yamada and Yoshio talked happily about their days and Yoshio spoke about their weekend at the park.

The car stopped in front of the apartment. Yoshio was asleep when they arrived.

Mr. Yamada picked him up.

“Can I ask you something?” Yoshio said his Palms sweaty and his throat became dry.

“I say on Saturday near the laundry mat with a man...” Yoshio didn’t get to finish when Elizabeth answered.

“He’s a friend he works at the laundry mat. We go to the park together sometimes. He has a fiancé,” Elizabeth said laughing slightly. Mr. Yamada looked at her and lifted Yoshio higher on his shoulder. The tightness in his chest was gone and his heart was not between as fast but his face was warm.

“I’ll take him,” Elizabeth said holding her arms out to take her sleeping son. Yoshio wanted to kiss her so badly but he didn’t want to scare her away but he wanted her to know that he liked her.

“Sure, goodnight,” he didn’t have the courage to do anything or say anything about his feeling. But he was still on cloud nine because he still has a chance.

Golden week

“Mr. Yamada, I just wanted to say that Yoshio will not be at school for a week on vacation so he won’t need to be picked up from school.” Elizabeth said bowing again.

“He’s going to be home alone,” Mr. Yamada asked as they got into the car.

“Yes I have to work. The construction is behind so they won’t be any days off.” Elizabeth said.

“He can come and stay with me in my office and be helper on the days you have to work.” Mr. Yamada suggested.

“Well...” Elizabeth started to answer.

“Yoshio would you like to be my assistant while your mom is at work,” he asked Yoshio who was entertained by the tie clip.

“Yes,” he looked up and smiled and continued playing with the tie clip.

“I don’t want him to be a...” Elizabeth started talking.

“Is not going to be a bother. We don’t have any meetings next week because most companies are taking time off. Mostly paperwork,” he explained ruffling yoshio’s hair.

“Okay, but you have to let me made dinner for you as a thank you, I know it’s not much.” Elizabeth said looking down at her old beat up tennis shoes.

“I’d love to have dinner together,” Mr. Yamada said rubbing Yoshio’s back.

“He falls asleep so easily with you,” Elizabeth said rubbing her son’s back. He was in a deep and peaceful sleep.

“Yeah,” Mr. Yamada said putting his hand over Elizabeth’s hand that’s still resting on Yoshio’s back. Mr. Yamada’s face turned red; he looked at Elizabeth she was smiling sweetly but she wasn’t blushing. He rested his other hand on her cheek, her face was covered in dust. He stared at her lips; he wanted to kiss them so badly.

“Mr. Yamada, the car stopped.” She said looking deeply at him with a smile.

“Right,” he moved his hand and got out of the car. She walked around and took Yoshio in her arms.

“Goodnight Mr. Yamada and thank you,” she said going into the apartment.

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