Rosaleigh, NY
Jordan Suzuki
I get up from my position in front of the sewing machine. After working for eight hours, just like every other day, a break is needed. I move over to the computer, and press space.
Coming up to the login screen, I quickly type viv, and watch the screen turn from blue to black, and then finally to Sebastian Michaelis. I click on the internet icon and impatiently wait for the window to load.
My eyes widen as the news of developers looking to close down towns flashes at me in big, bold text. Recognising the picture used, I click on the link and, with my hands shaking, quickly read the text, squinting as I wasn't wearing my glasses.
As soon as I finish, I slam my hands on the table. The town closing was a town I was working on forgetting, which was next to impossible.
Contemplating my choices, I quickly grab the phone and dial the number of my assistant.
She answers with the usual greeting.
"I need a few weeks of work," I say, trying to not let it show that my voice is shaking.
"Okay. Do you want me to finish off the work for you?" she asks.
"Yes. The prints are on my desk. Follow them, and use the patterns that are in the green box labelled RL," I instruct.
She agrees to my intructions then hangs up. I get up from my room and silently move out of the door, to the lounge room, where my dad was eating his rice.
"Dad," I say in English. He looks up at me with concern in his eyes. I only speak English when it calls for it, or else it's Japanese.
"What is it?" he asks, placing his food on the table. He gets up and walks over to me.
"Can you book a flight for me? To Rosaleigh?" I request, looking at him in the eyes.
"Oh... of course," he starts, looking at me with uneasy eyes. "But what about... you know..."
"Dad," I start. I take a deep breath. "Her grave is there."
"But your phobia," he reminds me.
"Dad," I say, biting my lip. "I know it will be hard for me. I know that. But I promised her. I promised her I'd always be there for her. If those people get a hold of the town, she'll fade, and I can't do that. It's not right."
My dad takes a long pause and then nods.
"Go pack your stuff," he says walking over to his laptop. "I'll book the flight now."
"Thanks," I smile.
Coming up to the login screen, I quickly type viv, and watch the screen turn from blue to black, and then finally to Sebastian Michaelis. I click on the internet icon and impatiently wait for the window to load.
My eyes widen as the news of developers looking to close down towns flashes at me in big, bold text. Recognising the picture used, I click on the link and, with my hands shaking, quickly read the text, squinting as I wasn't wearing my glasses.
As soon as I finish, I slam my hands on the table. The town closing was a town I was working on forgetting, which was next to impossible.
Contemplating my choices, I quickly grab the phone and dial the number of my assistant.
She answers with the usual greeting.
"I need a few weeks of work," I say, trying to not let it show that my voice is shaking.
"Okay. Do you want me to finish off the work for you?" she asks.
"Yes. The prints are on my desk. Follow them, and use the patterns that are in the green box labelled RL," I instruct.
She agrees to my intructions then hangs up. I get up from my room and silently move out of the door, to the lounge room, where my dad was eating his rice.
"Dad," I say in English. He looks up at me with concern in his eyes. I only speak English when it calls for it, or else it's Japanese.
"What is it?" he asks, placing his food on the table. He gets up and walks over to me.
"Can you book a flight for me? To Rosaleigh?" I request, looking at him in the eyes.
"Oh... of course," he starts, looking at me with uneasy eyes. "But what about... you know..."
"Dad," I start. I take a deep breath. "Her grave is there."
"But your phobia," he reminds me.
"Dad," I say, biting my lip. "I know it will be hard for me. I know that. But I promised her. I promised her I'd always be there for her. If those people get a hold of the town, she'll fade, and I can't do that. It's not right."
My dad takes a long pause and then nods.
"Go pack your stuff," he says walking over to his laptop. "I'll book the flight now."
"Thanks," I smile.
♠ ♠ ♠
The conversation is in italics as he is currently in Japan.