Salvation of a Saint

TWO

Hiromi Wakayama began to suspect something when she saw the Mashibas coming down the stairs. Their smiles were clearly forced – Ayane’s in particular.

Sorry to keep you waiting,’ Yoshitaka said as he reached the bottom of the stairs. A touch too curtly, he asked her if she’d heard anything from the Ikais.

‘Yukiko left a message just now saying they’d be here in about five minutes,’ Hiromi told him.

‘Guess I’ll get the champagne ready, then.’

‘No, let me,’ Ayane said hurriedly. ‘Hiromi, would you mind getting the glasses?’

‘Not at all.’

‘I’ll set the table, then,’ Yoshitaka said.

Hiromi watched Ayane disappear into the kitchen before she walked over to the tall cupboard against the dining room wall. The cupboard was an antique that had cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of three million yen, or so she had heard. The glasses inside were all suitably expensive.

Carefully, she took out five champagne flutes: two Baccarat and three Venetian-style. It was customary in the Mashiba household to offer the guests Venetian-style glasses.

Yoshitaka was busily setting out placemats for five at the eight-person dining table. He was an old hand at dinner parties, and Hiromi had gradually picked up the routine.

She arranged the champagne flutes at each place. She heard the sound of running water from the kitchen. She stepped closer to Yoshitaka.

‘Did you say something to her?’ Hiromi whispered.

‘Nothing in particular,’ he answered without looking up.

‘You did talk, though?’

He glanced in her direction for the first time. ‘About what?’

‘About what?!’ she was going to say when the doorbell chimed.

‘They’re here,’ Yoshitaka called into the kitchen.

‘Sorry, I’ve got my hands full. Can you get it?’ came Ayane’s reply.

‘Absolutely,’ Yoshitaka said, walking over to the intercom on the wall.

Ten minutes later the hosts and their guests were sitting at the dining room table. Everyone was smiling, though to Hiromi it looked forced – as if they were all taking great pains not to disturb the casual mood. She wondered how people learned this kind of artifice. Surely the skill wasn’t inborn; Hiromi knew it had taken Ayane at least a year to blend into this particular scene.

‘Your cooking is always just exquisite, Ayane,’ Yukiko Ikai exclaimed between mouthfuls of whitefish. ‘You don’t often see a marinade getting the attention it deserves.’ It was typically Yukiko’s role to praise each dish during dinner.

‘Of course you’re impressed!’ her husband Tatsuhiko said from the seat beside her. ‘You always just get those mailorder instant sauce packets.’

‘I make it myself sometimes.’

‘Aojiso sauce, maybe. That minty stuff.’

‘So? It’s good!’

‘I rather like aojiso myself,’ Ayane put in.

‘See? And it’s good for you, too.’ Yukiko smiled.

‘Please, don’t encourage her, Ayane,’ Tatsuhiko grumbled. ‘You’ll have her smearing that sauce on my steak next.’

‘Why, that sounds delicious!’ Yukiko said. ‘I’ll have to try it next time.’

Everyone laughed except for Tatsuhiko.

Tatsuhiko Ikai was a lawyer. He was the legal advisor for several companies, including Yoshitaka Mashiba’s. He was also significantly involved in the management of it. The two men had been friends since college.

Tatsuhiko retrieved a bottle from the wine refrigerator and offered to pour Hiromi a glass.

‘Oh, I’m fine, thanks,’ she said, placing her hand over the rim.

‘You sure? I thought you liked white, Hiromi.’

‘Oh, I do, but I’ve had enough. Thanks.’

Tatsuhiko shrugged and poured some for Yoshitaka instead.

‘Are you not feeling well?’ Ayane asked.

‘No, I’m fine, really. I’ve just been out drinking a lot lately and I don’t want to overdo it.’

‘Ah, to be young and going out to parties all the time!’

Tatsuhiko filled Ayane’s glass before glancing at his wife and bringing the bottle to his own glass. ‘Yukiko’s off alcohol for a while, so I’m usually drinking alone.’

‘Right, right, of course,’ Yoshitaka said, his fork stopping in midair. ‘I suppose you have to abstain, don’t you?’

‘Unless she wants to drink for two!’ Tatsuhiko said, sloshing his wine a little. ‘Whatever she eats shows up in the milk, after all.’

‘How long before you can drink again?’ Yoshitaka asked her.

‘About a year, the doctor says.’

‘A year and a half, I’d say,’ her husband said. ‘Two years wouldn’t hurt. And if you’re going to go that far, you might as well quit altogether.’

‘So I get to take care of the baby and not have a sip for years? Not going to happen. Unless you’re planning on taking care of our little prince? Then I might reconsider.’

‘Fine, fine,’ her husband said. ‘But wait a year, at least. And then take it easy, hmm?’

Yukiko glared at him but her smile quickly returned. She gave the impression that this sort of marital exchange was a pleasant little ceremony that she actually enjoyed.

Yukiko Ikai had given birth two months ago. It was their first child, and one for which they had waited a very long time. Tatsuhiko was already forty-two, and Yukiko was thirty-five. They fondly described their pregnancy as sliding into home base at the end of the ninth inning.

The gathering tonight was something of an after-the-fact baby shower. It had been Yoshitaka’s idea, and Ayane had made all the arrangements.

‘So the kid’s with your parents tonight?’ Yoshitaka asked.

Tatsuhiko nodded. ‘Yep. They told us we could stay out as late as we wanted. Said they were actually looking forward to taking care of a baby again. Sometimes it’s convenient to have your parents living nearby.’

‘Though, to be honest, I’m a little worried,’ Yukiko admitted. ‘Your mother takes a little too much care of him sometimes, if you know what I mean. My friend says you should let them cry a little bit before you go to pick them up.’

Hiromi stood up from her seat, noticing that Yukiko’s glass was empty. ‘I’ll go and get you some water.’

‘There’s a bottle of mineral water in the fridge, just bring the whole thing,’ Ayane told her.

Hiromi went into the kitchen and opened the refrig -erator. The fridge was enormous, with double doors that opened in the middle. The inside of one door was lined with bottles of mineral water. Hiromi plucked one out and returned to the table. As her eyes met Ayane’s, Ayane’s lips moved, forming the words ‘Thank you’.

‘It must really change your life, having a child,’ Yoshitaka was saying.

‘Certainly your home life revolves around the kid,’ Tatsuhiko replied.

‘I should imagine. But doesn’t it affect your work, too? They say having children increases your sense of responsibility. So, how about it? Do you find yourself going that extra mile now that you’re a daddy?’

‘As a matter of fact I do.’

Ayane took the bottle of water from Hiromi and poured a glass for everyone, a smile on her lips.

‘Speaking of which, isn’t it your turn next?’ Tatsuhiko said, his glance shifting between Yoshitaka and Ayane. ‘You’ve been married for how long, a whole year now? Aren’t you tired of the newlywed couple thing yet?’

‘Honey!’ Yukiko swatted her husband’s arm. ‘That’s none of our business.’

‘Fine, fine,’ Tatsuhiko said with a forced chuckle. ‘Each to their own, I suppose.’ He downed the rest of his wine, his eyes turning to Hiromi. ‘What about you, Hiromi? Don’t worry,’ he held up a hand, ‘I’m not going to ask a single woman anything improper. I was just wondering how things are at the school. Everything going well?’

‘So far so good. There’s still lots to learn, though.’

‘Well, you have the best teacher,’ Yukiko said. She turned to Ayane. ‘So are you just leaving everything to Hiromi these days?’

Ayane nodded. ‘I’m afraid I’ve already taught her everything I know.’

‘Well, that’s impressive,’ Yukiko said, smiling at Hiromi.

Hiromi’s expression warmed and she cast her eyes downward. She was sure that neither of the Ikais cared much about what she did. They were just trying to find some way to include her, the younger fifth wheel at a table with two couples, in the conversation.

‘Which reminds me,’ Ayane said, standing, ‘I have a present for you two.’ She fetched a large paper bag from behind the sofa and brought it back to the table. When she revealed its contents, Yukiko gave an exaggerated yelp of surprise, covering her mouth with her hands. It was an elaborate patchwork bedcover, intricately quilted. It was much smaller than the usual size.

‘I thought you could use it for the baby’s bed,’ Ayane said. ‘And when he gets too big for it, you can hang it on the wall as a tapestry.’

‘Oh, it’s marvellous!’ Yukiko said, an ecstatic smile on her face. ‘Thank you so much, Ayane.’ She clutched the edge of the quilt in one hand, feeling the fabric. ‘I’m sure he’ll love it. Thank you!’

‘That’s quite the gift. Don’t those take a long time to make?’ Tatsuhiko asked, turning his eyes towards Hiromi for confirmation.

‘How long did that one take, half a year, maybe?’ Hiromi asked Ayane. She was only vaguely familiar with the process for making this particular style of quilt.

Ayane furrowed her brows. ‘I don’t exactly remember –’ she said, then turned her attention to Yukiko ‘– but I’m glad you like it!’

‘Oh, I love it!’ Yukiko said. ‘But I don’t know if I should accept it. Honey, do you know how expensive these are? A genuine Ayane Mita bedcover goes for a million yen at the gallery in Ginza.’

‘Whoa,’ Tatsuhiko exclaimed, his eyes going a little wide with genuine surprise that something made out of little bits of cloth sewn together could cost so much.

‘Frankly, I’d never seen her invest so much passion into one of her quilts before,’ Yoshitaka told them. ‘Even on my days off she’d be sitting there on that sofa, working her needles. All day long, sometimes. It was an impressive display of dedication.’

‘I’m just glad I finished it in time,’ Ayane said quietly.

After dinner the party relocated to the living room, where the men announced they would move on to whiskey. Yukiko wondered aloud if she could have some coffee, so Hiromi headed back into the kitchen.

‘Oh, I’ll make the coffee,’ Ayane said. ‘Why don’t you get some glasses and water for the whiskey? There’s some ice in the freezer.’ Ayane went to the sink and filled the kettle.

By the time Hiromi returned to the living room with a full tray, the conversation had turned to gardening. The Mashibas’ garden had numerous small outdoor lights placed at clever angles; even at night the various shrubs and potted plants were attractively displayed.

‘It must be tough taking care of so many flowers,’ Tatsuhiko said.

‘I’m a little fuzzy on the details,’ Yoshitaka replied, ‘but Ayane does seem to tend to them pretty regularly. There’s a few up on the second-floor balcony, too. She waters those every day. I couldn’t be bothered myself, but she doesn’t seem to mind. She really does love her flowers.’

Hiromi got the impression that Yoshitaka wasn’t particularly engaged in the topic of growing things; she was aware of his general indifference to the natural world.

Ayane brought coffee for three back from the kitchen. Remembering the whiskey, Hiromi hastily began pouring water into two glasses.

It was already past eleven when the Ikais started making rumblings about going home.

‘Well, that was a feast. And quite a present, too!’ Tatsu -hiko said, standing. ‘You should come over to our place next time – of course, it’s a complete mess with the baby and all.’

‘I’ll get around to cleaning soon enough,’ Yukiko said, jabbing her husband in the ribs before giving Ayane a smile. ‘You’ll have to come and see our little prince. Though he looks a bit more like a fat cherub right now.’

Ayane assured her she’d love to come and visit.

It was getting close to the time when Hiromi needed to be heading home, too, so she decided she would leave with the Ikais. Tatsuhiko offered to have their taxi drop her off at her apartment.

‘Oh, Hiromi, I’ll be out tomorrow,’ Ayane called out as the younger woman was slipping on her shoes in the entranceway.

‘That’s right, it’s a three-day weekend, isn’t it? Are you going away?’ Yukiko asked.

‘Not really, just to my parents’ place.’

‘That’s up in Sapporo?’

Ayane nodded, smiling. ‘Yes, my father isn’t doing so well, so I thought I would keep my mother company. It’s nothing serious, mind you.’

‘Well, that’s too bad. And here you are giving us a baby shower!’ Tatsuhiko looked sheepish.

Ayane shook her head. ‘No, please, don’t worry. Like I said, it’s nothing serious.’ Turning her attention back to Hiromi, she said, ‘If anything comes up, you have my mobile number.’

‘When are you coming back?’

‘Well …’ Ayane made a little frown. ‘I suppose I’ll have to give you a call when I know for sure. I won’t be away that long.’

‘Right, okay.’ Hiromi glanced towards Yoshitaka, but he was staring off into the distance.

Finally taking their leave, the three of them walked down a side road from the Mashibas’ house to the main street, where Tatsuhiko hailed a cab. As Hiromi would be dropped off first, she got in last.

‘I hope we didn’t talk too much about children,’ Yukiko said as the taxi pulled out.

‘So? It was a baby shower,’ Tatsuhiko said from the front seat.

‘I was just thinking that we should have been a little more considerate of their situation. They’re trying to have children, aren’t they?’

‘Yoshitaka said something along those lines a while back …’

‘What if they can’t have children? You haven’t heard anything, have you, Hiromi?’

‘No, nothing. Sorry.’

‘Oh,’ Yukiko muttered, sounding disappointed.

Hiromi wondered if they had offered her a ride home in the hope of prying information out of her.

The next morning, Hiromi left her apartment at nine o’clock, as usual, to head over to Anne’s House in Daikanyama. They’d converted an apartment into a classroom where they taught patchwork quilting. The school was Ayane’s brainchild, and thirty or so students came to learn techniques directly from Ayane Mita herself.

As she walked out of her building Hiromi was surprised to find Ayane standing there, a suitcase by her side. Ayane smiled when she saw her.

‘Ayane! Is something the matter?’

‘No, I just wanted to give you something before I left.’ Ayane reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a key.

‘What’s that for?’

‘It’s a key to our house. Like I said, I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to return home … I was hoping I could give you this just in case anything came up.’

‘Well, I guess so.’

‘Would it be a problem?’

‘No, it’s not that. But this is a spare, isn’t it? You have your own copy?’

‘Oh, I don’t need one. I can just call you on my way home, and if you can’t make it, my husband will meet me.’

‘If you’re sure …’

‘Thanks.’ Ayane took Hiromi’s hand and placed the key in it, closing her fingers until she was holding it tight.

‘So long,’ Ayane said, and she walked off, pulling her suitcase behind her.

‘Wait,’ Hiromi said, thinking. Then, more loudly: ‘Ayane?’

Ayane stopped and looked around. ‘Yes?’

‘Oh … nothing … just, have a safe trip.’

‘Thanks.’ Ayane gave a little wave and resumed walking.

The quilting classes ran until late in the evening, and Hiromi hardly had a moment to herself. By the time she was seeing the last students off, her neck and shoulders were as stiff as wood. She had just finished cleaning up the classroom when her mobile rang. She took a look at the display and swallowed. It was Yoshitaka.

‘Classes all done for the day?’ he asked as soon as she lifted the phone to her ear.

‘Just now, yes.’

‘Great. I’m out with some clients now, but I’ll be home as soon as I’m done. You should come over.’

He spoke so casually that Hiromi wasn’t sure how to respond.

‘Unless you have other plans?’

‘No, not at all … you’re sure it’s okay?’

‘Of course it’s okay. Suffice to say, she won’t be coming back for a while.’

Hiromi stared at her handbag. The key Ayane had given her that morning was tucked inside the inner pocket.

‘And there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,’ Yoshitaka added.

‘What?’

‘I’ll tell you when I see you. I’ll be home at nine. Just give me a call before you come.’ He hung up before she could reply.

Hiromi ate by herself at a pasta place, then gave Yoshitaka a call. He was home, and there was excitement in his voice when he told her to come over quickly.

In the taxi on the way to the Mashibas’, Hiromi languished in a bit of self-loathing. It irked her that Yoshitaka didn’t seem to have a shred of guilt about what was going on. Yet, at the same time, she had to admit her own happiness.

Yoshitaka greeted her at the front door, smiling. He didn’t hurry to get her inside. His every movement was calm and assured. In the living room, she smelled coffee brewing.

‘It’s been months since I made my own coffee,’ Yoshitaka said, coming up from the kitchen with a cup in each hand, neither of them on a saucer. ‘Hope I didn’t mess up.’ He handed her one of the cups.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you set foot in the kitchen.’

‘Maybe not! I haven’t done much of anything since I got married.’

‘She’s a very devoted woman,’ Hiromi murmured. She sipped her coffee. It was dark and rather bitter.

The corners of Yoshitaka’s mouth curled downward. ‘I put in too much coffee.’

‘Want me to make some more?’

‘No, don’t bother with it now. You can make the next pot. And I didn’t ask you here to chat about coffee.’ He set his cup down on the marble tabletop. ‘I talked to her yesterday.’

‘I thought you might’ve.’

‘I didn’t tell her it was you. She thinks it’s someone she doesn’t know. If she believes me at all, that is.’

Hiromi thought back to that morning, to Ayane’s face when she handed her the key. She hadn’t seen any scheme behind that smile.

‘What did she say?’

‘She accepted it.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, really. I told you she would.’

Hiromi shook her head. ‘Maybe it’s not my place to say this, but I can’t understand how she could just accept it.’

‘Because those were the rules. Rules I made, but still … At any rate, you’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s all settled.’

‘So we’re good, then?’

‘Better than good,’ Yoshitaka said, putting an arm around Hiromi’s shoulder and drawing her close. Hiromi let herself fall into his embrace. She felt his lips by her ear. ‘You should stay the night.’

‘In the bedroom?’

Yoshitaka’s mouth curled into a little smile. ‘We have a guest room. It’s got a double bed.’

Hiromi nodded, still feeling a strange mix of bewilderment, relief, and lingering unease.

The next morning, Hiromi was in the kitchen about to make coffee when Yoshitaka walked in and asked her to show him how.

‘I only know what Ayane taught me.’

‘Good enough. Show me,’ Yoshitaka said, crossing his arms.

Hiromi placed a paper filter in the dripper and poured in coffee grounds with a measuring spoon. Yoshitaka leaned closer to check the amount.

‘First you put in a little hot water. Just a little. Then you wait for the grounds to sort of swell.’ She poured a little boiling water from the kettle into the dripper, waited about twenty seconds, then began to pour again. ‘You pour it in a circle. The coffee rises up a touch as you pour, and you want it to stay at about the same level. Then, as you’re pouring, you watch the lines on the serving pot and take the dripper off the moment you have enough for two. Leave it on and it’ll get weak.’

‘Surprisingly complicated.’

‘Didn’t you used to make coffee for yourself?’

‘With a coffeemaker, yeah. Ayane threw it out when we got married. She said coffee brewed this way tasted better.’

‘Knowing you’re a coffee addict, she probably just wanted to make sure you were getting the best possible cup.’

Yoshitaka smiled faintly and shook his head. He always did that whenever Hiromi started talking about the depth of Ayane’s devotion to him or her school or her work.

When he drank his coffee he did admit it tasted much better.

As he sipped his coffee, Hiromi got her things together. Anne’s House was closed on Sundays, but Hiromi worked as a part-time instructor at a traditional arts school in Ikebukuro, another job she’d taken over from Ayane.

On her way out, Yoshitaka asked her to call him when she was done so they could have dinner together. Hiromi had no reason to say no.

It was after seven o’clock by the time she was done at the art school. She picked up her phone and called while she was getting ready to leave, but he wasn’t answering his mobile. She let it ring for a while, then hung up and tried the Mashibas’ landline with the same result.

Maybe he’s stepped out somewhere? But he never leaves his mobile phone behind.

Hiromi decided to go to his house anyway. She tried calling several times on her way there, but there was still no answer.

Eventually, she found herself in front of the house. She looked up from the gate and saw that the light was on in the living room. Still no one answered the phone or came to the door.

Shrugging, she fished Ayane’s key out of her bag, unlocked the front door, and went in. The light was on in the entryway.

Hiromi took off her shoes and walked down the short hallway. She detected a faint scent of coffee. Yoshitaka must have made more during the day.

She opened the door to the living room and froze.

Yoshitaka lay, sprawled on the wooden floor, motionless. Dark liquid had spilled from a coffee cup lying next to him, spreading in a small puddle on the wood.

I have to call an ambulance – what’s the number, that number they tell you to call, that number? With shaking hands, Hiromi took out her phone. But she couldn’t for the life of her remember what the number was.