An Okinawan Affair

  "It doesn't matter Tomi. We call it batter. And that sounds great. Lots of fish, neh?"

  "Hai. I also got a skoshi bit of maguro for sashimi. Did you hear me, Brad?" She then realized that the shower was running and was sure that he couldn't hear her.

  "Mmmm, you smell nice. I'm glad that you brought the lotion. I've never smelled it on you before." She snuggled up tighter to him. "Hold me for a longer time. You feel so nice."

  "I like to hold you like this, especially since you like it. I just bought the after shave. If I use it I don't have to take so many showers. Just rub on some more after shave."

  "You are lying to me. You smell like soap, you did take a shower. Oh, you." Tomako stepped out of his arms and punched him on the chest, laughing as she did. "Do you want to eat?"

  "Dozo. I'm very hungry."

  "Too bad. You shouldn't have told me a story. Now I'm not sure that I will feed you."

  "Have a heart Tomako-chan. I worked hard all day and I'm wasting away from no food. Besides you told me that you got sashimi for me."

  "Iie. I got sashimi for us. Us is two or more, neh? That means me too."

  "Okay, I'll share with you."

  "Eeee. You are very bad." She told him and stepped close to give him an affectionate peck on the cheek. "You may smell nice, but you taste bad. Sit down, I feel sorry for you and will share my food with you."

  "You do that a lot."

  "It is because you are my very best tomodachi and can not cook very well". Tomi started to place food on the table.

  Together they cleaned off the table and while Tomako washed the dishes Brad moved the table and got their futons out of their cabinet. It hit him as he started to spread the futons. "Where did this chest come from? You didn't have it before?" A new four drawer lacquer finished chest was against the far wall next to the front door.

  "Oji-san brought it just before you came home. He said that you would need a place to put your clothes and that I never have enough room for all of my clothes anyway."

  "You told him that I was living with you? What did he say?"

  "Of course. I tell him everything. Well, almost everything. He didn't say much, just looked in my eyes and told me not to get hurt. That was three days ago."

  "You told him I was going to move-in with you three days ago? I didn't know three days ago."

  "I was hoping that we would talk and you would want to. To see how we get along and what is in our hearts. Are you mad Brad?" She asked with concern in her quiet voice.

  "No. Never. I'm just surprised that's all."

  She came over to where he was standing next to the new chest of drawers. Reaching for the top drawer she pulled it open. "This is your shorts and tee shirts. So far I am only using the bottom drawer for my things. So you have two more drawers for more clothes and also I made room in my tall cabinet for you to hang pants and shirts."

  He reached for her bottom drawer. "What do you have in here?"

  "Never mind, Brad. Those are mine." She slipped between Brad and the chest to prevent him from opening her drawer. But he already had it open enough to see into it.

  "Silky things. Cute and sexy."

  Embarrassed, Tomi pushed him away and closed the drawer. "Those are not for you to see. Maybe sometime you will see them. You are making me hazukashii. Giving me a red face. Like I shouldn't wear things like that."

  "You mean ashamed? There is no reason to be ashamed to wear girl things or for me to see them.

  I'm sorry, Tomako. I was just kidding and I didn't know what was in there. I won't look or say any more about them." He reached for her hand. Held it for a second before drawing her to him. She came easily into his arms. "You know that I didn't mean anything by doing that. Everything is okay between us? Neh?"

  "Hai. I just don't want to tease you or send talk that is not so."

  "It's alright. You didn't do anything like that. It was my doing. But I'll bet you're cute in them."

  "Eeee! You are bad. It is a good thing that I am beginning to know you and know that you are not really bad. Put our futons out and I'll finish cleaning the kitchen then we can listen to music and talk. You want to talk? Neh?"

  He tightened his hug before releasing her.

  Brad finished laying a futon down in front of the slider, added a silk covered pillow before he turned on the stereo and put on a tape of the newest Japanese songstress.

  "She is very good. Some of her love songs are very sad. Do you like her?"

  "Yeah, I do. I can pick up the sadness in her tone and rhythm of her music. Are you finished there yet? I'm lonesome here by myself."

  "Poor baby. I am so sad for you. Just laying there on a soft futon. In the soft breeze from the water on a warm night. Watching the fishing boats passing in and out of the bay."

  "You're picking on me again, Tomako. There are no fishing boats just a big ugly freighter coming up the coast to the Army Port."

  He felt her nearness and warmth when she laid down on the futon next to him and adjusted her head on the pillow next to his. He turned towards her to find the she was also lying on her side facing him. He raised up and put his right hand under his chin. Their faces were barely inches apart and her soft breath caressed Brad's face. They held each others eyes easily and comfortably until Tomi scooted a bit closer and placed her right hand on Brad's waist drawing herself closer. They stayed touching in almost full frontal contact for several minutes until they mutually reached an unspoken agreement to rollover on their backs. They each reached for the other's hand as if grasping a life ring.

  "Are you upset with me."

  "No. It was only for a minute. You embarrassed me because I did not expect you to open the drawer and see those things. They have always been very private to me. No man has ever touched them or looked at me when I wore them. Oji-san and I lived together after I lost the rest of my family. He always gave me privacy and told me I must keep my femaleness to myself. I am not sure that is the correct word. Is it, Brad?"

  "It's close enough. I know what you want to say."

  "I think that it scared him to have a young woman that was not his wife or daughter living with him."

  "He never married?"

  "Yes. She died in the war. Within a few days of when the rest of my family died."

  "So he was defensive about you and was protecting you and himself."

  "Yes, I think so. He was very happy when I got a job and did not have to live with him. Actually it was a small room with the the other house girls who worked where Naha Air Base is now. I stayed with them for over two years. Then I had to find a new job."

  "Why?"

  Tomi was quiet for a long moment then looked into his eyes. "I was a house girl for Army officers on the base. You know, wash clothes, make beds, clean up their rooms. One morning, after all the officers had gone to work, a new driver for the officers came to the hut where I was washing clothes" Tomi stopped talking, turned back to Brad and gently ran her right hand down the side of his face. "He wanted me. I was young. Only 18 years old and I really knew nothing about men. Especially Americans. He shut the door and opened his pants and took out his man. He scared me and I made a big noise and an Army nurse walking by heard me and tried to open the door, but he had put something in it so she couldn't get it open. When she ran around to the back door he ran out the front."

  Brad reached for her pulling her gently into his arms. Tomi put her head on his shoulder and buried her face against his chest. They lay quietly. He stroked her back and shoulders.

  "I was so scared that I ran away from the base. My friend brought my clothes to me because I could not go back."

  "Yeah. What did your uncle say?"

  "I never told him. It was the only time that I ever lied to him. I didn't want him to think badly of me. I told him that I wanted a new job that paid more money and so I would not be a slave? That is not correct is it
?"

  "No. You didn't want to be a servant, not slave. Same, same, though."

  "I went all over Naha trying to work. Only job I could find was a bar girl."

  "What did you do? Were you living with your uncle?"

  "Yes, but only for a short while. He had a lady friend and she didn't want me around. She told me to go Noumanoui and work in a bar. I didn't want to be that kind of girl. The GIs scared me. I finally went to a restaurant in Noumanoui and asked if I could work. The mama-san said yes If I would work at night in the kitchen since I didn't speak very much English."

  "You cleaned up and washed dishes in the kitchen?"

  "Hai, but Mama-san was very nice and she found me a place to live with her friends. Four of us who worked in restaurants and shops in Noumanoui stayed in a small house together. By the Tea House. She also taught me to cook."

  Tomi snuggled up a bit closer and played with Brad's ear lobe, then ran her finger down his nose. "You have a nice nose. Not small like mine."

  "There's nothing wrong with your nose. It's a very pretty nose." Brad leaned over and kissed the end of her nose.

  "The Tea House of the August Moon?"

  "Yes. One of the girls I lived with worked there in the kitchen. I think it was really her house we lived in. The rest of us paid her... rent?

  I went to school to learn English and worked in the restaurant over five years. Mama-san died so I left and found work in a coffee house. It was near Naha Port in Giagonji. There were no GIs. Not many anyway. Honto? You have been there, neh?'

  "Where?"

  "Giagonji. I know you have because you know a lot of places on Okinawa and when you look at me like that I know you don't want to tell me. But that is okay. You are a man, and you like nesans. I worked in a coffee house, no place else. I stayed there 8 years then the owners found the place for the Kokusai Coffee House, so we all came to Kokusai Dori."

  "I wasn't doubting you. But I wasn't sure if you would think badly of me if I said that I went to Giagonji."

  "I would never think badly of you.

  "So you have worked on Kokusai Dori for a long time."

  "Only four years, but twelve years for the same mama-san. When we moved to the new place, they made me the honcho of the other girls. The coffee house and I do the money. The books, neh? Mama-san runs the cooks and kitchen"

  Tomako got up to put on another tape and fix her futon for the night. "Are you going to sleep in front of the door? I think that you are. It is warm and you need the breeze from the water."

  "Hai, dozo. I'm about ready to go to bed. I'm getting sleepy. You fed me too good. I am like an over fed pig."

  Brad moved his pillow so he was across the front of the door and lay back down on top of his futon.

  It was a moonless night and the only light in the apartment came from the overhead lights in Tomari port. He felt chilly and was going to cover up when he felt the soft touch of the futon being placed on him. Tomi reached over him and closed the slider quietly before nudging him gently. "Move over, I have no room to lie down."

  Brad rolled up on his left side facing the door and then felt her warmth against his back as she snuggled up to him.

  "I’m cold." She said.

  Brad heard Tomako moving around the apartment and knew it was still early for him, but wanted to have coffee with her before she left for work. He rolled over to see the clock and when he saw her futons realized that they had not been slept on. I thought that I was dreaming. I guess she did sleep with me and she was the warmth I felt at two in the morning.

  "You don't have to get up, Brad. It is only a little after five. I'll set the clock for you so go back to sleep."

  "Are you going to have ocha before you go? If you are I'll have coffee with you."

  "Are you going to make coffee?"

  "As a matter of fact I am. Either now or at six"

  "Then I will have coffee with you. I can finish getting dressed and ready to leave while you make the coffee."

  He looked towards her and saw that she still had her nemaki on. Her skirt and blouse were laid out neatly on her futon which had not been slept in. She was just putting a touch of color on her cheeks and lips.

  "You got it my dear. I'll make coffee now and get dressed after you leave."

  Brad was sitting quietly at the table sipping on his cup of hot coffee when she came out of the tiny bathroom dressed and ready to leave. She bent over and kissed his forehead before sitting on the side of the table and extending her legs under it to touch his. "I have almost 20 minutes before Oji-san will be here. That is time for us to have coffee and say konnichi wa to each other. Ohayo gozaimasu, Brad-san. Did you sleep well?"

  "Ohayo gozaimasu, Tomako-san. Hai, I did. Domo. I was very warm and comfortable. I hope that you were.

  Her neck and cheeks flushed slightly when she met his eyes. "I was cold for a while, but got warm after. I hope you do not mind. I meant nothing by it. I just wanted to be warm and close to you. Nothing more than that." She added.

  "It's alright. I understand and also want to be close to you. I can't think of a better way to get warm and feel close to somebody that you care about. Can you?"

  "No, I cannot. Just as long as I am not upsetting you. I don't want to do that."

  "We talked about it. I still want our deal and if something changes, we, or one of us can talk about it. Everything is fine. Neh?"

  "Hai. Domo, Brad. I must go, Oji-san will be waiting for me. What time will you be home. I want to fix you supper."

  "Why don't we eat on Kokusai Dori? I'll come home. Shower and meet you there when you get off work"

  "Oh, Hai. That will be very good."

  When she started for the door, Brad got up and met her as she was reach for the door knob. He put his arm around her waist and she turned into his arms. They hung onto each other until she pushed gently against his chest. "I have to go." She then kissed him fully on the lips and continued to hold him for several seconds. Without another word she went out the door where she turned with a happy smile and wiggled the fingers of one hand at him and touched her lips with the other hand.

  THIRTY-ONE

  Brad worked with the engineers all Monday morning laying out the road's grades and reaching a consensus of opinion about the best way to layout the difficult curves going up the hill. Now with the engineers busy with their transits and hammers driving the grade stakes in, Brad started to walk back down the hill to where he had left the grader parked. Halfway down the hill he was met by Chief Lawton coming up.

  "How's it going Brad? You about ready to put the finish grade on it?"

  "As a matter of fact I am. The engineers are putting in the last of the grade stakes and have volunteered to stick around today as long as it takes me to get the grade in. It really looks better than I thought it would."

  "Do you need anymore fill?"

  "Absolutely not. I'll have a bit extra which I can grade off on the shoulders next to the road to admin."

  "Great. Want to get some lunch? I was going to run down to the flightline snack bar."

  "Sounds good to me, Chief. It will be the quickest place to get something to eat..

  "Let's call it a day, guys. Its after 1800 and I'm getting hungry." Brad hollered at the engineers after he had parked the grader at the bottom of the hill. "I really appreciate your help. Tomorrow I'll run the roller on it one more time and a fast final grade before we lay the asphalt and it will be ready. Thanks again."

  Brad swung by the motor pool dispatch office to let them know he was going home and to catch a ride to the gate and home.

  Ron Jessup had the duty and handed Brad a piece of paper. Lawton dropped this off for you and he wants and needs a list of who you want on the asphalt crew and what you want them operating. And call Charlie Morris in Sukiran tomorrow morning, Tuesday. Or go see him."

  "Thanks Ron. Do you want to help on the crew?"
r />   "Sure. I'm the best breakdown roller operator here."

  "Yeah, right. Your the only one. That makes you the best."

  "You hurt my feelings, Brad. Now I'll only have Mac take you as far as Tomari Port."

  "What is it with you guys and Tomari Port? You would think that that is the only place that I ever want to go."

  When he and Mac reached the bottom of Naha hill Brad asked Mac if he was game for an extra run.

  "Sure. What's up, Brad?"

  "I promised to meet Tomako at 1900 on Kokusai Dori and if I go to the house to shower I'll never make it."

  "Show me the way."

  Brad took Mac around the back of the coffee house and had him pull into the loading dock where Stump had parked before. "I'll leave you here. We can catch a sukoshi cab from here. Find your way back okay, Mac?"

  "No sweat, Brad. See ya tomorrow."

  "Thanks, Mac."

  Going through the kitchen Brad was met by several smiles and big wave from Mama-san as she was cooking something on the grill.

  Tomako was standing with her back to the kitchen talking to Michako who was taking over as receptionist for the evening. The young girl smiled as she saw Brad coming out of the kitchen and said something to Tomi who turned in surprise.

  "I think you forgot to shower so you sneak in through the kitchen? But I don't care, I'm glad to see you even with a dirty shirt on."

  "That's really nice to know." Brad reached for her hand and met hers between them. Holding hands they walked back down the hall towards the kitchen. Tomako stopped outside the kitchen door and raised her mouth to his. They lingered after their mouths met until Brad felt the kitchen door nudge him in the back.

  "You worked very late?"

  "I was trying to finish up the road. I had some other Seabees helping just for today so they wanted to stay and help me finish."

  "They are good friends, neh?"

  "Yes, very good. Because of them and some others, we'll finish the road before it rains and it will be a good road."

  "Why don't you go wash your face. Mama-san is making us something to eat and we can go home after we eat. That isn't a problem is it?"