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I press my fingers to the keys.
She does too.
Together, we play Beethoven’sMoonlight Sonata, capturing the texture and loveliness of the piece.
I sway to the rhythm.
Niko bends her head close to the keys as if drawn by a magnetic frequency. Together, we let the music fill us, leaning more on the feeling even as we accurately play the notes.
When we’re done, Niko gives me a hug.
Sazuki winks in approval.
His mother has tear-filled eyes.
I look over at Ashanti and I see the storm cloud over her face. She’s starting to realize something that most people overlook.
It’s not just blood that binds a family together.
And though I may not have given birth to Niko, I’m here to stay.
CHAPTER18
THE ORIGINAL FAMILY
SAZUKI
“We need to talk.”I gesture to the path leading up to the back deck.
Ashanti stands in the doorway, the light from the garage house throwing her face in shadows. She’s wearing a big pink bonnet and a matching robe.
“Give me a minute,” she says.
I nod. “I will wait by the pool.”
The door swings shut, choking the light until it’s gone.
I walk away. Silent. Thoughtful.
My head tilts down to make out the path. The water hose is lying on the cobbled walkway. I kick it with my slippers. I do not wish for Ashanti to trip.
Crickets scream bloody murder from the garden to my right. Moonlight shifts through the inky darkness.
My slippers make a dull sound when I step up to the pool deck and find a seat around the outdoor patio table.
Through the filmy curtains covering the balcony doors, I notice a glowing white light. The sounds of a Japanese late night television show filter to me. My mother is inside watching videos on her tablet. In Japan, she would often fall asleep to the sound of the television.
My fingers drum on the table.
Tension winds around my shoulders.
I hope this conversation can remain calm and quiet. I do not wish to wake my mother or alert her to the fact that I am speaking to Ashanti. Tonight’s shenanigans emphasized that my mother has chosen a side.
And it is not mine.
If she finds out I have taken Ashanti to task, she will try to intervene and I will be forced to give in to her.
Ashanti’s footsteps patter toward me. Her shadow falls on the bench, a black mark stretching across slaps of varnished wood.
