NaNoWriMo sjjh 2007

Banter unknown chapter number twenty-five

[Sometime after uc12.]

 

 

“This is it,” said Richard to Linda. “Number fourteen. Which flat did you say it was?”

“Flat D.” Linda looked up at the apartment building.

She got out of the car and closed the door. She held on to the door handle.

“What is it?” said Richard.

“I … I don’t know if I can go up.” Linda looked at her and Richard’s reflections in the passenger window.

“We have to go up to get your children back,” said Richard. “This is the best, well only, lead that we have.”

“Can’t you go on your own?” Linda faced Richard. “I could wait for you in the car. Keep a lookout.”

“A lookout for what?”

“I don’t know. Anything.”

“Come on Linda. No point putting it off.”

“It’s her. I can’t bear to see her.”

“You said her name was … Juno?”

“Junko. She’s Japanese, like my husband. Ex-husband.”

“Got it. Junko. I’ll talk to her.”

“Thanks Richard.”

“What’s your phone number?”

“Why?”

“I’ll call you and leave you on the hands-free so you can hear what I say to her.”

Linda told Richard her number. She saw him tapping it into his phone.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll call you when I’m in.”

Linda leaned against the car door and watched Richard. He brushed his palms on his trousers, straightened his tie and settled his jacket. He looked up at the building for a second before stepping up to the front door. There he stopped and turned back.

“It’s an entryphone,” he said.

Linda stared at the panel with buttons.

“Flat D,” she said.

“Linda, what am I going to say?”

“Just ask for Junko.”

“Why would she let me in?”

“Tell her you’ve got a delivery of flowers for her.”

“You don’t think she might be a bit suspicious?” Richard returned to the car. “You said she’s been hunting the ninja faction.”

“You want me to talk to her?” said Linda. “Ask her to let you in?”

“You don’t have to mention me. Just say you want to talk to her.”

“I don’t. She knows that.”

“Look, you said she rescued you before.”

“That was just to get the pirate prisoner. She tricked us and ran away with him pretty quick after.”

“Does she know that you know she tricked you?”

“Don’t start with the she knows I know she knows business,” said Linda. “Of course she knows.”

“Hmm,” said Richard. “Even so …”

“Even so what?”

“Even so, she knows you’re not a ninja. I’m not saying she trusts you but she has no reason not to let you in.”

“Logical, Richard,” Linda said. “But I’m still not going to do it. I don’t want to see her or speak to her.”

“Exactly how do you think you’re going to get help from her in finding your children then?”

“You’re going to talk to her. She might let you in.”

“Yes she might. But what if she doesn’t?”

“We’ll try something else.”

“Linda. Once I press that buzzer, and she doesn’t let me in, we are in a dead end so far as leads go. We’ll be back to nothing. I’m not saying we will never find your children, but it could easily take years. Are you going to risk that just because you don’t want to talk to her?”

Linda opened her mouth to say yes but the word did not emerge. It’s what I told Davey and Karen on the golf course, she remembered. That I couldn’t face even the possibility of speaking to Junko and that’s why I never called. They didn’t believe me, or perhaps they just didn’t understand?

Well, thought Linda, they understood that I never called them. They understood that I abandoned them. What if … what if that’s why … why … could it be?

Linda felt her sobbing chest pressing against Richard’s chest, her back against his encircling arms. When had he hugged her? When had she started crying?

“There, there,” he said. “It’s not been easy for you.”

“D’you think it might have …” Linda spoke into Richard’s navy suit. “I mean, maybe if I’d stayed in touch they wouldn’t have joined the ninjas?”

“I expect they were kidnapped,” said Richard. “Wouldn’t have had much choice in the matter.”

“Yes but I never knew the circumstances. I mean, were they spending more time away from home? You know, staying out late, in with a bad crowd.”

Linda heard herself, heard the clichés trot out.

“In with a bad crowd,” she said. “What a cliché. Sounds stupid doesn’t it?”

“Not at all,” said Richard. “Yes, it’s a cliché but then many clichés embody universal truths.”

Linda pushed herself away from Richard’s chest and he released her. She brushed at the wet patch her tears had left on his shoulder. Another cliché, she thought.

Linda looked at the entryphone. Flat D was labelled on an illuminated button. She drew herself towards the button, finger extended.

“You don’t have to,” said Richard, “if you’re not ready.”

“I’m not ready but I just realised something.”

“What?”

“My children need me now,” Linda said. “They needed me before and I wasn’t there. I’m not going to make the same mistake again. Ready or not …”

Linda placed her finger on the D and pushed. She stared at the entryphone’s speaker.

After a few seconds it crackled and said “Hello?”

“Junko?”

“Who is this?”

She looked back at Richard. He nodded.

“It’s me, Linda. Can I come up? I think we need to talk.”

Nothing.

“Ju-”

The door growled out a deep buzz.

Richard flitted behind Linda. She turned to see him holding the door. He looked back at her, eyebrows raised.

Linda released the D and retreated to the car, shaking her head.

The apartment building’s door slammed and was silent. Richard was on the other side, inside, out of sight. The entryphone was silent, Junko could no longer be heard.

The car’s here, thought Linda. That proves it wasn’t a dream. Richard was here and I did just speak to Junko.

Linda’s phone trilled out its default ring tone.

The screen showed the number 5 and “Answer?”. Only one number, thought Linda, that’s strange. She pressed the green button.

“Linda Fowler,” she said.

“It’s Richard,” panted a voice.

“Richard?”

“Richard Proud. I’m going up the stairs to see Junko.”

“Sorry Richard,” said Linda. “I forgot about the hands-free.”

“Right, I’m here,” Richard whispered. “I’ll have to go into silent running.”

“Over and out, captain.”

Linda pressed the phone against her ear. There was a tapping noise. Then something else, a door being opened?

“Hello?”

“Hello, I’m here for Linda. To see Junko.”

“Turn that off.”

Then there was a click, then silence. Linda’s phone showed “Call ended”. She pressed buttons, brought up the call history. The last inbound call showed only as a 5. I can’t dial that, Linda thought.

She threw herself onto the entryphone, Flat D.

“Junko.” Linda heard a tilt towards hysteria in her voice.

“Junko.”

The door opened, without the buzzer.

Linda stared at the man standing on the other side. He stared back and smiled. She felt her finger being lifted from the button.

“Hiroshi?” she said.

“Linda.” Hiroshi stepped onto the pavement. He looked up at the building.

“You’re alright,” said Linda. “I thought the ninjas had …”

“They did.” Hiroshi was still looking up. “Junko’s watching. So’s your friend.”

Linda stood next to Hiroshi and looked up. At the window was Junko’s blank face, and next to it Richard Proud’s. Richard smiled.

Linda looked at Hiroshi. The mane of black hair still swirled around his handsome face. Black stubble still sprouted from his chin and top lip, but not his cheeks. Linda’s shirt felt a little tight around her chest.

“Still gorgeous,” she said.

Hiroshi looked down.

Hiding his smile from Junko, Linda thought.

“Is she the jealous type?” she said.

“Lucky for me, yes.” Hiroshi raised his head. “How about him?”

“Him?” said Linda. “He’s just … my lawyer. There’s no-one else, Hiroshi. There never has been.”

“There should be, Linda. Maybe him. He doesn’t look bad.”

“Next to you …”

“Why are you here, Linda?”

There I go again, thought Linda. I almost forgot.

“I want to find Davey and Karen,” she said. “I want to get them away from whatever they’re involved in.”

“And then?”

“Then … I don’t know.”

“Then you go back to pretending they don’t exist?” said Hiroshi.

“Pretending what? … but I never … no, you’re right,” said Linda. “I didn’t call them and I’ve realised that was wrong. And my reasons were not … what I thought.”

“So you want to rescue them?”

“Yes. Making up for lost time.” Another cliché, thought Linda.

“And then they can come home to live with me and Junko?”

“Yes, they can live with you and … your wife.”

“Junko,” said Hiroshi.

“Okay, Junko,” said Linda. “There, I said it. Junko, Junko, Junko. Happy now?”

“She rescued me, you know,” said Hiroshi. “The ninjas captured me on the golf course. My own … our own children.”

Linda raised her hand but stopped herself touching Hiroshi’s arm.

“Thank you for rescuing me then,” she said. “Things got a bit strange for me after that, for a while. I’m okay now though. Go on.”

“Junko exchanged me for a prisoner from one of the other factions.”

“Swiss-hand Pete,” Linda realised out loud.

“You know him?” Hiroshi grabbed her arms. “You’re not mixed up in all this are you, Linda?”

“Careful, Hiroshi. Junko’s watching.”

“I don’t care,” said Hiroshi. “Tell me you’re not in a faction.”

“I’m not in a faction. Although … he is.” Linda looked up towards the window.

“Why did you bring him here?”

“He brought me,” said Linda. “He’s helping me.”

“The only one he’s helping is himself, and his faction,” said Hiroshi. “That’s how they work.”

“His faction is different.”

“No Linda. They are all the same.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m the one who’s been fighting them, remember? Trying to free our children. I’ve learned a few things.”

“You’re hurting my arms Hiroshi.”

He let her go and turned away. Linda felt she was being dropped. Whilst he had held her, he did not want her to fall. Now he had let go, it was like he didn’t care.

“I’ll fight them too,” she said. “By your side.”

“I have Junko by my side.” Hiroshi had not turned around.

“You have two sides,” said Linda. “She can be on your right. I’ll be on your left.”

Hiroshi turned.

“And he’d be behind me.” He pointed to Richard at the window.

Linda heard the fabric of Hiroshi’s sleeve snap as his arm popped straight. His finger was extended like the barrel of a pistol.

“Ready to stab me in the back, and stab us all in the back, just as soon as he could get some advantage for his faction.” Hiroshi stared at Linda.

“What are you saying?” said Linda. “You won’t help me at all? To punish me for not calling Davey and Karen, is that it?”

“I’m saying I won’t work with his faction, or any other faction.” Hiroshi lowered his arm. “But I’m not saying I won’t help you. You have the right to search for our children just as much as I do.”

“Thank you Hiroshi,” said Linda. “I don’t deserve it.”

“Come up, Linda.” Hiroshi pulled his keys out of his pocket. “I’ll give you everything I’ve got on their whereabouts.”

They went inside. Still has a nice arse, thought Linda as she followed Hiroshi up the stairs. Reminds me of the first time he took me back to his place.

“Your boyfriend will have to leave though,” Hiroshi said on the first landing. “You can tell him whatever you want to later, just not in my house.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” said Linda. “He’s not even my type.”

“Oh yeah? Then what is your type?”

“Japanese,” said Linda.

She stopped herself adding “your type’s Japanese too. That’s why you dumped me for Junko.” Banter or bitter, she wondered. Now was not the time to find out.