A Song Just For You (GirlxGirl)

8- The Ex

My father, Naoki Yamamoto; top neurological surgeon in Nagoya, Japan. He grew up in Tokyo and met my mother when she studied abroad in Tokyo, Japan for art school. I wanted to think it was fate that they met, destiny. But now, I don't know what to think of it. My father is seven years older than my mother, but he looks just as young as her. They meet on the streets of Tokyo, my mother was coming back from an art show; carrying her art bag in one hand and holding onto her art piece in the other. The street was crowded and my father was in a rush to get to the hospital he worked at while living in Tokyo. According to my mom, he was on the phone arguing with someone, not watching where he was going. He ran into her- all her art supplies fell, along with her art piece that was covered by a sheet. My mom was picking up all the paint brushes and pencils that fell out of her hand while my dad reached for her art painting, the sheet lifted up and he saw a glance of what it is- curious, he lifted up the sheet it was being covered by. My mom, distracted, didn't notice at first until he made an "ohh" sound. She looked over, according to my father- he was terrified of the strange painting that he was holding right in front of him. It was a painting of two nude women holding each other. Which lead to their first date, and eventually- to them getting married.

I used to think that it was meant to be, meeting how they did. My mom said it was love at first sight for her. My dad said the same thing. I'm seventeen years old now, on my second year of high school- my dad had been having an affair with my mother since I was thirteen. At the end of it all, it wasn't meant to be.

I think of my mother as a strong women, she is independent and seems picture perfect when she presents herself out in public. She is also artistic and full of life, she has crazy curly hair and wears fun and outgoing clothes. Everything my father lacks, everything my dad ended up hating about her at one point in their marriage. I can't help but resent my dad for all the pain he has put my mother through, but I also can't seem to hate him. He still calls me once in a while, asking how school is and if I am liking the city. But there is a feeling inside me that eventually, the three days he calls me during the week, will turn into two days, then one day- to him not calling me at all.

My mother, unlike my father- hasn't found someone else. It's been about seven months since their divorce, my mom quickly found the apartment we are currently living in before summer and had bought a store in Yokohama before our move. The store that she now turned into an art gallery- showcasing her art, along with others. She has always had a keen eye when it came to art- I think the divorce benefited her in many ways. My mom's side of the family is well off, so my mom's dad has supported us since their divorce. He's the one who bought my mom her store in Yokohama.

My grandparents lived in a pent house in Moscow, Russia and after the divorce, they called my mom almost everyday, trying to convince us to move back to Russia. But I think my mom fell in love with Japan. Whenever my dad was around, she acted less care free, she wouldn't smile as much, or make her perverted comments and jokes that she made around me. She looks happy now, without my dad around.

The party for the art galley finally came. My mom opened the door to my room, "I'm heading off! See you tonight!"

I was laying in bed, I looked up at her and waved goodbye. She was wearing a black sweater with grey pants and black leather loafers. I only knew this because she sent me a mirror picture over text that morning, also telling me to wear something nice. I made over easy eggs that morning, then I got a text from Nani,

Let's get dinner before!

After I ate, I finished my homework, then took a shower and tried styling my hair, which ended up in me just blow drying my hair then giving up. I wore white pants with a white turtle neck and a long light brown coat and black leather boots, which were mostly covered by my pants. By the time I was finished getting ready, it was almost dinner time. I heard a knock coming from the front door, it was Nani. When I opened my door, she was standing in front of me- she had on a short tight skirt with black see through tights underneath and high leather boots, with a small white button up top that was partly tucked in and a leather jacket to top it off.