Another Chance (L. Clearwater)

Chapter Six

Keiko goes to La Push Diner on Monday and Luna smiles brightly at her. She shows her where each 'Employees Only' room and she gives her the name tag with KEIKO written in black on it before showing her how to clock in and out, and Keiko clocks in for the very first time.

Once they're out of the kitchen, Luna tells Keiko that she can handle the counter customers while Luna takes the floor.

"That sounds simple enough," Keiko says.

"It isn't." Luna smirks. "The ones at the counter are usually grumpy old men or the ones everyone calls a cult which I find to be bull crap. But I'm sure you'll be fine. You're cute and you have a pretty smile, the grumpy guys probably won't mind you."

Keiko sighs. "Okay. This will be fun."
*****

That was a good day. She had grumpy men all day and now she's at home.

"How was your day?" Kalyan asks her daughter as they eat some kimchi fried rice in the nurse's lounge room at the reservation hospital.

"I dealt with grumpy people but it was good," Keiko says. "Luna has me working the counter while she works the floor. Cheyenne lets her tell me what to do while we're waitressing and I don't mind, Luna seems to know what she's doing."

"That's great," Kalyan replies and she takes a bite with her fork. "You made this?"

"I did," Keiko confirms. "It was my first time. Did I do good?"

"You did amazingly, Keiko," Kalyan praises and her daughter smiles radiantly. "I saw that you and Leah got along at dinner on Friday."

"She's cool... and really pretty," Keiko says, not seeing Sue at the door. "But why would she notice me? I'm the new girl with the skin of a Jap."

"But you have the blood of a Quiluete," Kalyan says firmly and Sue smiles, walking away. "And if she doesn't see you, then so be it. You're great."

"But I want her to see me, to notice me," Keiko says. "I'll be fine if she doesn't, but..."

"Yeah." Kalyan smiles. "I understand."
*******

"Hey, Leah," Sue greets her daughter as she arrives home.

Leah looks up from her book. "Mom," she greets shortly and looks back down.

"What did you rhino of Keiko?" Sue asks.

Leah's heart flutters for some reason when she hears her name. "She's pretty, great smile," she says and she looks at her mom, raising her eyebrows. "Why? Did you see her?"

"She brought her mom lunch to the hospital," Sue replies. "She likes you, but she doesn't think you notice her because she looks more Japanese than Quiluete."

This makes Leah frown. "Really?"

Sue nods. "Yeah."

That's when Harry enters with his rifle and a string of rabbits. He just got back from hunting with Charlie Swan, the police Chief in Forks. Leah gets up and she takes the rifle. She brings it and hangs it on the rack above the fireplace. Harry smiles at her lack of anger, which is what started appearing after Leah met Keiko Suzuki.

"I saw Keiko earlier at the hospital," Sue says to her husband. "She made lunch for Kalyan. Such a sweet girl."

"I believe you," Harry says and they glance at Leah, who's avoiding their eyes. He kisses her head before he heads out to the backyard to skin the rabbits.

Leah smiles at her mom and she gets up. She leaves the house and she goes to the Suzuki house and knocks. Haruto opens the door.

"Is Keiko home?" Leah asks.

"She's in her room," Haruto says and he lets her in. "Upstairs, first door on the left."

Leah thanks him in English and she goes upstairs. She knocks on the bedroom door and Keiko opens it. Keiko flushes when she sees Leah. Keiko's wearing some silky pants and a tank top.

"Leah?"

"Want to hang out?" Leah asks.

"Come in..." Keiko puts in the movie she was already putting in. "It's a Japanese movie and I was about to make some popcorn."

"Sounds good," Leah replies. 

Keiko leaves the room. She smiles widely as she makes the popcorn. She calms herself down as she grabs the sodas and brings everything upstairs. Leah actually lights up when Keiko returns and plays the movie. The girls lay on the bed and they chat and laugh while watching the movie and Keiko learns that Leah has the most amazing laugh and she wants to always hear it.