Loud

Chapter 4 - Dinner with Makiko and the Lombardis

Trigger Warning: This chapter is longer than usual.

The Lombardi family drifted in a wavy line toward a smiling hostess at the restaurant entrance. As Rob closed in, Sophia glanced back, smiled, and raised her hand. Rob called out cheerfully. "Hello." After a half-turn, Makiko looked away. Five feet of clean carpet separated them. She stood very still, her arms hanging limply at her sides. Unbelievably, seven, eight years had passed since they last saw each other. "It's great to see you, Makiko." He spoke to her averted face, hoping to meet her eyes.

Sophia gazed at her inert sister, then at him. "It's great to see you too."

Screw caution. He swept over and gave Makiko a hug. She lifted her chin and looked at him without smiling, her eyes bright. Her hands did not graze his back. Afterwards, Yukiko gripped Makiko's elbow and pressed their cheeks together.

Rob wanted another hug, badly, but Mr. Lombardi put out his hand. An elegant man of about sixty, he had a firm handshake. "It's nice to finally meet you." He added a sentence in Italian.

"Sorry," Rob said. "I picked up zero Italian growing up."

Sophia brushed into him. "My friends and I love your song. Can I get a picture of us?" She held up a digital camera.

Yukiko shushed her. "Not now."

Her father put his arm around Sophia's shoulders. "She brought a CD for you to sign. We hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." Nothing about Makiko's expressionless face suggested she wanted one, but she looked directly at him now, her round eyes bright as flares under the angular edges of her brows.

"Your name has been in the newspapers quite a lot lately," Mr. Lombardi said.

He probably referred to the upcoming exhibition and the Gears tour, not the incident in Afghanistan. "I've had some ups and downs, but this is the best, the icing on the cake. I'm very happy to see you, Makiko."

Yukiko still clutched Makiko's arm. Makiko placed her hand over her mother's. Yukiko let go and spoke through clenched teeth. "Friends of mine, who do not know we are acquainted, mentioned your exhibition. Congratulations, word is out."

That was difficult for her. And generous. "Come see it," he said. "All of you."

Sophia pressed her hands together in prayer. "Will the Gears be there?"

Rob laughed. "I can't promise that. Anna Lord will. Makiko knew Anna. Her father Alan and I palled around, you remember?"

"Yes." Brief eye contact and a word. A start.

"Will Vincent be there?" Sophia said.

"He may fly in at the last minute, but he's dating a fashion model who may or may not drag him somewhere else."

Sophia opened her mouth. She yanked Makiko's arm as if trying to pull her to the floor and roll together. Makiko's hair whipped around as she slipped from Sophia's grasp, her first natural movement since Rob arrived. She smiled - a beautiful sight, even if not for him. Sophia pulled Rob's arm, in the manner of someone much younger than ten or eleven. "Which model? Is she coming to Tokyo too?"

"I don't know who. Once I've met her, I'll be able to keep her name straight."

Yukiko took Sophia's hand off him. "Mr. Pirone is not here to talk to you about models."

"Let's sit down." Mr. Lombardi flourished his hand at the patient hostess. "We have a reservation?"

"Yes," Rob said. "My assistant made it."