Holy: Book 4

A Down, Dark Place

Third and last day on the case. After tonight, we'd be under contract to leave first thing in the morning. Our clients would be expecting an answer then.

I didn't know how far we were to the answer. It was noon and I was still huddled into a corner of my room.

Ayako had stopped by to give me food, along with Takigawa who then got into a fight so ferocious with Naru I could hear his shouts through the door. John came by to promise that he'd fix it again, and Ayako told me that she was planning on telling Naru as soon as he returned from...wherever he had disappeared to after Takigawa had shouted him down. Lin came by with a cup of tea, a smile, and a calm invitation to join him at base, which I didn't give a direct answer to. I was afraid of meeting Naru in there. I was afraid of facing him and getting his rejection.

I hugged my left hand to my chest, as though he might come and try to tear off the engagement ring.

I'd never felt so afraid or in pain.

What if Naru never believed John? Or me? Or what if he believed me this one time, but would constantly suspect me of something from this day forward? Or was afraid of it? And poor John, what would happen to his priesthood? What if whoever was in charge of him learned of this incident and excommunicated him or something?

Around 12:40pm, Ayako came to visit with a Styrofoam cup of soup.

"Thought you'd like something easy to eat," she wrinkled her nose down at me. "Good crap, you're a wreck. Seriously, are you letting yourself get worked over a little thing like this? You need some sun, girl."

Once I accepted the soup, she crossed the room and opened my amazing sun-blocking blinds. I hissed at the sudden brightness.

"Come on, eat up. Then wash your face, because I'm giving you a makeover."

"Why? It's not like he cares. I'm not particularly pretty..." Like Masako. What if he...?

Ayako rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you're adorable. The fact that you don't see it just makes it more so. Now, munch munch."

I did as told, swallowing down the soup mechanically without really taking a good look at what I was eating. Then I washed my face and let Ayako have her way with me. She had brought over a makeup kit the size of a toolbox. I thought blithely of how I didn't even have a makeup box, just a thing of concealer, some mascara, and some eyeliner. Sleep appealed to me more than makeup, you see. She also styled my shoulder length hair to hug about my face, framing my small mouth and doe-like eyes. I had always thought I looked like a bug. She pulled out my two remaining outfits and wrinkled her nose at them.

"We have to take you shopping. What kind of eighteen year old girl has this kind of fashion?"

"My fashion's fine," I mumbled. And comfortable.

"Well, put on these pants and a bra. You actually got a nice pair there. I'm going to get a blouse that's more flattering."

She came back with some wispy blue thing that reminded me of curtains of rains. It hugged the waist, but the way the fabric draped made it feel loose. It was modest, as I liked it, with tiny blue bows where the sleeves split at the shoulder.

I looked alright.

"Smile, Mai, everything will be fine. It's just some misunderstanding and Naru'll get over it, trust me. If Takigawa hadn't wasted his time calling him names and told him about what happened to us, I'm sure he would come back begging for forgiveness." She frowned as I teared up. "Don't you dare cry, that makeup isn't waterproof."