If This Works

12

I was sending my daily text to Aki. He hasn't answered any of them in weeks. Not since the last time he talked to me. I used to send him about six an hour in the beginning. Now one a day.

I have the urge to send more, especially now that I'm on Winter Holiday. I'm lonely most of the time and I miss Aki's voice.

At least Hikaru and I kept in touch. He even asked me to go to the Winter Festival with him. We are supposed to meet tonight on the street corner of the Festival. I only had a small problem. We're supposed to wear a kimono. I don't have one.

Grandmother might though. She has all kinds of things in her closet. She'll told me not to go in there but this is a bit of an emergency. I don't think she'll mind. She's at work right now anyway. I got up from the couch and went to her room.

I looked at all the clothes she's hung up. The front was work clothes. Then older stuff, still for a woman, stuff Grandmother would never wear. Then I got to the good stuff. The things in bags. I opened a few of them and found a men's kimono.

It was dirty and dusty, but all of really needed is some love and care. I went to the laundry room and worked on cleaning it. I didn't trust the washer so I did it all by hand. I hung it up and got the blow dryer to dry it out.

By the time it was dry Grandmother came home. I was like a dear in headlights when she opened the door. I was just standing there holding the kimono.

"That belonged to your father at one point. I think he was about your age. He would have loved to see you in it." She said as she sat down. I could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Grandmother are you alright?" I asked.

"Of course I'm alright. What are you waiting for put it on." She said.

I went to my room and changed. It was navy blue with black bottoms. The trim of it was red with flowers. I wonder when my dad ever wore this. I presented myself to my Grandmother.

"You look just like him. Your absolutely handsome." Grandmother said letting a tear roll down her cheek.

"Thank you." I said.

"It's Christmas Eve you know. Who are you going out with tonight?" She asked.

That is right! It is Christmas Eve.

"Just a friend. We going to the Winter Festival." I explained.

"So you going to be with Aki tonight." She said. She stood and wiped the wrinkles out of my robes.

"No actually. I'll be with some I met not to long ago his name is Hikaru." I said.

"Nothing for 17 years now you have two friends in the matter of weeks." She sighed. "What are you up to?" She asked.

"Nothing I swear. I have to go he's waiting." I said.

"Go have fun. I hope you meet a girl while your there." She called as I headed out the door.

I'm not so sure about meeting a girl, but she's happy right now and I'm not going to ruin that by telling her about Aki.