Love at Fifth Sight
Part 4-5
Ami woke up the next morning still surrounded by that curious sense of detachment. She had called Rei the day before during one of her short breaks, and Rei had been very understanding about the whole situation – a little too understanding. Although Ami was relieved that Rei hadn’t been terribly upset, she continued to feel disheartened and mortified. A part of her wondered if Taiki felt the same way when he had to “make her excuses,” but she was unwilling to exercise empathy at this point.
She had another, shorter shift before the rehearsal dinner and was planning to drive directly to the dinner from the hospital. The clothes and cosmetics she needed were already carefully packed, but Ami continued to loiter in her room.
Finally, a quiet knock sounded at her door. “Ami? The taxi’s here; I have to leave for the airport now.”
She opened the door immediately. “Do you have everything?”
“Yes.” He regarded her with that same sense of regret, excitement, and confusion that had filled his eyes for the past day and a half. “I hope you have fun tonight.”
It was Rei’s bachelorette party as well as the rehearsal dinner, so he added, “Try not to make me too jealous, now.”
She smiled faintly, wondering if he would be able to spare her a thought once he landed in Ankara. “Of course not.”
“And be sure to give Rei and Jaden my very best wishes tomorrow. I’ll call you when I can, and be back soon. Monday at the latest.”
Ami nodded. She tried to think what Mina, Rei, or Serena would do in her place. Rei would probably be too steamed to be calmly wishing him farewell. She imagined Mina might have the energy to chirp “Knock their boots off!” or some similar saying after she had made him suffer terribly the night before. As for Serena… well, she didn’t have a clue. Serena could be as unpredictable as Mina in her own way.
She felt like the words she ordinarily would have said: “I’m so proud of you, good luck with everything” would choke her on the way out. So she settled for a simple “Have a safe trip” and a kiss on the cheek.
Taiki seemed to take her coolness in stride, but after he had shrugged on his blazer and grabbed his briefcase, he paused at the door. Ami closed her eyes as he enveloped her in a hurried embrace.
Her head barely reached the bottom of his chin, and she breathed in the familiar, particular scent of him, wishing he hadn’t broken through the ice surrounding her. All the hurt and anger, loneliness and frustration came flooding back, as well as the desperate wish that she could somehow bridge this rift widening between them.
He drew away at last, and kissed her swiftly before he strode out to the impatiently waiting taxi. Ami watched it disappear down the street from the wide bay window.
________________________________________
“Serena? Could you give Ami a call for me? She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago, and I’m getting a little worried,” Rei confessed.
Mina patted her shoulder comfortingly as Serena retrieved her cell phone from her purse. “I know Ami’s usually on time, but these hospital shifts are iffy. Maybe something came up at the last minute. I’m sure she’s just fine.”
Serena walked into the hallway as the phone started ringing to give Mina some more time to calm Rei down. The bride-to-be was jittery over the rehearsal dinner. She had met Eileen and Matthew Coruni millions of times before, but some of Jaden’s relatives who had traveled from out of town would be attending the rehearsal dinner, including his veritable dragon of a grandmother.
When she came back in, Rei was asking after her grandfather, who had flown all the way from Japan for her wedding. “He’s doing fine, Rei. The last time I saw him, he was talking to Zach. I bet you that they’re sitting down somewhere scoping out all the pretty women in the hotel.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet,” Serena laughed as she came in. “I just got through to Ami, and she said she’s stuck in some traffic but should be right over. Nothing to worry about” – except she was sure that the tinny quality of Ami’s voice that had nothing to do with her cell phone reception.
________________________________________
Zach had indeed been keeping Rei’s grandfather company in the hotel lobby, but soon enough, he was called on to greet and direct his arriving relatives. The rehearsal portion of the day was actually over; Ami hadn’t been able to be present, but Serena had promised to go over her cues with her.
There were much more of his relatives coming to the dinner than Rei’s, since Rei’s portion of the wedding party was basically composed of her grandfather, Kira, Ami, Mina, and Serena. Serena had come down to chat with Rei’s grandfather, leaving Zach free to make small talk with some relatives he could barely remember.
“Oh, and Zach, would you keep an eye out for Ami? She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago. I gave her a call, and she said something about traffic, but…”
“All right. She has plenty of time to get here, though.”
Serena hesitated, wondering how much she should tell Zach. She knew a little more about the story than Mina and Keth had, but Ami had still been very closemouthed about Zach during their college years.
She went with her instinct, as usual, and said, “She sounded upset on the phone, and her fiancé had to miss the wedding at the last minute… If you could just make sure she’s all right when she gets here or find me, I’d really appreciate it.”
He grinned at her. “Sure thing, princess.” He had liked Serena from the moment he had met her, and the feeling was plainly mutual.
Unfortunately, she had rushed off somewhere, and now he was stuck enduring comments such as: “Oh, Zachary, look how much you’ve grown! Why, I remember when you came no higher than my knee and let my parakeet Emil loose in the house.”
He winced at that and escorted Great-Aunt Maureen to the right room as quickly as possible.
What he hated most was the light, laughing remarks and elbows in the ribs.
“Guess it’s going to be your turn next, eh, Zach?”
“Have to catch up with your brother, now, if you know what I mean.”
“Jaden’s setting such a good example, getting married to that lovely fiancée of his. Your parents must be so pleased. When are you going to do the same?”
To all this, he had to smile politely and refrain from wishing ungratefully that he had as few relatives as Rei did. Younger sibs, he thought, or those who got married second, got the short end of the stick.
When someone asked him for what must have been the tenth time that night, “So are you seeing anyone, Zachary dear?”
He gritted his teeth and answered, “No, not right now,” and tried to accept their condolences and dating advise graciously.
“Well, my friend Patricia, she has this lovely niece…”
“A really beautiful girl, Katrina, you should give her a call.”
He refused these matchmaking offers as politely as possible, relieved when Jaden showed up at last and took the brunt of the attention.
“Hey, Zach!”
Zach wiped off his forehead discreetly, and then his whole face lit up when he saw the newcomers. He walked forward quickly to take the laughing brunette with the sparkling green eyes as him into a bear hug. “Hi, beautiful.”
Her eyes were almost the same exact shade as his, and they twinkled merrily in the bright overhead lights. “Hi, stranger. We haven’t heard from you in months! Do they keep you chained to your desk or what?”
“Yeah, pretty much. I picked the lock on my shackles so I could make it to Jaden’s wedding.” He grinned at her and turned to her parents. “Hi Uncle Grant, Aunt Rose.”
They were his favorite aunt and uncle of them all, and Lita was his and Jaden’s favorite cousin. Unfortunately, he had to relinquish them to Jaden, although Lita came back to stand with him.
They chatted in between greeting their relatives, catching up on each other’s lives. Lita was working for a catering company and taking classes at a reputable culinary institute at night. She claimed solidarity with Zach, since neither of them were currently in a relationship and would likely be the recipients of pointed remarks from the relatives.
Suddenly, Lita asked, “Do you think she’s part of the wedding party?” She indicated a young woman in sea green scrubs with short, dark hair who seemed somewhat out of place not only because of her attire, but also because of the blank expression on her face.
Zach looked in the direction she pointed. “Oh, yeah. That’s Ami, who’s the maid of honor. She’s Rei’s cousin. But she should know where she’s going.”
To his surprise, Ami walked straight past them without a flicker of recognition or acknowledgment, her arms loaded down with a garment bag and a heavy-looking purse.
“Ami. Hey, Ami!” He frowned when she didn’t respond to his voice, then quickly strode after her. He grabbed her shoulder as he asked, “Where have you been? Serena’s been looking all over for you.”
She turned to face him, her eyes wide and glassy while her lips were taut with unhappiness. “At the hospital,” she responded distantly.
She had done her best to clear her mind before driving to the hotel, but now that she was standing still with Zach’s concerned eyes on her, the images from the hospital began replaying in her mind.
“Hey, are you feeling all right? You don’t look so great,” Zach commented unflatteringly, noticing how pale her face was.
“I’m fine. I have to go find Rei.”
He grimaced. “Not like that. She’ll go out of her mind with worry when she sees you. She’s already been freaking out that you’re late. What’s wrong? What happened?”
Ami drew in a gulp of air as if she had surfaced from a deep dive. “Nothing. I can’t talk about it. I don’t want to talk to you. Why can’t you just leave me alone?”
Her voice started to rise on the last question, and Zach backed away a step, holding his hands up defensively. “Okay, okay. Don’t get all worked up now.”
He glanced at Lita, who had been watching them curiously but was reluctant to interrupt. “Can you find Serena for me and bring her over? Tell her that Ami’s here, and that I sent you. She’s about this tall, blonde, puts her hair in two buns on her head like meatballs. You can’t miss her.”
“Sure.” Lita hurried off, her luxuriant ponytail swinging behind her.
They were close to a little alcove screened off from the bustling lobby by potted plants, so Zach suggested, “Why don’t you sit for a minute and calm down?”
“I don’t need to calm down, and I don’t want you telling me what to do.” Despite her best efforts to keep her voice level, she had started to tremble. To hide the shaking of her legs, she sank down onto the uncomfortable seat.
He looked at his watch, wondering if Lita would ever get Serena there. He had his cell phone stuck in his back pocket, but Serena didn’t have her phone on her because her dress had no pockets.
“I’m just trying to help,” he said reasonably.
“I don’t want your help!” At the same moment, her eyes began brimming with tears.
Instantly, he wished he hadn’t sent Lita away. Weren’t girls better at dealing with this type of thing? “Don’t cry. What’s wrong? What happened?”
“We lost a patient. He was only nine.” She wept in earnest now, burying her face in her hands as the shock wore off.
Feeling a peculiar sense of déjà vu run through him, Zach eased down next to her and put his arms around her carefully. As she wept into his shirt, he patted her back comfortingly. It was a beautiful day in June, he thought. Nice weather. Lots of sunlight. It felt cold to know the world was less one child.
When her sobs died down, she drew away from him, sniffling quietly. She was so exhausted, she couldn’t feel more than a mild embarrassment that she had cried on him. Ami leaned her head against the cool black stone of the ledge behind her, feeling the fronds of a plant touching the top of her head. “Everyone goes away,” she said quietly.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
She shook her head, closing her eyes as she felt the coolness of the stone sink through her from the spot where it pressed against her hot, tear-stained cheek.
________________________________________
Serena and Lita came back to find Zach sitting next to Ami, who was so still she appeared to be sleeping.
“Is she okay?” Serena asked Zach in a hushed whisper as she knelt by her friend.
Immediately, Ami’s eyes opened. “I’m fine, Serena. Can you help me wash up before I see Rei? I don’t want her to worry.”
“Of course,” the blonde responded, ushering her away.
As they left, Zach felt an illogical sense of irritation that she would ask for Serena’s help, but not his. Nevertheless, he was relieved that Ami seemed to be firmly in Serena’s capable hands.
Lita, who stayed with him, asked, “Do you know what happened?”
“She’s an intern – first year medical resident – at a hospital, and she lost a patient. He was only a kid, and she was pretty broken up about it.”
“Oh, no!” Lita’s soft heart was immediately touched, and Zach looked at her with some alarm.
“I know, it’s rough. But please, don’t start crying, too.”
“Well, I won’t, but… was it the first patient she’s lost?”
He shrugged. “No clue. I guess it doesn’t get much easier with time, though. I have to go change,” he told her, wanting a few minutes of peace to settle himself.
Lita followed him up the stairs. “You said her name was Ami? Not the same Ami you were friends with in high school?”
“The very same,” he said dryly. “Some coincidence, huh?”
Undaunted, his cousin asked, “Didn’t you have a crush on her back then?”
He was appalled to find himself blushing. “No. Where did you get such a silly idea like that?”
She laughed merrily even as he shut the door in her face and left to find Jaden to confirm her suspicions.
________________________________________
Between Serena and Mina, was dressed and ready in record time, and they helped cover for her with Rei. She had a moment’s pause when she found herself seated next to Zach at a round table. Fortunately, Serena sat to her right. The older adults, including Zach’s grandparents and parents, and Kira and Rei’s grandfather, were seated with Rei and Jaden.
The pretty brunette she had seen earlier was on Zach’s left, and she introduced herself cheerfully. “Hi, we didn’t have a chance to meet earlier, but I’m Lita, Zach and Jaden’s cousin.”
She smiled back at the warmth in Lita’s voice. “I’m Ami. It’s nice to meet you.”
As they waited for the rest of the table to fill in, Lita’s eyes widened when she saw a tall man with long brown hair coming towards them. She poked Zach in the side. “Major hottie coming this way,” she told him.
He rolled his eyes. “Please, share your excitable hormones with someone else. Preferably one of the female gender.”
She smacked his arm and watched with interest as Ami rose to greet him, looking more cheerful than she had all afternoon.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said apologetically.
Zach also watched closely as he bent down to kiss Ami on the cheek and gave her a tight hug. Jaden had informed him that Taiki wouldn’t be coming to the wedding that morning, and he had been strangely disappointed not to meet the man. Perhaps he had changed his mind? Then again, it was a very platonic kiss – not that he was an advocate of public displays of affection, but still.
“Not to worry. The first course hasn’t been served yet,” Ami told the newcomer. The redness of her eyes and nose had been well hidden with foundation and concealer, but Nevan frowned at the slightly clogged tone.
Before he could say anything, Serena joined them with a meaningful look. “Hi, Nev!”
He also kissed her cheek, bending from his considerable height. “Is it college reunion time?”
“Well, if you’d come see us more often…”
“I said I was sorry already! And I bet I wasn’t the only one to miss the rehearsal.”
Ami held her hands up. “Guilty as charged. Serena will have to fill us both in. I can’t believe Rei puts up with us.”
At the sad look in her eyes, Nevan tried, “But I’m here for the most important part – dinner!”
Serena laughed as they sat back down. “You always have such an appetite, Nev!”
‘So that’s not Taiki,’ Zach thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Nevan shot back, “You’re one to talk. You always finished all the cupcakes!”
“Don’t argue, now,” Ami said, even though she was smiling. “Zach and Lita will think the alumni of our college don’t have any manners.”
“Yeah, because they teach snobbery, not manners,” Nevan muttered under his breath but stopped at Serena’s well-placed kick under the table. “Not with the heels!” he complained.
“Ooh, sorry, I forgot.”
Ignoring them, Ami said, “This is Nevan Starre; he went to college with Serena and me. Nevan, this is Zachary, Jaden’s brother, and Lita, their cousin.”
He nodded at them, making the appropriate response as he zeroed in on Lita and smiled slowly at her when she flushed.
Serena, who noticed their exchange, raised her eyebrows and shared a knowing glance with Ami. Noting that Zach was sitting beside Ami, Nevan asked in an undertone, “Where’s Taiki?”
She tried to smile. “In Ankara by this point, I expect. He pulled a special assignment at work and had to…miss out on the wedding.”
Familiar with Ami and Taiki and at least the basic currents of their relationship, Nevan merely nodded. “Well, sounds like good news for him. Tell him I said hi, then, and that I’m sorry I missed seeing him.”
“I will.”
With that, Mina and Keth, who were familiar with everyone at the table, seated themselves, and the rehearsal dinner began.
Love at Fifth Sight
Infinite Ice
