Chapter 2

 

Monica stepped in her apartment.  Mercury, her solid gray kitten was stretched out on the sofa.  He jumped up when he realized it was her and entwined himself between her legs.  He wasn’t used to her being home this early.  The light on the answering machine was blinking.  It was probably Cameron.  She punched the button.

“Hey, Mika!!  Call me when you get in.”  It was Cameron.  She had called about 3:30 that afternoon.

Monica picked up the handset to her cordless phone.  Before she could even turn it on, it rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey!  You’re there,”  Cameron said.

“Just walked in.  What’s up?”

“Ryo and I were going out again tonight.  Did you want to come?”

“Don’t you and he want to do something on your own?”

For over a month and a half, Rowen and Monica had been accompanying Ryo and Cameron on their dates.

“Rowen’s going.”

“And your point?”

Monica almost gave in, but she decided against it.  She was starting to like Rowen, but she didn’t want to admit that to Cameron, not yet.

Cameron started her whining.  “Come on, Monica.  I don’t get to do much with you because you’re always working.”

“Cammy, dear, I’ve been going out with you and Ryo almost every other night for the past seven weeks.”

“I know, but we still want you to come.  Do you have plans?”

“Well, no.”

“Then come on.  We’ll pick you up.”

“You aren’t going to let me say no, are you?”

“Of course not.”

“Why do I even try?  Where are we going?”

“To Jamaica Sun.”

“Alright.  I’ll be ready.”

“Good!!”

Monica jumped in the shower.  She donned her slim-fitting black boot cut pants and shimmery dark blue button down shirt.  It had princess seams to highlight all the right areas.  She decided to let her braids hang down, just slightly curling the ends a little.  After sliding on her ankle boots and spraying a spritz of Escada perfume, she was ready to go.

She heard the horn blow.  Looking out the window, she saw Cameron hanging out of the window, waving.  Grabbing her purse, she locked the door and went out.  Taking a deep breath, she told herself that this wasn’t a date.  Cameron asked her to go…again…and she’s going.  That’s all.  Well, if that’s all…then why couldn’t she stop the butterflies in her stomach from fluttering?

Monica slid in the backseat with Rowen.  She smiled at him.  He felt his heart skip a beat.  He thought to himself, Why, why is it doing that??  I haven’t known her that long.  He watched as she crossed her arms and looked out the window.  He wanted to say something to her.  But what?  He noticed that was Cameron chatting away, oblivious to her friend.  She and Ryo were talking about sushi.  Huh?  Well, it’s Ryo’s friend, he thought.  They arrived at the restaurant.

“Ryo, if you let me out here, I can get our table while you park,” Monica said.

“Good idea.  Hey, Rowen, why don’t you go with her?”  Ryo asked, smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside, Monica went up to the host and put their names in.  She sat down on the bench beside Rowen.  He was bent over with his elbows over his knees, his hands hanging down.  He watched her as she sat beside him, crossing her legs toward him.

“I’ve known you for, what…two months?  Almost?  At any rate, you’ve hardly spoken 20 words together.”  he asked.

Monica shrugged.  “I don’t babble incessantly like Cameron does.”  Rowen laughed.  Smiling, she added, “I don’t talk much to people I don’t really know.  Even then, I won’t talk if I don’t have anything to say.”

“You are certainly different from your friend.”

“Yeah, that’s how it always goes.  She has qualities I lack and vice versa.”

“I understand.  My four friends and I are all different, but we all make up the missing links in each other.”

The host showed them to their table.  Ryo and Cameron sat down as Monica and Rowen scanned their menus.  Monica looked at Cameron so see her trying to conceal a smile.  Monica didn’t like that look.  Something was up.

Rowen asked aloud what Monica was thinking.  “Hey, Ryo, what took so long?”

“Couldn’t find a parking space,” Ryo responded vaguely.

“Right.”

“I’m surprised you’re off this early,” Ryo said.  “Cameron said that you probably had to work late to make up for leaving yesterday.”

“Yeah, well, my boss is limiting my late nights.”

“Love your job that much?”

“Mika has no life,” Cameron joked.

Monica colored slightly.

“She has a life,” Rowen said in defense.  “She just opts to use it by pursuing activities that are of interest to her, even if no one else enjoys it.”  Monica nods in agreement.  “So what is it you really do?”  Rowen asked, while he was at it.

“I am assistant curator of a historic art gallery.”

“I thought it was a museum.”  Cameron said.  “What’s the difference?”

“A museum is educational.  It has background information to help you appreciate better what it is you are looking at.  We don’t give background information.  We just display the items.  Harold says that the factual information detracts attention from the beauty of history.”

“Cool!!”  Ryo said.

“What kind of exhibits do you have?”  Rowen asked.

Monica was in the process of telling him about some of the artifacts they had when her cell phone rang.  The caller ID said that it was Harold’s number.

“Hey, Harold.”

“Monica, I’m going to be in late tomorrow.  I need you to hold off on the logs and catalogue some new stuff that’s coming in tomorrow.”

“I’d have to do it by hand, so I can put it in at the end of the log.  What is it?”

“Supposed to be a couple of ancient Japanese armors.  Mr. Yoshida is bringing them personally.”

“Wouldn’t you rather do it when you get in?”

“You’ve done it enough and you’ve seen me do it plenty of times.  You can handle it.  At least until I get in.”

“Is everything alright?”

A pause.  “Yeah, yeah.  I’m on my way to the hospital with Brenda.”

“Oh gosh, Harold!  What happened?”

“I-I don’t really know.  You know she’s been in a lot of pain.  I’d been trying to get her to go see a doctor.  She just passed out during dinner.”

“Why don’t you just stay home tomorrow?  I can hold down the fort.”

Harold said that he’d call her in the morning and let her know.  They said goodbye and Monica snapped her cell phone closed.  She knit her eyebrows in thought.  Hopefully Brenda was alright.  She’s met the small, frail woman several times.  She remembered a few weeks ago how Brenda was in pain but didn’t say anything.  You could vaguely see it in her face.  Monica had suggested to Harold that she see a doctor, but Brenda was adamant about not going.

“Hey, Mika!”  Cameron said, snapping her out of it.  “Is everything alright?”

“I hope so.  Harold is rushing his wife to the hospital.”

Gasps from the table.

“That’s terrible!!”  Cammy said.

“Yeah.  He needs to take tomorrow off.  “I can manage without him.  We’ve got a couple of new items coming in, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Their dinner arrived and they all chatted aimlessly, including Monica this time.  Rowen practically drilled her on items that were in the gallery.  He wanted to keep her talking.  He was enjoying her company and conversation.

After nearly three hours of talking and several dirty looks from the waitress, they all decided that it was time to go.  Ryo and Cameron weren’t ready to go home.  They wanted to walk around downtown.  Monica protested, explaining that she did have to work in the morning, but it was to no avail.  Cameron swore they wouldn’t be out too late.  Monica crossed her arms in frustration.  Sometimes, Cameron could be selfish.  Maybe it was her own fault for giving in.

Cameron took Ryo’s hand and dashed to a store window they passed.  She oohed at a dress she knew she couldn’t afford.  Monica rolled her eyes and kept walking.  Of all people, how did Monica get to be Cameron’s friend?  She could be so irritating.  Cameron did have her strong points, few though they were.  She did know how to make Monica appreciate life.  After her parents’ death, she didn’t see the meaning of it anymore.

Monica thought back to the heartbreaking phone call she had received just after starting high school.  Why didn’t they just spend the evening at home like they always did?  Why did Daddy have to take her to that concert?  Why did they have to try to drive back so late?  Those were questions that replayed in her mind.  Questions that will never get answers.

She didn’t want to live with Grandma.  She had no choice.  It was either Grandma or live in an orphanage.  She didn’t want that.  That was when she met Cammy.  Cameron saw the new solitary new girl in her math class and felt bad for her, whatever was wrong with her.  She constantly invited her to go places, to do things, to be a friend.  Monica felt like she was indebted to Cameron.

“Pondering over the finer things in life?”

Monica snapped her head up.  She only saw Rowen standing with her.

“Oh, sorry.  Just got lost in my thoughts.  Where are the others?”

“You walked off when they stopped at that window.  I didn’t want you to be out here on your own, so I came with you.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Rowen leaned up against a building, resting a foot against the side.  Monica regarded Rowen as he hung his blue head down.  It wasn’t just blue, black with a blue tint.  It was really blue.  Like…a toned down electric blue.  His blue eyebrows were knit in thought.  What could he be thinking about, she asked herself.  She smiled to herself his shirt rippled in the light breeze.  She could just make out muscles in his chest.  The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to just below the elbow, revealing muscular forearms.  She walked over to stand beside him.

“Pondering over the finer things in life?” she asked him.

He smiled nervously.  “Actually, I was wondering if you would like to join me for lunch tomorrow.”

Monica thought for a moment.  “Well, Harold may not be there tomorrow because of his wife.  It’ll be just me at the gallery.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right.  Never mind, then.”

“Well…”  Monica paused.  She reached in her purse and grabbed a pen.  Taking his hand, she wrote her cell phone number.  “Call me about 10:30 tomorrow morning.  I should know something by then.”

They chitchatted a while.  They got talking about themselves a little.  Rowen confessed of his parents’ divorce when he was 12.  Because of such a high IQ, he had the mind of an older person, so he could take care of himself for the most part.  He told Monica of his hermit ways when he was younger and how his friends broke him out of it.  Monica should be glad she didn’t know him when he was younger.

Monica admitted that her parents had died in a car accident when she was 13.  She went to live with her grandmother, but didn’t like it, so she started reading and studying.  She stumbled on some history in one of her social studies classes and was hooked ever since.  Even before her parents’ death, they called her their classical child.

Rowen suddenly realized that Ryo and Cameron never came back.  They walk back to the store where they left them.  Sounds were coming from the around the corner.  Sneaking a peek, they find Ryo and Cameron making out in an alley.  Rowen cleared his throat.  Ryo and Cameron jump apart, each turning scarlet with embarrassment.  Apologizing for interrupting their little tête-à-tête, Rowen suggested they head home because Monica had to work the next day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rowen recruited Sage to accompany him on his lunch “date” with Monica.  She had told him that Harold wasn’t going to be in at all but she still wanted to meet him.  She gave him directions to a small café near the gallery where she worked.

Rowen paced the apartment.  He couldn’t seem to get himself calmed down.  He checked his watch.  He was supposed to be gone by now.  He was waiting for Sage.  He checked himself in the mirror again.  Sage suggested something professional; Kento said to dress like he usually did; Cye was indifferent.  He settled for the semi-casual look: navy slacks and a white dress shirt.  He noticed a spot on his shirt.  Growling in frustration, he snatched it off and changed into a light blue shirt, mumbling to himself that she would get there first and be irritated for having to wait.  Practically stomping to the front door, he called to Sage, threatening to leave him there if he wasn’t ready to go right then.  Sage was always the last to be ready for anything.  He was the epitome of “fashionably late.”

“Hold up, I’m coming,” Sage said, buttoning the cuff of his shirt.

“I don’t want her to have to wait too long.”

“Uh-oh.”

“What?”

“Man, you’re talking like she’s your girlfriend.”

“She’s not.  I just don’t want to make her wait.”

“Right,” Sage answered with a smirk.  “So have you told her yet?”

“About what?”

“You know what I’m talking about.  Us.”

Rowen looked out the window of Sage’s jeep.  He knew exactly what he was talking about.  He didn’t see a need to tell her anything.  At least not yet.  It’s not like they were dating.  Well, maybe they were and neither wanted to be the first to admit it.  Besides, that was a long time ago.  Things are back to normal now, back to the way they should be.  Rowen really liked Monica.  He knew he’d have to tell her sooner or later, before anything else happened.  He’s learned from conversations that she was the kind of woman that liked to know things upfront.  She didn’t like secrets.

They found Monica already there waiting.  Her legs were crossed.  The one on top was swinging gently.  Her braided hair was hanging down like it was the night before.  Being slightly nippy out, she was wearing an olive green fitted sweater with gold flowers and black pants.

“Whoa,” Sage said, after Rowen pointed her out.

“Yeah, don’t be surprised if she doesn’t say much to you, though.  I’ve just managed to crack her out of her shell.”

Monica looked up as they approached the table.  She flashed a smile and shook their hands.  Rowen apologized for making her wait.  Gently touching his arm, she reassured him that it was alright.

“I just got here.  Besides, the gallery is only a walk away.”

Rowen introduced Sage.  She and Sage exchange pleasantries and she turned her attention back to Rowen.  They engage in general conversation throughout lunch.  Rowen was pleased that she was more conversational.  Monica asked how long they’ve all known each other.

Sage looked at Rowen.  It was the million-dollar question, at least part of it.  How are you going to answer, bro?  Sage thought to himself.

Rowen casually commented that they’d known each other forever.  They met in high school.  He left it at that.  Monica regarded him so closely, he could almost feel her eyes searching his soul.  He shifted nervously.  Looking at the way her eyes studied him, he could tell that she knew he was withholding something.  He’d tell her when the time was right.  Suddenly, Monica jumped up.  It was time for her to get back to the gallery.

Rowen said he would take care of her lunch, then she left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monica delicately fingered the new armors that just arrived.  Yoshida Moriyasu, one of their major contributors just delivered them personally from his private collection in Tokyo.  They were from the Date Masumune period and in exquisite condition.

Mr. Yoshida smiled with approval as Monica expressed her delight.  Harold would be very pleased.

“Mr. Kessler should not have left you here alone.”

“Why is that, Yoshida-san?”

Mr. Yoshida smiled.  “There are some bad people out there in the world.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

He laughed heartily.  “I didn’t think you were, my dear.  However, I do have something else for you.  My son was on a trip and found this near a pagoda.”  He slightly turned to one of his “henchmen,” as Monica called them.  The man left went outside and returned carrying a staff about five and a half feet long.  On the head, there was an ornament made of gold  that was about 12 inches long.  Three rings hung on each side of the head.  There was a sinister clanging of the rings when it was moved.  “This is yours.  You do not have to display this if you do not want to.  I actually brought this for you.”

“Me?”  Monica asked incredulously.  “What in the world would I do with this?”

“Do whatever you like.  It may be worth something.  It would be good to keep it close by or locked away.  At any rate, I brought it for you, if you want it.”

“Oh, absolutely!”

She was thrilled.  She had no idea what the staff was for, but she wanted it anyway.  A few moments later, Yoshida Moriyasu and his posse left.

She sat in the office admiring the staff.  She had no idea what it was for or who owned it first.  She started researching the staff, trying to match it with any and every information they had at the gallery.  She studied hard until it was 5:00.  After work, she dashed to her apartment, put the staff in a closet, and went to the library.  She couldn’t find anything.  Back home, she unveiled the staff again.  She studied the markings on the head and on the length of the staff.  It looked like it was just made.  Maybe it wasn’t worth anything.  Maybe it was just some piece of junk Moriyasu brought as a gift…something his people found and couldn’t do anything with it.  She shook it, causing the rings to reverberate.  Mercury stuck his head under the loveseat, unaccustomed to the noise.  She laid it across the coffee table and got up to cook herself some dinner.  Just as she put water in a pot, the phone rang.

“Leave me alone, Cameron!  I just want to spend a nice quiet evening at home,” she muttered to the phone.  She picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, uh, Monica?”  It was a masculine voice.  Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

“Yeah.”

“Hi, it’s Rowen.”

Rowen??  How did he get this number?  Must have been Cameron.  “Hi, Rowen!  What’s up?”

“Did I call you at a bad time?”

“Oh, no, no.  Not at all.  I’m sorry.  You just caught me off guard.”

“I just wanted to say that I enjoyed lunch today.”

Was that all?  “I did, too.  We should do it again sometime.”

“Yeah.  How was your day?”

Monica talked about the armors that finally came.  She forgot about the staff until Mercury knocked it on the floor.

“What was that?” he asked, startled.

“Oh, it’s just a big stick that Yoshida-san brought as a gift for me.  I have no idea what it’s for.”

“Wh-what does it look like?”

She explained it.  He cursed under his breath.

“What’s wrong, Rowen?  What is it?”

“Where did Mr. Yoshida get it?”

“He just said that his son found it in a pagoda.  He didn’t give an exact location.”

Rowen paused.  “Does anyone else know you have it?”

“No.  Why?  What is it?”

“What else did Mr. Yoshida say to you?”

She was beyond alarmed at this point.  She was about to knock on panic’s door.  There was something in his voice that was scaring her and he was being really vague.  No, not vague…just flat out ignoring her.

“Nothing.  He told me that Mr. Kessler, Harold, shouldn’t have left me alone because there were bad people out there.  I replied that I wasn’t afraid of him.  He laughed and said he knew that already, then sent one of his men outside to get the staff.  He told me that he didn’t know what it was for, but I should guard it because it could be valuable.”

Rowen sighed.

“Rowen, what’s going on?  You’re not telling me something.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I did tell you.”

“How do you know?  Try me.”

He paused.  “Can we meet somewhere?”

“Why don’t you come over for dinner?  I was just about to start cooking.”

He agreed and they hung up.  Monica was afraid to touch the staff.  She didn’t know what Rowen was upset about or why he was being secretive.  She really liked him, but there was more.  She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was connected to that staff in some form or fashion.  If it’s something bad, she wanted to know.

 

 

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