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Authors: Julianne Price
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to
understand now that you’re a little bit older. When my sister died and her
little boy came to live with me, I was in shock. I was only twenty-three years
old. I wasn’t ready to take care of a kid.” She shrugged. “My family was
always pretty traditional. I didn’t think of myself that way, but when Ryuu
came into my life I realized that he needed me to be more solid.”
“So you decided
that being away all the time was more solid?” I couldn’t help the sarcasm.
She shook her
head. “Why do you think I was dating? I was trying to find someone to settle
down with- fast. So Ryuu would have a family.”
I uncrossed my
arms and sat up. I hadn’t thought of that. Of course I hadn’t. I’d only been
fourteen at the time- just a kid. “Well I don’t think he ever wanted that. He
just needed you to be there for him.” I turned toward her.
“The problem
isn’t whether or not you’re cut out to be a mom, or if you’re married or not. The
problem is that you don’t listen to Ryuu. You don’t see him for who he
is.” I threw my arms up in the air and stood, pacing. “You always act like
there’s something wrong with him- like he has to be cured or changed.”
Dawn looked up
at me with eyes like saucers. Then she slowly shook her head. “I’m amazed.
Kit you always amaze me. You still have that beautiful child-like honesty.
Most people lose that as they get older.”
“I want to
believe in him,” Dawn said suddenly. “But this talk about curses and …
spiritual energy? It’s just too much. He’s just like his grandmother-
completely lost in a world of his own. I just want him to live a normal life.”
I rounded on
her, pointing my finger. “Well I don’t want that for him! I want more
for Ryuu than for him to be just like everyone else. I want Ryuu to be Ryuu.
And I’ll believe in him no matter what!”
I’d had enough
of this conversation. I dropped my arms and scooped up my bag. “I’m going
home. Tell Ryuu he can come study there if he wants.”
I walked back to
my house, my anger at Dawn fading to nothing. Hearing myself say those things aloud
had made me realize something. I really did believe it. I would trust
anything Ryuu said to me because I believed in him . And I was pretty
sure I was the only one who did. And that made me even more mad. Mad
enough to say things that would make his aunt hate me. I didn’t care. Ryuu
had put up with this crap long enough- people not listening to him, saying that
he was crazy, avoiding him.
Just like his
grandmother, Dawn had said. I wondered what Ryuu’s grandmother would say about
his abilities. Had everyone thought she was crazy? I wondered if she was
still alive. Maybe she would believe Ryuu. Maybe she could help him. I vowed
to ask him the next chance I got.
I bounded up the
porch steps and opened the door. I was greeted by loud snoring that almost
eclipsed the TV noise in the background. Sighing I turned off the TV and
jiggled the couch, making Dad snort and roll over. “Hey. Get up. I’m having
someone over.”
At least there
were a lot less empties this time, a good sign. I picked up the beer cans and
took them out to the recycling bin, grumbling about drunk old washed-up
writers. Just add it to chemistry tests, Shinto spirits, and the list of other
assorted crap tailor-made to make my life miserable.
*****
I met Ryuu at
the temple a couple of days later for another sort of test. He was waiting for
me at the big wooden door, looking both excited and nervous. We were about to
find out if I could destroy any old cursed object and not just the particular one
that had affected me.I followed Ryuu into the temple, noticing as I did that it
was more empty than usual. We passed a monk laying out little prayer cards on
a wooden table near the entryway. I nodded and smiled in greeting, recognizing
him from my
understand now that you’re a little bit older. When my sister died and her
little boy came to live with me, I was in shock. I was only twenty-three years
old. I wasn’t ready to take care of a kid.” She shrugged. “My family was
always pretty traditional. I didn’t think of myself that way, but when Ryuu
came into my life I realized that he needed me to be more solid.”
“So you decided
that being away all the time was more solid?” I couldn’t help the sarcasm.
She shook her
head. “Why do you think I was dating? I was trying to find someone to settle
down with- fast. So Ryuu would have a family.”
I uncrossed my
arms and sat up. I hadn’t thought of that. Of course I hadn’t. I’d only been
fourteen at the time- just a kid. “Well I don’t think he ever wanted that. He
just needed you to be there for him.” I turned toward her.
“The problem
isn’t whether or not you’re cut out to be a mom, or if you’re married or not. The
problem is that you don’t listen to Ryuu. You don’t see him for who he
is.” I threw my arms up in the air and stood, pacing. “You always act like
there’s something wrong with him- like he has to be cured or changed.”
Dawn looked up
at me with eyes like saucers. Then she slowly shook her head. “I’m amazed.
Kit you always amaze me. You still have that beautiful child-like honesty.
Most people lose that as they get older.”
“I want to
believe in him,” Dawn said suddenly. “But this talk about curses and …
spiritual energy? It’s just too much. He’s just like his grandmother-
completely lost in a world of his own. I just want him to live a normal life.”
I rounded on
her, pointing my finger. “Well I don’t want that for him! I want more
for Ryuu than for him to be just like everyone else. I want Ryuu to be Ryuu.
And I’ll believe in him no matter what!”
I’d had enough
of this conversation. I dropped my arms and scooped up my bag. “I’m going
home. Tell Ryuu he can come study there if he wants.”
I walked back to
my house, my anger at Dawn fading to nothing. Hearing myself say those things aloud
had made me realize something. I really did believe it. I would trust
anything Ryuu said to me because I believed in him . And I was pretty
sure I was the only one who did. And that made me even more mad. Mad
enough to say things that would make his aunt hate me. I didn’t care. Ryuu
had put up with this crap long enough- people not listening to him, saying that
he was crazy, avoiding him.
Just like his
grandmother, Dawn had said. I wondered what Ryuu’s grandmother would say about
his abilities. Had everyone thought she was crazy? I wondered if she was
still alive. Maybe she would believe Ryuu. Maybe she could help him. I vowed
to ask him the next chance I got.
I bounded up the
porch steps and opened the door. I was greeted by loud snoring that almost
eclipsed the TV noise in the background. Sighing I turned off the TV and
jiggled the couch, making Dad snort and roll over. “Hey. Get up. I’m having
someone over.”
At least there
were a lot less empties this time, a good sign. I picked up the beer cans and
took them out to the recycling bin, grumbling about drunk old washed-up
writers. Just add it to chemistry tests, Shinto spirits, and the list of other
assorted crap tailor-made to make my life miserable.
*****
I met Ryuu at
the temple a couple of days later for another sort of test. He was waiting for
me at the big wooden door, looking both excited and nervous. We were about to
find out if I could destroy any old cursed object and not just the particular one
that had affected me.I followed Ryuu into the temple, noticing as I did that it
was more empty than usual. We passed a monk laying out little prayer cards on
a wooden table near the entryway. I nodded and smiled in greeting, recognizing
him from my
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