to make a living.”
“Yeah, but we’re prepared to starve if we have to to make it to the top. I might try for The Voice , you know?” He shoveled in a mouthful that seemed determined to independently stave off starvation.
“A television show does not appear to be an effective career strategy.”
“You’ve gotta take what’s available in this country, Mr. Tanaka. I’m a great marketer. We’re all over social media.”
His father frowned more deeply, and his mother leaped in. “Kenji is a cardiologist, did you know? Youngest to graduate from his medical school.”
“A broken heart guy, huh?” He grinned.
Mrs. Okuwa said softly, “You must be very proud.”
“Yes, I am.” His mother looked at his father. “We are.”
“And where is your first son?”
For an instant, everyone froze. His mother caught her breath, his father quit moving, and his own fingers tightened on the tea cup.
Mickey looked up from his enjoyment of the beef. “You got a brother, man?”
His mother’s head bowed. “Our firstborn son died very young. He had a weak heart and was killed by a doctor during a surgical mishap.”
Mrs. Okuwa’s face paled a little. “Forgive me. Kenji’s name—”
“It is most understandable. You are forgiven.”
Mickey waved a fork. “I don’t get it.”
Ken gazed at him. “Kenji means second son. You don’t speak Japanese?”
“As little as possible.” He laughed. “Oh, so that’s why you became a heart guy, right?”
Ken swallowed more tea.
His mother glanced at Mickey with a little frown. “Kenji was far too young to help his brother. He is a brilliant physician and could have chosen any specialty.”
After endless compliments and small talk, the meal that lasted forever finally ended and the Okuwas got up to leave. They all walked to the door. His mother stepped beside him and spoke under her breath. “Walk out with them, Kenji.”
Sigh. Ken smiled. “I’ll see you to your car.”
Out in the cool evening air, he held the car door for Mrs. Okuwa and bowed to Mr. Okuwa. Mickey held back. When his parents had their doors closed, he sidled up to Ken. “Hey, man, time for my good-night kiss?” He winked.
Ken smiled. “I never kiss on a first date.”
Mickey lowered his voice. “But I’ll bet you fuck on first dates, don’t you, gorgeous? Why don’t you call me and I’ll ream that pretty ass of yours later?”
“I don’t bottom for kids.” He said it with a smile but let the edge in his voice show.
“I can make it worth your while. Hell, our parents want us to get together. We might as well make the best of it.”
“Perhaps.” In another lifetime.
“Give me your phone.”
I seem to be doing this a lot today. He handed Mickey his phone and the guy input digits. Funny how the man who had put his number in earlier seemed much more like someone Ken would want to call.
Mickey handed back the phone. “So call me, baby.” He opened the back door of his parents’ car, gave Ken a long lingering view of his ass in tight slacks, finally closed the door, and they pulled off.
Ken wanted to run. He didn’t. With determination he mounted the front steps and entered the house. His mother gave him a huge cat-eating-canary smile.
You can do this. He walked to her chair and bowed. “ Okaa-san , I am deeply honored and appreciative that you have accepted that I am gay. I know this was a difficult step for you, and it moves my heart that you have shown me such consideration. But I must ask you not to try to pick a partner for me. I’m grown and able to do this for myself.”
She shook her head. “It is not your job to find the right man, Kenji. It is mine. You are too busy with man’s work. I must find you a suitable partner.”
“I must point out to you respectfully that I like men, not boys. This young person you brought here tonight is a boy.”
His father cleared his throat loudly at that, but his mother ignored him. “Having a younger partner is
“Yeah, but we’re prepared to starve if we have to to make it to the top. I might try for The Voice , you know?” He shoveled in a mouthful that seemed determined to independently stave off starvation.
“A television show does not appear to be an effective career strategy.”
“You’ve gotta take what’s available in this country, Mr. Tanaka. I’m a great marketer. We’re all over social media.”
His father frowned more deeply, and his mother leaped in. “Kenji is a cardiologist, did you know? Youngest to graduate from his medical school.”
“A broken heart guy, huh?” He grinned.
Mrs. Okuwa said softly, “You must be very proud.”
“Yes, I am.” His mother looked at his father. “We are.”
“And where is your first son?”
For an instant, everyone froze. His mother caught her breath, his father quit moving, and his own fingers tightened on the tea cup.
Mickey looked up from his enjoyment of the beef. “You got a brother, man?”
His mother’s head bowed. “Our firstborn son died very young. He had a weak heart and was killed by a doctor during a surgical mishap.”
Mrs. Okuwa’s face paled a little. “Forgive me. Kenji’s name—”
“It is most understandable. You are forgiven.”
Mickey waved a fork. “I don’t get it.”
Ken gazed at him. “Kenji means second son. You don’t speak Japanese?”
“As little as possible.” He laughed. “Oh, so that’s why you became a heart guy, right?”
Ken swallowed more tea.
His mother glanced at Mickey with a little frown. “Kenji was far too young to help his brother. He is a brilliant physician and could have chosen any specialty.”
After endless compliments and small talk, the meal that lasted forever finally ended and the Okuwas got up to leave. They all walked to the door. His mother stepped beside him and spoke under her breath. “Walk out with them, Kenji.”
Sigh. Ken smiled. “I’ll see you to your car.”
Out in the cool evening air, he held the car door for Mrs. Okuwa and bowed to Mr. Okuwa. Mickey held back. When his parents had their doors closed, he sidled up to Ken. “Hey, man, time for my good-night kiss?” He winked.
Ken smiled. “I never kiss on a first date.”
Mickey lowered his voice. “But I’ll bet you fuck on first dates, don’t you, gorgeous? Why don’t you call me and I’ll ream that pretty ass of yours later?”
“I don’t bottom for kids.” He said it with a smile but let the edge in his voice show.
“I can make it worth your while. Hell, our parents want us to get together. We might as well make the best of it.”
“Perhaps.” In another lifetime.
“Give me your phone.”
I seem to be doing this a lot today. He handed Mickey his phone and the guy input digits. Funny how the man who had put his number in earlier seemed much more like someone Ken would want to call.
Mickey handed back the phone. “So call me, baby.” He opened the back door of his parents’ car, gave Ken a long lingering view of his ass in tight slacks, finally closed the door, and they pulled off.
Ken wanted to run. He didn’t. With determination he mounted the front steps and entered the house. His mother gave him a huge cat-eating-canary smile.
You can do this. He walked to her chair and bowed. “ Okaa-san , I am deeply honored and appreciative that you have accepted that I am gay. I know this was a difficult step for you, and it moves my heart that you have shown me such consideration. But I must ask you not to try to pick a partner for me. I’m grown and able to do this for myself.”
She shook her head. “It is not your job to find the right man, Kenji. It is mine. You are too busy with man’s work. I must find you a suitable partner.”
“I must point out to you respectfully that I like men, not boys. This young person you brought here tonight is a boy.”
His father cleared his throat loudly at that, but his mother ignored him. “Having a younger partner is
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