Chapter One
Â
âAre you reading those ridiculous comic books again? Honestly, youâre a college graduate. Arenât you a little old for those?â
âDad, theyâre called manga . Theyâre different. Theyâre illustrated Japanese stories.â Leigh Becker closed her book and stood. Even as the words left her mouth, she knew correcting her stepfather was useless.
âI donât care what theyâre called. Theyâre not exactly serious literature. You spend half your free time reading those silly things when you should be helping out around the house. Come over here and help me get dinner ready. Your mother will be home soon.â
However, as soon as Leigh stepped into the kitchen, Frank Becker left for his study.
âYou do a better job of cooking than I do. Iâd just get in the way,â he muttered.
Leigh didnât mind having the kitchen to herself. Life was more peaceful when her stepfather wasnât around. He hadnât been the same since his company folded. The man who was once larger than life had shrunk physically and spiritually. He spent hours in his home office, staring idly at his computer. He had sent hundreds of letters out, but no one wanted to hire a fifty-year-old former businessman. Lately, heâd been drinking a lot more. Leigh sympathized, but didnât know how to comfort him.
The family wasnât struggling financially. Leighâs mother was a well-known attorney, and Leigh had just started to work for the local newspaper. They hadnât lived lavishly or spent foolishly, so the adjustments they had had to make were relatively minor. Still, it had been difficult for Frank to accept the fact his wife was now the breadwinner. For a short time, he had tried to help around the house, but now he left more and more of it to his stepdaughter.
As Leigh pulled vegetables from the refrigerator, a buzz sounded from her pocket. She pulled out her phone and checked. It was a message from her best friend, Andy Tanaka.
âFound something cool. Can you come?â Andy wasnât one for extra words.
âAfter supper,â she typed back.
âOK,â came the quick reply.
She smiled as she prepared the meal. At least she had something more interesting to look forward to this evening. She always enjoyed spending time with Andy and his family.
* * * *
Seated at his desk in his home office, Frank Becker turned on his computer. While waiting for it to boot up, he poured himself a stiff drink. He stared at the screen, his mind blank. What was the use of sending out his resume to more places? No one was going to hire him.
Nobody wanted him. Even his wife didn't want him. She found excuses to be out of town, even out of the country, whenever she could. No errand was too small or too out of the way for Kirsten Becker. Twenty years ago, her ambition was what had attracted him to her. She could do anythingâwin a case in court, come home and fix a gourmet meal, and then go out and party. It had been such a boost to his ego when she had agreed to marry him. Her cute little five year old had come with her. And now the daughter was looking more and more like her mother. Like her mother had looked. Except without the cutthroat tendencies. Leigh was a softer, gentler version of her mother.
Too bad he couldnât have waited to marry the daughter instead.
* * * *
Three hours later, Leigh knocked on the front door of the Tanaka home. The tidy two-story Victorian on the outskirts of town had been a second home to her for most of her life. Since her mother had always worked, Leigh had spent many afternoons and evenings here. Unlike the modern ranch homes in the Beckersâ neighborhood, this house had a cozy charm and echoed with the laughter of several generations of Tanakas. On all sides of the house, and in the fields surrounding it, fragrant blossoms grew. Tanaka Farms was one of the largest suppliers of cut flowers in northern
Â
âAre you reading those ridiculous comic books again? Honestly, youâre a college graduate. Arenât you a little old for those?â
âDad, theyâre called manga . Theyâre different. Theyâre illustrated Japanese stories.â Leigh Becker closed her book and stood. Even as the words left her mouth, she knew correcting her stepfather was useless.
âI donât care what theyâre called. Theyâre not exactly serious literature. You spend half your free time reading those silly things when you should be helping out around the house. Come over here and help me get dinner ready. Your mother will be home soon.â
However, as soon as Leigh stepped into the kitchen, Frank Becker left for his study.
âYou do a better job of cooking than I do. Iâd just get in the way,â he muttered.
Leigh didnât mind having the kitchen to herself. Life was more peaceful when her stepfather wasnât around. He hadnât been the same since his company folded. The man who was once larger than life had shrunk physically and spiritually. He spent hours in his home office, staring idly at his computer. He had sent hundreds of letters out, but no one wanted to hire a fifty-year-old former businessman. Lately, heâd been drinking a lot more. Leigh sympathized, but didnât know how to comfort him.
The family wasnât struggling financially. Leighâs mother was a well-known attorney, and Leigh had just started to work for the local newspaper. They hadnât lived lavishly or spent foolishly, so the adjustments they had had to make were relatively minor. Still, it had been difficult for Frank to accept the fact his wife was now the breadwinner. For a short time, he had tried to help around the house, but now he left more and more of it to his stepdaughter.
As Leigh pulled vegetables from the refrigerator, a buzz sounded from her pocket. She pulled out her phone and checked. It was a message from her best friend, Andy Tanaka.
âFound something cool. Can you come?â Andy wasnât one for extra words.
âAfter supper,â she typed back.
âOK,â came the quick reply.
She smiled as she prepared the meal. At least she had something more interesting to look forward to this evening. She always enjoyed spending time with Andy and his family.
* * * *
Seated at his desk in his home office, Frank Becker turned on his computer. While waiting for it to boot up, he poured himself a stiff drink. He stared at the screen, his mind blank. What was the use of sending out his resume to more places? No one was going to hire him.
Nobody wanted him. Even his wife didn't want him. She found excuses to be out of town, even out of the country, whenever she could. No errand was too small or too out of the way for Kirsten Becker. Twenty years ago, her ambition was what had attracted him to her. She could do anythingâwin a case in court, come home and fix a gourmet meal, and then go out and party. It had been such a boost to his ego when she had agreed to marry him. Her cute little five year old had come with her. And now the daughter was looking more and more like her mother. Like her mother had looked. Except without the cutthroat tendencies. Leigh was a softer, gentler version of her mother.
Too bad he couldnât have waited to marry the daughter instead.
* * * *
Three hours later, Leigh knocked on the front door of the Tanaka home. The tidy two-story Victorian on the outskirts of town had been a second home to her for most of her life. Since her mother had always worked, Leigh had spent many afternoons and evenings here. Unlike the modern ranch homes in the Beckersâ neighborhood, this house had a cozy charm and echoed with the laughter of several generations of Tanakas. On all sides of the house, and in the fields surrounding it, fragrant blossoms grew. Tanaka Farms was one of the largest suppliers of cut flowers in northern
Similar Books
