Session Ten:
Chance came through the door, uncertainty racing through his body. He wanted to just tell Mequi how he felt, but he knew now was not the right moment. It did not help that the enraged look on Mequi’s face was obviously pointed in Chance’s direction.
“You could have told me that you were kicked out of your apartment!” Mequi hissed, stalking forward and pressing his hand on the door behind Chance, slamming it shut. “You’re living out on the streets!”
“Where’d you here that from?” Chance snickered, trying to laugh the issue off, but he knew better. Mequi was just as persistent as Chance was himself. “It’s not a big deal. Besides, I just moved in with a friend. I’m fine…God, you worry a lot for just being my therapist.”
Chance knew better. He did not want to sound selfish, but he knew that Mequi loved him. It was more plain that Mequi loved him than the obvious fact that the sky was blue.
“Don’t shove it aside as nothing.” Mequi complained, his face contorting in a worried, but also enraged, look as Chance moved past him and took a seat. “I worry about you because I care, Chance.”
Chance flopped down on the couch, trying to act nonchalant and uncaring. “Hey, do you want me to continue with where I left off last week.”
Mequi stood there before the young man, stiff as a board, as he stared at the sight of Chance in tight cotton pants, a furry coat that went down to mid-thigh, and tall fuzzy boots. The therapist was not surprised with the attire, since there had been sudden spring rain only the day before and it was still wet and cold.
“Chance,” Mequi started, intending to tell the young man how he truly felt about Chance’s “secret” love interest, but then he quickly changed his mind, understanding that his proclamation could alter their relationship as client and doctor for the worse. Taking his seat, he let out a tired sigh. “All right, please, continue.”
“Thank you.” Chance whispered, subconsciously glad that his therapist had permitted him to move away from the dangerous topic of him living without a home, but also sad because he knew Mequi had come closer to admitting his love, only to chicken out at the last moment. “Well, I left off with John denying you a chance to meet Tohru…after that, you focused on your studies, but used Akira as a means of connecting to Tohru…”
~~*~~
“So, Akira…” Mequi asked as he sat on the table top, swinging his legs over the edge and chewing on a piece of bubblegum that his uncle had given him. Such “simplicities” had never been apart of Mequi’s life before, but he thoroughly enjoyed it. “I’ve been wondering…could you bring me photos of Tohru? I could give you photos if he wants them.”
“That’d be a fair trade.” Akira laughed as he pulled out two sodas for them. “He’s been antsy to see what you look like. I keep telling him to look at his pictures from when he was a boy, but he won’t listen. Says, he wants to see the real deal…”
“I wish I could visit him.” Mequi murmured, staring down at the ground as rain began to fall. It was nearing the end of winter and soon there would be spring break and then summer. “I want to see him…with my own two eyes.”
“He does too, trust me.” Akira hopped up beside his nephew and handed the boy a can. “He talks about you non-stop and is always asking about you and how you’re doing. No one else in the world matters as much to him as you…and he’s never met you.”
“That’s kind of…sweet.” Mequi whispered, leaning into his uncle as he opened the soda. “You’ll be my friend forever, right, Akira?”
“Forever.” Akira smiled as he held up his pinky. “Pinky-promise.”
“Does that really work?”
“It helps.” Akira chuckled before kissing the top of Mequi’s head. “Pinky-promise?”
“Pinky-promise.” Mequi laughed as they hooked pinkies and shook them like a hand-shake. “You’re weird, Akira…I love you.”
Akira put his arm around his nephew. “I love you too, Ruri. You’re like a little brother for me. I can’t wait until we can spend more time together. You’re my favorite person.”
“Your…favorite?” Mequi whispered as he looked up into Akira’s eyes. “I’m glad I’m your favorite, Akira. You’re…one of my favorites too.”
“One of?” Akira threw his head back and laughed at Mequi’s words. “I’m guessing, Tohru is up there, huh?”
“And Vienza and Sam…” Mequi murmured, snuggling closer to his uncle. “It’s hard to pick…I don’t think I can…I love them all…I love you…”
Akira rested his head atop Mequi’s and smiled warmly. “I’ll always love you…even if we die. I’ll love you, Ruri…and I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you…if possible…”
“Thank you.” Mequi yawned exhaustedly before closing his eyes and allowing Akira’s heartbeat to soothe him.
Of all the people in the world, Akira made him happy. Vienza had made him happy. Sam had made him happy. He expected that Tohru would make him happy too. Still, Akira was special. Akira was beside him and would always be beside him…no, Mequi decided that was not possible. He should not allow his hopes to get up. People always left…they died or walked through doors and then they never came back.
“You make me happy…” Mequi whispered, tears filling his eyes. “You make me so happy, Akira.”
~~*~~
The phone abruptly rang, causing Mequi and Chance to jump in unison.
“Excuse me.” Mequi murmured as he picked up the phone. “Hello? This is Mequi Tobbinson. I’m currently in a session so please call in two and a half hours. Thank you.”
Mequi listened for a moment to make sure the other person understood and then hung up.
“Sorry.” Mequi muttered, moving to get water for Chance. “It was a client cancelling for next week. Um…would you like some strawberries?”
“Are they from that one week you offered?” Chance joked, making the therapist laugh.
“No, no!” Mequi chuckled, pulling a basket of strawberries out of a miniature fridge. “These were freshly picked only today! Here, you have to try them.”
“I’d love to.” Chance took one from the basket that Mequi offered and then the therapist put the basket on the coffee table between them. After a small bite, Chance’s eyes grew wide with contentment. “Hey! These are pretty good! Better than the store-bought kind!”
Mequi laughed. “Well, that’s usually the case.”
“Thank you.” Chance smiled at Mequi, causing the man’s heart to jump at the beautiful expression.
“Anyway,” Mequi cleared his throat. “Where were you?”
“Um…” Chance licked his lips and then thought for a moment. “Hmm…oh, right, I left off with you wanting to visit your father. Time was great with Akira beside you, but you knew the dreaded day was coming up fast. After all, he was only an exchange student. On the last day of school, you said good-bye to Akira…”
~~*~~
“Hey, hey…” Akira soothed Mequi when he saw the tears in the boy’s eyes. Stroking Mequi’s shoulders and back, he knelt down to the boy’s level. “It’s okay. This isn’t good-bye forever…I’ll come back as soon as I can and I’ll visit you. There’s always next summer and the summer after that…and after I graduate from college I can come here for a longer amount of time…before I get a real job and all, you know…”
“Akira…” Mequi whimpered, rubbing at his eyes in an attempt to get rid of the tears. “Please, hold me…”
Akira smiled sadly as he pulled Mequi into his arms. “I love you, Ruri. I’ll come back for you…”
“Mequi!” John shouted as he started towards the two. “Hey, who’s that?”
“Bye…” Akira whispered into Mequi’s ear and then started away. “I’ll try to reach you one day! Be ready!”
“Sayonara!” Mequi shouted after his uncle and then watched the teenager’s back as he disappeared from his life.
~~*~~
“I wanted to say hello again after that…” Mequi choked from where he sat, drawing Chance’s attention. “I didn’t want to say “good-bye” and never say “hello” again…he lied to me…he said…that it wasn’t good-bye forever, but it was…”
“He didn’t know that plane was going to malfunction…” Chance placed a hand upon Mequi’s knee. “No one knew that he was going to die.”
“Yes, but…” Mequi’s body was trembling as he tried to be strong and not cry, but he melted into himself instantly. “I can’t believe he died! Why does everyone die? Why does everyone leave? Why does everyone leave me?”
Chance frowned. “I won’t leave you, Mequi.”
“You have your own life to live…” Mequi whispered. “It’s a pity you lived mine too…”
Chance let out an uncertain sigh. “Mequi, I never regretted meeting you…I never will.”
“Please,” Mequi’s voice was wet with sorrow. “Just…continue…”
Chance could hear the emptiness and loneliness in Mequi’s voice and he instantly wished he had never said anything about his “love.” Nevertheless, what was said was done and he could not take anything back.
“After you found out about Akira’s plane crash…you lost yourself to school and graduated half a year earlier than you should have…you were twelve…”
~~*~~
“What are we going to do with that boy?” Marcy asked John as the two of them conversed in the kitchen, her voice enraged. Mequi snuck to the door and peeked in. “He’s too far ahead to go to college!”
“The college will accept him.” John lit a cigarette and stuck it in his mouth, drew a long puff, and then let it out. “He just as to go at normal pace instead of working ahead. He’ll start classes in the fall.”
“He certainly must not know what he wants to be when he grows up!” Marcy yelped, her eyes frantic.
“Either a physician or a therapist.” John shrugged. He had grown used to Marcy’s ranting about how incapable Mequi was and now he knew how to answer her. “Either works…he can take the first part of it and then choose. That way, he’s started down the right path…still, he can still change majors and go for something else as well…I mean, he’s still only twelve. That’s plenty of time to make a choice…but it’s still eight years of med school. I feel kind of bad for anyone going through that.”
“Don’t let him!” Marcy insisted, her voice frantic. “He has no responsibility and no morals! He’s a complete brat! If we let him out into the real world, he’ll crumple or think he’s better than the rest of the world!”
“Marcy…” John growled. “He’s going to be staying with his biological father.”
“What?” Marcy gasped and Mequi’s heart leapt into his throat.
“I talked to the man yesterday.” John muttered as he took a gulp from a bottle of beer. He had become an alcoholic and an addiction-freak. His life was falling into shambles. “He seems decent enough to handle Mequi during his college years. Of course, all the breaks he’ll be back here with us, but Mequi can’t live here and go to college nine hundred miles away…and they won’t let him stay in the dorms. He’d be traumatized by that experience alone.”
“Are you sure this choice is wise?” Marcy asked, mock worry in her voice. “I mean, who knows, Tohru could turn out to be abusive and…”
“Yeah, I know.” John muttered. “But Mequi is a crier. He’ll let us know if anything is going on. Besides, didn’t you see how upset he was to learn that Akira had died…Mequi’s faced so much…he lost Tammy to drugs…”
Tammy had died because of drugs? This was the first that Mequi had heard of it and tears were already forming in his eyes.
“And then Barbara died in the car accident…” John set his cigarette down in the ashtray. “And then Vienza walked out of the door…and Akira died…and there was Sam for that short time, but God-knows whatever happened to him…God…I’m starting to feel sorry for the kid. He needs to see Tohru and decide for himself…”
“But then he’ll lose Tohru.” Marcy pointed out. “He’ll lose him too.”
John frowned as if that thought had just hit him and Mequi wanted to slam his fist into Marcy’s face.
“You’ve got a point,” John wrinkled his nose. “But I’m a man-of-my-word and I already made an agreement with Tohru that Mequi can stay there during college. It’s a deal and I’m sticking to it…so quit complaining, woman!”
For once in his life, Mequi loved John, but it was only for a what little bit of time he had left to know John.
~~*~~
“I’m going to have to stop here today.” Chance informed Mequi. “I have to go and talk to someone about living quarters.”
“I see.”
“I’m really sorry…” Chance apologized. “First I ask for more time and then I turn around and leave early.”
“It’s fine.” Mequi smiled as cheerfully as he could. “Just find a place to stay.”
“Thanks.”
Inwardly, Mequi wanted to cry…he hated his life more now than he ever had before…