Classmate

Chapter 12

I was returning one morning, from taking a run to train for the upcoming track meet in the next month. I was looking forward to a hot shower, before going to the school’s library to study on this lazy Sunday.

I was unlocking my door when Yumi raced up to me. She seemed to be in a panic, as she was very animated.
“Hal, have you seen Remi?” she asked, her words came out faster than a auctioneer in too much coffee. “ Tell me if you have.”
“ No... not today... why?” I asked.

Yumi calmed herself a little with deep breaths before she answered me.
“ She got a phone call late last night, and she seemed pretty disturbed, went to her room for awhile. She came out and then told me that she was going to take a walk in the yard.” She blurted out. “ She then grabbed a cab, and has not came back.”
“ How do you know that she got in to a cab?” I asked.
“ Someone saw her flag it down in front of the house, then she just jumped in and took off.”

This was serious, I could tell right away. The usually emotionally in control Remi, I knew, would never run off like this without telling someone or me. I just had a sort of a bad feeling that something was not right with her.
“ You got a key to get into her room, right?” I asked, after I mulled everything over.
“ Sure, she gave me one, that is why I know she was not back yet.... why.” She asked
“ Let’s go in to her room and look around... maybe she left a clue to where she went.”

The girl nodded, and we both raced upstairs to see just what we could find out. My mind was filled with what ifs.

Her room was in utter shambles, like if someone had just threw everything around in a fit of anger. We both just were aghast at the state of the room, because she was a very organized person normally. This did tell a tale, one that was not good.
“ See! She would never leave here room in such a state.” Yumi gasped. “ You know that.”
“ Lets just keep our heads about us here, lets just look for clues.” I said, trying to calm Yumi.

The two of us looked around for a while, checking desk drawers and her closet and everywhere else we thought to look. After a frantic half hour, we came up with absolutely nothing. Yumi raced out for a moment, to ask Mr. Tanaka if he knew anything, not knowing what else to do.

I came across a slip of paper stuck in the front cover of her date book I found on the desk. I read the hand written note, and knew what it was. It was a slip number for a marina spot, where someone would park a boat. I just had a hunch that this was it, not knowing for sure that I was right. I raced back to my room, changed into less stinky clothes than my workout togs, then hurried downstairs. I had a idea just what to do, and I could not wait for Yumi to return.

I hailed a cab surprisingly easily just in front of the school. I hopped in and the cab sped off to the marina. All I could think that Remi was in some kind of trouble, and this might be the only clue to it all.

We reached the marina in a very short amount of time, lucky to be in a very small amount of traffic along the way. I payed the cab and then hurried in to the gated floating community, which was completely foreign to me.

Opulent boats and yachts were everywhere, as I strolled in to the marina. I found the pier that would hold this particular slip. I just steadied my nerves, and walked down the wood pathway to search out the yacht I was looking for.

I neared the number and saw on the yacht, I could make out the figure of Remi standing on the deck of this monstrous craft. I sighed in relief of finding her, then noticed that she was in a screaming match with a older gentleman in a very snazzy suit that pointed at her with a cell phone. They were in a shouting match to end all shouting matches.

I raced up the gangplank and on deck as fast as I could, as the arguing seemed to build and grow with each passing second, wondering who would be yelling at her like this man was... and why.

The two were screaming loudly, each discombobulating the others words so it was inaudible what was said. I just stepped in front of both of them, knowing that they would not hear me even yell at that moment.
“ Remi!!” I said loudly as I could, trying to halt this crap.

Remi just looked at me, her eyes were filled with tears and her body shaking with emotions. She finally recognized it was me after a second, then wrapped her arms around me and began to sob uncontrollably.
“ What is the meaning of this!” Yelled the man, irked that I was there. He took a step towards Remi and I. “ Who in the hell are you??”
“ My father is threatening to divorce my mother.” Remi wept, holding on to me tight. “ he... he won’t listen to any reasoning... All night I have been trying to get through his thick head.”

The man took a step towards me and Remi, his eyes showed the extent of his anger. I did not even flinch. The man stood, feet spread out.
“ This does not involve you, boy!!” He snapped. “ Get out of here right now!!” He ordered.
“ Don’t yell at Hal...” Cried Remi, as she screamed back at the man with the furor of a lion. “ How dare you, Father!!”
“ Get out of here young man, or I will call the police.” He said, ignoring his daughters pleas. “ They will drag your carcass off of our property if you won’t leave on your own.”

With Remi so upset, I just looked at the man. His words made me seethe with anger, as he continued to yell at me, and Remi. This was gong on for long enough, I finally said to myself.
“ That’s enough now!” I said to the man with a growl, my own words seemed to boom. “ Shut the fuck up!!!”

The man went stone quiet, shocked, I guess, at my audacity towards him. He lowered the cell phone he was pointing with, and just stared at me with a very dumbfounded look on his face. I just stared right at him, defiantly staying right where I was.

Remi looked at me with her tear streaked face, her sobs slowing a little as her anger crept back out of her. She calmed a little, as my eyes held her.
“ Just because mother wants to invest some of her money into a venture she wants to explore, my father here seems to think that he has the right to tell her what she can and cannot do.” She explained, her sobs giving way to a biting tone of voice that came with anger so raw and emotion filled. “ He seems to think that we live in the dark ages, where women are servants of the husband all over again.”
“ That is our family’s money, Remi... and I have the final say.” He sneered, almost like he just wanted her to stop her words. “ Your mother is being pig headed, and will not listen to me. I am the man of this family.”
“ She does not have to listen to you, get into the modern world, father.” She said sarcastically
“ Your mother has taught you to talk back to your father?” He said, snapping at Remi, face crimson with infuriation.. “ You will stop this at once, I AM YOUR FATHER!!” He paused to glare at me once more. “ my decision to divorce your mother or not your problem, you are just to let me deal with that.”

The man grabbed Remi’s arm and shook her from my grasp. She pulled away as quickly as her father had grabbed her and flung herself into my protective grasp again. I had enough at that point of time.
“ Your as pig headed as your daughter said you are.” I said, my voice a loud monotone towards the man. “ Your being the biggest pompous ass right this second.”
“ Boy, you just shut up and leave our boat! This is none of your concern!” He said, getting mad again. “ Not for you, or for my children.”
“ Your decision to divorce affects her, no matter how much you want to think it is not her problem.” I said, cutting in on his tirade. “ She just wants her parents to work out there problem and give her two loving parents, no matter how stupid the problems is. “ I just glared at the man, as I saw two other girls cowering in a doorway to the cabin below, obviously petrified at what was transpiring. “ That goes for your other daughters too! “They all need you to do just that.”
“ Huh...” He stammered, as if to try and defend his position, but no words came out of his mouth. He looked at his other daughters cowering in fear, as a portrait of understanding began to cross his face.
“ I think that if this is your decision, along with your wife, that you should first see that you have three daughters that need you to show the love that you both have, and talk to them too.” I paused. “ They deserve no less than that!!”

The deck became very silent. The man just slumped on to a bench near the gunnel of the yacht, the wind in his anger blown out. The two younger girls ventured out on to the deck hesitantly, as the man put the phone to his ear. He spoke to whom ever for a second, then turned it off.

Mr. Yosachi’s expression was now one of humbleness and regret.
“ Young man...” He said, looking at me through eyes that showed deep remorse. His body posture was one of humility, as he looked directly at me. He spoke after many minutes of stone silence. “ Would you leave my family and I alone? I think we really need to talk about this.”
“ No more yelling and all of this other garbage?” I asked, as Remi let go of me, to look at her changed father.
“ No...” He said back. “ Thanks to you, I think we can resolve this fracas as a family.” He snuffed in humbleness. “ Like it should have been done all along, rather than my overly stupid actions.”

Remi looked at me, her face now sporting a smile that beamed brighter than the sun. She kissed me on the lips and gave a thanking look. I just hugged her as she did.
“ Go, Hal...” She said, in a assuring tone, holding my hand as she looked in to my face. “ We will be fine now.”
“ You sure?” I asked, feeling that things were no calm enough.
“ Yeah! I am absolutely sure about it” She said, giving a giggle as she looked at her dad. “ We will be now.”

The other girls raced up to me and hugged me, while Remi give me a last kiss on the cheek. I just smiled, and hugged back all the girls as they did so. I turned when the three finished there hugging of me.

Mr. Yosachi stopped me and stuck out his hand. I shook it and smiled.
“ Go... I’ll have Remi back later maybe.” He said. The man smiled and looked at me squarely in the face. “ I would also like to say, thank you.”

I just looked at the four, and give a smile. I headed to go off of the yacht, happy to help. They all were waving at me as I returned to the dock.

As I descended the gangplank, I could hear the family behind me moving in to the yacht itself, all were talking in hushed tones. No yelling or anything was heard, only a family lovingly talking amongst one another.

I just went back to the marina entrance, hoping I could grab a cab back to the boarding house. I just prayed that this family could get back on th right path again, and it did seemed like they were on that road now.

With a smile, I hurried, seeing a cab sitting just outside the marina gates.