Chapter Thirteen: I Love My Hometown:

-Present Day-

I lifted my head when I heard the bus pull up. There stood Yu with his bag on his shoulder. I rushed over to him with big eyes. He gave me a small wave.

“Yo!” he said. I hugged him wildly by the waist.

“Mmm, I missed you,” I whispered. He slowly patted me on the head.

“Geez, I didn’t expect you to miss me that much,” Yu told me. I looked up at him with big eyes.

“Mommy,” we heard behind us. We looked up to see a little girl with bright blue pigtails running towards. She hugged me by my skirt. Yu looked confused.

“And who is this?” he asked. I patted the little girl on the head.

“Yu,” I said. “This is my daughter, Akane.” I looked down at the little girl. “Say hi, dear,” I told her. She looked down at her feet.

“Hi, sir,” she mumbled. Yu blinked at me at first.

“This is your daughter?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Then, who…?” he began to ask.

“You,” I said. Yu looked at me with huge eyes.

“Me?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, nodding. He still looked confused.

“When?” he asked.

“Six years ago,” I said. “The last time you were here.”

“You mean the night we…?” Yu asked.

“Yes,” I said. Yu looked down at Akane and patted her on the head. She looked up at him with those big eyes of hers. Moments later, we all walked to the park. Yu and I watched little Akane play on the playground with the other kids.

“She’s really smart,” I said. “Smartest girl in her class.”

“I see,” he said. Yu held my hand.

“What is it?” I asked, looking up. He looked away rather nervous.

“I am so sorry abandoned you like that,” he said. “I have not been so good to you.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “You’re here now.”

“Yes,” he replied. “Listen, I don’t have much time anymore.” I tilted my head at him.

“What do you mean?” I asked. Yu took in a deep breath.

“I have come down with a disease,” he said in a soft voice. “The doctors don’t know what to call and I don’t know how long I have to live.” He looked me straight in the eye. “Please, let me spend the rest of my time here in this town with you and Akane,” Yu said. I gently held his hand.

“Will you marry me?” I asked. He gave me a little nod.

“Yes,” he said. I kissed him on the cheek. We had our wedding at the house three weeks later. To my surprise, Monkey came back.

“Monkey!” I exclaimed. “You’re here.”

“Of course,” he said. “You think I would miss my little sister getting married?”

“I thought you were in the army,” I said.

“I was,” Monkey answered. “They discharged me yesterday.” Yu and I happened to look to his right. An Asian woman dressed in purple stood beside him with red cheeks.

“Who is this?” I asked. Monkey pulled the lady in closer to him by the waist.

“This is my fiancée,” he answered.

“Wow,” I said. Monkey wasn’t the only one to come back, though. Josie came to Yu and my wedding with a big man and a little baby in her arms.

“Josie!” I gasped. “I haven’t seen you in years!”

“I was in town and I figured that I would visit the old house,” she replied. She leaned in close to the big man beside her. “This is my husband, Buck,” Josie said.  “And this is our son, Buck Jr.” I gently placed with the baby’s little cheeks.

“Hi, Baby Buck,” I whispered. “Hi, Baby Buck.”

“Say hi,” Josie whispered to her baby. The rest of wedding went on nicely. Afterwards, Yu spent the rest of his days in bed. I visited him every day, telling him stories about the house and how it used to be. He smiled at me one day.

“What is it?” I asked. Yu shook his head.

“I just wish I could’ve been here with you,” he said in a soft voice.

“But you were,” I said. “You were with me in the garden, you were with me when I went fishing with Daddy and Hong. You were with me when I visited Bunny and her family. You were with me around our hometown.” Yu gently held my hand.

“I love you, Sappoto,” he said. I gave him a little smile.

“I love you too, Yu,” I said back. Days later after we talked, he died in his bed. I had him buried next to Daddy under the tree next to my bedroom window. The next day, I had his grandmother’s house torn down.

Nowadays, I spend more time with Akane. I see Yu’s face in her every day. I even have been teaching her how to fish over the summer. Monkey and his wife are still in town. They have a daughter too now. Bunny and her family are still around. Dotty, Andy, and Paul still live in the house. I see Mr. Sam around town from time to time. Rose still drives buses to school. She still looks the same as she did when I first went to school. In fact, she’s going to be Akane’s bus driver starting today.

“Have a good day, sweetie!” I told Akane before she got on the bus.

“Bye, Mommy!” she said, waving. As the bus pulled away, I leaned against the red fence, smiling at the sky. I will always love my hometown. I will always love Daddy, Mr. Bill, Thomas, Dotty, Tim, Josie, Monkey, Bunny, Little Johnny, Paul, Mr. Sam, Mr. Charlie, Rose, Chuck, Mama J, Buck, Buck Jr., Andy, Hong, Akane and most of all Yu.

I Will Forever Love This Hometown