He grinned at me.
“Oh yes, I forgot why you were here. My name’s Mike Sullivan, I’m in charge here, for my sins. Keep in touch, the hospital will keep the boys at Whittington informed as to your progress, but I’d appreciate a call now and then, just to let me know how you’re doing. Remember, there’s no rush to get back to work, get well first, get some beef on your bones, you’re as thin as a rake, and come back when you’re ready!”
He grinned at Sai Fong.
“And Harry’s waiting in Main Building, he knows you’re here, why don’t you go join him for a coffee?”
As we shook hands and walked back to the car, Sai Fong grinned at me.
“You really don’t know who that was, do you?” she smiled, and I grinned back.
“I assume he’s my boss, seems like a nice enough man, I’ll do what he asked and keep him informed.”
Sai Fong looked me directly in the eyes.
“Jack, that was General Sir Michael Sullivan, KG, DSO, KFC, OMG, and probably WTF, Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, Supreme Commander of the UK Land-based military, and Big Shot-in-chief of the entire damned Ministry of Defence! I’m not sure, but I think he outranks God!”
I was still wondering how I knew such an exalted person when Sai Fong ushered us into the car and drove us over to the main building, where Harry was waiting.
While the girls went off to powder their noses, Harry and I sat drinking some really excellent coffee; I’d discovered I loved coffee, so Harry had set up a couple of good ones, and we chatted until I finally got up the nerve to broach the subject of him and Sai Fong.
“Harry, I… overheard the girls talking this morning, and I happened to hear that you and Sai, and Teruko and me, we’re… all of us are… are…” I floundered, not knowing how to go on. Harry rescued me.
“Jack, Sai and I are in love, she’s always known, it took me a while longer, but I have no regrets; she’s a beautiful, talented, loving and very sexy girl, I don’t think I could do any better. I don’t know how you’re feeling about Teruko right now, but everything I just said about Sai applies equally to Teruko. When you were lying there, inert, barely ticking over, more dead than alive, she was there, helping the physiotherapist exercise you, talking to you, sleeping next to you every single night in that God-awful chair, praying for you, making promises, storming the ramparts, hoping. You’ll never know just how much she pined for you, it broke Sai’s heart to see that poor girl slowly lose hope, but she never let you go. She loves you, boy, more than you can possibly understand, and yes, she may be your half-sister, but you forgot that once, she was just the girl you loved; let the ‘sister’ bit go again, it doesn’t mean anything to her, it shouldn’t mean anything to you either. You need her now, but more than ever, she needs you. It’s time to get your head out of your arse and step up, Jackie-boy!”
I was taken aback at the vehemence in his voice, his expression, and something inside me heard and agreed with everything he’d said; she may have been my half-sister (and I still wasn’t sure that how that had come about!), but I had no memory of that aspect of our life; the Teruko I knew was an achingly beautiful girl who seemed to be, and actually was, totally devoted to me. Harry was right; it was time to let go of an imagined, shadowy past and grasp the future she offered.
Harry grinned as he saw acceptance dawn in my eyes, and he clapped my on the back.
“There you go, Jack, that wasn’t so difficult! Here are the girls now, so I’m going to take Sai Fong and show her some of the wonderful architecture in this decrepit mausoleum; I would suggest this might be a good time to mend some fences. See you later!”
With that, he leaped out of his seat and piloted Sai Fong away from the seating area, much to her annoyance. Teruko looked on in incomprehension, until I took her hand and guided her down next to me. She looked closely at me, obviously aware that something had happened, but unable to fathom what.
“What is matter, Jakku-san, not feel well? I take you home…!” she started, but I interrupted her, pulling her around so I could look into her huge, beautiful eyes.
“Teruko, I want to apologise for being so unfeeling today, this morning, and for everything. I hurt your feelings, and I was wrong to do that. I was wrong about us, about how I feel about you. I don’t care that you’re my sister, I only care about you, and I only want you, if you’ll have me. Harry reminded what we had before all… this, what you meant to me, and I can’t let that go. I loved you before this happened, and it grieves me that I don’t remember that. I don’t know whether I’ll ever remember our past, but we can make new memories; we had a past, now, perhaps, if you’ll let me, we could make a future. I know I love you, Teruko, all kinds of things keep telling me that, and I want to be with you. I once asked you to marry me; I’m asking you again. Teruko, will you marry me?”
She smiled happily at me, her eyes dancing.
“Yes, I will marry Jakku-san, be wife and make lot of babies!”