The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin Page 0,25
into a scowl. ‘And then he met Yumi.’
‘You don’t like her.’
‘She’s bad news,’ she said, sounding very American, but to Fiona’s disappointment didn’t elaborate further, perhaps because her phone suddenly sprang into life with a strident ring. She seized it and began to speak at speed. Fiona listened, amused by the unfamiliar language, Haruka’s intent expression and the very different inflexions. Her hostess sounded like an angry warlord barking instructions to a subordinate.
When she put down the phone, the beam was back in place. The general had laid out her battle plans. ‘Mayu will take you this morning but then we will go to Ueno Park. It is only a short walk and a good time for Hanami.’
‘Cherry-blossom viewing season,’ said Fiona, remembering the term from one of the guide books.
Haruka nodded with her wise-owl expression, clearly pleased. ‘This afternoon Setsuko and I will take you to visit sakura.’
‘The cherry blossom,’ said Fiona feeling like an A-star pupil when Haruka gave another slight bob of her head.
‘But first Mayu will take you. She is not at class today. She will take you into Tokyo.’
‘Oh, she doesn’t need to do that,’ said Fiona. ‘I’ll be fine on my own. And you don’t have to take me anywhere.’
‘It is all agreed. Mayu will take you and then you both join us.’ Just one look at Haruka’s implacable and slightly triumphant expression told Fiona that she’d have more chance taking on the famed might of the Japanese Imperial Army than the kind but steely woman. ‘We will have a picnic.’
‘That’s very kind of you.’ Fiona wondered if poor Mayu had had much say about it. Taking an older tourist around the city probably wasn’t high on the teenager’s agenda.
***
A scant ten minutes later, dressed in an eye-watering neon-blue wig, knee-high white socks, a short pleated skirt, platform sneakers and a bright yellow puffer jacket, Mayu appeared at the door to the kitchen, her face full of mischief and excitement.
‘Fiona san. We’re going to Tokyo. Come. Come. Are you ready?’ She shot her grandmother a quick glance, assuming an innocent air. ‘This morning we will do fun, exciting things.’
Haruka folded her arms and studied her granddaughter with an implacable expression but made no comment about either the clothes or the provocative line.
‘I’ll grab a coat,’ said Fiona, wondering what on earth she was letting herself in for.
No one batted an eyelid at Mayu’s outlandish outfit on the train journey into the city centre. Like most of the other passengers on the train, as soon as she sat down she pulled out her phone and was soon absorbed in the screen. Following Mayu’s lead, Fiona scrolled through her WhatsApp group with Avril, Sophie, Kate, Eva and David, the dear friends she’d made on that life-changing trip to Copenhagen.
Who’d have thought she’d end up being friends with someone like Avril? Fiona rubbed at a patch on her jeans above her knee, already slightly worn. Kind, scary, bossy Avril had promised – some people might say threatened – to promote Fiona’s photo exhibition and Fiona knew she would. Avril was nothing if not totally loyal and also rather blunt. She spent the journey mulling over possible ideas for the exhibition. If Avril hadn’t made such a big deal of it and she could have got away with being a bit anonymous, she wouldn’t have to worry quite so much. But Avril had outed her on the group and now they were all rooting for her; they’d all promised, apart from Sophie who lived in the States, that they would be there for the official opening in a few weeks’ time.
When the train drew in to their final destination, as if they were best friends for ever – a term that Fiona felt Mayu was very familiar with – the teenager linked her arm through Fiona’s and led her out through the busy station into the life force of Tokyo – bright, vibrant and throbbing with life, colour and neon. Above them lights flashed, the traffic crept along and the smell of soy and noodles from a nearby kiosk teased her senses. Fiona liked the immediate sense that she knew exactly which country she was in. Already in a few days it had become unmistakable.
‘Where are we going?’ asked Fiona, half running to keep up with Mayu’s frantic pace. She was the polar opposite to her serene, quiet mother. Living life at four hundred miles an hour. A Shinkansen train next to a steam locomotive.