way to deal. He won't leave you."
The tears poured from her eyes. She didn't know how she made it back to the farmhouse. The taxi driver probably thought she was crazy.
Shaundra got into the shower and then changed into her nightgown. Lucky for her she didn't have the sitter to deal with now. She couldn't bear to see anyone just yet. All she wanted to do was sleep. The tears continued to fall. Poor Ich, she thought, just before dozing off to sleep.
"Wow, look at you," Satoshi said to Shaundra when she entered the kitchen dressed in a navy blue pinstriped suit, stockings and navy blue pumps. She'd done her hair up professionally in a French twist, and she'd accessorized with jewelry. "Where are you off to this morning?"
"Work," Shaundra said, putting her briefcase on the floor next to a chair. "I have an appointment with Harper and we need to finalize plans for his China promotion." She fixed herself some tea and joined him at the table.
"I hope he's not asking you to promote with a C-pop group."
Shaundra made a face. "I hope not either. I don't think he'd be foolish enough to try that again. I think Mr. Niigata has talked him into trying to open another office in Beijing."
"Ah, the first stop on our tour. It's so like our bosses to mix business with business." He sighed. "It must be nice being billionaires," Satoshi said, getting up and refilling his tea cup.
"I bet it is. They can jettison off to some private island to escape their problems. Hell, they can buy the island."
"How are you feeling?" Satoshi asked, sitting down again.
"Better, "Shaundra replied. "I'm getting my strength back, and I can stay up for longer periods of time."
"Have you gotten the results back from your tests?"
Shaundra nodded. "Stress," she replied. "I guess the flying, the hypnosis and the writing caught up with me."
He sipped his tea. "You need to learn to take it easy."
"No more clubbing or fist-fighting." She picked up her cup and sipped her tea. "Where is everyone?"
"Oh, you don't know, do you? Yori and Amaya have found a house and are signing papers as we speak."
No reaction.
"Takumijo went out to get his hair styled for the trip, Masaaki and Cristal are at the office putting the final touches on our travel plans, and Ichiro is out of town."
"Oh," Shaundra said. "That means it's just me and you."
Satoshi raised both his eyebrows up and down quickly.
"You can take advantage of me all you want."
Shaundra chuckled weakly.
He noticed the spooked look in her eyes, which meant she was worried about something. "Are you okay?"
Shaundra nodded. "Yes."
"Would you like me to fix you something to eat?"
"No thank you," she said. "I don't have much of an appetite."
"Are you taking a new medicine or something?"
"No, just the same stuff I've been taking for years. Why?"
she asked.
"Just asking."
"I'm fine," she told him. "Just a little acid reflux. I have to stay away from greasy and highly seasoned foods."
"Why do I have the feeling that you're not telling me the whole truth?"
Shaundra lowered her teacup. "Because you're curious and suspicious by nature."
Satoshi chuckled. "You're not your usual bubbly self and don't think I haven't noticed that you and Ichiro have been avoiding each other like the plague."
"Don't be silly."
"You didn't even know he had gone out of town again, and he hasn't slept at home in a week."
"All couples go through things," she explained. "We'll work it out."
"He's neglecting you," Satoshi said. "That's unforgivable."
"He's not neglecting me," she said in her husband's defense. "I can take care of myself, regardless of what everyone thinks. I have hypertension and I have had it for years. And I'll be fifty-one in a couple of months. It's just nature catching up with me. Ich, on the other hand, is twenty-five and suddenly saddled with a sick wife. He has to deal with it in his own way."
"He married you knowing you had this illness." He paused.
"You don't think he has a girlfriend, do you?"
This made Shaundra laugh. She seemed back to her old self for a moment. "No, I don't think so. But if he does I hope he's man enough to tell me about it. I don't mind stepping aside for another woman, but I can't abide being cheated on."
"That's very noble of you. Not many women would be so understanding."
Shaundra shrugged. "I don't want a man who doesn't want me. I'm not a fool. He is in love with me now,