Passion Fruit - By Imari Jade Page 0,2

you. How is Satoshi?"

"As messed up if not more than Ichiro. You've really done a number on those guys."

The dietician came back into the room, looked over at Harper and then at her, and then smiled. He blushed and then left the room with her tray of dirty dishes.

Shaundra shook her head and Harper chuckled. "I see its still happening."

Shaundra nodded. "What about the others?"

"Yori and Amaya have moved out of the farmhouse into their own home."

"Good. I'm glad that their lives have gone on." She paused. "How did the tour turn out?"

"Much better than we expected. Kenshin stepped in for Ichiro after Ichiro returned back to Japan, and Mr. Niigata and I are about to open another company in China."

"Good. I'm glad that everything has turned out well for everyone."

"For some of us. When are you going to see your husband?"

Shaundra shrugged. "I guess I'll have to do it before the divorce."

Harper looked at her oddly. "You're still plan to go through with that?"

Shaundra nodded. "More so now. He needs a young wife.

It was wrong from the beginning. He'll get over me."

"And what about you?" Harper asked. "What are you plans?"

"I need somewhere to stay temporarily since I can't fly just yet and will be on bed rest for a couple of months, but then I plan to go back home to the United States."

"Where do you want to go? I have a couple of places here in Tokyo as well as Osaka."

"Not Osaka. I think I need to stay in Tokyo for a while to be close to my doctor, but afterward I going back to New York."

Harper took out his cell phone and dialed a number. "This is Harper Kehoe. I need you to do something for me," he said to whoever he spoke to on the other line. "I'm going to need..." He read off a long list. "And I need it ASAP." He hung up a few minutes later. "Everything will be ready, including clothes."

"But you don't know my size," Shaundra protested.

Harper smiled. "Give me credit will you. Haven't I dressed you before?"

Shaundra smirked remembering. "No thongs. I don't think I can squeeze my butt into them."

He smiled at her wickedly. "I bet you could. That behind is just a little a little bigger but still stellar."

"Only you would think that."

"I speak the truth. And you're going to love this condo. It has a sunken tub and a private beach and all the quiet you need to recuperate."

"I'm going to be glad to get out of this hospital but the bed rest is going to suck. I feel the need to write."

"You'll have a laptop, paper, and plenty of pens at your disposal."

"And I'm on a salt-free diet."

Harper laughed. "You've always been on a salt-free diet but you always manage to forget that."

"Not this time," she assured him. "I'll be good. I don't have any other choice. I've escaped death three times now, and I'm not going to test my luck."

Harper grew serious. "Do you remember anything about the earthquake?"

"No," Shaundra replied. "Not much."

"How did you manage to escape?"

"A nurse told me that an anesthesiologist carried me out of the hospital. I need to find out who he is so I can thank him.

He's working in a hospital in Osaka."

"I'll find him," Harper replied. "But I think I need to tell you that Ichiro filed a missing person report on you a couple of months ago. That's how he knew that you were in Miyagi."

Shaundra grimaced. "Does he know why I was there?" She already knew an African American woman walking around Japan would draw some attention.

Harper shook his head. "I don't think so. But you know it won't be long before he finds you."

"I know," Shaundra said with a sigh. "I just need a little more time to prepare. I'm in no position right now to fight with him if he won't sign the divorce papers."

"I hope you reconsider."

Shaundra sighed again. "I'll think about it. I just don't want to be a burden to anyone."

"Do you want me to call your kids?"

She bet her four kids and her mother were worried to death about her. "I'll do it once I'm out of here. I don't want them flying all the way to Japan."

Harper rose and walked over to the bed and kissed her.

"When are you going to stop worrying about others? They are your family."

Shaundra clung to him. If she hadn't been so rash, he might be her husband now. "I'm so tired of