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Chapter Twenty Two - Tokyo, Japan - March 17

"Okay so hypogenically...if the world ended and you could only save Leigh, James, and one of us, which one would you save?"

We were walking through Tokyo International Airport. What spurred my question was the way everyone was walking like zombies. I was wired from an endless supply of Mountain Dew from the stewardess and seven hours of video game playing.

"Nick it's six o'clock in the morning and we've been on a plane for over twenty-three hours," Howie said. "Plus it's hypothetically, NOT hypogenically."

"Well for your information it's seven o'clock at night Japan time," I reasoned. "Plus this is a very serious question."

Howie sighed. "Why do I have to save any of you?"

"Because, I set it up so you have to save one of us."

Howie did a palm slap to his face.

"I'll go away if you answer," I said.

That seemed to do the trick. He looked over at me and hoisted up his carry-on bag.

"Kevin."

"Why?"

"Because you told me you'd go away!"

"No, why Kevin?"

"Because he's resourceful...and he's not annoying," Howie said. He sped up. I stopped.

"I'm annoying?"

Brian walked past me. "Yup."

Kevin was next. "Absolutely."

Sam followed after Kevin. "After this plane ride, there is no doubt in my mind. YES."

AJ walked by last. "Without a fucking doubt."

He snapped something on his wrist that I couldn't see, winced, and kept moving. A little old Japanese couple walked by me.

"Ko-knee-chi-wa," I said, bowing. They looked at me like I was a freak and hurried on their way. I ran and caught up to Brian.

"Hey does my breath smell bad?" I asked. I air hoffed in his direction. He made a face and waved his hand in the air.

"Dude, you stopped being funny like twelve hours ago. Even I'm tired. There's no amount of carmel corn in the world that's going to get me in a good mood right now. And yes, your breath reeks."

We walked out of the airport. The sun was setting. My body was confused; in my mind the sun should be rising.

"Alright Addy and I will ride in the van with Howie and Leigh. Sam why don't you ride in the mid-size with Brian and crew. AJ and Nick you take the small car," Kevin instructed.

"Wait," I said.

"Hey--" AJ argued.

Everyone worked fast. Luggage and babies were being buckled in left and right. I looked at the small car. The backseat didn't even look big enough for two people. I sighed.

AJ didn't say anything to me. He just walked over, heaved his luggage and slid into the backseat. I shuffled over, handed my luggage over and opened the door.

Like I had guessed, it was a tight squeeze. I closed the door and pressed into AJ's side. He sighed, but didn't say anything.

The driver took off. Tokyo was coming alive for the evening. I pressed my face against the window for lack of anything better to do.

"I'd love to dress in a gorilla costume and walk through downtown," I remarked. AJ didn't respond.

We were moving at a pretty good pace to the hotel until we came to a mess of road construction. First we slowed down. Then we crawled. Then we stopped completely.

Being stopped wasn't so bad for oh, the first ten minutes. After that the temperature rose in the car and I started getting antsy. I felt like a sardine in a tiny little metal can.

AJ leaned forward.

"What's going on?" he asked the driver.

The driver responded with a mess of Japanese that I would never be able to comprehend in my life. He was waving his arms around and he beat on the steering wheel for emphasis. That action seemed to me to be the universal symbol for 'not good.'

"This is great. Just fucking great," AJ said. He pulled at the rubber band around his wrist and snapped it.

"What's that for?"

AJ looked at me.

"I'm trying to quit cussing."

"And that helps how?"

"Everytime I cuss I snap the rubber band. The stinging after-pain is a reminder for me to stop mouthing off."

"And why are you not cussing?"

"Maybe you forgot, but I have two kids coming," AJ said dryly.

"You can't tell me you're never going to cuss again," I said skeptically.

"If Rochelle will talk to me again, I'll do anything."

I smiled. "You love her a lot, don't you?" I asked quietly.

"With all my heart. I wish I could take back all the stupid stuff I did, but I can't. I'm just working on being a better person for the future."

"If you could say anything to her right now, what would it be?"

AJ looked at me. Unlike Howie, he actually treated my question with consideration. Of course I didn't ask him about zombies or anything, but still.

"I'd let her know that I miss my monkee and I just want to go back to the way things were. I want to laugh again. I think we got so wrapped up in 'babies, babies, babies' that it took us away from 'us.' Now that we've got two on the way I'm excited, but I'm just as excited to get to know the real Ro again."

While I was conducting the Dr. Nick therapy session, traffic started moving again. I smiled.

"If it's any help, I think it's going to be okay."

AJ smiled weakly. "You're always the optimist."

I snorted. "Hardly. I know for a fact that the Buc's aren't going to have a good season next year."

AJ rolled his eyes. The car picked up speed and we lapsed back into silence for the rest of the trip.

By the time we got out of the car I was a hot and sticky mess.

"I just want to take a shower," AJ said. He scratched his beard and shuddered.

I lifted my arm and did a sniff test. I probably needed one too; my deodorant left the building hours ago.

We filed inside and got our room keys. I had a great window view of downtown Tokyo. I smiled. Liv would have loved to see this. The little pang of homesickness had me calling home to let her know I had made it to Japan in one piece. I recounted the popcorn incident and absorbed the amazing sound of her laugh.

After we hung up, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I was just about ready to strip when someone knocked on the door. I peered through the little security hole. It was Sam. I opened the door and poked my head out.

"What's up?"

"I forgot you still have that camera attached," Sam said with a little smile. "I've just caught more than a day of Nick-isms."

I looked down to see the black little camera still attached to my shirt. I handed it over.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

Sam started to turn but I suddenly had a thought.

"Hey, stop."

He turned. "What's up?"

"I need you to put some of the footage on a jump drive for me."

"Is this about the carmel corn?"

I shook my head.

"No. This is much more important than carmel corn."

-----------------------------------

My alarm clock went off at two a.m. Any other time I would have rolled over and gone back to sleep but I was on a mission. I rolled out of bed, grabbed the flash drive from the nightstand and headed out of my bedroom.

Three minutes later I was standing in the hall in my Scooby-Doo pajama pants. I took out my hotel keycard and a couple other super secret spy accessories. I stood outside AJ's room trying to look innocent while I confused the lock to accept my keycard. I grinned as the light turned from red to green.

I pushed open the door slowly. It was pretty dark. I closed the door behind me and stood for a minute letting my eyes adjust. After awhile I could make out the shadows of the furniture.

I've roomed with AJ enough to know that he's a creature of habit. Messy, yes, but still a creature of habit. I patted my way slowly around until I found a small desk in the entertaining lounge adjacent to his bedroom. My fingers curved around the object I had been looking for. I picked up his laptop and darted out to the hall. Using my ass, I kept the door open a crack and powered the computer on. I unfolded a piece of paper as the desktop loaded.

I was taking a big shot in the dark and I prayed it would pay off. My first sign that my plan was going to be a success was the fact that AJ had kept his e-mail permanently logged in. I wouldn't have known where to begin in trying to figure out the password.

I opened a blank e-mail and entered Rochelle's e-mail address. I plugged in my jump drive and attached the video of the conversation AJ and I had in the car. Then I started tying. I had found a poem online that I thought conveyed AJ's groveling to a tee.

The worst day of my life / Was when I made that choice.
I need to feel you hold me, / I need to hear your voice.

Can you hear me softly calling? / Can you taste my sour tears?
Do you know how much I love you? /Do you know my biggest fears?

I’m afraid you still don’t love me, / I’m afraid you won’t return.
I’m afraid to show my feelings, / I have this inner burn...

The inferno of my sadness, / They are the fires of death.
They burn here deep within me, / And pierce my every breath.

I wish you would stay with me, / Please, don’t go away.
I need to know you love me, / And I need for you to stay.

I’ll love you for eternity, / I’ll love you for all time.
Just stay forever in my arms, / Again... just, please, be mine.

I reread for any typos and then I hit send. I snuck back through the room, returned the laptop and headed back to my room. I fell back on the bed and flipped my pillow to the cool side. I smiled.

Mission complete.

I snuck my nose in where it didn't belong...again. But at least this time I hoped it would bring AJ and Ro back together, not further apart.

Only morning would tell.

It was time for kid Nicky to get some beauty sleep.