MIYAGI:
I wished Lucille-san well as we sat in my living room after eating. The radio played softly in the background, something like jazz & rock & very American. Lucille was leaving for her new job in New York tomorrow & Daniel-san & I had made dinner to wish her goodbye & good luck. Daniel-san now lived in a nearby apartment with two roommates & had one more year of college to go. What a dear pair they were. I knew Daniel-san was going to miss his mother very much. We sat & talked & one song seemed to move them both & they held hands, looking at each other. I smiled softly seeing how much alike their eyes were. As the song, which was about putting one spirit to the test, progressed, both Daniel & Lucille feel silent & I could hear their hearts beating fast. Tears welled in both of their eyes & spilled down their faces, their mouths drooping identically. I put a hand on each of their shoulders as they wept harder. I don't really know how long they cried, but I knew they'd been through a lot, so they needed to cry. Their sobs then slowly dissolved into sniffles & I handed them tissues. They wiped their eyes, both of them swallowing simultaneously as their crying slowed.
"I'm going to miss you so much, Mom..." Daniel's voice came out in a barely audible whisper.
"You too, my darling son," Lucille breathed back in an almost soundless mime.
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A YEAR LATER:
In three weeks, my dear Daniel-san would be graduating from college. His mother was flying in the week before to attend. Daniel told me how happy he was to be finally finishing college as we walked along the beach, but I sensed he had more on his mind, since he'd seemed a bit subdued recently.
"...God, I can't believe I'll have a DEGREE," Daniel-san chattered on in that lively, sweet voice. "Mom's so much happier now, Mr. Miyagi & she sounds so much better. I hated seeing her suffer so much last year, you know; it kind of...twisted me inside, I guess my heart to see Mom so scared & stressed from all the crap that went on at her job here. And they're paying her better & the women are treated fairly...oh, I can't wait to see her; I still miss her so much...so much..." Daniel's voice trailed off some as he gazed out over the ocean.
"I look forward to seeing her too," I smiled over at Daniel. Oh, he was the grandchild I'd always wished I'd had, but had never gotten. "I am relieved to hear her sounding better too." Daniel skipped a little, kicking his feet out in a forward chop, but his eyes had a faraway look & he then become quiet. So quiet & thoughtful. But then his face became sad, his easily readable face seemed to droop & his large brown eyes looked lost. He took several deep breaths, as if he were holding something in.
"Seeing Mom again sure will remind me of earlier times..." Daniel's voice seemed to catch.
"Daniel-san..." I gently put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it?" Daniel tried to hold back his tears, but couldn't. They spilled down his tender face & he buried his face into my chest & cried & cried. I stroked his soft, wavy dark hair. "You can tell me..." I soothed as he struggled to catch his breath & wiped at his eyes.
"Promise...y-you..." He heaved a deep sob. "This is g-gonna...you might not want this, b-but..."
"You can tell me anything," I told him gently. "Even bad news. So, what is it? Too many flies to catch?" That won a small smile out of Daniel-san.
"N-no...I wish..." he wiped his eyes. "I want...I'm homesick, Mr. Miyagi! Again! I want to go back East."
"Back to...?"
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Miyagi," Fresh tears streaked down Daniel's face. "I thought I'd gotten used to it out here...dry, warm air & all...I still like it here even, b-but I want to move back to N-Newark!" Daniel burst into fresh tears & I held him close.