Читать книгу Made In Japan - S. Parks J. - Страница 20

700,000 tonnes of seafood processed through Tsukiji Market every year

That morning Jess woke at 4 a.m. to leave for the fish market, creeping quietly from their room as Hana slept.

Hana slept deeply. She dreamt she was among the crowds on a busy market day in Hackney, though the crowds were from Omotesandō. A monk in saffron robes passed, cycling a rickshaw, and, as he retreated, the sleeping passenger, curled in fetal position across the back, was her mother. As she woke her dream world splintered. She looked across at the empty bed beside her with immediate annoyance. Jess, she assumed, had gone alone to Tsukiji fish market. Raving American. It was very unlikely she would get back in time to get to the memorial which was disrespectful to the family and she would be fawning over Ed. As she prepared to go to the service alone, Hana dressed resentfully in the clothes Jess had been so ready to lend her.

Jess’s trip to Tsukiji was unedifying. She had assumed Ed was going with friends travelling through, but it turned out he was taken up with colleagues visiting from the Hong Kong branch and she had barely had a chance to speak with them on the guided tour she had taken several times before. She made her excuses, something about a memorial, and left them early. Once she got back to Shimokitazawa Jess headed straight for Ziggy’s and found Miho serving a couple of two-toed builders from the bamboo-scaffold site opposite.

‘Is it latte, Jess?’

Jess nodded as she helped herself to a kilner jar of cinnamon sticks.

Miho perched on the corner of the table, pulling a stray hair from her sharp fringe.

‘You didn’t work last night, so you are in early?’

‘I went to Tsukiji market.’

Miho’s raised her brows; Jess had been so often before and complained she had seen enough.

‘I guess you took the new girl?’

‘Well, no,’ Jess demurred, ‘I left her to sleep. She’s busy with other stuff.’ She drank from the too-hot latte.

‘How is the club? Okay?’

Jess nodded, nursing her scalded lip.

‘Is she at language school?’

‘Too busy looking for the teahouse her mother Naomi worked on.’

Miho started. ‘Naomi’s teahouse?’

It was as if she also had her own scald to contend with. It was too late for her to disguise the charged reaction and she looked away.

‘So you knew Naomi? You met her?’

Saved by a call for more genmai tea from the builders, Miho left quickly, to serve them. Jess grew curious until Miho finally returned to sit down with her.

‘So …’ Jess leaned in confidentially, aware that she had stumbled on something.

‘So tell me.’

Miho shook her head.

Her face was grave as if it was a subject she could not bring up now. ‘That woman—’ She couldn’t look her in the eye, as it all came flooding back ‘—that woman was responsible … for …’

‘For what?’

Miho wrung her hands as the memory took hold and she looked pained.

‘You can tell me,’ Jess encouraged, coaxing her with a pat to her hand.

Miho hesitated searching the wall shelves, as if struggling to line up her thoughts. ‘She was responsible for the …’ She held her breath until, barely audible, in a whisper she exhaled, ‘… the death of a good friend.’

‘You can’t mean that? Is this true?’

‘I don’t want to talk about it, Jess.’ Her voice hardened. ‘Not to you, not to your English friend.’

Jess was silenced. She sat back as the unexpected blast from Miho continued – Miho who was usually so mild, whose age had taken the edge off life’s disappointments: ‘And you are not to encourage her in this, and you are not to tell her.’

Jess was shocked.

Miho’s animated breathing counted the beats of the silence between them. ‘It is for the best,’ she said, more kindly. ‘Trust me. The truth would hurt.’ She was calmer now. ‘So you won’t tell?’

Jess searched the line of a knot in the pine table, finally nodding her head and pursing her lips.

‘I’m closing early. I have to go.’ Miho got up. ‘Aren’t you coming to the memorial?’

Jess pushed on the heavy handle of the glass door. ‘I may not get there,’ she said, and chose not to mention she might see Hana there.