“I’ll work on getting our schedules organized so we’re off next weekend. I’ll let you know during the week if I’m sessful,” she said.
They stepped into the elevator and Stanley nodded to her. “Looking forward to it. This time I’ll cut back on my drinking.”
“It will be your turn to pick a movie! Make it a good one!” Sandy grinned as she stepped off on her floor and she gave him a happy wave as the door closed.
Stanley made his way down and outside where he got into the back of the waiting limo.
“Good evening,” he said.
“Good evening, Stanley,” Cam responded, smiling over at him. The limo got underway and they settled back for the drive.
“What’s a good movie to share with friends?” Stanley asked and Cam’s brows rose.
“That depends on the friends, doesn’t it?” she replied with a smile. “How good are these friends?”
Stanley thought about that. “Well, they are very close with each other but I’m the new guy. It’s my turn to choose the movie.”
“Well, they’re probably going to want to see your favorite so bring that one,” she suggested then caught his expression. “What?”
“Baba had no electricity at her house. No TV. We didn’t go out to see movies. The only movies I saw were at school and they were all bad,” he sighed.
“Oh! Ok… well, you can’t go wrong with bringing a ssic. This group of friends, men or women?”
“Two men and four women,” he replied.
“Ah, ok. Casanca. Released in 1942. A truly lovely film,” Cam sighed with a smile.
“Great! I’ll buy a DVD for the party!” Stanley grinned.
“Who are your new friends?” she asked.
Stanley immediately felt a little defensive. “Just a woman from the building and some of her co-workers.” Seeing the look on Cam’s face he continued. “Sigrid had the talk with me. I know the restrictions and limitations. It’s just nice to have friends for the first time in my life. It’s nice to actually be able to talk to people without stuttering. I can’t tell you how much better this feels.”
Cam gave him a sympathetic look but he turned his face to the window and they rode in silence the rest of the way.
Once they were in the airport Stanley’s nervousness increased as he looked at his passport.
“I’ll tell you what. Give me your passport, we’ll go through together and I’ll do the talking,” Cam said with her hand out. Stanley ced his passport in her hand. They joined the ticket line.
When they reached the counter Stanley stayed close and answered the questions and nodded when required and soon they were on their way through the Security check. Once they made it through Stanley rolled his head to reduce the tension in his neck. He followed Cam to their gate and down the ramp to the waiting jet.
He was greatly impressed with the luxurious interior and belted himself into the plush seat.
“I assume not all nes are thisfortable,” he sighed happily and Cam chuckled as she shook her head.
They taxied out to the runway to join the queue of nes and were soon elerating down the runway. Stanley gripped the arms of his seat as the jet leapt into the air and soared upwards.
Once the seatbelt sign clicked off Stanley looked at Cam with wide eyes. “That was pretty scary!”
“We’ll bending for refueling in Anchorage, ska then we’ll fly on to Tokyo. We won’tnd in Japan until close to 2AM but Minister Imamura made arrangements for us in Haneda International airport,” she exined.
Stanley just nodded uneasily as he thought about meeting the man. Would he be angry? Would he make the public confession more difficult? He pushed those thoughts from his mind and looked over at Cam who had taken out herputer.
“Do we have Inte ess?” he asked.
“Yes. The connection details are on the card in the seat pocket,” she replied.
Stanley got hisputer out and got it connected to the ne’s WiFi. He settled back with a smile. He was going to be able to do some work after all!
Hourster they heard the announcement that they would bending shortly. Stanley blinked his tired eyes and saved his work. He stowed hisputer and buckled in again as they made their descent. Thending was smooth and he nced out the window as they pulled up to the gate.
“We’ll have to leave the ne while they refuel. It shouldn’t take long,” Cam said.
Once the door was open they made their way out and into the terminal.
“Stay close as we’ll be boarding shortly,” Cam said holding Stanley’s eyes with hers.
He nodded absently as he looked around the waiting area. He needed to stretch his legs so he wandered down the hall a distance then made his way back slowly. He caught the relieved look on Cam’s face before she hid it behind a newspaper she’d picked up.
“Did you really think I’d slip away to live out my life as a backwoods hermit just to avoid this?” Stanley said as he plopped himself down in the chair next to her.
She put down the paper to look at him and had the good grace to look guilty for thinking it.
“I said I’d do it. I keep my word.”
“Sigrid is not happy with me about this. She said I should never have asked you to do it.” Cam admitted.
Stanley smiled as he thought of Sigrid. She was a woman of strong principles. He looked up to see the troubled expression on the lovely CEO’s face.
“It’s alright. I understand what’s at stake here. I know you have to protect VRL and the people who work there. I just arrived at thepany and I want to protect it too. It’s also… notpletely Minister Imamura’s fault that his daughter got us into this situation,” he sighed.
Cam tilted her head at Stanley. “Notpletely?”
“He’s her Dad. Isn’t it a parent’s job to teach their children about right and wrong and epting responsibility for their actions?” he asked.
Cam nodded as she looked closely at him. She was going to ask him about how he felt about not knowing his own parents but she didn’t want to upset him after asking so much of him already.
They heard the announcement to board once more and made their way back onto the jet.
Stanley was less nervous this time but once they were in the air thete hour caught up to him and he yawned widely.
“You should get some sleep. The door there leads to a small bedroom. You should switch and recharge. With the time zone hopping we’re doing it’s going to confuse your time sense and we’ll have to keep track of when you’ll need some privacy to do that.”
Stanley blinked at her then nodded. He went to the door at the back of the seating area and went into the room beyond it. There was a queen size bed and an actual shower, albeit a small one.
He took off his clothes and spun the ring. He had a moment of intense vertigo and his eyes snapped open as he gasped. He was in his Satyr form and nothing else had moved so… what had caused that terrifying sensation of falling?
It was only then that the thought came to him that doing the switch while flying hundreds of miles an hour in a jet thousands of feet above the ground might not be safe to do. A shiver went through him but he just shook it off and climbed under the sheets. He missed his new bed but not enough to stay awake for long.
Sometimeter he felt Cam’s soft body slip under the covers and snuggle in next to him. He only surfaced for long enough to acknowledge her arrival. She didn’t try anything so he just allowed himself to drift off again but before he did the realization that he’d be in Japan upon waking washed over him. So far away. He wondered how Baba was doing then slipped into the depths of sleep.
Stanley stood in the antechamber of the Japanese Parliament building waiting for the session to end. He and Cam, who was his interpreter, would be introduced then he would make his statement to Minister Imamura. He and Cam had gone over what he was going to say. He would speak in English and pause for her to trante his words into Japanese.
As some of the ministers spoke fluent English she had to trante faithfully so his words had to be genuine and heartfelt.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.
There was a tap on the door and a young man nodded to them. It was time.
Stanley followed the man with Cam right behind him. They entered a vast chamber and paused until they were introduced. As they walked down the aisle Stanley felt many eyes on him. Luckily most eyes were being drawn to Cam as she was definitely an exotic distraction in this room of mostly men.
Once they reached the front of the room they turned and faced the gathering of government officials. Stanley felt like a bug under a magnifying ss. Cam had pointed out in advance where the Minister was seated and had shown him an image of him so when he addressed him he was able to see the stiffness and worry on the man’s face. He nced at Cam as the room went silent. She nodded.
He turned his eyes back to the Minister then bowed, deeply and held it for a time. He stood upright and addressed the man.
“Minister Imamura. My name is Stanley Garin. I was… engaged to be married to your daughter Yuko,” he began and waited for Cam to trante this. “With deepest respect and humble apology I must… withdraw my offer of marriage.”
Once Cam said this there was a definite rumble of discontent amongst the gathering. Some were looking at Yuji Imamura with joy at his apparent humiliation. It was time for Stanley to set the hook. He shivered but pushed ahead.
“It is my deepest shame that I would not be able to provide you with the grandchildren you deserve. This is why I must withdraw from the marriage. My respect for you and your position in this great government is too great to allow my… limitation to reduce your future happiness and contentment.” Stanley bowed once more but bent so quickly this time he lost his bnce and went down on his knees and clocked his forehead on the floor.
He was slightly dazed and needed a moment so he remained there. He felt Cam’s hand on his back as she tranted. The slight pressure she was applying was a hint to remain where he was. In his current state of embarrassment, not facing the room full of foreign government officials was ok with him even if he was on the floor.
The room went silent and soon Stanley saw expensive shoes walking up to him. Cam’s hand moved to his arm to help him up and Stanley stood once more.
Minister Imamura was looking a little ovee with emotion but kept it tightly controlled with just a slight smile on his face. His eyes though, they showed his gratitude inly. He bowed slightly to Stanley who returned it twice as deep but kept from falling this time.
“I ept,” the man said.
Stanley bowed once more and his relief was evident on his face.