Until You (Westshore Series #2)

12 | Kenjingitis

☼Kenji ☼

"Thank you so much, Kenji."

I attempt a cheerful grin, which isn't easy when I am elbow deep in an old lady's toilet bowl. "Just doing my job, Mrs. Steel."

"You're the best superintendent we've ever had," she coos from the bathroom doorway, clasping one of her wrinkled hands to her chest.

"Oh, stop it I'm blushing. You're a doll."

What I really want to tell her is that I am not the superintendent of the building, that I'm actually just visiting my mom, but Mrs. Steel has dementia and each time I run into her she seems to think I'm someone different.

The last time she saw me she thought I was visiting her, and it took me two hours before I worked up the courage to leave. Today was no different, I had fixed about five separate things in her suite, and I still haven't managed to escape. And now I was fixing the woman's toilet while my mom laughed from Mrs. Steel's sitting room.

She was enjoying this.

After Mrs. Steel ran out of things for me to do, she finally let me leave and I followed my mom back to her room across the hall.

"You're an evil woman," I tell her, washing my hands in her sink. "What did I do to make you want to punish me like this?" I scrub my hands harder trying not to think about where they had just been.

"You could've told her you weren't a repairman."

"You know I can't say no to someone in need of help. It's a disease!" I hold my hand to my heart.

"My poor son and his bleeding heart." She pats my heart. "Paul bought me flowers again yesterday. I wish my son brought me flowers. Maybe I would've stepped in if he had." She tells me and I think it might be a hint. The woman wants flowers.

"I can go around back to the building's garden and pick some out for you if you'd like. I think there are some weeds that need to be picked." I tell her and narrowly avoid her hitting me with her crossword.

"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."

"Careful Mom, I must just go over to Paul's room and show him pictures from when you had a perm."

My mom drops her crossword, looking betrayed. "My hairdresser told me perms were in!"

"Well, she lied to you. Why don't we ask Paul? I'm sure he can give an opinion on the matter."

"Kenji Hashimoto do not take another step towards that door!"

My mom actually looks panicked, so I stop moving towards the door. At least now the topic has changed from me being a single loser son.

"So, have you decided what you are going to do with the business after graduation?" She asks me.

God damnit. Didn't last long.

"It's only October. I have time to decide."

"It's a lot of responsibility, I just want to make sure you are taking it seriously. I worry about the boards' reaction to you inheriting so young, I know you are capable, but I haven't seen you coming up with any ideas. You can't just keep care of your sick mother forever." Her face softens and she reaches out for me.

"Didn't I tell you? I'm going to be a stay-at-home son forever." I deadpan and she smacks my shoulder.

"Not funny."

"I have some ideas." I lie. In truth, I had nothing that the board would approve of. I had a few ideas of changes I could make, changes my dad and I used to dream up.