The Dragon Tree Read Free Page A

said Hiroki. “They didn’t have pimento loaf.”
    “Pastrami’s fine,” Reiko laughed. Her eyes drifted past Hiroki to the lobby window where she could see Billy shivering under the awning.
    Hiroki followed her eyes. “I’m going to give him a ride.”
    “You know that boy?” Reiko asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
    Hiroki thought about the question a beat too long. “Sure, I know him. He’s a… a friend.”
    Reiko crossed her arms, not quite satisfied. “Don’t get home too late, Hiro.”
     
    ***
     
    Hiroki drove a huge four-door Buick. It was not even close to a cool car, but it was his first car and his pride and joy. The day he turned sixteen, his grandfather handed him an envelope that was bulging strangely. Hiroki pretended he had no idea there were keys inside until they slid onto his palm.
    Billy sat in the passenger seat. “So glad I get to meet you and your whole damn family all on the same night. What a treat for me.” He had rolled his window down despite the rain and was catching raindrops. He wagged his thumb toward the elderly gentleman sitting in the back seat. “Does this guy ever talk?”
    It was Hiroki’s grandfather Hideo. He was over eighty, but he had a full head of blazing white hair and a mouth full of original teeth. He sat very still with his spotted hands folded in his lap, but there was sharpness in his eyes that belied the deep wrinkles around them.
    “He doesn’t speak English.” Hiroki waved at his grandfather in the rearview mirror and spoke to him briefly in Japanese. Hideo nodded silently and looked out the rain-streaked window contentedly. “He just likes to get out of the house.”
    “I’m assuming this is his car,” said Billy. “It’s the crappiest car I’ve seen in… forever.”
    Hiroki rolled his eyes. “Do you have a car? Do you even have a license ?”
    Billy yawned. “I’m fifteen, bro.”
    “When you’re sixteen and you’ve got a better car, then you can take shots at mine,” Hiroki said defensively.
    “So what’s the scoop, dude? Why give me the great honor of riding in your crappy car? If you and Grandpa Creepy are taking me to some dirty abandoned warehouse to chop me up, can we swing by a fast food joint first? I deserve a last meal.”
    “I don’t know why I’m giving you the honor of… Anyway, everybody at school is going to be talking about that fight. They’re only going to hear Aidan’s side of it, but I want to know what really—”
    “That’s the asshole’s name? Aidan?” Billy started laughing, which made him wince. “I should have guessed. It was gonna be Aidan or Jayden or Cayden.”
    “Why did you even come to the race? To cheer for runners from your school? Where were your friends? Why didn’t somebody help you when you were getting beat up?”
    Billy waved his hand dismissively.
    “Why did Aidan attack you?” asked Hiroki.
    Billy rolled up his window, laced his fingers behind his head and closed his eyes. “Because I hooked up with his girlfriend.”
    “No you didn’t ,” Hiroki protested a little too forcefully. “You and Eva didn’t hook up . And besides, that was after.”
    Billy opened one eye to study Hiroki, smirking. “When you cross the river, take a right on Lisbon. Toward Sunset View Park.” Billy closed his eye again. “Did I mention that your mom is hot?”
    Hiroki’s jaw dropped.
    “You must have noticed she’s hot. And I dig that accent of hers.”
    “Don’t talk about my mother,” said Hiroki, his voice cracking.
    “It’s a compliment. If I had to choose between that Hispanic girl from the track and the exotic Nurse Reiko , I honestly don’t know who I’d choose. Who would you choose? Forget she’s your mom for a minute and answer honest.”
    Hiroki slammed on the brakes. “Get out.”
    Still smirking, Billy glanced back at Hiroki’s grandfather to see if the old man might come to his defense. But Hideo merely waved goodbye. Billy flung open the passenger door.