We were heading into the end of the semester, and final preparations around campus gave our world an unusual sense of order. I straightened my desk, did my laundry, fussed about our room until it looked cleaner and more together. Jun came in, nodded approvingly, told me she was glad she had a little woman to take care of things around the house, and checked the messages. Keigo had called for me. Jun made a show of gathering what she needed and walking from the room, gesturing theatrically toward the telephone on her way out.Keigo and I made plans for me to come to Harvard. I was excited and preoccupied, wondering what might happen between us. I managed to push Weingarten from my mind and tell myself that I could start anew, and Keigo was all I could think of for one blissful day, before the phone rang again early the next morning, this time for Jun. It was her father.“Naomi.” She said to the phone after she hung up. “Grandmother Oko died.” I told her I was sorry, but she kept speaking.
