Page 43 of Choose Us
“Tell me about it? If experiencing heartbreak isn’t painful enough the first time around, just do it again. God, I’m a moron!”
The shower may have washed away my sins, but I could still feel her on me.
“I know I can be harsh about the Brooke situation, but it’s only because I love you, and I don’t want to see you get hurt again. I promise to stop busting your chops about it. I’ll always support whatever you choose to do, even if that means me having to pick up the pieces. You’ve got to live your life. Do what makes you happy in the moment,” Beth said sincerely.
“Thank you.”
“I suppose there are consequences to everything, but you’re a big girl. My grandma used to say, ‘If you fear the aftermath before you even attempt the thing that scares you, there will never be any consequences, and equally there will be no joy in life’.” Beth squeezed my leg.
“I like that,” I replied.
“Do you think you’re going to see her again?” Beth asked encouragingly.
“She’s working long shifts for the next two days, but she said she’d like to seeme Friday.”
“You’re sure it’s agood idea?”
“Probably not, but can I be honest with you?”
“Always.”Beth smiled.
“If you told me Brooke was on the other side of Lake Biwa, but first I had to climb one hundred Mount Fujis and fight off one hundred black bears before swimming the forty miles across Lake Biwa to get to her. I would find a way.” My voice was low butdeliberate.
“That is the stupidest cutest thing I have ever heard you say.” Beth stood up, ruffled my hair, and made for the door.
“I’m going to let you get changed. Me and you and a large tub of ice cream are going to sit and watchMy Best Friend’s Wedding,followed byPretty Woman,and however many other films it takes until we eat ourselves into a Julia Roberts coma.”
“Sounds like the perfect night.”
CHAPTER TEN
If I was playingFamily Fortunesand the host said, “Name the top five tourist places in Tokyo”. I would certainly think of Mount Fuji. I’d never climbed it. On my numerous visits it was something I thought about, but never got around to doing.
Looking into it in depth, it was no mean feat. The need to prepare for all potential weather conditions and possible altitude sickness made me think twice about making the ten-hour trek. Luckily there was no way Beth was about to climb a mountain, so I was saved by thebaby, not the bell.
After much debate we kept it within our itinerary but opted for views from afar. According to Ren, none were as picturesque as the views from Lake Kawaguchiko. We took the bus to the cable cars. From there we took a cable car to Tenjoyama Park. The view was stunning. We took the cable car to the top of Mount Tenjoyama. The view from the observatory deck was even more impressive. A few small clouds passed by the peak of Fuji until it was obscured no more, and I was satisfied with seeing it from afar. I didn’t need to climb it after all.
Next, we went to the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Centre. There we observed the heavily manicured gardens full of lavender and roses. We signed up for a fruit picking session as soon as we arrived. Luckily they had a couple of seats available. We spent roughly forty minutes picking cherries and blueberries, and we ate them for our lunch. Beth thought it would be fun to race and see who could pick the most; she won. The woman had wizard fingers.
I’d never been a huge lover of museums, so when Beth suggested the Kubota Itchiku Art Museum I sighed, but she assured me I’d love it. When we got there the archway entrance looked like something out of an Indiana Jones movie, and my interest skyrocketed. As a kid, I’d always wanted to explore ancient ruins and have my ownGooniesadventure with my friends, but maybe without the dead body inthe freezer.
The art didn’t intrigue me too much, but there was a gorgeous waterfall and several places to kick back and relax. There was a tearoom on the second floor with a view of a small pond and pretty overgrown trees. We took the time to hydrate whilst taking cover from the sun.
On our way out of the museum we were told to walk through the maple corridor. It was a short path, maybe fifty metres in length, flanked on either side by maple trees—hence the name. The guide at the museum informed us it was best to visit in the fall, but there was an adequate breeze today that would allow us to get a smell of thesweet aroma.
“I’m tempted to bite the bark off that tree,” I joked.
“Don’t do that.” Beth laughed.
“It smells incredible though, doesn’t it?” We turned our noses into the wind like dogs trying to find a scent.
“Amazing!”
We took the bus down to the lakeside and strolled along the lake’s edge. We walked through canopied walkways, climbing up and up, until we reached Ubuyagasaki Cape, where we witnessed another spectacular view of Mount Fuji. Across the bridge and down by the lake’s shore we stopped at a small cafe for a coffee and some chocolate cake.
“Thank you for today,” I said.
“You’ve enjoyed it then?”
