Chapter Text
Once Richard and Chieko reunited, one of the first things she asked him was if he was in contact with his mother.
"I haven't seen her since that Christmas, but I could reach out to her. I think she's doing rich divorcée things on a cruise."
"It's just I've never forgotten that feeling. She could have turned on me, been jealous that this other woman was caring for her son, but she chose to free all of us instead. I really admired that about her. And," she gestured to the peridot, "I do have something that I've been looking after for her."
"Well I suppose a good jeweler should work to bring the fragments of the piece together again."
...
When they met up Catherine insisted that it be in public, in a local restaurant that wasn't much further up-market than what Chieko was used to. She was perfectly made-up and impeccably dressed. She asked Chieko to call her Catherine but stuck with addressing her as Chieko-san.
"Catherine, it was very sweet of you to leave me some of the peridot, but its a complete white elephant for me."
"I mean, its worth about ten times my annual income, I go nowhere where I could possibly wear it, I have nothing to wear with it. I can afford to keep it insured as long as I never take it out of the bank vault. Let me give it back."
"You took care of my son Chieko-san. I have to give you something."
"Maybe something the I actually want? And Richard will be happy to see the parts reunited."
"Chieko-san there was one other thing that I have wanted to give you," for a moment Catherine looked almost uncertain, although she was still perfectly made up and put together, "I've never forgotten plotting with you. The trust you gave me. You must have known I was angry and jealous, and you carried out the plan anyway. I could have backed out at anytime, I could have reconciled and pressed charges against you and had Richard to myself."
"Chieko-san, this might be sudden, but I have been thinking it for all these years, and you are welcome to refuse."
"Chieko-san, I would like to give you a kiss."
Catherine let the moment breathe. It was not her's to push: there was a socio-economic difference to be dealt with before the power difference that she very much wanted to explore. When Chieko didn't respond she added.
"It can be gentle and chaste if you like."
"And is that what you want Catherine?"
"No I want to kiss you passionately. Leaving you breathless and as vulnerable to me as you were that day," said Catherine, almost steadily.
"Oh my. In the middle of the restaurant?" Chieko flushed. A quiet respectable woman of forty did not expect her affairs to start quite so suddenly.
"You know the English aristocracy darling, you can't expect me to experience shame."