A Place to Belong: Chapters 9–18

She began immediately haggling with Mama and Papa about the price of the cakes, even though they hadn’t said a word about even buying them.

She thought of the pile of baggage that the Nikkei from the ship had searched through so fervently.

Sometimes you could see an expanse of farmland, the fields stretching into the distance, separated from any houses.

Then she cleared her throat dramatically and said, “I have forgotten something important to mention! I learned some good news on the ship. They said that we’re entitled to two monthly rations of butter and sugar from the United States government, since the children are still American citizens. The American consulate in Kobe will distribute the rations for each US passport.”

He reached into the basket and pulled out an ugly rock. “This is geode—ugly on outside, beautiful on inside. If you break it open, you will see that inside it look like diamonds.”

He looked stricken as well. And then real tears began pouring from his eyes.

Jijii meant “old man,” as in “old codger.” You might say it about an elderly man in kind of an insulting way. But Baachan said it like she really liked him a lot.

Hanako herself had problems just making a diorama for class, a tiny world with a few clay figures.

This was the thing about being spoiled: you had to rise above it. Papa had told her this long ago when discussing how much his parents had doted on him when he was a child.

Then she did something she knew she shouldn’t do. She put down the iron, glancing furtively at the door.

Back in America the government had let some Nikkei out of the camps to go to work, usually in factories. Hanako had known two former college girls, previously rich, who’d gone to work in a canning factory just to get out of the camps. Not the Nikkei who were sent to Tule Lake, however. They had to stay incarcerated.

He had sharp black eyes, like he was constantly thinking and evaluating. Maybe scheming. The scheming look actually made Hanako a little nervous.

He chewed with interest but not the joy Hanako was expecting. But the little one’s eyes opened wide, and she let out a chortle.

Hanako turned agog to her father. For some reason, talking to this boy made her feel almost feverish.

“Hana, you must shake out the tatami when you are back from Kobe!” she exclaimed, as if Hanako had been remiss.