Then, while his father talked on the telephone, Saito went to the kitchen and summoned the three women. He didn't have to say a word to Keiko; she caught the glow in his eyes immediately and returned it with a knowing smile, quickly hidden by her hand and a turn of her head. Perhaps the two mothers had found common ground, too."Well," said his father when everyone had gathered around the table. "It seems like there may be a big announcement made soon."
"Can't it wait?" rejoined Saito's mother. "There's still dinner to prepare."
"No, it can't wait," said his father, "unless our son and daughter can. And apparently they cannot."
The rest of the speech was short and simple: the young couple had already stated their intentions, and the two fathers had talked and decided that the families were well matched.
"I see you've left no room for our opinions," said his mother. "But for what it's worth, I think Mrs. Nakajima and I reached the same conclusion an hour ago."
Keiko's mother nodded in agreement. Saito tried to catch Keiko's eye once again, but she was staring modestly down at her lap. Was she ready to burst like he was?
"Can we get back to the kitchen now?" his mother asked.
"Yes, yes, After a toast to the New Year and our new friendship," his father answered. "And you might have an extra helping ready for the palmist, in case he decides to stay for supper."
A palmist. A fortune teller? Saito blinked in surprise, but said nothing. Was this a plan they had hatched in the garden?
His father went on: "You see, Mr. Nakajima and I have agreed to consult a palmist in order to set a date for the wedding. We must choose an auspicious day, of course. And since we have no nakodo to help us fix the proper timing, we've agreed to get some expert guidance and assure that this union of our families gets off to a good start."
Saito resented the intrusion, but still he said nothing. In view of how well things had worked out so far, it would be madness to protest now. Through his silence, he agreed to the reading of their palms. A toast was made, the sake cups were emptied once again, and the women returned to the kitchen. Keiko did not look at Saito as she left the room with their mothers. Was it embarrassment? Or was it just the realization that one more trial had to be passed before she could become his wife?
* * * The palmist arrived half an hour later. Both of the fathers were quite red in the face by then, but not from the chill outside as the fortune teller's face was. Saito guessed hat the palmist was about 60 years old, about the same age as his father. Although Saito's hometown was small, he was sure he had never seen this man before.
"Sensei," said Saito's father, greeting their new guest with the honorific of respect used for masters of a craft. "Have you brought your magnifying glass with you? We want a very close reading this evening."
The palmist was presented with a cup of sake and the women were called once more from the kitchen. Saito's mother complained about the interruption as before, but this time she excused herself from the others so that she could keep an eye on their meal.
Saito's father took two 10,000-yen notes from his billfold and, in plain view of everyone, handed them to the fortune teller, explaining as he did so: "Never trust a palmist who accepts payment after the reading. He's apt to hide part of the truth if it would deny him a healthy bonus."
The palmist smiled and took the money, then joked in return: "You may offer me a third note now if you need any further assurance of my honesty."
Saito, on the other hand, was shocked to see his father pay so much for this service. In Tokyo, even the best palmists received only 5,000 yen for a reading. It seemed terribly extravagant of his father, who was normally a very cautious man when it came to money.
"Let's see if I can earn this," said the palmist. "You don't mind if I hold hands with your fiancee, do you?"
Saito had to smile to this remark. Perhaps the palmist was a crook of sorts, but he was friendly enough. Saito and Keiko came to his side of the table and knelt side by side in front of him. The palmist examined each of their hands closely, one at a time, then one of Saito's hands next to Keiko's. He squeezed each of their knuckles gently, looked at the sides of their hands as well as the palms, and never said a word until his examination was finished.
"Yes," said the palmist at last, placing Keiko's right hand into Saito's left. "There is a marriage in the future of these two."
Keiko looked up now at Saito's face, the bright glow of relief lighting her eyes.
"But," they heard the fortune teller continue, " the proper date for this marriage presents a slight problem. I fear that a child born of this couple, at any time within the next two years, will be born handicapped. The signs in their palms are quite clear."
Saito's eyes burned with disbelief. This is insane. He stared first at the palmist, then at his father, who was quietly shaking his head.
"The only way to avoid the chance of this happening is to hold the wedding on a day after the period of danger has passed. Clearly, any child born after that will be a healthy one. I see any of the lucky days of the Buddhist calendar which fall in the month of April two years hence as appropriate days for this marriage."
Insane, surely, but Saito's father was already voicing agreement.
"Is there no other choice," Keiko's father asked.
"Of course," the palmist answered. "They could refrain from marital relations during the two-year period. But under the circumstances, and considering the danger, well ... you have paid me to give you a date. I have done so. The future may be mysterious, but the signs in our palms do not lie. I've read to you only what I have seen written."
"Then we should celebrate," Saito's father said. "There shall be a wedding to unite our families. If we all agree, the date shall be set for April, two years hence."
"So be it," said Keiko's father, raising his cup of sake in a toast.
"So be it," Saito heard Keiko herself say softly, downward into her lap.
The palmist stayed for dinner that night. The marriage had been arranged. Keiko would become Saito's wife.
