The River Kami Asked Before Taking My Hand novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: The Rite Anyway

Akari came out onto the veranda with the quilt around her shoulders and her glasses on crooked.

The priest stood at the gate in his pale blue robe, wringing his cap.

Behind him on the road were eleven villagers with baskets.

Nagi came out a step behind her, tying the blue cord with quick hands.

"Gen'ichi," she said. "Why is the village at my gate?"

"I told one person," he said miserably. "One. I said the rite would be rewritten, and that it would be on Sunday, and the dear lady from the bakery heard 'wedding.'"

"There is a difference between the words."

"There is, yes. I explained it." His voice cracked. "She said she understood. She has told the whole of Kawanobe."

An old woman at the front lifted her basket in both hands.

"Congratulations!" she called. "We brought rice cakes!"

"We brought pickles," said a man.

"We brought a drum," said another, and a smaller person behind him said, "Grandpa, put it down."

Akari looked at Nagi.

Nagi looked at her.

"They cannot see me," Nagi murmured. "They are cheering at an empty veranda."

"They're cheering at me."

"At the new keeper."

"At the girl who talks to the air," Akari said, and bit her lip.

It was almost funny.

It was also the sweetest thing she had ever seen: eleven strangers in their good coats, holding pickles, because they were glad.

"What do you want to do?" she said.

"Me?"

"It's your river."

Nagi's grey eyes widened.

Then she smiled, slowly.

"I would like them to have their rite," she said. "I would like it to say what is true."

The priest stood so straight his sandals creaked.

"And what is true, Nagi-sama?"

"That the river has been looked after for sixty years by people who loved her, and she is grateful. That is all. It is a thank-you."

He bowed so low the cap fell off.

"I will write it tonight," he said. "May I ask you what to say?"

"Say it plainly. Say nothing about wives."

On Sunday the shrine yard was full.

Every one of the three hundred villagers had come, in good clothes or work clothes, with children on their shoulders.

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