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Chapter 9
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September 27? Dear Diary?

So uhh... See you in two weeks?

“Hey, what’s this?” came a familiar voice before Judy could close her journal. Her friend Denise had found her at the counter even though they were going to sit at a table, and she slid the journal out of Judy’s reach with some ease. “Uh-huh, uh-huh . . . What? No cute boys or girls?”

Judy said, “I told you, I never really thought about that sort of thing.”

Denise returned the journal. “I know, but it’s been a long week full of all sorts of changes.”

“I think I would have told you if I fell for anyone during that time, Denise.”

“And I’m just playing with you. Come on, my folks are sitting down with your mom now. It wouldn’t make sense for you to be way over here the whole night.”

“No, it wouldn’t. Let’s go.”

“...That’s when the guy said, ‘Wing it? I’m a speedster!’” Henry laughed after telling the story. It was a humorous one involving himself, a hero checking out of the hospital, and a coffee girl.

While everyone at the table joined in the laughter, they did not compare to Henry’s volume, which Judy began to worry might disturb the restaurant and get them thrown out.

Thankfully, it didn’t.

“He’s been telling this story to a lot of our friends since it happened on Monday,” Robin explained.

“It’s a good story,” replied Henry.

“I’m not saying it isn’t, dear.”

“I just really enjoyed it when it happened. That’s all.”

[“He never talks about our sex lives.”] Robin spoke in Japanese, which caused Judy to perk up. It didn’t look as if the words were directed at anyone, and yet she said them in a language that Judy and her mother could understand.

[“Would you want him to?”] responded Judy’s mom.

[“Oh shit, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”]

[“You think out loud in Japanese?”]

[“Sometimes. I didn’t know you actually spoke it. I mean, I didn’t want to assume.”]

[“Oh yes. I grew up in Japan before coming back to the States where I was born. Where did you learn it?”] said Mai.

[“High school and college. Back then, I thought it was more interesting than my family business of running funeral homes or conducting services, so I guess I just hung on to that after coming to Paragon fifteen years ago.”]

[“That’s when I moved to this country!”]

The two women laughed amongst themselves. Denise and Henry could only look at them as if they were watching some random hero or villain bust in unexpectedly and juggle torches for their audience. Judy, however, stayed out of it while trying to push her smile as far to the side as possible.

Then the conversation moved to sex and romance, which was the point when Judy tried desperately to ignore them by thinking of other things. But only one real idea came to mind then. It hit her hard too. She slid her seat back. Her chair skid across the floor harder than she had intended.

“Excuse me,” Judy said, standing up. “I just need to use the restroom real quick.”

“You know what? Me too.” Denise stood as well.

“We’ll be back.”

They walked as much side-by-side as the restaurant would allow, weaving around tables full of people who were all in their own tiny worlds for the moment. The restrooms were across a narrow hallway from one another, and habit nearly caused Judy to enter the wrong one before she stopped herself and followed her friend into the ladies’ room.

Using the bathroom as a girl was one of the everyday things that took the longest to get used to, and Judy wasn’t sure she even got there yet. However, it was when she was washing her hands that Denise had caught her attention.

“I’ve been thinking,” said her friend, who didn’t really have to use the restroom but came with Judy anyways.

Judy huffed as she rinsed the soap off of her hands. “It’s not going to result in new limbs, is it?”

“What? No, of course not. I’m thinking we can do the one thing that the media and police can’t do. We can figure out Swan Diva’s secret identity.”

“Did you follow me in here just to say this?”

“You followed me, and you really shouldn’t be going to public restrooms alone now, you know. You never know when some creep might take advantage of that. Seriously. Though, we should try to find her.”

“And do what?” Judy turned off the water while eyeing her friend in the mirror. They were the only ones in the restroom, so the reflection was otherwise empty.

“I don’t know. Maybe thank her? Even after what happened, she was a hero first.”

“She’s still a hero. Swan Diva needs to know that.”

“So you agree that we should find her?” said Denise.

“Of course.” It was getting harder to contain her excitement. “She’s our role model, and she deserves better than hiding in the shadows while the city slowly falls apart from the bad guys coming out of the woodwork. I’ll become a hero too. Maybe then she’ll come back to us.”

“It sucks how the world treats heroes that kill.”

“Then we’ll just have to change the world. Duh.” Judy turned off the water, and grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser on the wall. “How do we find her?”

“Well, you’re able to go inside of computers for one thing. I’m sure you can find clues somewhere. Besides, you’re like a genius when it comes to knowing about heroes and villains around the city. All we need is to put things together, and we’ll find her.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“I try. What do we know about Swan Diva, besides her powers?”

“And her gender. Well, she appeared in Paragon about fifteen years ago. That’s the same time as my new doctor and your mom came here.” She paused when Denise gave her an inquisitive look. “Your mom said as much at the table.”

“I’m going to have to learn Japanese to keep up with you three, aren’t I?”

“I’ll translate for you if you need me to.”

“What about your mom?”

“What about her?”

“You know when my mom came to Paragon, but when did your mom come here?”

Judy said, “Thirteen years ago. I was too young to remember, but she came here to get away from the man who cheated on her and to start a new life.”

“I guess that rules her out. And there’s no way it could be my mom. I don’t have Swan Diva’s powers.”

“Just because you don’t have her powers doesn’t mean she can’t be your mother. Genetics and superpowers are kinda funny that way. Besides, you never know if you might start flying like her, or if you become strong enough to take on the entire football team in high school.”

“Do you think either of our moms could be that cool, though?”

Judy and Denise stared at one another for a moment, and then they broke down laughing. Judy barely heard the knock on the door or noticed Robin peeking inside while her sides split and her face reddened. The mere thought of her own mom dressed up in a hero’s outfit and being as awesome as their idol was hilarious, as much as Judy loved her mom.

Robin just stared in confusion until the girls could calm themselves.

The family discussion around the table continued even before Robin returned to the table. Henry asked about Judy’s new doctor, and Judy expressed that she started warming up to the doctor by the time the appointment had ended.

“...So my legal changes should be in effect in about a week.” Judy was excited, but she didn’t want her voice carrying across the restaurant for everyone else to hear.

Henry said, “That certainly does sound like quite the deal you’re going through. I heard that your old doctor is facing legal prosecution and termination from the hospital. His deal with Penne is costing him his practice, and, I heard, every penny he’s worth for the costs of repairs and legal fees.”

“All this because I was given the wrong syringe.”

“Hey now, don’t feel bad about it.”

“I don’t. Not really. I just . . . It’s a lot that’s happened, you know? But, how could a doctor I thought I trusted make such a terrible mistake?”

The adults at the able all looked like they were looking for something to say. When one of them opened their mouth to respond, another man’s voice rose enough for everyone to hear from another side of the room.

“Are you insane? I am a doctor who took the Hippocratic Oath, not a hypocritical one, and you want me to issue experimental drugs to children just because it will save me money?” The man stood over a table opposite to another man in a suit who was sitting down. “Tell you what, since you have all this money to throw around, why don’t you pay for everyone’s meal here this evening? I’m not doing business with your pharmaceutical company; you can forget it.”

The doctor stormed away from the table, his food half-eaten. Some people around the restaurant applauded the young doctor. Judy felt compelled to cheer for him even though she didn’t fully understand what just happened.

As for the other man in the suit, he got up, but a food server grabbed him by the arm. Someone was going to pay for that food tonight.

Henry said, “I thought I’d recognized that man. He’s one of the doctors who just finished his residency, and has signed on as a pediatrician for Steel Canyon Hospital. I hear the kids love him, and the nurses enjoy him when he isn’t telling jokes.”

“The two of you are going to start trading jokes now, aren’t you?” asked Judy.

“You know me so well.”

“Well, it doesn’t take much, dear,” said Robin.

Henry bowed his head with a soft groan, and everyone got in a laugh. The moment was bittersweet when it came time for Judy and her mom to head home for the night.