88 THE CEDARVILLE REVIEW Grandpa’s Tea by Brosnan Butt Mio Sato loved the smell of miso broth in the morning. She loved how the salty, fishy scent filled the kitchen and teased her out of her bed. She loved how it brought her to the arms of her mother, who hugged her, gently teased her hair, and whispered, “Good morning, my sweet, sweet blossom.” On other days, there was a scent Mio loved even more, and that was Ojii-chan’s tea. Her grandpa. The hojicha’s smoky aroma reminded her of the incense from the Shinto temples down the street and the cigarettes she’d find scattered with cherry blossom petals in the storm drain. Mio knew that when she awoke to hojicha, Grandpa was coming for breakfast. Mio furiously raced down the stairs as fast as her little legs could carry her and stumbled into the kitchen. “Kaa-chan,” she asked her mother excitedly, “Is ojii-san coming today?” Her mother shot her an affectionate look as she hovered over the stove with a wooden spoon, wrapped in an apron and her hair tied up in a loose bun. “Yes, Mio. How did you know?”
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