It's early October again.
I hate and love this time of year at the same time. Is that possible?
I used to love October.
Because of leaves to jump and play in with Sora, Yamato, Takeru, and Hikari, when I was in elementary. Doing all the work of raking leaves, just to dive in a few times.
Because of the nice cool and calmness when I was a teenager. Taking walks with Yamato and Sora. Playing basketball after dark with some of the other Digidestined, and not having to worry about getting too warm.
I got married to my wife seven years ago tomorrow.
Our little girl's 6th birthday is next week.
But now... now I have a new way to look at it.
It happened a year ago this day, October 5th. I remember exactly what I was doing. I was shopping for an aniversary gift for my wife, and gift for Sora and Yamato's new baby, which was due in a few days. I had my cell phone with me, as usual.
I was looking at some stuffed animals, which I just *knew* Sora would think were adorable. I went to the register, and bought them, when the phone rang. "Hello?" I asked as soon as I turned it on. "T-taichi?" It was my wife. "Yes... Honey, what's wrong?" "Taichi, I just got a call from Dr. Kido... You better hurry up and come home, then we're heading straight for the hospital... Yamato and Sora were in a car crash..." "Oh my God... I'm going as fast as I can!" I hung up the phone quickly, and grabbed my things, throwing more money than needed to pay for the gifts on the counter, leaving the cashier with a confused look.
I jumped into my car and went straight home to get my wife. My daughter was staying overnight at Takeru and Hikari's house, thank God.
We'd arrived at the hospital a few minutes later, since it wasn't that far from our house. We asked the front desk for Ishida, and the man there said some room on the 3rd floor. I don't remember the number, but I remember the location. It was the exact same room my daughter was born in.
When we got there, I saw Jyou right away. Of course, he'd become a doctor. I'd never seen Jyou looking worse. He was sitting on one of those desk chairs, head in his hands, crying. I knew Jyou. He never cried over his patients, no matter what happened. And here he was, crying. I knew it couldn't be good.
He looked up, saw me, and started crying harder. "My God Taichi... I... I couldn't do anything! There was nothing I could do... We lost her!" Panic struck my body. I knew he was referring to Sora. And with Sora, the baby. "She's gone! Two minutes ago, at that! I can't believe I couldn't save her... I feel like a murderer! I feel like I killed her!" Jyou's sobs shook his body, and he was still crying when a nurse came down the hall. "Dr. Kido? I hope this news will cheer you up a bit... I'm so sorry Doctor... But the husband is fine, and... We were able to save the baby. It's a girl, and she's sleeping peacefully in the nursery as we speak."
I don't remember a whole lot more from that day, besides the fact I cried. Cried in grief for Sora, cried in happiness that the baby had lived. Yamato was out of it for a week after he heard Sora was gone. He later told me that even before Jyou said anything, he knew. Said he could feel her presence, telling him she was gone but their little one was okay. I'll never really fully understand what he ment. I've never had anything like that happen to me before.
But anyway, he named his daughter Sora. Her brother Riko, still only two at the time, didn't understand that "Mommy was gone," but he was estatic to meet his new sister.
Sitting here now, at Sora's grave, I know that what had happened couldn't be helped. Yamato's doing much better now, and he's a great father, especially for having to raise to children, still so little, on his own. We all finally convinced Jyou that it wasn't his fault she died. But I was shocked once I heard the cause of the accident.
Sora had been driving, when she saw two adults walking
through the crosswalk, one carrying a little child, and another child close
behind. It was too late to fully stop, since she'd kept on going, the light
being green. She turned quickly, avoiding the obvious couple and the children,
but hitting a tree instead. Both Yamato and Sora went through the windshield.
I think Sora knew she saved four lives that day, while she was dying, giving
up her own. I don't think she thought her baby would make it, but I'm sure
she's happy she did. But I think she's more content now, wherever she is,
knowing that the people in the crosswalk were Hikari, Takeru, my daughter,
and her own son.
A/N: Wow. That was kind of strange, yet kind of sad at the same time.
Please R/R!!!!