Alone
Streetlight crept through the blinds of the darkened room. Noises outside were muffled but could still be heard. A tired and worn out woman lay on the bed sleeping, nursing the large bulge in her stomach gently with her hand. A young boy of about 10-years-old sat in the corner of the room with his hands in his face trying to get some rest. Suddenly the voices outside the room cause the boy's attention. He wondered over to the door quietly taking care not to wake his mother. The boy crouched down against the wall and listened through the tiny crack of the door way -
"There might be some slight complications with the birth of this child. Aiko's body may not be able to cope with the pressure of child birth and the child being two months premature doesn't help the situation either." Said the Doctor.
"What do you suppose we do then? Are we able to save her?"
"I'm not sure. As I said there might be some complications, so there is a chance she'll make it through. All we can do is monitor her before and after the baby is born," said the doctor calmly.
"What about the child. Will it have problems?" asked the nurse.
"Yes. There is a good chance the child will have to be placed into intensive care when it is born."
The young boy suddenly gasped loudly. The thought that he might loose his mother and his only sibling was far too much to bear. He was still mourning over the death of his father from three months ago. He could not face this world alone. There was a beeping noise coming from the doctor's coat.
"I have a patient I have to attend to now, stay with Aiko and call me when she wakes."
The boy heard the nurse's footsteps coming and he quickly raced back to his seat in the corner pretending to sleep. She entered the room and noticed the boy. She smiled then left to room only to return with a blanket and carefully draped it around the child. The boy finally fell into a deep sleep then was abruptly woken hours later by the loud screams of his mother. He raced over to the bedside to comfort his mother.
"I'm so tired darling. I don't know how much more I can take of this," said the women wearily.
"Come on mother just a bit longer now. It'll all be over soon," said the young boy clutching his mother's hand tightly.
"Aiko just a few more pushes and it'll all be over," said the nurse trying her best to comfort the woman.
Aiko pushed again and screamed almost crushing her son's hand. She stoped and panted a bit more then ran her hand through her son's gleaming silver hair.
"Oh Ayame. If only your father were here for this wonderful occasion," said Aiko
Tears began to fill Ayame's eyes and clutched his mother for a hug. Then suddenly Aiko let out another loud scream. Ayame stood back as the doctor and the nurse attended to her needs.
"Come on Aiko another big push and it'll all be over," said the nurse encouragingly.
Aiko let out one last final loud scream and push until she was red in the face. Then once second later a cry of a baby was heard. The doctor brought the child up in his arms. It was blue.
"Nurse! Get this child into an NICU. STAT!" said the doctor hurriedly.
"Yes doctor," said the nurse racing off with the child to the maternity ward.
"Wait! What are you doing with my child? What's going on? Tell me!" screamed Aiko.
"Aiko calm down, you're child is not well, he's not breathing," said the doctor trying his best to calm Aiko down.
Ayame stood far back in the corner as the doctor struggled to rest Aiko, suddenly Aiko started to gasp for air.
"We need a nurse in here now! Someone get this kid out of here" yelled the doctor and a team of nurses filed into the room.
Aiko was laid down on the bed and the nurses placed an oxygen mask over her mouth. One of the nurses dragged Ayame out of the room and placed him out in the waiting room. Ayame sat in the room for what felt like hours, waiting for news of his mother. He sat on the chair with his head tilted to the ground, and then he noticed a pair of feet appear. Ayame was silent for a moment.
"She's dying. Isn't she," he said saddened.
"Yes. The impact of the birth put a great deal of stress on your mother's body. We've stabilised her and we're monitoring her closely. She's asleep now, but you can go in and see her," said the doctor.
"What about the baby? Will it be alright?" said Ayame trying to hold back his tears.
"He is in intensive care. He wasn't breathing when he was born. It's only natural for premature babies to be born with these sorts of complications. You too were born two months premature, but you didn't have complications such as this. However, you were still kept an eye on. Your brother will survive."
Ayame was silent, and then he left for his mother's room. He quietly entered the darkened room dragged a chair over to the side of his mother who was resting peacefully. The breathing mask was still covering her mouth, a drip was attached her arm and a heart monitor was beeping next her. Ayame's eyes filled with tears and he lunged for his mother's hand and held it gently and cried himself to sleep. Hours later Ayame was woken by the feeling of hair being played with. He looked up and saw his mother had woken.
"Mother!" he gasped excitedly
Aiko couldn't talk but she smiled and continued to play with his hair.
"It's a boy. I have a baby brother. The doctor said that the baby would be alright. They're just keeping an eye on him," explained Ayame.
Aiko smiled and nodded and drifted back to sleep. Ayame left the room and wondered off outside for a while to clear his head. It was late morning for what Ayame could gather. The snow was melting and Spring was just around the corner. Flowers we beginning to bloom across the hospital courtyard. Ayame walked across the mushy ground to a nearby bench and sat down. Little children ran and played around the courtyard happily. Ayame would have joined in the fun but he suddenly felt too depressed to have fun. Instead he just watched the birds fly and listened to their songs, he observed the many flowers that were beginning bloom. By lunchtime Ayame was still sitting peacefully in the courtyard when he was disturbed by a hand placed on his shoulder. Ayame turned around instantly to see who it was and saw it was the doctor. He looked solemn. His hair and clothes were dishevelled and he looked very tired. He came and sat down next to Ayame, heaved a sigh but said nothing. Ayame looked at the ground. He knew exactly what was on the doctor's mind. Tears yet again flooded Ayame's eyes.
"She's gone. Hasn't she," he said through the sobs.
"Yes. I'm sorry son. We couldn't save her. She went into cardiac arrest. We tried our best to recover her, but she was gone after five shots of electricity."
Ayame sat stiffly on the bench with warm tears stinging his face. Later Ayame went into the room where his mother lay peacefully, cold, still and empty. Ayame made one last leap for his mother cried hard. He and his nameless brother were alone in this world.
"We found this on Aiko's bedside table." The doctor handed Ayame an envelope addressed to him. The doctor walked away and left Ayame in peace. Ayame stared at the envelope then opened it.
To my darling Ayame,
If you are reading this it means that I am dead. I knew in the last few months of pregnancy that I was dying and that I will not survive this childbirth. I have spoken to Akito and he has agreed that both of you will stay with Kimiko andYasuki at the Sohma estate. You remember them, Hitori's parents. I know they will take good care of both of you. I am leaving you to decide on the baby's name. I know you will choose a great name for it. Ayame I hope all the best for you and your sibling as well. It makes me so sad that I will not be able to see both of you grow up but please just remember that I will always love you both and I will be always be watching over you.
With all my love
Your dearest mother – Aiko.
It was an overcast day. The ground was soggy from heavy rainfall from the night before and there was a slight cool breeze in the air. A large crowd of Sohmas gathered in the cemetery wishing farewell to Aiko.
"Dearly beloved where are gathered here today to say goodbye to Aiko Sohma, loving mother of two and widow of the late Haruki Sohma," said the priest.
Flowers were scattered all across the coffin. Ayame stood solemn, his head tilted to the ground and silver hair hanging low hiding his tear stained face. The priest continued to talk but Ayame did not listen. He was caught in deep thought. He didn't know how he would cope without his parents. He felt sympathy for his little brother, brought into the world not even knowing who his parents were. Ayame suddenly snapped out of thought noticing that the coffin was beginning to be lowered into the grounds. Sobs all around the crowd could be heard. The funeral ceremony passed by and slowly the crowed began to disappear until it was on Ayame left. He stood there cold and stiff staring at the tomb stone.
"Goodbye mother, I'll come and visit you whenever I can," he whispered softly and walked away.