Chapter 7: At the Hospital
"Nagisa, baby I'm right here." She didn't move, nor answer. She laid there limp and lifeless.
"I'll give you a minute." The nurse said pulling the curtain.
"Dear God please, please give her back to me! I'd give anything for sweet Nagisa." A cold wind of nostalgia wisped over me. Chills went up my spine when I glanced up at her heart rate monitor. It started playing a loud beeping sound.
"Nagisa! Nagisa! Come on baby don't give up! I love Nagisa! Think our sweet little Ushio, what about her! She needs her mother; you can't give up come on Nagisa! You're stronger than this!"
"Sir we're going to need you to step out." The doctor said as he slid his hands into gloves.
"Why can't I stay here? I want to be with Nagisa!"
"You need to leave sir, now!" A nurse came over and placed her hand on my shoulder. It was Ryou.
"You don't want to see her like this. We need to go." I stood to me feet gripping Nagisa's hand so tightly, if I let go, would she? Her hand slid out of mine and dropped lifelessly to the side of her bed.
"Nagisa! NAGISA!" Ryou drug me out, I was flailing my hands all over the place trying to get loose, but for some odd reason an even tighter grip, got a hold of me.
"Calm down. I know it hurts, it hurts really badly, but you need to calm down." Akio was holding me so tightly I could hardly breathe at that moment.
"Akio let him go!" Sanae said, as she stood at the end of the hallway holding a small dango in her hands. He let me go and walked out of sight. I figured he was going to go for a smoke. I didn't care, I was glad he held me back from doing something rash.
"How is she?" Sanae said walking up to me. I couldn't manage to say one word without sobbing. I felt like throwing up, I felt like taking a knife to my wrist, or even ending it all. But what about Ushio? I missed my sweet Ushio. But I could not see her; if I did all I would do is sob.
"Where's the pay phone?" I asked, "I need someone to be home with Ushio."
"Damn it!" Akio said stepping from around the corner. "Damn it Tomoya! You left Ushio home by herself?"
"What the hell was I suppose to do!" I stepped real close to his face. The words left a scorch mark on my tongue when they left my mouth.
"You don't want to do this." Akio said. "It hurts, but you need to settle yourself." I stepped back away from him.
"Damn it all! What the hell am I suppose to do? Why GOD! Is this some kind of curse! It's this damn city, it's always changing, and nothing ever stays the same. But why, why does it have to affect us?" I felt like a complete loser. I thought I'd grown up. I thought I'd matured from the boy who stood on the bottom of hill, depressed and deprived of the will to be happy, but I haven't. This world it always gives me a just the slightest glimpse of happiness. Never anymore than a sliver, I could never be happy again.
"Sir, she's back." The nurse said with a huge smile on her face.
"What?"
"She's back, she's breathing."
I ran past the nurse, and so did the rest of us.
"Nagisa." I whispered.
"She isn't awake, but she is alive. I've never seen anything like it. It's like she doesn't want to give up, not yet. She has a real nag for life, you should be proud of her. She's a fighter, a strong one at that. I'll give you folks a minute."
"Thank you so much sir." Sanae said.
"Our little Nagisa." Akio said as he touched her hand. Sanae placed her hand ever so gentle on his shoulder. She slowly rubbed Nagisa hair out of her face.
Time flew by, as we all sat with Nagisa. One by one they began to leave. Ryou was first, then Akio and Sanae. I was left there with Nagisa.
"Da-ango, dango, dango, dango. Da-ango, big dango family. Mmmmhhhmmm, mmmhhmm," I continued on humming the words.
"Sir we're closing up now, we'll need all the visitors to leave."
"But she's my wife, how could I possibly leave her? Would you leave your wife?"
"No sir. But I completely understand what you're saying, but rules are rules. The best I can offer is that you come back in the morning at opening. If anyone asks tell them Dr. Appy let you in. They'll let you in, no questions asked. Come in around eight a.m, and when you get here, tell the nurse the same. And you'll have access to the room."
I shook my head, in surprise, and said, "Thank you so much."
"I've been in your shoes; I know how hard it is to almost lose someone you love, because I did."
"I'm sorry." I started to walk out,
"Tomoyo Sakigami." The name bought back tub of memories.
"She died?"
"She was my daughter. She and her brother died in a car crash two years ago, and my wife is taking therapy for her critical condition. I know I shouldn't burden you with this, I just, well, I don't know." He turned and walked away down the hallway. Each of his footsteps bought back a cold and sad nostalgic memory of Tomoyo.
Before I left the hospital I stopped at one of their pay phones to make a call.
"Hello?" I sniffled.
"Yes?"
"Is Sunoharra there?"
"May I ask who's speaking?"
"Tomaya, Tomoya Okazaki."
"Okazaki! Hello Okazaki this is Katomi. How are you?"
"Uhh, well that's the whole point to this call."
"Wha…? Is there something wrong?"
"It's Nagisa." An odd but usual silence drifted through the phone waves.
"Go on."
"Well you see she's in the hospital in a coma. I need someone to babysit Ushio. I would ask Akio and Sanae but they'll be busy up her to and Kyou and Ryou both have jobs, and I know you guys do too, but I figured at least you could watch her maybe. I just don't want her around this, she's not ready. And not only her, but I'm not ready for this either."
"It's completely fine. When do you want us to get her?"
"It's an inconvenience but now, possibly."
"Oh, alright, I'll have to wake Sunoharra and pass the news. We'll be there in no time." Her voice sounded stern and serious, but it sounded as if she was moving a bunch.
"Can you keep her at my house? What I'm asking is, can you guys stay at my house for the night with her? I can't go home and face. I'll unlock the door, but I can't go in. I'll even wait-"
"Tomoya, whatever you want we're fine with. You don't have to explain. We'll be there in a few."
"Thanks so much Katomi."
"You're welcome."
