Chapter 26
The hospital room of Mimori Nanokura was filled with fresh flowers every three days by a single admirer. This admirer would deliver at least one bouquet himself, gently caress her forehead, kiss her cheek and murmur, "I'll take care of you princess. You only need to wake up." he would then leave. She needed him and he knew it. He was the only one that would take away the memories and the pain, if she would only let him. He nodded politely to the nursing staff, then left for work.
"Such a sweet young man. He really seems to care about her." One of the nurses commented to another as they watched him step onto the elevator and leave.
"I really hope she wakes up soon, it's been almost two months." The other one hoped.
"From what her chart says... It doesn't look like it'll happen any time soon. They may end up putting her in a home." The first informed her.
"That's a shame. She's so cute. Such a waste." the second shook her head.
She sat nervously fidgeting in the pleasantly decorated waiting room as her husband read the parenting magazine that he had casually picked up from the rack to kill his boredom while waiting.
Kuon turned to Kyoko when he saw that she appeared to be worried. "What's wrong Baby?" He asked softly.
"I... I'm just a little worried about Hikari." She confessed.
He put the magazine down on the end-table next to him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Honey... She's fine. She's active and the doctor said everything was doing great last time we were here." He told her in a comforting voice.
"I know... It's just... It's just I worry, because Kuon-chan was born at about this time. I don't want the same thing to happen to Hikari. He was so tiny and fragile." She explained.
"Kyoko... Everything will be fine. I promise. If it's worrying you that much, ask the doctor about it." He told her.
"Hizuri-san... The doctor is ready to see you." Kyoko and Kuon looked up then followed the nurse to the exam room.
"I just need you to sit right here and I'll check your and the baby's vital signs." Fwoosh, Fwoosh, Fwoosh...
Kuon smiled proudly at the sound, it amazed him every time he heard it.
The nurse nodded and smiled, "Alright... the doctor will be in shortly." The nurse told her after she checked Kyoko's weight, her vital signs and the baby's heart-rate then shut the door gently behind her as she left.
Kyoko let out a deep breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"It helped didn't it...?" He asked.
"Hm?" She was confused by his question.
He kissed her forehead. "It helped me to hear her heartbeat too." He whispered as he rested his head on hers and smiled.
"Mr Nanokura... Your daughter is awake. She's asking for you. I would like to perform a few tests on her cognitive skills and she will need physical therapy to regain her mobility. I can tell you more on her condition once you arrive." The doctor's voice lilted through the phone with the good news and her father almost dropped the phone when he heard it.
"Thank you doctor. You have made us very happy with this news. Thank you so much... We'll be in this afternoon." He hung up and announced the good news to her mother.
In Mimori Nanokura's hospital room, she carried on a nice conversation with a familiar, but unfamiliar face and voice. To her it was the face and voice of the angel that pulled her from the darkness and called her princess. He brought with him the sweet scent of roses. Why am I here in the hospital? What happened?
He leaned to her from his seat next to her bed and caressed her cheek gently. "I need to go now my little angel, but I'll be back tomorrow." He kissed her forehead and left as quietly as he came.
"He's so sweet to me." She sighed and leaned back into her pillows.
It took what seemed like hours to find it, but in the end success. It was the perfect size for him and she felt that it fit him perfectly. Perfect size, perfect shape, perfect color. He always bought her the best of things and today she wanted to return the favor. She had saved up for the watch for months. Black with gold trim and accents.
"May I see that one?" Kyoko pointed to the watch in the long glass case.
The clerk pulled it out and set it gently on the glass display. Kyoko was almost afraid to touch it. She picked it up. It was heavy for a watch.
"That is a very good choice Hizuri-san. May I ask what the occasion is?" The young woman asked.
Kyoko looked up. "Oh... It's for a birthday." She turned the watch over in her hand and ran her fingers over the face of the watch and around its smooth edges. Perfect. She smiled.
"Is it to your liking?" The clerk asked.
"Yes... very much so... Its perfect. I'll take this one." She handed the watch back to the woman and dug into her purse for her wallet and followed the young woman to the register.
"Would you like for us to wrap this for you?" She asked.
"No thank you. I will be wrapping it myself." She answered. I hope he likes it.
"Hey Mark!" Jeff called out to Sho. "We're going to Wichita this weekend to an auction to pick up a couple of horses to replace the ones we lost in autumn. Wanna come with?"
"Sure... I've never been to an auction. Could be interesting." He told him.
Jeff laughed. "Who knows... Might meet some cute little fillies there too."
"Jeff... that all you think about? Girls?" David scolded.
Jeff scowled. "Come on Dave, just cause you got burned, don't mean the rest us gotta suffer. Right Mark?"
Sho just stood in silence. He wasn't really ready to dive into the dating pool just yet. "I.."
"No worries Mark... There's other things to do too." David patted him on the back. "Jeff, didn't you tell me just the other day that new Wilson girl was feedbag material?"
"Pfft... Dude, she is waaay outta my league. I'm movin' to greener pastures."
David laughed, "Well... Don't be grazin' too far from home. You know how Mom and Dad feel about your wanderin' ways."
"Whatever... I gotta go bring the sheep in." Jeff whistled loudly and his black and white Australian Shepherd ran to them. "Bo! Sheep!" and Jeff walked off after the dog.
David shook his head and his eyes grew dark and serious. "He's too much like Gary..."
Sho looked at him in confusion.
David sighed. "Gary was our brother. He got mixed up with another man's woman. Got himself shot."
"Gee... sorry. I..." Sho stammered he wasn't sure what to say. How many times did he come close to getting his ass handed to him by Kuon without thinking about it?
"No worries... that was a few years ago. Jeff didn't know that about his ways." David smacked his back. "We'll just have to keep him outta trouble." He smiled wide to put Sho at ease.
Sho nodded. He was starting to like these two brothers. They were treating him like one of their own.