This is my contribuition for the Digiweek 2021 on Tumblr, Day 6 - Dream. Hope you enjoy!
-
Takeru paced around the waiting room nervously. It had been hours and nothing had changed. He looked around and saw his mother peacefully reading a magazine and Yamato cuddling with Sora. His father was outside smoking. He couldn't believe how they all could stay so calm with everything that was happening.
"No one is telling me anything!" He nearly shouted. "I need to know what's happening!"
"Takeru, sweetie." Natsuko said without looking away from the magazine. "Sometimes it really takes longer. You'll have to be patient and wait for your son. He will be here before you know it."
"Why can't I stay with her? I'm the father, I should be there."
"It was her choice. Maybe she wouldn't feel comfortable with you around."
"But it's my son."
"Haven't you talked about it? About you watching it, I mean."
"No." Takeru said sadly. "I thought we didn't have to, that would be certain me being there."
"Apparently she didn't share the same opinion."
Takeru frowned and continued his nervous pacing around the room.
*
Yamato's head was rested against Sora's belly. He couldn't help but smile hearing the noises and feeling the movements coming from it. A surprised expression replaced it when she tugged his shirt.
"What happened?" He asked as he looked up at her.
"I don't think I'm ready for this." She replied in a terrified tone. "I know we talked about this a lot before and when we started trying, but seeing how much it's taking for our nephew to arrive is making me terrified the same thing will happen to me."
"Sora." Yamato gave a soft smile and sat down, looking at her. "Hikari decided to go for normal birth and she didn't have the needed dilation for that. That's what I heard anyway." He shrugged when he saw her shocked expression.
"I can't imagine spending so many hours just waiting for her to come through a normal birth. I can't do this, Yamato." She started shaking and was on the verge of crying. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey." He said gently and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. "You can do this. You're strong. I believe in you."
"I don't know."
"Mom." Yamato looked at his mother. "Sora and I are going outside for some fresh air, okay?"
"Okay, son. I'll let you know if anything happens."
"Thanks."
They turned around and headed outside.
*
Natsuko finished her magazine and put it away. She had just stood up when Hiroaki joined her.
"Any news?"
"No." Natsuko shook her head. "He's a nervous wreck, though. I can't blame him. Even I think it's taking way too long."
"I don't think it took me that long when he was born. He was really desperate to come out."
"Takeru has always been an agitated boy, hasn't he?"
"Yeah." Natsuko said with a smile. "I don't think it ever changed. Look at him now."
"I'm done waiting!" Takeru said rather loudly and began walking to the reception desk when Taichi and his parents arrived.
"Takeru!"
"Where is Hikari?" Yuuko Yagami asked.
"They took her upstairs hours ago and I haven't heard from her since then."
Yuuko was about to ask a nurse to take her to her daughter's room when the doctor came to the waiting area.
"Doctor, is she okay?" Takeru ran to him.
"She's fine and so it the baby. You're allowed to go upstairs now."
Takeru could barely hold himself together. He was finally going to meet his son. He looked around at everyone and saw that both his and Hikari's mothers were nearly crying.
"What happened?" Yamato asked as he returned inside with Sora. "Is he finally here?"
"Yes, he is." Hiroaki answered. "Takeru is going up now."
*
The scent of baby powder filled his nostrils as soon as he closed the door. He carefully tiptoed in the room, not wanting to make any loud noise that could make his newborn son cry. When Hikari and the baby come into their view, Takeru thought it was impossible to feel so much more love than he already did. He approached the bed, without taking his eyes from the little child.
"Hi." Hikari said softly and then looked at the baby in her arms. "Meet our son."
The man lifted his hand to touch him, and the baby closed his tiny little fingers around his father's index one. Takeru couldn't help but smile and looked at Hikari.
"You were so brave to do it alone and for so long. I wish I could have seen it."
"I know you did, but…"
Hikari's voice began to fail and suddenly she was very far away from him, no matter how hard he tried to get closer to him. Everything around him turned white and he started hearing a familiar voice calling his name.
*
Sweat was dripping from his face when he woke suddenly, yelling Hikari's name as if she was there. It took him a few minutes to understand he had been dreaming.
"Takeru, what happened?" Patamon asked alarmed. "You seemed agitated and couldn't stop talking. Were you having a bad dream?"
"Sort of." Takeru replied, still looking around for any sign that proved him wrong. "I dreamed about having a child."
"A child?"
"Yeah." He pulled the blanket that had fallen off over his bed again. "I was married to Hikari and we just had our first baby."
"That seems odd. Do you like her?" The Digimon asked as he landed in his legs.
Takeru seemed to think for some seconds. "No. We're just very close friends."
"Are you sure? Sometimes dreams can reflect our inner wishes. Wishes we don't dare to voice out loud."
"Yes, I'm sure." Takeru pet his partner's head. "Hikari and I are just friends."
"Okay, if you say so." Patamon dropped the subject. "I'll sleep here beside you in case you have another one of these dreams."
Takeru couldn't help but laugh. He didn't know what he'd do without Patamon. He laid his head on his pillow and stared at his big blue eyes. "I like that. Good night, Patamon."