To begin a new life!
_________________
"You're recommending me for a heart transplant?" Kagome asked as her heart thundered from a rush of adrenaline.
"Yes. It's your best hope. You know we talked it over before."
Kagome remembered. Her diseased heart would be replaced with a donor heart. When one became available, she would get beeped on a pager she would always wear. If it happened in the dead of night, she'd get a phone call. She'd have minutes to leave for the hospital, where she'd be prepped for surgery and operated on. Hours later, she would emerge new heart and all. She wanted to keep the one she had been born with. She hoped medical science would help, but today Dr. Kaede had closed the doors on that dream. The idea of replacing her heart the way they would scared her.
"There is no other way?"she asked.
"No. Noy anymore child." The doc said shaking her head.
"Then let's go for it." She said making her mind up in an instant. Perhaps with a new heart she could live again.
"When?" Her grandpa asked.
"Unfortunately, it could take a while. Especially here at this transplant center. There are many others in need of a new heart ahead of you, usually the sickest go first. Some people actually sell their homes and move to another state for a better chance."
Kagome absorbed the implications of the doc's words. Was she saying they should move to improve her chances? Her family would never sell the shrine.
"We just want you to know all the facts." Dr.Kaede told her.
"What about a match?" Kagome's mom asked. "What are the chances a heart will come along that suits only her?"
"We can only match blood type and body size, we dont have time to do much else once the heart is available. She will need a heart that will fit inside her chest. Fortunately, she's achieved her adult height, so a comparable sized heart should be easier to match. It would have been harder had she still been a child."
"And rejection" her grandpa asked.
"Kagome will have to take antirejection drugs for the rest of her life. But they've improved tremendously over the years. Once she heals, she should be able to resume a normal life."
To Kagome it sounded like a dream come true. How she longed for such. A new heart would give it all to her. Her grandpa shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you Doctor. You've given us plenty to think of."
Dr.Kaede turned to Kagome. "Now go home and stay well. You'll have to come in for a psychological evaluation you will be notified. Organs go to properly motivated people, who will take care of themselves. I'd like to see you in two weeks for a check up. If there is any problems you call me."
Kagome watched her mom finish the packing. Her mind was spinning. She was going to haev a new heart. That is, if she lived long enough for one to be available to her. She wanted to tell Inu. The hurdle of her mom and grandpa's objections toward him seemed small now. Once she got a new heart, she'd be able to do what she wanted. For the first time in years, Kagome Higurashi felt as if she had a future.
Kagome didn't have one second alone before leaving. She never got to ask for Inu's address. And once she was home, she was tucked away into bed where her grandpa showed off the computer and minicam system he'd had installed for her.
"All you have to do is rotate this dial, and a camera will pick up in each classroom. See? Here's your english class." He turned the dial and a black and white picture of Mr. Myouga's class from a high back corner angle popped up on the tv screen by her computer. The room was empty. School was over for today but come Monday at ten it would be filled. "Now you try it." Her grandpa said.
Kagome flipped the dial. Ms. Centipede's Algebra room came into view. "Thats neat. Not a bad way to go to school." She hoped she sounded more enthusiastic. They had gone through so much trouble and expense for her. She knew she should be more appreciative, but all she could think of was Inu Yasha and their parting.
"Each teacher will wear a wireless mike, so you'll be able to hear every word,"grandpa had told her. "No excuses for zoning out during lectures." He added with a laugh.
Kagome began her electronic classroom attendance. With ambivalent feelings, she watched the kids in her class moving across the monitor screen. A month before, she'd been a part of all that. Now she just looked on unemotionally, hardly remembering why she thought it was important to return there. The difference wasnt the students, but the new heart she would get and meeting Inu Yasha.
Three days later, she called Sango after school and said," I've called the hospital and asked for Inu, but I was told he was an hourly worker. And unless it was an emergency, I'd just have to leave him a message."
"So, what's the problem?"
"I've left him two messages, but he hasn't called me back."
"What do you want to do?"
"I know the store he works at in his neighborhood is called Tetsusaiga Market. I've found the address online." Kagome took a deep breath. "I want to go look for him. And I want you to go with me. You said you'd help me."
"I will. But how?"
"Mom is starting back to work Monday, so I will be alone for six hours. We can go and be back before she comes home. They will never know."
"I don't know, Kagome. It sounds risky. What if you pick up some germ?"
"I will take the risk. I have to see him, Sango. You will help, won't you?"
"Are you sure girls? This is a pretty mean neighborgood." The cabbie told them.
"We are sure sir," Kagome said.
The ride accross town seemed to take forever and used up a large chunk of Kagome's money. Finally they made it. A few homeless people stood near the door of the store asking passerbys for change. Kagome stepped over an elderly lady sleeping on a grate. Inside the store had harsh lighting and smelled of spices and veggies. Narrow rows of cases filled with produce, and the aisles were packed with ethnic foods in colorful boxes and bags.
Sango asked,"What if he is not here?"
That hadn't occured to Kagome. "He's got to be."
She marched up to the cashier and asked for Inu. The older woman told her in the back, washing floors in the walk-in cooler. Kagome walked to the rear of the store. Sango on her heels. She stopped at the open cooler door. Her heart raced as she saw Inu's back to her.
"Hey Inu Yasha. How are you?"
He turned, his face registering shock. "Kagome! What are you doing here? Why have you come?"
"Because you didn't answer any of my messages." she said her voice trembling.
"What messages? I got none. I was told to never contact you again."
_________________
"You're recommending me for a heart transplant?" Kagome asked as her heart thundered from a rush of adrenaline.
"Yes. It's your best hope. You know we talked it over before."
Kagome remembered. Her diseased heart would be replaced with a donor heart. When one became available, she would get beeped on a pager she would always wear. If it happened in the dead of night, she'd get a phone call. She'd have minutes to leave for the hospital, where she'd be prepped for surgery and operated on. Hours later, she would emerge new heart and all. She wanted to keep the one she had been born with. She hoped medical science would help, but today Dr. Kaede had closed the doors on that dream. The idea of replacing her heart the way they would scared her.
"There is no other way?"she asked.
"No. Noy anymore child." The doc said shaking her head.
"Then let's go for it." She said making her mind up in an instant. Perhaps with a new heart she could live again.
"When?" Her grandpa asked.
"Unfortunately, it could take a while. Especially here at this transplant center. There are many others in need of a new heart ahead of you, usually the sickest go first. Some people actually sell their homes and move to another state for a better chance."
Kagome absorbed the implications of the doc's words. Was she saying they should move to improve her chances? Her family would never sell the shrine.
"We just want you to know all the facts." Dr.Kaede told her.
"What about a match?" Kagome's mom asked. "What are the chances a heart will come along that suits only her?"
"We can only match blood type and body size, we dont have time to do much else once the heart is available. She will need a heart that will fit inside her chest. Fortunately, she's achieved her adult height, so a comparable sized heart should be easier to match. It would have been harder had she still been a child."
"And rejection" her grandpa asked.
"Kagome will have to take antirejection drugs for the rest of her life. But they've improved tremendously over the years. Once she heals, she should be able to resume a normal life."
To Kagome it sounded like a dream come true. How she longed for such. A new heart would give it all to her. Her grandpa shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you Doctor. You've given us plenty to think of."
Dr.Kaede turned to Kagome. "Now go home and stay well. You'll have to come in for a psychological evaluation you will be notified. Organs go to properly motivated people, who will take care of themselves. I'd like to see you in two weeks for a check up. If there is any problems you call me."
Kagome watched her mom finish the packing. Her mind was spinning. She was going to haev a new heart. That is, if she lived long enough for one to be available to her. She wanted to tell Inu. The hurdle of her mom and grandpa's objections toward him seemed small now. Once she got a new heart, she'd be able to do what she wanted. For the first time in years, Kagome Higurashi felt as if she had a future.
Kagome didn't have one second alone before leaving. She never got to ask for Inu's address. And once she was home, she was tucked away into bed where her grandpa showed off the computer and minicam system he'd had installed for her.
"All you have to do is rotate this dial, and a camera will pick up in each classroom. See? Here's your english class." He turned the dial and a black and white picture of Mr. Myouga's class from a high back corner angle popped up on the tv screen by her computer. The room was empty. School was over for today but come Monday at ten it would be filled. "Now you try it." Her grandpa said.
Kagome flipped the dial. Ms. Centipede's Algebra room came into view. "Thats neat. Not a bad way to go to school." She hoped she sounded more enthusiastic. They had gone through so much trouble and expense for her. She knew she should be more appreciative, but all she could think of was Inu Yasha and their parting.
"Each teacher will wear a wireless mike, so you'll be able to hear every word,"grandpa had told her. "No excuses for zoning out during lectures." He added with a laugh.
Kagome began her electronic classroom attendance. With ambivalent feelings, she watched the kids in her class moving across the monitor screen. A month before, she'd been a part of all that. Now she just looked on unemotionally, hardly remembering why she thought it was important to return there. The difference wasnt the students, but the new heart she would get and meeting Inu Yasha.
Three days later, she called Sango after school and said," I've called the hospital and asked for Inu, but I was told he was an hourly worker. And unless it was an emergency, I'd just have to leave him a message."
"So, what's the problem?"
"I've left him two messages, but he hasn't called me back."
"What do you want to do?"
"I know the store he works at in his neighborhood is called Tetsusaiga Market. I've found the address online." Kagome took a deep breath. "I want to go look for him. And I want you to go with me. You said you'd help me."
"I will. But how?"
"Mom is starting back to work Monday, so I will be alone for six hours. We can go and be back before she comes home. They will never know."
"I don't know, Kagome. It sounds risky. What if you pick up some germ?"
"I will take the risk. I have to see him, Sango. You will help, won't you?"
"Are you sure girls? This is a pretty mean neighborgood." The cabbie told them.
"We are sure sir," Kagome said.
The ride accross town seemed to take forever and used up a large chunk of Kagome's money. Finally they made it. A few homeless people stood near the door of the store asking passerbys for change. Kagome stepped over an elderly lady sleeping on a grate. Inside the store had harsh lighting and smelled of spices and veggies. Narrow rows of cases filled with produce, and the aisles were packed with ethnic foods in colorful boxes and bags.
Sango asked,"What if he is not here?"
That hadn't occured to Kagome. "He's got to be."
She marched up to the cashier and asked for Inu. The older woman told her in the back, washing floors in the walk-in cooler. Kagome walked to the rear of the store. Sango on her heels. She stopped at the open cooler door. Her heart raced as she saw Inu's back to her.
"Hey Inu Yasha. How are you?"
He turned, his face registering shock. "Kagome! What are you doing here? Why have you come?"
"Because you didn't answer any of my messages." she said her voice trembling.
"What messages? I got none. I was told to never contact you again."