The gift
____________
"But how?" Kagome shook off the stupor of sleep." The list?"
"I don't know how. They just said come." Her mother turned the light on and quickly packed her a bag. "Get dressed, grandpa is waiting in the car."
Her grandfather still drove which was amazing. They drove down the darkened streets like maniacs. At the hospital, doctors and nurses rushed to meet them. Kagome was wheeled in to be prepped for surgery. She was groggy from all the meds when Dr. Kaede came in.
"How are you doing, Kagome?
"All right." Kagome muttered. "How did this happen?"
"We can talk after the transplant."
"Dr. Hiten will be chief surgeon. I will assist. When you wake, you will have tubes everywhere, including your throat. You will not be able to speak. Once you are stable, we will put you in ICU. You parents wish to speak with you now. I will see you in OR."
Her mom and grandpa squeezed her hand and kissed her. "We will see you in recovery, Kagome. Be a trooper. We love you. We will be waiting for you." Her mother kissed her. "I love you too, mom and you grandpa. Thank you."
They nurse came and wheeled her into the operating room. A young looking man approached. He had long black hair tied in a braid. "Hello, I am Dr. Hiten Thunder. Are you ready?"
Kagome nodded. "You're remind me of Inu Yasha. Do you know him?"
"No." He patted her shoulder. "I am going to slip the mask on you, Kagome. You will be asleep in seconds." Suddenly the adjoining operating room door swung open.
"The patient is ready for retrieval." The doctor said. Kagome felt sad and pity for the donor but very thankful.
"We are ready too." Dr. Kaede said.
The mask slid over her mouth and nose. The sounds faded and she slipped into utter darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome was aware of a bright light spilling into her eyes and a voice calling out to her.
"Wake up, Kagome. It's over, honey. Wake up now."
She struggled to awaken. She tried to open her eyes and squinted at the light.
"Thats a good girl." The voice said. Joined by her mother's and grandfather's. "It's us, Kagome. Can you see us?"
She saw them alright. She couldn't move. Tubing was everywhere. There was no pain though.
"Look at your nails, Kagome."Her mother told her. Kagome lifted her hand. They were pink and rosy, not blue. "Your new heart is working." Her mother cried. "It's doing a wonderful job."
Kagome nodded. She closed her eyes. It was finally over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day the tube in her throat was dettached. She had never been so glad to be rid of anything in her life. She could talk again! She wondered though. Where is Inu? So far her only visitors were her mom, grandpa and doctors. They all wore paper gowns and masks. The room was sterile. She couldn't afford to catch any germs now.
By day three she was out of bed. She was hesitant to walk and felt like she had ran a mile. By the end of the week she was able to sit up unattended. Kagome had questions but each time she was refused. Kaede said not until she was stronger and they knew her new heart would stick.
The constant flow of antirejection drugs had made Kagome's face very round. She was told it would be normal again once the drugs backed off. She was a little glad Inu hadn't seen her like this. Perhaps Sango could help her relay a message. Her mother told her Sango had to go away on vacation. That was strange. Now how could she talk with Inu. She asked her mom when she was getting out of ICU and going home. Her mom just said it was up to Kaede.
Kagome lay awake at night her mind racing. 'Where are you, Inu Yasha? Why haven't you found a way to contact me?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twelve days later Dr. Kaede came to speak with Kagome. Kagome asked,"Is something wrong? Is my heart okay?"
"Its fine. Soon you will be released. You can complete your recovery at home."
Kagome grinned. "That is what I wanted to hear."
"Well now. On to the next thing. The night of your surgery remember you wanted to know why you suddenly got a heart even though you were on a waiting list?"
"Yes, we were planning to move."
"I know and it would have been your best bet. Until this. One way to get it done faster is when a donor puts you as the reciever. Its done all the time with families and kidneys'. The odds of rejection are low."
"What does this have to do with me?"
"I am going to show you something. It won't be easy to see this. You must." She handed Kagome a newspaper clipping. Kagome didn't have to read it. She saw a body layed out on a sidewalk. Two words jumped out. Inu Yasha.
____________
"But how?" Kagome shook off the stupor of sleep." The list?"
"I don't know how. They just said come." Her mother turned the light on and quickly packed her a bag. "Get dressed, grandpa is waiting in the car."
Her grandfather still drove which was amazing. They drove down the darkened streets like maniacs. At the hospital, doctors and nurses rushed to meet them. Kagome was wheeled in to be prepped for surgery. She was groggy from all the meds when Dr. Kaede came in.
"How are you doing, Kagome?
"All right." Kagome muttered. "How did this happen?"
"We can talk after the transplant."
"Dr. Hiten will be chief surgeon. I will assist. When you wake, you will have tubes everywhere, including your throat. You will not be able to speak. Once you are stable, we will put you in ICU. You parents wish to speak with you now. I will see you in OR."
Her mom and grandpa squeezed her hand and kissed her. "We will see you in recovery, Kagome. Be a trooper. We love you. We will be waiting for you." Her mother kissed her. "I love you too, mom and you grandpa. Thank you."
They nurse came and wheeled her into the operating room. A young looking man approached. He had long black hair tied in a braid. "Hello, I am Dr. Hiten Thunder. Are you ready?"
Kagome nodded. "You're remind me of Inu Yasha. Do you know him?"
"No." He patted her shoulder. "I am going to slip the mask on you, Kagome. You will be asleep in seconds." Suddenly the adjoining operating room door swung open.
"The patient is ready for retrieval." The doctor said. Kagome felt sad and pity for the donor but very thankful.
"We are ready too." Dr. Kaede said.
The mask slid over her mouth and nose. The sounds faded and she slipped into utter darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome was aware of a bright light spilling into her eyes and a voice calling out to her.
"Wake up, Kagome. It's over, honey. Wake up now."
She struggled to awaken. She tried to open her eyes and squinted at the light.
"Thats a good girl." The voice said. Joined by her mother's and grandfather's. "It's us, Kagome. Can you see us?"
She saw them alright. She couldn't move. Tubing was everywhere. There was no pain though.
"Look at your nails, Kagome."Her mother told her. Kagome lifted her hand. They were pink and rosy, not blue. "Your new heart is working." Her mother cried. "It's doing a wonderful job."
Kagome nodded. She closed her eyes. It was finally over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day the tube in her throat was dettached. She had never been so glad to be rid of anything in her life. She could talk again! She wondered though. Where is Inu? So far her only visitors were her mom, grandpa and doctors. They all wore paper gowns and masks. The room was sterile. She couldn't afford to catch any germs now.
By day three she was out of bed. She was hesitant to walk and felt like she had ran a mile. By the end of the week she was able to sit up unattended. Kagome had questions but each time she was refused. Kaede said not until she was stronger and they knew her new heart would stick.
The constant flow of antirejection drugs had made Kagome's face very round. She was told it would be normal again once the drugs backed off. She was a little glad Inu hadn't seen her like this. Perhaps Sango could help her relay a message. Her mother told her Sango had to go away on vacation. That was strange. Now how could she talk with Inu. She asked her mom when she was getting out of ICU and going home. Her mom just said it was up to Kaede.
Kagome lay awake at night her mind racing. 'Where are you, Inu Yasha? Why haven't you found a way to contact me?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twelve days later Dr. Kaede came to speak with Kagome. Kagome asked,"Is something wrong? Is my heart okay?"
"Its fine. Soon you will be released. You can complete your recovery at home."
Kagome grinned. "That is what I wanted to hear."
"Well now. On to the next thing. The night of your surgery remember you wanted to know why you suddenly got a heart even though you were on a waiting list?"
"Yes, we were planning to move."
"I know and it would have been your best bet. Until this. One way to get it done faster is when a donor puts you as the reciever. Its done all the time with families and kidneys'. The odds of rejection are low."
"What does this have to do with me?"
"I am going to show you something. It won't be easy to see this. You must." She handed Kagome a newspaper clipping. Kagome didn't have to read it. She saw a body layed out on a sidewalk. Two words jumped out. Inu Yasha.