Domon, Kyogi, and I walked down the hallway. The tile was so shiny I
could see myself in it. Domon was leading me along the hallway. His arm was
around my waist and Kyogi's hand was on my shoulder. The hospital corridor
was really quiet. My hands were shaking so badly I thought I was going to
drop the bouquet of white lilies I was carrying. I didn't want to be there
in the hospital. I didn't want to see my mother there.
Mrs. Kasshu had helped me put on the dress I had that my mother liked the most. It was a pretty light blue that matched my eyes completely. Mama loved that dress on me. I hated wearing dresses, but I had worn one today to please Mama. I also had on my shiny white dress shoes. They didn't really match but the ends of my braids were tied with black ribbons.
Kyogi opened the door to my mother's hospital room and we walked inside. I had never seen so many tubes in one place. Mama was in the hospital because she had been in a car accident. The doctors had told Daddy that she didn't have much longer. He didn't know that I knew that though. Daddy kept trying to be cheerful talking about all of the fun we were going to have once Mama came home. I knew it wasn't true though. I was only seven but I could see right through his lies.
"Rain sweetheart is that you?" my mother called from inside of the room.
"I'm right here Mama," I said running to her bed. "Oh Mama!" I tried my hardest not to but despite my best efforts I started to cry.
"It's okay Rain," Mama told me soothingly. "I'm right here."
"But you're not going to be here much longer," I sobbed.
"You heard your father and the doctors talking didn't you?" Mama asked me.
All I could do was nod my head. Domon came over and knelt next to me. I turned towards him and sobbed into his shoulder. Mama laid her hand on top of my head.
"Domon, Kyogi will you do something for me?" Mama asked them.
"Of course Mrs. Mikamura," Kyogi told her. "We'll do whatever you need us to." Domon nodded his agreement.
"I need you to watch over Rain for me since I won't be here for much longer," Mama told them. "It would mean so much to me."
"Of course we will," Kyogi told her. "I think of Rain as a little sister and I'll always protect her."
I looked up at Kyogi and smiled slightly through my tears. He had always been the big brother I had never had. All of my life he had been my rock. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without him. Soon it was time to go. I gave Mama a kiss on the cheek and she held my hand.
"I love you sweetheart," she whispered to me before we left. Those were her last words to me. When Daddy came back that evening he wouldn't talk about his visit. I pestered him for about an hour then he made me go to bed early. The next morning he told me though. Mama had died while he was there with her. I ran out of the house and down to the river.
The river had always been Domon's and my special place. We would hang out there for hours every day during the summer. I sat down on the dock and let my feet hang in the cool water. Hot tears poured down my cheeks. As I sat there sobbing Domon came up and wrapped his arms around me.
"I'm really sorry that your mommy died Rain," he told me.
"I'm sorry that she died too," I told him. "That doesn't change anything though. It won't bring Mama back. Oh Domon I miss my mama!"
"It's okay Rain," Domon said. "I'll always be here for you no matter what. Always remember that Rain. I'll be right here when you need me."
I just nodded my head. I knew that Domon would always be there for me. He was my best friend. I knew nothing would ever change that. No matter what happened we would always be best friends. I would be there for him when he needed me and he would be there for me.
Rain looked up and Domon. Tears were falling from her eyes. "I miss my mama Domon," she whispered.
Domon kissed the top of Rain's head. "I'll always be right here Rain when you need me," he told her. "Never forget that."
Rain smiled through her tears and picked up the next story. "Master Asia"
Mrs. Kasshu had helped me put on the dress I had that my mother liked the most. It was a pretty light blue that matched my eyes completely. Mama loved that dress on me. I hated wearing dresses, but I had worn one today to please Mama. I also had on my shiny white dress shoes. They didn't really match but the ends of my braids were tied with black ribbons.
Kyogi opened the door to my mother's hospital room and we walked inside. I had never seen so many tubes in one place. Mama was in the hospital because she had been in a car accident. The doctors had told Daddy that she didn't have much longer. He didn't know that I knew that though. Daddy kept trying to be cheerful talking about all of the fun we were going to have once Mama came home. I knew it wasn't true though. I was only seven but I could see right through his lies.
"Rain sweetheart is that you?" my mother called from inside of the room.
"I'm right here Mama," I said running to her bed. "Oh Mama!" I tried my hardest not to but despite my best efforts I started to cry.
"It's okay Rain," Mama told me soothingly. "I'm right here."
"But you're not going to be here much longer," I sobbed.
"You heard your father and the doctors talking didn't you?" Mama asked me.
All I could do was nod my head. Domon came over and knelt next to me. I turned towards him and sobbed into his shoulder. Mama laid her hand on top of my head.
"Domon, Kyogi will you do something for me?" Mama asked them.
"Of course Mrs. Mikamura," Kyogi told her. "We'll do whatever you need us to." Domon nodded his agreement.
"I need you to watch over Rain for me since I won't be here for much longer," Mama told them. "It would mean so much to me."
"Of course we will," Kyogi told her. "I think of Rain as a little sister and I'll always protect her."
I looked up at Kyogi and smiled slightly through my tears. He had always been the big brother I had never had. All of my life he had been my rock. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without him. Soon it was time to go. I gave Mama a kiss on the cheek and she held my hand.
"I love you sweetheart," she whispered to me before we left. Those were her last words to me. When Daddy came back that evening he wouldn't talk about his visit. I pestered him for about an hour then he made me go to bed early. The next morning he told me though. Mama had died while he was there with her. I ran out of the house and down to the river.
The river had always been Domon's and my special place. We would hang out there for hours every day during the summer. I sat down on the dock and let my feet hang in the cool water. Hot tears poured down my cheeks. As I sat there sobbing Domon came up and wrapped his arms around me.
"I'm really sorry that your mommy died Rain," he told me.
"I'm sorry that she died too," I told him. "That doesn't change anything though. It won't bring Mama back. Oh Domon I miss my mama!"
"It's okay Rain," Domon said. "I'll always be here for you no matter what. Always remember that Rain. I'll be right here when you need me."
I just nodded my head. I knew that Domon would always be there for me. He was my best friend. I knew nothing would ever change that. No matter what happened we would always be best friends. I would be there for him when he needed me and he would be there for me.
Rain looked up and Domon. Tears were falling from her eyes. "I miss my mama Domon," she whispered.
Domon kissed the top of Rain's head. "I'll always be right here Rain when you need me," he told her. "Never forget that."
Rain smiled through her tears and picked up the next story. "Master Asia"
