Sakura Saku (Cherry blossom blooming)
Chapter 10
*6mths later…*
By the time Eriol and Tomoyo reached the maternity wing of Chelsea and Westminster, Tomoyo was puffing away like a bicycle pump. Directed to the waiting area by the receptionist while her hospital notes were located, she leaned on Eriol for support before sinking gratefully on to an uncomfortable orange plastic chair. A television was on in the corner, showing an episode of Oprah. Three other couples were there too, the women panting away just like she was, while the men – looking deeply self-conscious – massaged their partners' backs.
Tomoyo realized that she was squeezing Eriol's hand. How on earth had that started?
"D'you want me to do that?" Eriol nodded at the men, keeping his voice low.
Embarrassed - because she actually did – Tomoyo whispered, "Don't worry, I'm fine."
The situation grew more surreal over the course of the next few minutes. Tomoyo watched the nurses flitting back and forth past the door of the waiting room. Apart from the occasional groan, the only sound in the room came from the TV in the corner, where Oprah was hosting a timely debate on the subject: 'My Kids Wrecked My Life'.
Nobody had the nerve to change channels. The women clutched their stomachs and concentrated on their breathing. Two of the men silently watched a teenage boy on the TV jab a finger at his weeping mother and yell: 'Mom, ah wish ah'd nevah bin born!' The other man rubbed feebly at his wife's spine with one hand while surreptitiously turning the pages of Caravanning Today with the other.
The next minute, without speaking, the wife slid down from her chair and arranged herself on all four on the floor. She crouched there, panting like a dog, then glanced over her shoulder, snatched Caravanning Today out of her husband's hands and snarled irritably, 'Robert, did I say you could stop massaging my back?'
Tomoyo stifled a terrible urge to giggle. She found a clean tissue in one of her pockets and stuffed it into her mouth.
Over the TV, Mom yelled back, 'Well, ah hate you too, ya little shit!'
Eriol's chair was shaking. He was trying as hard as she as not to laugh. Leaning across, Tomoyo whispered, "You don't have to stay."
AS she said it, one of the other women – not to be outdone – let out a howl like a mountain wolf and moved down from her own chair to lie curled up on the extra-durable – i.e. texture of a Brillo pad – beige carpet. She began to hum, then chant a mantra.
"Omi matani… omi matani…"
The women's eyes were closed. She rocked gently from side to side in her floral dungarees. Her husband, more embarrassed than ever, muttered, 'That's it, honey, you're doing great, you're swimming with the dolphins… just picture yourself swimming with those dolphins…"
Tomoyo snorted and buried her face in Eriol's shirt. He was shaking so much he couldn't speak.
"You'd better go," she gasped.
"You're joking. I wouldn't miss this for the world."
"Mrs. Malone? Tomoyo Malone?"
Her eyes still streaming with suppressed laughter, Tomoyo looked up at the nurse before her. Hooray, they'd found her notes at last; now she could go and lie down somewhere and get loads of drugs.
"That's me, but its Ms. Tomoyo Daidouji."
The nurse nodded and made a note on Tomoyo's maternity notes, then glanced at Eriol. "And you're the birth partner?" She frowned, recognizing his face from somewhere. "It says here Sakura K."
Eriol looked at Tomoyo. Getting her out of her apartment when Sakura was out and into the hospital had been his prime concern. Once that had been achieved, he supposed his job was over. What he should be doing now was wishing Tomoyo good luck, driving back to his house and informing Sakura to take his place here.
But that was the last thing he wanted to do.
"Are you Sakura K.?" The nurse sounded doubtful.
Tomoyo, no longer laughing, searched Eriol's face. Why wasn't he making a bolt for the door, for freedom? Surely he was desperate to get away from this madhouse?
"Hang on, I've seen you on the telly," said the nurse. "You're Eriol Hirri – something."
Eriol took Tomoyo's hand.
"If you want me to stay, I will."
"But…" Oh God, Tomoyo realized, suddenly overcome, I do want you to stay, more than anything. "But you'd hate it. Look, it's really kind of you, but you don't have to be polite… you've done so much already."
"This isn't being polite and I won't hate it." Eriol barely trusted himself to speak, he was terrified of saying the wrong thing. "I don't want to go, okay? I want to stay. Please."
They gazed at each other, not daring to move. The nurse, watching them both, clicked and unclicked her pen a few times and glanced ostentatiously at her watch.
"So long as you don't start swimming with the dolphins." Eriol added as an afterthought.
The woman rocking from side to side on the floor in her straining floral dungarees looked up indignantly.
"I heard that," she said.