Chapter 18
- Domon's Point Of View -
As I strode down the hospital hallway, I checked my watch again. 6:15. I quickened my pace.
I was having this inner battle. Half of me wanted Rain to be asleep, enjoying rest and relaxation, not a worry in the world. That would reassure me that she was healing, that time was passing, that things were returning to normal. But the other half of me wanted her to be awake, so I could talk with her, about her parents, about her health, about her. But my thoughts were interrupted as I arrived at her door. But the door didn't interrupt me. What was on it did.
There was a piece of paper taped to the door at eye level. I tore it off, and read the type.
sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes a baby in a baby carriage
With a feeling of bewilderment, I slowly opened the door, paper in hand. Rain was asleep. I set the paper down on her nightstand and sat on her bed. He glanced at her face, and it was contorted in fear. He took her hand, and the fear slipped away, and a trace of a smile appeared. Rain opened her eyes slowly, and her smile enlarged. I leaned in and kissed her for just a second. When we broke it, her smile returned, and I grinned at her.
"Hey baby." I whispered.
"Hey." She smiled as she leaned in for another kiss.
And, needless to say, I gave her one. She's so beautiful. I can't believe I didn't see it before. I sure missed a lot.
"Rain," I say after the kissing subsides, "who wrote this?"
I hand her the paper that was taped to the door. She reads it and laughs.
"Well, that sure saves a lot of explaining on my part."
She has this way of making me confused.
"Err...." I reply, not sure what to say.
"My parents wrote it." She says with a smile as she hands it back to me..
Well, talk about throwing a guy for a loop.
"Y-y-your parents?" I stutter.
"Y-y-yes." she says, mocking me.
I can't really process that, because they aren't even supposed to know yet. This idea is swirling around in my head, how they didn't know Rain and I were in love, they weren't supposed to know, and now they do, and we didn't tell them. This is like one big soap opera and all I can manage is:
"Uhh..."
I sound like I got the wind knocked out of me. I stare at the paper as if it's an artifact straight out of Tut's tomb, and I can't seem to tear away my gaze. She presses lightly on my chin, taking my head, and eyes up to meet hers. She cups my face with both hands and gives me another gentle kiss.
She ends the kiss and looks at me with a patient smile, her hand caressing my cheek. I don't even try to avert my gaze.
Damn her beauty.
- Rain's Point Of View -
"How?" he asks simply.
Giving that a minute, I think before I speak.
"I don't know. They just sort of...knew. As soon as you left, my mom just came to my bedside and asked me if I was in love with you. Well...really, she sort of told me. But they were both fine with it. If you asked me, they're in love with the idea that we're in love!"
Domon smiled, half in joy, half in disbelief. I kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear.
"Besides, pearls don't lie."
He laughed and pulled me into a tight hug. I snaked my arms around his neck and held him close. That's how I wanted him always, close.
He wrapped his arms around me and let out a deep breath. I closed my eyes and took in his love. I wanted the moment to last forever, but it couldn't, and when it ended, I was disappointed. Domon sat opposite me, and I couldn't stop my heart from racing. I scooted closer to him, and he smiled. I tipped and rested my head on his chest, wanting him near again. He put his hands on my hips and pressed, willing me closer. I inched towards him. He moved his hands to the small of my back, a very subtle move, but a very romantic one. I put my arms on top of his, the tip of my finger near his shoulder. I let out a sigh of pleasure, and wished I could be home, wished I could be free from everything.
"They really like me?" asked Domon, uncertain of my parents reaction.
"It would seem so." I said, not moving from his embrace, "I mean, my mom basically danced around the room when I admitted it."
Domon let out a chuckle that shook both of our bodies. After that, we both remained quiet, letting each other's presence calm and sooth us. But soon, a question that I had been toying with all night popped into my head, and I couldn't take it any more. I sat up right, and he, not ready, jerked to consciousness.
"Domon? I have to ask you something, and I want a completely honest answer."
He took his arm from around me, looked me straight in the eye, and placed both hands on mine, which were in my lap.
"An honest answer? Always."
I pulled in a breath, and without giving myself time to think about anything, I just spit it out.
"Domon, do you blame yourself for Seitt's actions? For my being shot?"
He broke eye contact, and one of my hands reached out to touch his chest. But I didn't say anything. I waited, giving him time.
"I...I suppose. Yeah, I sort of do."
I couldn't help but interrupt at this.
"Oh Domon, please don't. None of this is your fault. If it hadn't been for you, I'd be living in a world of hell and hurt right now. I could never hold you accountable, and you shouldn't hold yourself either. Please, don't blame yourself."
"But...it's not really that. I wish it would've been me shot, that way I wouldn't worry so much. I wouldn't have to worry about you and how you are doing, and I wouldn't feel so badly. You've been through enough, and it just kills me to have to see you go through so much more. Does that make sense?"
I reached up to touch his face as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"Yes Domon. That makes perfect sense."
Later
- Domon's Point Of View -
I cradled Rain in my arms and tickled her stomach. Her back was facing me, and I was holding her tight with one hand, and tickling her with the other. She squirmed and giggled as I broke out in laughter over the plain sight of her. We were still laughing and cuddling when her parents walked in.
When they did, the sight of Rain and I sitting on the bed greeted them, and I was holding her tight. Her back was facing me and her legs were straight n the bed. I sat behind her, one leg tucked in, one cascading down over the bed and onto the floor. When her parents entered, I quickly took my arms from around her waist, but her mom gave me waved her hand, signaling me to return my hands, that she didn't care. So I did. I locked my arms securely around Rain's waist, and Rain placed her arms on top of mine, her hands caressing my hands.
I smiled at Mrs. Mikamura, and she smiled mischievously back at me.
"Well, I see Rain has informed you of a recent conversation we had with her." Said Mr. Mikamura.
I laughed a little bit and looked at Rain. Then I looked towards the nightstand where the paper that had been taped to the door that morning still lay.
"No," I said in a laid-back way, "I think you did."
The Mikamuras shot each other a look and a smile.
"Well," said Mr. Mikamura, "we had to tell you we knew somehow. We figured that would be a good way to let you know, that that way, you would know that we really approve of you and Rain. I mean, if Rain told you we approve it would be one thing, but if it was in writing, it would be another."
"How did you know?"
"Well," Mrs. Mikamura interjected, "it was obvious right away. Just the vibes from you two, and knowing everything you had done for Rain, it wasn't exactly brain surgery."
I smiled and opened my mouth to speak, but Mrs. Mikamura had one more thing to say.
"Besides Domon, pearls don't lie."