Ohhhh yeahhhhh, it's summer vacation! Good news, I got a new job! Not that anyone cares…just thought I'd share that little fact with you all. JUST A NEATO TIDBIT: today's chapter is actually related to a personal experience, and I'll share it's relevance in my closing notes. I'm considering the idea of responding to reviewees in my closing notes. Let me know what you think! Yet again, I must ask everyone to read "EscaFantasy" by Lani-Anela, she just updated! For all you action-packed fan-fic enthusiasts, this one's for you! Also, "Souls of the Past" by Sailor Hope, it's a ghostly treat! Alrighty, enough of my rambling, on with the show!
***Esca-lover
* * * * * * * * * * *
Dear Van, August 10, 1992
I wrote you as soon as I could…something's happened. I'll try to explain everything clearly, but some of it still confuses me. It's just all so sudden…sorry, no more rambling.
It's my mom, well, and the baby too. A few weeks ago my family was enjoying the weather by having a picnic in the park. The day was so beautiful, and the temperature just right. My dad was barbecuing, while Kohaku and I fed the geese bits of bread. Mom was reclining on a blanket reading a favorite novel when suddenly she gasped loudly. I looked over at her for a second, but assured myself that the baby had just kicked again (it was happening a lot now) and continued antagonizing the birds. She said she was just feeling a little weak, and that maybe some food would help. My father made sure everything was fine, and went back to burning lunch. About two weeks later, my mom was feeling more intense discomfort, so my father took her to the hospital for a check up. They came back with worried looks on their faces, but said nothing. Was something wrong? I wondered. I trusted them to tell me if something was up, and pretended not to notice their expressions. A week later, my mother collapsed in our home. I was so scared! My father told us to get into the car as he carried my mom to the passenger seat. What was happening? Was my mother safe? I didn't know what to think, Van.
The next few hours were a blur, I'm not exactly sure what happened. All I remember is spending a lot of time in a waiting room, and worrying about my mother. Dad was a wreck, and talked with the doctors whenever they appeared. I cuddled next to him and squeezed his hand gently. "Is mother going to be alright, dad? What's going on?," I asked, wishing to know what the doctors had told him. He looked down at me, not even trying to hide the sadness on his face. "Tomi, I think you're old enough to handle the facts…I'm sorry honey, but mom is very sick. We found out at the doctors check up two weeks ago, but we didn't want to worry you. She has something called toxemia," he explained, and swallowed hard. "What that means is her blood pressure is very high, and her body is retaining water. She has swelling in her face, hands, and feet. The doctors aren't sure what causes this disease, so there isn't anything that could explain why your mother has it," he finished slowly. "Will she be alright?" I asked. This sounded serious, and the fact that my dad was almost in tears really worried me. "I don't know sweetie, I don't know…The weakness your mom felt was because of the baby. Even though it is only 7 months old, it wants to come out. The doctors may be performing a C-section as we speak…that's when the baby isn't delivered in the normal way. They have to cut and opening in your mothers stomach to get the child out…do you understand?" my father asked softly. All I could do was nod and hug my dad closer. Surgery? A baby coming early? Cutting open my mom's stomach?! I didn't know what to think, I was too stunned. It seemed like just yesterday I had been laughing with my brother while geese chased us…now I was in a smelly hospital worrying if my mom and my new sibling would be ok. Just then, a tall man in a white coat came to my father. "Mr. Kansaki…I'm afraid I have some bad news. It's possible that you may loose your wife and unborn child. If we are only able to save one of them, which should we save?" the doctor implored. No…this wasn't happening. Not to my family…not to me. How was my father supposed to answer that! How could he choose between a precious baby created by love and the woman of his dreams, his childhood sweetheart. I remember dad telling stories about when he first saw my mother. It was in sixth grade. She had been wearing a white blouse with a burgundy, crushed velvet jumper. He remembered her curly, chestnut hair bouncing as she walked down the halls. She turned and smiled over her shoulder at him just before entering her classroom. "Wow," was all he could say, and from that moment he knew that she was the one for him. They spoke from time to time, but nothing was ever serious. When my mother was in college, my dad finally got up the nerve to ask her out. The rest is history. They were married after a year of dating, and started a family. Life was near perfect. Van, fairy tales like that don't come true everyday! How could my father choose to loose her…I knew instantly which he would choose. Sure enough, my dad tearfully looked into the doctors eyes and pleaded, "Save my wife…please…"
Next, we waited. And waited. And waited. I drifted off into a troubled sleep, when all of a sudden I awoke to the sound of my father crying. But wait a minute…he was smiling? "Hitomi, Kohaku, wake up guys! Your mom is going to be fine!" he cried as he hugged us tightly. "There's more…the baby, she made it! Yes she, it's a baby girl, you have a sister!" I was so happy Van! In a matter of minutes all three of us were allowed to see our mother. She looked so tired, but her smile let me know that everything was going to be alright. "I love you, mom," I said as I kissed her on the cheek. "I love you too, sweetie. I'm so glad you children are here," she sniffed as she ruffled Kohahu's hair. Mother reached for daddys' hand and looked into his eyes. "Sorry to scare you, hon, I didn't mean to," she smiled through tears. My dad stroked her hair and kissed her hand. "Just don't do it again, ok?" he whispered lovingly. It took me a second to realize that there was something missing…the baby! "Mom, where is our new sister? Can we see her?" I asked. The smile on her face faded as she explained the situation. "Well Hitomi, the baby decided to come two months early. Because of that, there were some complications. Our little girl is sick with Jaundice, and isn't fully developed. She has a small hole in her lung, and needed an IV in her scalp. On top of all this, she only weighed 3 pounds…the good news is that she seems to be fighting back. The little one has a strong heart, so if she keeps holding on, she may survive," mother finished, and sighed. "All we can do now is wait and pray that she'll be alright. You can look through a window into the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and see her in an incubator," father told us calmly. I understood about half of what they were saying, but deep down I knew that in the end my sister would make it. One question burned in my mind. "Mom? Dad? What's the baby's name?" I asked curiously. My brother tugged on my arm saying, "I wanna know too!" My mom grinned at us, saying "Treena. Her name is Treena." I got to see her Van. She was tiny. The diaper, even though it was the smallest size the hospital carried, was huge on her. There were so many things hooked up to her little body that it was hard to see her face. A feeding tube went to her nose, and another hose went into her chest to close the hole in her lung. "Hang on, litle Treena," I whispered as I touched the glass window keeping my from her. "Hang on."
Life is so special, Van. I haven't realized it until now. I'll let you know Treena's condition the next time I write. Hopefully, everything will be fine, and she'll heal quickly. Pray for her, would you? And give Merle a hug for me, the coloring sheet is hanging in my room.
Your friend,
Hitomi
P.S. Ummm, about Dilandau…it might be best to stay away from him for a while. He scares me. Hope Chid's hair is growing back quickly! *Hugs
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ok everyone! Wanna know my secret??? I WAS THE BABY! And my parents did actually meet and fall in love just like the story describes. My mom did have Toxemia, I was 2 months early, and my father was indeed asked about which life to save. They called me the miracle baby. Almost all the details were true, I had to fictionalize and guess at tiny parts of it. My mom kept that burgundy jumper, and I wore it when I was in sixth grade, haha. Life is just too precious, treasure every moment.
Only one letter this chapter, it's a lot to handle. I'm already starting the next one, so hold tight, it will be out very soon! God Bless!
