Part Three

He sat on the porch outside her house. He'd been there for some time now; Mrs. Uehara was upstairs with Amaya, helping to bathe her. She was bed ridden now—she'd been confined to her room since a few days after she broke the news to him. It seemed like she'd waited till he heard her news before collapsing and now her downward spiral had begun. She wouldn't eat anything and she was becoming weaker every day. It pained him to watch her suffer yet he returned every day.

He sat, his head buried in his hands, gently massaging his temples. He'd yelled at his father the night before. It was the first time he'd ever challenged him. His father had asked where he was slipping off to so often. He at first refused to tell him but after his father's prying he at last exploded into an angry confession of his love for the common girl that was withering away down in Zone-1. It only angered his father, Duke Red, but he didn't care. For the first time in his life he didn't care what his father thought.

The stress of the situation he found himself faced with was gradually wearing him down. He couldn't sleep, he barely ate and all he could think of was Amaya. He would sit by her side day and night if her mother didn't insist he get some rest. He often found his body shaking from a mixture of nerves and fear. It was even like this at that moment when Mrs. Uehara came onto the porch, gently touching his shoulder. He jumped in surprise and turned to look at her.

"Sorry dear," she said, a weary smile on her face. The stress was visually evident in her as well, her expression constantly tired and her eyes always worried. She forced a cup of tea into his hand and took a seat beside him on the porch step. "Drink that, it will help calm your nerves."

He did as he was told and took a sip of the warm, aromatic tea. "Is she sleeping?" he asked.

She nodded and answered, "It seems like that's all she does now." A moment of reflective silence passed between them before she continued saying, "I want to thank you for coming down here to see her. You mean the world to her, you know."

"I know. And she means the world to me," he said.

She smiled, blinking back tears. "I just wish she wouldn't have run off like that. She might still be well today if she…" She couldn't hold it back anymore, letting the tears roll down her face.

Rock set his mug down and wrapped his arms around Mrs. Uehara. "You have to stay strong. She loves you and she needs you there for her," he said, his voice sounding choked.

"I know," she kept repeating. They pulled apart and she sniffled, saying, "You're a good boy, Rock."

He managed a smile. "Thank you, ma'am." He stood up and said, "I'm going to go up and sit with her a while, if that's alright."

"Sure, it's fine. Go ahead," she replied.

He thanked her for the tea and proceeded inside the house and up the stairs to Amaya's room. He entered into the darkened room and closed the door gently behind him. Mrs. Uehara had placed a chair beside her bed for him and he took a seat. He looked at her motionless body, her eyes shut and her mouth opened slightly, slow, ragged breaths escaping her lips. Her eyes fluttered open as he sat down and she managed a weak smile.

"Hey, Rock," she said, her voice weak and barely above a whisper.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Wonderful," she said, still smiling. He couldn't laugh at her blatant joke and merely looked at the floor. "Don't worry so much. You look like you haven't slept in days."

It was the truth, he really hadn't slept much over the past few nights, but he answered, "I'm fine."

She frowned but ignored his obvious lies and said, "Come here and sit on the bed. I'm not contagious." He stood from his chair and took a seat beside her on the bed. Her bony hand slithered out from under the bed sheet and came to a rest lovingly on his thigh. "You know, I'm serious when I say you shouldn't worry so much. I'll still be here tomorrow."

He toughed back a sob. He didn't know if she was trying to be comforting or if she was just delusional but either way it wasn't helping. He couldn't find anything to say to her when she talked like this. He was always afraid he would start crying in front of her and he was the last thing she needed to worry about. He lay back on the bed beside her. She gently stroked his hair. "I want you to promise me something," she said.

He looked into her eyes. "Anything," he answered.

"When I go, I want you to look after my mother. Just check up on her every once in a while. She does fine on her own but I'm the only person she has left and…" she broke off, her voice sounding choked with tears.

"I will," he interrupted.

She smiled and her eyes drifted shut. "I love you, Rock," she said weakly. He didn't even have time to reply before she was fast asleep. He kissed her on the forehead and gently got out of her bed so as not to wake her.

He walked over to the only window in the room and looked out. The artificial light was setting meaning the sun was going down on the surface. He supposed he should get back home since he'd been gone since the night before. He sighed remembering the promise he'd made to her. It scared him to death when he thought of her saying the words when I go but it was the truth and he was going to have to face it before long. He would keep that promise, unquestionably. Mrs. Uehara had always been dear to him and almost like a mother. He just hoped that time wouldn't come too soon.

He left the window and advanced towards the door. As he grasped the doorknob, he turned back. Looking at her sleeping form beneath the mound of bed covers, he whispered, "I love you too, Amaya." He opened the door and slipped out quietly, heading for home.