And just when there was about one month pause of new chapters and last time I published a new chapter was just a few days ago, now my inspiration is back and here it comes, one more chapter. It might be a bit short.
We'll see if my inspiration remains.
Chapter 36 – That's How Life Goes
There are different times of the year. Christmas, halloween, easter, thanksgiving... But not all of them were times of happines. And almost everyone has those times of sadness.
And today was Inuyasha's turn to grieve.
Today he had been wandering around the endless corridors of the ward, hands in his pockets. He had been thinking for days. And now he was at his worst. He was missing Her so much.
This was the anniversary of his mother's, Izayoi's, death. It happened twelve years ago. She had been fighting cancer for a year. She spent her last few months in hospital, but she couldn't be saved. Inuyasha and his father were heartbroken, but Sesshomaru didn't really mind. Of course he understood his family's grieve, and put up with it.
As Inuyasha was only four years of age when this happened, he couldn't really understand it back then. At those times he started acting even more aggressive and simply mentally disturbed, and so the doctors were thinking it was his mother's death that shocked him and started all the way towards the madness and insanity of these days.
"Hey, Inuyasha!" he heard an echoing man voice call him from the corridor's other end, at the office's door. The boy turned around to see him. It was Mitsuhiro. He was holding a cell phone and pointed at it with his free hand, pointing it. Inuyasha walked to him, and the man gave him the phone.
"Hello, son", said a low voice from the phone. It was his father. "I'm on my way to you, just half an hour and I'll be there. Get ready."
Inuyasha didn't say anything, but nodded once slowly and gave the phone back to Mitsuhiro.
Inuyasha retreated back to his haunt. The windowsill where he could see the parking lots. And he waited.
It felt like forever. Inuyasha could see the clock high above the wall, and with his keen sense of hearing, he could hear every time the clock pointer ticked one number forward.
"Not seeing him yet?" asked Mitsuhiro, who walked slowly towards the boy. The man had a bit sad face. He knew Inuyasha had to be really down.
"He'll be here soon. Come, let's get your shoes and get ready."
And so Mitsuhiro turned around and started walking away. But Inuyasha didn't move. Mitsuhiro looked over his shoulder.
"Come on now. Lets get ready before he comes so we can get on our way as soon as possible."
Inuyasha got down from the windowsill and walked to his nurse. They walked to the main corridor side by side.
"Remember that you don't need to hold back your feelings", Mitsuhiro told Inuyasha as they were standing in front of the elevator door. The doors opened, and they stepped inside.
"Now, we'll just wait", Mitsuhiro said when they stood in front of the main door. And it didn't take long until Inuyasha could hear a car getting closer. Being a normal human, Mitsuhiro couldn't hear it, but soon he could see Inuyasha reacting strongly to something – the boy sniffed the air and his ears were pointing high, forward.
"Is it-?" Mitsuhiro asked, but got his answer right away – Inutaisho's car drove to them and stopped in front of them.
"Hello there", Inutaisho cheered. "Get in, get in. I'll do the driving."
And so Mitsuhiro sat beside Inutaisho and Inuyasha sat behind his dad.
"I have your favourite CD with me", said Inutaisho when they had been driving for a few minutes. "Want to listen to it?"
No answer.
"..." Inutaisho sat quiet. "Okay then."
Then he turned at the nurse.
"Is there really any progress with him?" he asked. Mitsuhiro sighed.
"Maybe somewhat... He has been outside the ward a few times this year, even without straight jacket... I think maybe this trip will go well. We must take small steps."
Inutaisho nodded.
It took about half an hour before they were there.
The cemetery. To Izayoi's grave.
Inutaisho held a huge bouquet as the trio walked through the tombstones. Mitsuhiro gave some space to the father and son by walking a couple of meters behind them.
The cemetery was big, but they knew exactly where to go. Finally they stopped at a tombstone which said "Izayoi Kita", and her lifespan.
They just stood still, all quiet. Then Inutaisho pet his son's shoulder. Inuyasha turned at him at once.
"Here", Inutaisho said and handed over the bouquet. First Inuyasha didn't do anything, but finally took it and held it for a while. Then he turned towards the grave and slowly put the flowers down. He got up and stood still.
But suddenly, something surprising happened.
A tear fell down the boy's cheek. He sobbed quietly as another tear went by.
"Mama..." he whispered. Both mens' eyes widened. They didn't even remember the last time they had heard the boy speak.
Inuyasha started shaking harshly and finally crashed on the ground on all fours. "Mamaa!" he cried, shanking, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Inutaisho and Mitsuhiro knelt down beside him and placed their hands on his shoulders.
"There there..." Inutaisho shushed. "Don't hold it in. Let it out."
But it got worse. Inuyasha had started howling so loud the birds from the nearby trees flew away.
After the howling had subsided, Inuyasha just sobbed on the grave. He held his hand on the tombstone and tightened his grip, letting out a few more sobs.
Inutaisho reached towards his son and took him in his arms, hugging him tight and starting to rock him slowly.
"Maybe she didn't survive..." Inutaisho said. Then he whispered in the boy's drooping ear: "But we did."
For a few more minutes they spent by the grave. Inuyasha dried his tears and tried to calm down. Finally they walked out from the cemetery to Inutaisho's car. He opened it, but stopped at the door.
"Mitsuhiro..." he said. "May I ask you a favor?"
"Sure", Mitsuhiro nodded with a little smirk.
"Could you perhaps drive the car the way back to the hospital? Inuyasha needs me now."
Of course Mitsuhiro agreed. He took the car's keys and sat on the driver's seat as Inutaisho joined Inuyasha to the backseats.
"Inuyasha, I am proud of you", Inutaisho said as they sat side by side. "You cried – you let out your feelings. And even more – you spoke!" he stroke his son's hair. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned against his father's chest. Inutaisho rubbed his ears with a small smile. Towards his father Inuyasha was actually gentle, a real daddy's boy. Mitsuhiro was very important to him, too, but never more or even as important than his father.
