Chapter 8: More Than Just a Sore Throat
Kagome comes down to the living room to meet the visitor her mother told her. "Hello Kagome." A woman gladly welcomes her. Kagome bows to her, "Hello." She replies with respect. The woman is quite attractive, just a little older than Kagome. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Rin Taiko. I'm a physician from the clinic." Rin smiles. Kagome takes a sit. "So then why are you here? Not to be rude." Kagome asks her. Rin comes in front of her with a medical bag in her hand. "I just want to take a look in your throat. Nothing more." Rin requests as she pulls out a popsicle stick, and a small flashlight. Kagome lays down on the couch, and allowed Rin to examine her. Taking a closer into her throat shocks her discovery. "Mrs. Higurashi, I'm afraid that your daughter has Strep Throat." Rin informs the mother. "Oh no. How did this happen?" Mrs. Higurashi asks as she sits besides her daughter. "This Strep throat is more severe than I thought. Kagome have you been having any pain lately?" Rin asks Kagome. Kagome nods, "It happened after a singing protect early this week." Rin sighs deeply. "From my discovery, it turns out that you didn't recover in time to use your singing voice, and that's how you have this. And because of this, I can't allow you to raise your voice and it'll make it even worse, as in you wouldn't be able to speak again." Rin tells Kagome with a stern voice.
Kagome nods sadly. "For now, I'll write a prescription for your recovery to increase." Rin said as she writes the required medication for Kagome. "Mrs. Higurashi, did anyone in your family have this?" Rin asks her as she puts her medical devices back into her bag. "My husband died from Throat Cancer about 4 years ago." Kagome stiffens from her answer and looks down in shame with her eye blanketed in her bangs.
Meanwhile Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stay upstairs and easily eavesdrop on the condition of Kagome. After what Mrs. Higurashi said about her husband's death really Inuyasha deeply worried about what she said that it was her fault that her father died. Sesshomaru catches his sight on how Inuyasha's look means something bad must've happened. Inuyasha just stood up and walks out the house without a sound, even from his motorcycle. Sesshomaru looks confused for how his brother reacted to Kagome's condition. He said as he makes his way back into her room.
Back in the Living Room, Rin grabs her packed bag and heads to the front door. Before she leaves back she turns around, "Kagome, I cannot guarantee about you the recovery to be fast enough, but I wish you the best to make it through." Rin advices her as well Mrs. Higurashi. They nod for gratitude. Rin then leaves.
Shortly after Rin's departure, Sesshomaru comes up to her in Inuyasha's car. "I heard about your observation." He said as he pulls up to the sidewalk, giving her a gesture with his head to get in. Rin smiles as she gets into the vehicle. "Thanks." She only said as they ride down back to his mansion. "I just couldn't believe what I found out about her condition." Rin begins with certainty. Sesshomaru attentively listens to her. "I was sure that if Kagome were to ever sing again, she'd have to wait for another month. But if she overuses her voice, she might lose it for sure." She explains the situation of Kagome's throat issue. Sesshomaru nods, "I just wish that Inuyasha knows what he might have to do if that happen to her. But would he be willing to do so?" He agrees on her terms. He knows what he meant to do if Rin was in the same problem. "But for now, let her rest." He suggests at the end.
Back at the Higurashi Residence, Kagome makes it back to her room to take Rin's advice. Her mother already went to the pharmacy to retrieve the medication for her daughter's throat. After hearing what Kagome's mother told Rin about Mr. Higurashi's death from Throat Cancer, she immediately is mentally sobbing, and but not physically in front of them. After she gets comfortable, she remembers the memory of that painful event.
*Flashback*
Kagome and Mr. Higurashi are at an Ice cream parlor. "I' want chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, daddy." Said the kid Kagome as she and her dad get in line. "okay sweetie." He kindly replies to her as he affectionately rubs her head. They make it to the opened window to order. They got what they wanted and take an empty table. "Yummy!" Kagome giddily said as she likes her sweet treat. Her father enjoys his own as they ate their delightfulness. As they leave to go back home, Mr. Higurashi starts coughing miserably. Kagome panics, "Daddy. Daddy! Somebody help!" She cries while shaking him uncontrollably. Soon an ambulance arrives and takes the father onto a stretcher and heads to the hospital. Kagome stayed with him throughout the time. "Sweetie, Go back home and get your family and tell them to come here." Mr. Higurashi weakly tells her. Kagome nods and heads back home.
About an hour later. Mrs. Higurashi arrives at her husband's hospital room. Inside there's a machine with steady beeping, and Mr. Higurashi is resting with a tube into his blood system, She makes her way to one side of the bed. "Hige what happened?" She asks in despair as her motherly eyes quickly full of tears. Mr. Higurashi opens his eyes, hearing his wife's mourning. He takes her hand with his own. "My darling…" He gets her attention immediately. He smiles as well wiping her tears away, "I don't know what happened to me. It just came all of a sudden." He comforts her a little, hoping to cheer her up. "I promise that I'll be looking after you and our family when I pass away. I don't want you to feel any loneliness whatsoever. For my sake. So make sure you keep our family together without me around. I'll be watching you guys from heaven, showing my love for all of you." He said to her. Mrs. Higurashi nods to show him that she understands what he's talking about. "I will." She kisses him lovingly and soon the steady beeping just went flat. Telling her that he has passed away. Kagome peeks inside to find her mother mourning of his death. 'Why daddy? Why did you have to die?' She thought to her father as tears fall down her face.
*End Flashback*
Kagome is sound asleep in her bed, taking Rin's advice to get enough rest to get well as fast as she can so she can sing again. Little did she know that Inuyasha is outside from her house and decides to go back to his mansion. 'I must help her in any way I can." He said in his head as he rides on his motorcycle.