“You had a nasty spell,” the doctor said, sitting next to Reina’s bed. Such a serious woman. Wrinkled face, veiny hands, glasses too small for her nose, and a graying bun on her head that said she was older but not that old. Reina should have been relieved to have a female doctor, but she wasn’t. “It’s a miracle you made it here in time.” She went on to explain in better detail what happened. Something about her appendix being shit and trying to kill her. Reina wouldn’t claim to understand it. All she cared about was when she would get to go home.
Sachiko also looked to the doctor for an answer. “Is she going to be all right?” she asked, squeezing her daughter’s hand again.
The doctor leveled her eyes on the both of them. “You are still a bit infected. We want to keep you here until the infection clears and we make sure that your organs have not been damaged. It may take a few days. Maybe a week. Your work has been notified.”
Oh, well thank heaven.
A clipboard with Reina’s test results came out. “We ran a full health panel on you in the meantime. Your blood is good, minus the high white count due to your long-term infection. We expect that to go down in time. But so far things seem to be improving. Your organs have not failed from the infection, although your lungs are not as pink as we would like. Do you smoke?”
Reina nodded. She wasn’t in the mood for that lecture.
“Everything else came back clear. No cancers that we can see, and you are not pregnant.”
An awkward silence hanged between Reina and her mother. “No shit,” Reina said.
The doctor remained unperturbed. “It’s a routine check for all female patients before we perform any X-rays.”
“Next you’ll tell me that I don’t have any STDs either.”
“None that we could see, no.”
Reina looked at her mother as if to say, “See?”
The only thing that Reina cared about from this meeting was having the ban lifted. The moment it was done, Sachiko trotted out into the living room and got Aiko.
Reina didn’t think it was possible to be elated in the hospital. Until she saw her wife barrel through the door and race to her side, anyway. Those kisses and hand squeezes had never been so welcomed.
Aiko took time off work that week to be at the hospital every day, although she finally reached a place where she was able to go home in the evening without wanting to vomit. Because Reina is going to be all right. That’s what she told herself, though the tests were not conclusive after only two days.
It didn’t matter. Her Reina was conscious and almost her old self again, lethargy and pain aside. Aiko didn’t care that it made her spouse grumpier than usual. She would take grumpy Reina over dead Reina any day.
On Tuesday, a mere three days after Reina fell unconscious in her home, the first visitor arrived. Suffice to say Aiko did not expect to see her own mother standing in the waiting room.
She was with Eri, who mentioned that she wanted to stop by to wish Reina well and to make sure that her aunt was okay. Aiko had already been on the phone with her mother more than once to update her with what was going on – not that Junko gave two shits. She probably went straight to a temple and lit some incense in prayer that Reina would die and send Aiko back home to the Takeuchi quarters.
While Eri went in to visit with Reina for a few minutes, Aiko stood in the waiting room with her mother, silent.
“Your sister sends her regards,” Junko finally said after a few seconds. She sniffed, her lacy gloves scratching her nose before she finally pulled an embroidered handkerchief out of her handbag. “Also, this hospital is not so good. Not as good as the hospital your brother works at.”
Aiko bristled at the thought of her brother treating Reina. Not that he would, since he was a neurosurgeon and Reina had a completely different problem, but even Aiko had to wonder if the hospital would recognize the relationship enough to forbid him from operating on a “family” member. “This hospital has been fine. They got rid of her problem before it was too late.”
Junko took out a breath mint and popped it into her mouth.
“Do you want to go see her?” Reina would hate it. Aiko would appreciate it.
“Why would I do that? We don’t like each other.” Junko huffed as if she were in the right in this bad blood.
Brows furrowed, Aiko had to remind herself that her mother had little tact when it came to family matters. “Because she is your daughter’s spouse. Wouldn’t you visit any of your other children’s spouses in the hospital?”
Another sniff. “I would most certainly not have visited that terrible husband your oldest sister had a long time ago. Awful man!”
Aiko remembered him. Her oldest sister had married young and foolishly to a man with no job and possible gang connections. While Aiko never knew of maltreatment toward her sister, the Takeuchis treated him if he were radiated scum. Is that what Reina is to her? Junko had come to terms with her daughter’s “lifestyle,” but she would never outright like Reina.
“Please, I would appreciate it if…”
“Why? Don’t ruin my day by making me go in there. What a terrible waste of time.”
Aiko gasped at her mother. Not because of what she knew to be the truth, but because her mother’s words were like a dagger to her heart. “How could you say that? I know you don’t like her, but you could at least pretend to be concerned for her well-being!”
Junko gaped back at her daughter for this unusual display of defiance. “Why are you so worked up about this? You’re acting irrational.”
“Of course I’m irrational!” Stressful tears came pouring out of Aiko’s eyes for the first time that day. She had made it so long, too. “The love of my life almost died! I don’t care if you don’t like her! Can’t you think that maybe it doesn’t have to be about her at all?”
Faced with this outpouring of emotion, Junko nearly shut down like a rusty train soldered to the tracks. “Then what in the world is it about?”
“Your daughter is in pain, and you can’t bring yourself to care!” Aiko launched herself into her mother’s arms, gripping her black tweed coat and sobbing into her silk scarf. She smelled of the same familiar perfume she had worn since Aiko was a little girl. “Mama…” She felt like a little girl again now.
Slowly, as if she were afraid to, Junko wrapped her arms around her daughter and patted her head. “Of course I care,” she said. “You’re still my baby… it hurts me to see you distressed.”
Aiko nearly forgot how old her mother was, and how gentle she needed to be with Junko’s brittle body. One day I won’t have her either. Hospitals made people think morbid thoughts. She held her mother tighter, willing herself to be a child again so she could be protected and safe. Junko attempted to calm her with some nonsense words.
Eri soon returned, and although Junko never went to visit Reina, it didn’t matter. Aiko felt better afterward, and Reina was none the wiser that one of her least favorite people was there.
Shortly before lunch, there was another visitor. This one was not meant for Reina either.
Aiko stopped en route to the restroom. There, sitting on the edge of a chair, was Takeshi holding a hodgepodge of flowers from his garden.
“Aiko-san,” he said, standing up as soon as he saw her. She went to him, but hesitated in the doorway of the waiting room. “Before you ask, I found out you were here from your coworker, Fumie-san…”
A forced smile made its way onto Aiko’s visage. “I’m surprised to see you here. Are those flowers for… my spouse?”
“Oh.” Takeshi handed them to her. “I didn’t know what color she likes, so I picked a few. They’re not much to look at since it’s winter, but…”
Aiko sniffed them and held them close. “Thank you. They’re lovely. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.” Yeah, right. Even Aiko hadn’t gotten her spouse flowers. She would be better off purchasing Reina a pornographic novel.
“Also, I wanted to make sure th
at you were doing all right. When I heard what happened, I tried calling you, but you never answered.”
It was true. Aiko saw some messages from several people but never got around to answering them due to what was going on. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to worry you.”
“Is she…?”
“She’s recovering. They think she’ll be fine in a few days.”
“Oh, good.” Takeshi tentatively raised his arm and wiped something from Aiko’s eye. She let him, glad to feel a more sincere touch than her mother’s from earlier. “I admit, I don’t know her very well at all, but I know how much you care for her, and I would hate to see you distraught should something happen.”
“Thank you. You’re too kind.”
Takeshi shifted on his feet. “Have you had lunch yet? I know that hospital food is not the best, but I saw that the cafeteria was open on my way up here. I’ll treat you.”
Aiko perked up at the invitation. Usually she ate lunch with Sachiko, both of them inhaling their food so they return to Reina’s side and help her eat her lunch too. She was regaining strength enough to move her arms, but she was still flat on her back and having trouble sitting up by herself. Food crumbs would get in her pajamas while her greasy hair tangled against her pillow. One time she even started choking, although it was more histrionics than any cause for concern. “I should be able to do that. Thank you for the offer.”
She took the flowers into Reina’s room first, walking in on Sachiko attempting to feed her daughter rice and vegetables. “Ma,” Reina moaned, her hand the most animated part of her body as it flipped against the fork coming toward her. “Ma, I don’t need you doing this… Ma.”
“Nonsense. When will I ever have the chance to feed my daughter again?” Sachiko was halfway to pinching Reina’s nose to make her open her mouth.
Aiko giggled, placing the flowers in an empty vase by Reina’s bed. “Where did those come from?” she asked, getting her wife’s attention.
“Someone dropped them off for you.”
“Who?”
Winking, Aiko said, “A secret admirer.”
“Uh huh.”
Aiko bent down and kissed Reina on the cheek. “I’m going to lunch. Be back in an hour or so. Don’t die while I’m gone.”
“I’ll die of embarrassment before anything else. Ma!”
A steamed carrot rolled on the floor as Aiko walked back out into the waiting room where Takeshi sat. He got up to greet her, and together they walked down to the cafeteria, Aiko’s hands clutching his arm.
Over the next two days, visitors spilled into the hospital room to greet Reina and make sure she wasn’t actually dead, like some of them had heard.
The first were her section chief, Mr. Arai, and her coworker Ogawa. They brought flowers and talked to her for a few minutes. Or Ogawa mostly talked to her. Mr. Arai was only there as a formality, and it suited Reina fine that he not talk so much. Only makes me think he’s gonna berate me. His final words to her that day were, “The insurance has been cleared and we hope to see you back at work soon. Take care.”
If those two weren’t bad enough, the next visitor that day was Dr. Katou, coming out of her office to tease Reina. “Does this mean you won’t be coming to your appointment this Saturday?” she goaded, after having asked Reina how she was feeling.
More people strolled in after lunch. Mayumi was the one who came in declaring that Reina was rumored to be dead. “Thank God!” she exclaimed when she saw Reina sitting up and eating lunch. “I’m gonna kill those fuckers who started that rumor!”
Ami appeared before having to go home to work. She couldn’t stay long, but she flirted with Reina long enough to bring a smile to her face.
Her favorite visitor that day, however, came in during the afternoon with the most raggedy appearance possible.
“The fuck did you do?” Jun said, leaning against the doorway before stumbling to Reina’s side. Had she run there? Aren’t you supposed to be in Nagoya? “Your wife called me the other day saying you were dying!”
Reina held up her hand before Jun could smother her with affection. Not today. Her body still felt like a wreck. Even the hugs Aiko gave her were liable to make her feel ill around her incision site. “Apparently I was. I don’t really remember it though. One minute I was home, and the next I woke up here feeling like utter shit.”
Jun kissed her girlfriend on the forehead, a stupid tear falling down her cheek. She was wearing jeans and a front-tie blouse. Two things she probably threw on before hopping the first plane or bullet train to Tokyo. “Don’t die!”
“I’m not dying!”
Aiko came in briefly to ask Jun how she was before leaving the room again. She said it was to give them some space, but Reina saw a glimpse of Yuri before the door shut. Hope Ai-chan gets laid. God knew she probably needed it after all the stress that week. Reina would be jealous she wasn’t getting any, except she felt so awful that sex was the last thing on her mind.
Jun pulled up a stool and sat by Reina’s bedside, attempting to be cheery but frowning every time Reina expressed discomfort. Right, her parents are dead. They had discussed Jun’s loss a few times before, but it wasn’t until now that Reina realized how it had affected her. Unlike Sachiko, who now came to expect people to leave her, Jun clung to them until their souls didn’t know how to leave this world. Against her better judgment, Reina wrapped her hand around Jun’s and squeezed her palm. Jun covered her face with her other hand and began to cry.
After that embarrassing torrent was over, they talked for a good hour. Or at least Jun talked, since Reina was tired. Reina tried to keep it on happier topics, asking about Jun’s primary girlfriend who had recently returned from Okinawa. “Does she know you’re here?” Reina teased.
“Yes. She told me to come visit. I’m only staying a couple more hours and heading back to Nagoya again tonight. I have work tomorrow.”
“Why did you waste a vacation day on me? You could’ve called.”
“I tried to resist, but I was so worried I felt sick.”
“Maybe we’ll get you a bed next to mine.”
Jun put her hand on Reina’s cheek. “I love you,” she said, her lips curling inward. Without her usual make-up on, she looked like a puffy urchin. Reina nearly laughed.
“Don’t say sappy shit like that. Besides, you don’t love me like that.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I know you.”
Sighing, Jun laid her head on Reina’s arm and mumbled something about rude girlfriends. You’ll get over it. Reina found the strength to gently stroke Jun’s hair. It was nice of her to come.
“Hey,” Reina said, before Jun’s hour was up. “You wanna hear something dirty?”
“Mou, is this the time?”
“I’m sick, not dead.” Reina cleared her throat. “Anyway, you know that cute nurse running around here? First day I was here she gave me a sponge bath.” Reina wiggled her eyebrows. “Don’t tell my wife. She’ll get indignant, and the nurse is too sweet to deal with my wife’s jealousy.”
“You would make something like an innocent sponge bath sexual.”
“Wasn’t so innocent when she was washing my tits.”
Jun clicked her tongue. At least now she realized how not dead Reina was.
Before she left, Jun told her girlfriend that she had a present for her besides the small gift of snacks she brought earlier. After looking over her shoulder to make sure nobody was coming in and that the window blinds were sealed shut, Jun untied the front of her blouse and flashed Reina her breasts.
A beat passed before Reina burst with laughter, each laugh wracking her ribs. “Oh my God, what are you doing?” She put her hand on her abdomen to stifle the pain.
Jun frowned and tied her blouse up again. “Thought you would appreciate that.”
“Best gift I’ve had all day. Will treasure it as I go to sleep tonight.”
Jun stood up and picked her
purse off the floor. “I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic.”
“Me? Sarcastic about tits being great? If I ever am, then you know I’m really dead.”
A smile slowly crept back onto Jun’s face before she bent down and kissed Reina on the lips. “I’m glad you’re doing okay. If you’re feeling up to it, maybe I can come down sometime next month and we’ll have some fun.”
Reina let go of Jun’s hand only after her girlfriend tugged it away. “I’d like that. Tell my wife hi if you see her.”
“Sure. If I see her making out with that other lady again.”
“Good for her. Just because I’m out of commission doesn’t mean she shouldn’t get any. That goes for you too. Go home and fuck your girlfriend. Do it for me.”
“Uh huh.” Jun kissed her once more before waving goodbye and disappearing out the door. Aiko came in ten minutes later and asked how it went. Reina wiggled her eyebrows again and mentioned getting a free show. Aiko didn’t believe her.
Not an hour later, Shio showed up with two daisies hanging out of her clenched hand.
While Aiko found a place to put the flowers, Shio sat by Reina’s beside and remained silent. What’s with her? Had something happened? For the first time all day Reina felt a swell of confidence as she decided she would kick the ass of whoever hurt Shio’s feelings this time. But before she could pull the tubes out of her arm and abandon the bed, Shio said, “I heard you died.”
“Apparently that is going around. As you can see, I’m still kicking. Somewhat.”
“I’m glad.”
“I’m also not pregnant, apparently.”
Aiko glanced up from the corner of the room but said nothing. Shio first flushed red and then paled again. “Of course you’re not, because I’m…”
“I was teasing.” So much for that joke. Shio had to soon leave for work after that, and Aiko took the opportunity to chide her spouse for saying such a thing.
The last set of visitors that day came in a couple of hours before visiting hours were over. Reina had finished her dinner when four young women hovered outside her door, arguing with nurse Yuka that four was not too many people.
Ikigai Page 25