Myne

sixteen

“We’re sorry.” 

Jordan apologised profusely. His head bowed. His voice cracked. His eyes red. And Clara, right by his side, no different. The husband and wife held their hands. And couldn’t be more apologetic. 

“No,” Anon said, grabbing Jordan’s shoulder and shaking his head. “No apology is necessary. If we’re looking to put blame, we can do so on pretty much everyone. First, us. We shouldn’t have gone out. We should have been there. We certainly are more to blame than you. No. There is no blame. She’s ill. That’s all. Nothing any of us could have done different. We wait. She’ll get better. The doctor will tell us what to look out for. And we’ll know. We’ll keep her safe. That’s all there is to it.” 

“We still have another daughter to look out for,” Yuki added. “If we’re like this, how do you think it would affect her. They’re both little girls. Best friends. She must be feeling worse.” 

The four adults looked at Emi who had cried herself to sleep. She was small enough to lay comfortably on two chairs. Her tear stained face was just as cute. She was the sole source of relief in the quiet visitors’ area of Arthur’s Greenfield Hospital. 

And then, the doctor came out to meet them. He was an old man with a kind face, who introduced himself as Dr Johann Abrams. He showed to Rain’s room first. And then to his office. Where he told them, Rain was fine. All tests’ results were normal. As for why she was so deep asleep, he didn’t have answer. Rather, he had questions. 

“Can you tell me everything that happened yesterday. And then the last few days. Every little detail matters.” 

*

All eyes were on Emi. She was the one best suited to answer the question. She was the one that spent the most time with Rain, after all. The girls were inseparable. When Emi had to go out, she dragged Rain along. When Rain was reading, Emi stayed home. Sleeping. Watching tv. Whatever kept her interested, while she stayed with Rain, who was lost in her book. 

Today, was the only exception. 

“I can’t say for today,” Emi said. “I was out, with Kim and Erica. We were studying our opponents.” 

“Why didn’t Rain go along?” Dr Abrams asked. Even he knew the girl were glued together, as if they were conjoined. It was more than abnormal for Emi to go out alone. 

“Rain didn’t want to come. We had to go. Rain promised she’d be fine. She wouldn’t go anywhere. Except the library. She had to return a book at the town library. And she’d get another. That was it. Other than that, she would be home.” 

“And there was no sudden change of plans?” 

“You know her. Rain doesn’t like surprises. Certainly not sudden changes in plans. So, no. Definitely no change in plans, sudden or otherwise.” 

“Okay.” The old doctor nodded. He looked just as troubled as the family. He had come to care for Rain just as much. And in fact, he wished even more than her family to solve the mystery. He wanted Rain to live free, like every other girl her age. “I’ve not made much headway, I admit. I’m hoping this, now, we do better. I’m hoping we find some clue. We must ensure Rain is better.” 

All six nodded. And then, all six fell quiet. As they stared at the sleeping girl. 

*

“I can’t explain it. Her bodily functions are normal. Her brain is normal. Every report says the same. She’s asleep. And nothing’s wrong. It’s like a medical mystery. But, we’ll figure it out.” 

Emi was outside in the hallway. Her parents and Rain’s parents were inside the doctor’s office, speaking with him. They didn’t want her to follow them in. They said they didn’t want her to worry. Which was also why they left the door open a sliver. So she wouldn’t feel alone. And they could keep an eye on her. And they had instructed her to not peek. She said she wouldn’t. But she did. For little more than a second. 

She caught bits of the conversation. Most of it was the doctor. He was saying something about Rain being asleep. That was all she understood. That was all she needed. She was five years old. Her parents treated her like a baby still, but she was grown up now. She understood a lot of what they said, believing she couldn’t understand. They were wrong. And right now, she had no intention of correcting them. She tiptoed past the door. She leaned against the wall on the other side, waiting to see if she was caught. When she was convinced she wasn’t, she continued down the hallway, to Rain’s room. 

There was no one inside. Just Rain asleep on the bed. Thin tubes and wires connecting her to the many machines surrounding her. Machines that were beeping constantly, steadily. Many of the machines had screens, that showed lines and numbers and letters, none of which made sense to her. The pretty nurse, Tilda, explained to her yesterday that the beeping of the machines meant that Rain was okay. When the beeping sped up, or when the machines started screaming, that was when they had to worry. Right now, there was nothing to worry. Rain was probably tired. When she slept enough, she would wake up. And the girls could then continue playing, and go to school together. Everything would be just like before. 

Emi wanted to believe the nurse. Even more since the doctor spoke the same words. Everything would be just like before. But she wasn’t a baby. She could see them. The adults. The parents. The doctors. The nurses. They were all afraid. They just weren’t telling her. That’s why she was asked to wait outside in the hallway while the parents, both hers and Rain’s, were inside with the doctor. Something was wrong. Rain was ill. That illness wasn’t allowing her to wake up. And everyone was trying to figure out what the illness was, and what medicine to give it. 

She went over to Rain’s side. The chair was too far. She dragged it over, as slowly and as soundlessly as she could. Sat in it. Bent over, so her head was resting by Rain’s. Inches away. She could see Rain so clearly, like there was nothing in between. Not even air. That was how her mother loved sleeping next to her father. So close that not even air could get in between. She wanted to be with Rain the same. She put her hands together, forcing them to stay with her and not slide over to Rain’s. She couldn’t disturb Rain. Not if she wanted Rain to get better quickly. 

“Are you so tired?” She asked her sleeping friend. “Do you need so much sleep? I’ll just sit here, okay? I’ll be right next to you. So you sleep. And wake up quickly. We can then go to school and play.” 

She fell asleep right there. 

*

Emi still remembered perfectly. The last time, eleven years ago, Rain was asleep a whole week. Today was still day one. She was a kid back then. And she had still had her way, staying with Rain all day, every day. Now, she was almost an adult. No way anyone was keeping her away. 

She pulled the sofa over. With the armrest as a pillow, and her knees folded, the two seater sofa was just comfortable enough. She lay on her side, looking at Rain. The girl seemed peacefully asleep. Like it was just another night. After a lot of reading, Rain was tired, and resting. Like any other night. Like Rain would wake up at dawn, with the sun rising. 

“Wake up quickly, alright, Sweety?” Emi whispered. “I’ll be right here. It’s like we’re home. You’ve got the bed. And I’ve got the sofa. Sucks. It’s like when we play cards. You always get the joker. I know you’re cheating. No one believes me. You’ve got them fooled with your smile. But I know better. I can see past that innocent smile. And one day, I’ll learn your secret. And then, the two of us can keep winning with the jokers. How cool would that be? So, wake up. And teach me. It’s not good manners, keeping secrets from your best friend.” 

Emi fell asleep right there, by Rain’s side.