The Red Kimono: A Novel

6. Sachi

Terrence stopped running and turned back again. Nobu? His friend’s voice haunted. “Why would you do this to my father?” Nobu’s father? The world buzzed and turned gray again. Daddy was dead, and the only thing left were his words, ringing in his head: “just plain stupid.” He turned the corner for home. Did he feel better now? Hell, no. God help me. God forgive me. Hell, there ain’t no God. No God. CHAPTER 6 Sachi DECEMBER 23, 1941 The sounds in the emergency waiting room were the worst. Sachi could close her eyes to escape the sights, but she couldn’t block out the whimpers of the little boy who sat across from her, holding his bloodied arm. Or the baby wrapped in the blue blanket who cried as the nervous mother bounced him in her arms, whispering, “Shh, shh, shh.” Gurneys with new patients startled Sachi each time they came crashing through the doors. Papa moaned while Mama held her o-juzu beads and softly chanted a prayer to Buddha. Sachi liked the pretty crystal beads. But her favorite part of Mama’s bracelet was the tiny Buddha etched inside the large center bead. Nobu couldn’t sit still and paced the floor, back and forth, running his fingers through his hair at every turn. Maybe Mama should let him hold her beads. The second hand on the clock above the check-in desk moved slowly around the white dial. Sachi calculated how many times it had made its journey around the dial since they’d arrived. Seven fifteen. That would be about 117 times. What was taking so long? Couldn’t the doctors and nurses see that 34 JAN MORRILL Papa needed help? Nobu must have asked, “How much longer?” a dozen times already. Finally, a nurse peeked from behind a door and called Papa’s name. “Michio Kimura?” Mama and Nobu lifted Papa from his seat and walked him to the door. Sachi wrapped her finger around one of his belt loops and followed behind. The nurse took Papa’s arm and started to enter the examination room. “Please, wait here.” Mama clung to him. “But I would like to stay—” “Please,” interrupted the nurse, “have a seat in the waiting room.” When the door began to close, Sachi let go of his belt loop. She returned to sit with Mama, Nobu, and all of the other sick people who had to wait in the hard chairs that lined the dingy, green walls. Mama moved the circle of beads through her fingers, making a clicking noise that was somehow soothing to listen to. Nobu stared ahead, trance-like and still, except for his left foot rapidly tapping the floor. Sachi watched a roach skittle across the yellowed floor, then went back to watching the second hand, passing the time by creating rhymes with the numbers on the clock. One, two, three. Look at me. Four, five, six. Do this trick. Seven, eight, nine. Papa will be fine . . . A lump caught in her throat and tears burned her eyes. She laid her head on Mama’s lap and listened to the clicking of the beads. “Sachi-chan, wake up.” Mama shook Sachi’s shoulders. “It’s time to go see Papa.” Where am I? Crying echoed in the room. Ringing phones. The clacking wheels of passing gurneys. Her eyes focused again on the clock. Nine thirtyfive . It hadn’t been just a bad dream. They followed a nurse down a long hallway where a light flickered and buzzed. The nurse’s starched, white uniform looked like it might crack if she sat down. Her nylon stockings swished, and her white shoes squeaked on the shiny floor. Sachi wondered why nurses wore those funny-looking hats. They stopped in front of Papa’s room. The Red Kimono 35 “Visiting hours are over, but you may have a few minutes,” the nurse said. “Then you’ll need to leave and return in the morning.” “Can’t one of us stay with my father?” Nobu asked. The nurse raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips, clearly irritated by his question. “Your father needs his rest, and so does Mr. Ihara in the bed next to him. You may have ten minutes, then I’ll have to ask you to leave. Like I said, visiting hours are over.” Sachi could have sworn the nurse turned up...