“Slow down Ruby, the nurse said you need to eat slowly.” Hanamaru said.
She smiled with her mouth filled with curry, “sorry, I’m just really hungry.”
Laughing Hanamaru grabbed one of Ruby’s hands, “I was really worried about you…….I still am. When I heard what happened my chest tightened up, the thought of you not being here hurt me. I couldn’t even concentrate in my classes.” Hanamaru smiled awkwardly, “when I messaged Dia and she didn’t know whether you were okay it made me uneasy.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you worry.”
“It’s not your fault, you couldn’t control it. Seeing you awake made me so happy I really wanted to just hold onto you and never let go.”
“I love you maruchan!” Ruby smiled, tightening her grip on Hanamaru’s hand.
____________________________________________________________________________
Walking back into the cafeteria Hanamaru and Ruby were leaving. “You full now Ruby?” I asked, smiling.
“Yeah, the curry is really good.”
Hanamaru lead the way to the room as she pushed Ruby in the wheelchair, Mari and I followed behind. “Do you need a ride home tonight Hanamaru?” Mari asked.
“Yeah if you don’t mind,” Hanamaru looked at the time on her phone. “It’s still about an hour till I have to go.”
“Dia, hold up a minute.” Mari said, she pulled her phone out her pocket which was vibrating. She turned her back towards us and answered it.
“Hello.” Mari started to talk in english.
I couldn’t understand what she was saying, I turned to Hanamaru and Ruby. “Head up to the room we’ll be up in a couple minutes.”
“Okay, zura~!”
I turned back towards Mari who now had a big smile on her face. “Alright, I’ll call you back in a bit.” She took a deep breath. “No thank you very much, have a good night, bye.” Mari hung up and started to jump up and down.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I may have found an organ donor for Ruby.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, “what blood type is Ruby?”
“Same as me, A.”23Please respect copyright.PENANA6RdjmzlPqq
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“Yes! It’s perfect then, I found a guy in an american hospital who is willing to donate his heart to Ruby. I gotta call the hospital back and it should be here as soon as possible.”
Without thinking I hugged Mari almost knocking the both of us over. “Thank you so much.” I said between the sobbing that had started. “Thank you so much.”
“Let me call them back real quick.” Mari giggled dialing a number and holding the phone back up to her ear.” I let go and backed up a bit. “Hello, yeah this is Mari O’hara. We can use it, alright… thank you.” Mari hung up, “it’ll be here tomorrow afternoon. The american hospital will be calling this one and letting them know what’s going on. Ruby should have a new heart by tomorrow night.”
“I can not express in words how thankful I am, no amount of money could let you see how thankful I am.” I said, Mari pulled me into a hug.
“There is no need for you to thank me, I did this to save a life not to be thanked or worshipped.” Mari smiled looking at me eye to eye. “Besides you need to keep your money, your taking me out on a date next week.”
Pulling out of the hug I started to laugh, “Am I now?” I replied.
“Yes you are~, plan it out don’t worry about cost.”
I didn’t speak I just smirked, taking the blondes hand we walked back to the room. Walking in Hanamaru was sitting on the edge of the bed helping Ruby with the homework she had received today.
“Excuse me, Miss. Kurosawa.” I turned around, Maki was standing behind me in the hall. “In a couple minutes the ICU goes into what we call ‘Quiet Time’. So all family and friends have to leave the room for the night, you guys will allowed to come back in at nine in the morning.”
“So we can’t stay the night?” I asked.
“We have a floor with rooms specifically for a family member to stay while the patient is still admitted in the hospital.”
“Is it alright if my friend stays as well.” I said gesturing towards Mari.
“I am Mari O’hara,” Mari bowed.
“The room is only meant for one person, I’m not sure it would be big enough for both of you. I can give you a key card for a room to stay in for the night.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Maki grabbed a card from the counter, “it’s room three forty two on the floor above us.”
“We are gonna say goodnight then we’ll leave.” I said turning back towards Ruby and Hanamaru.
“Take your time.” Maki walked away.
“Okay, I’m sorry Hanamaru but the ICU is about to close from visitors so we all have to leave till tomorrow morning.”
“You have to leave too?” Ruby asked.
“Unfortunately, Mari and I will be upstairs if you need anything ask the nurse. If you need me text or call,” I walked over and hugged her. “Goodnight, I love you, get some rest.” I kissed her on the forehead.
“I love you too onee-chan, bye Maruchan, bye Mari.” Ruby waved bye as we all grabbed our stuff and left the room.
“She’ll be alright, i’m here all night so I’ll be keeping an eye on her.” Maki said.
“Thank you,” I turned towards Hanamaru. “Do you need a ride home?”
“I’ll take a taxi it’s fine, I live a good bit away from the hospital so I thinks it’s best you stay here.”
I hugged Hanamaru, “be careful, you gonna be back up here tomorrow?”
“Probably, please keep me updated.”
“I will bye, be safe.”
“Have fun.” Mari interjected smiling brightly.
“Bye.” Hanamaru smiled as she left down the hall.
We both started to walk towards the elevators, “you want anything to eat before we go to bed?” Mari asked.
“No thank you, let’s just get up to the room.” Walking to the elevators I started to get worried, I didn’t want to leave Ruby overnight. Clicking the button with an arrow pointing up the doors opened. We stepped in, moments later we arrived onto the next floor. We stayed silent until we reached the door that read ‘432’.
“You get settled in real quick i’m gonna grab my bag of clothes out my car.”
As soon as Mari finished her sentence I realized I had nothing packed. “Okay.” Mari soon disappearing down the hall into the elevator leaving me by myself. I opened the door to the room, it was bigger than I thought it be. One bed, bathroom, little counter with a mini fridge as well as a microwave, and a single window on the wall behind the bed. I walked in and threw my jacket and purse onto the bed. “Time for bed.” I said to myself letting myself fall onto the bed.
Mari walked in minutes later, “Tired are we?” Mari giggled, “you need to go get changed first, you’ve been wearing those clothed all day.”
I turned over onto my back, “I don’t have any packed clothes.”
“Figured as much, not like you planned this. Lucky for you I have spares.” Mari grabbed a pair of pajamas out her bag and tossed them on me.
I grabbed them and walked towards the bathroom. “Thank you.” I bowed and shut myself in the bathroom. Soon after we both were changed and under the covers in the bed (The bed was only a twin size might I add).
“That nurse wasn’t lying when she said it was only meant for one person.” Mari laughed, positioning her back against mine.
“I’ll set up a place to sleep on the floor if your uncomfortable.”
“No, no it’s fine, this just means we’ll have to sleep close together.” Mari turned herself around wrapping her arms around my stomach. “Goodnight Dia.”
“Night Mari.”
_____________________________________________________________________________
Waking up I reached my hands up and rubbed the tiredness out of my eyes, I started to get up when I realized Mari wasn’t here. “Mari.” I said softly, my voice sounded rough and scratchy. I stood up and stretched, I looked around the small room for any sign of her. Walking around the bed I noticed a folded piece of paper sitting on the counter, I picked it up and opened it.
Morning sleepy head, I’ll be back I’m going to grab breakfast. I left a pair of clothes on the bathroom counter for you to get showered and changed. I’ll be back shortly, today is Ruby’s big day.
Love, Mari
I set the paper back down and walked into the bathroom. I stripped off the pajamas Mari gave me and got into the shower. (Which was quite small) Fifteen minutes later I got out and dried myself off. Picking up the clothes off the sink, a white dress with a light red floral pattern on it. As I got the clothes on I heard the room door open. “Mari?”
“You almost done in there? Your food is getting cold.” Mari said sarcastically.
I stepped out the bathroom, “I don’t think this is something I should be wearing in a hospital.”
“Today is a special day for Ruby, you need to dress nice for this life changing event.”
“Since when did you become so much like a mom.” I joked, she puffed out her cheeks. “I’m joking, I love the dress.”
“I’m just glad it fits, I didn’t know your bra size so I had to guess on it.” I just smiled holding in any comments I had. “I managed to find a place close that sold some breakfast omelettes.”
Mari handed me a small to go box, I opened it up, the small box was filled to the brim with food. “Thank you Mari, you didn’t have to get this much I don’t think I’ll be able to eat all this.”
“Yeah, I might’ve went a bit overboard they just had so much good looking food that I wanted to make sure we got enough of everything.” She smiled. Sitting on the corner of the bed she began to eat. “You’ll be happy to know the the donor heart arrived here this morning. That red headed nurse said Ruby would be getting prepped for surgery, by tomorrow she should have the new one.”
I didn’t know what to say, the words choked me. I’ve been waiting so long to hear that lost in thought Mari hugged me. Without even realizing it I had started crying, a knock came to the door. Releasing from the hug I wiped my eyes as Mari answered the door.
“Morning, I just wanted to let you know you guys can come back down to the ICU. She’s up now eating breakfast.” Maki said.
I stood beside Mari, “does she know about her donor yet?”
“No, I figured you would want to be the one to tell her.”
“Okay, thank you.” I turned towards Mari. “Let’s grab our things and head back down there.” We both packed our stuff up and left the room locking it behind us. “Let’s go,” I smiled. Making our way down a floor we were greeted by a doctor as we stepped out the elevator.
“Excuse me, Miss Kurosawa.”
“Yes?”
“I have to warn you about the risks in having the surgery,” The doctor took a breath. “There is a good chance the heart could decline her body, there is also a chance that if that happens we can’t get her back on life support.”
“Okay.” I didn’t know what to say, thoughts were scattered all around my head. I didn’t think about the risks till now.
“We are ready to prep Ruby for her surgery, we just need a parent or guardian surgery.” He handed me a clipboard and a pen. I scanned through the paperwork making sure everything was right. I signed it and handed it back. “Thank you.”
“May we see her before she goes into surgery?”
“Of course.”
I bowed, hurrying down the hall followed my Mari we made it to the room Ruby was occupying. Walking in she had a big smile on her face, I sat my stuff in a chair and hugged her. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too onee-chan.”
A nurse walked into the room and started to get all the machines ready to be moved.
“Where are they taking me?” Ruby asked with a worried tone in her voice.
“To...to get a new heart.” I said smiling, tears were forming in my eyes. Ruby started crying and tightened her grip on me. “You’re gonna get better,” I looked over at Mari gesturing her over I pulled her into the hug. “Thank Mari she’s the one who found it.”
Ruby couldn’t find the right words to say, she just embraced the two of us. “Thank you.” Ruby replied.
“There is no need to thank me, I am gonna make sure you get to live a long life.” Mari smiled.
“Excuse me,” The nurse interrupted, “we are all ready to go.”
I turned back towards Ruby, “you ready.” I asked putting my hand on her cheek. She just nodded in response. “I love you,” I kissed her for head.
“Love you too.” Ruby replied as the nurse pushed the bed out the room. I started crying even more, Mari hugged me.
“She’s gonna be fine,” Mari assured me, speaking softly. “Just think in a months time she’ll probably be running around the entirety of the house.” I didn’t respond, we just stood there in silence embracing each other.
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