Hot tears start streaming down my face knowing this is the last time I’ll see him. I try brushing them away while he kisses my hair and squeezes me tighter.
“It’s okay, Ken. It will be okay. I’ll wait as long as you need me to. I’m not going anywhere,” he finally says.
He isn’t but I am. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m leaving in two weeks to stay with my aunt in North Carolina at least until the baby is born. If I stay here, if Kai and I are in the same state, there will be nothing preventing me from trying to make things work with him. I don’t even know if the 700 miles between us will be enough to keep me away from him.
But I have to try.
Chapter 20
Kai
“Hello?Missmealready?”I joke as I pick up Kendall’s phone call. We’ve been texting back and forth all morning, so I’m surprised to see her calling me.
“Kai? Where are you?” She sounds worried.
“About to leave practice, is everything—"
She cuts me off. “Can you come to the hospital? It’s Akio. He had an allergic reaction and his throat started closing up,” she explains frantically.
“Kendall, where are you guys? I’ll leave right now.”
“Rayfield Memorial. We’re in the ED at the children’s hospital.” Fuck, I know Rayfield Memorial. I’ve been there a few times for injuries I got during games. It’s almost a half hour away.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can, Ken,” I choke out as I sprint to my car.
“Okay, thanks.”
It’s an enormous feat trying to keep it together on my way to the hospital. My hands are covered in sweat, my heart thundering against my ribcage, and my brain keeps comingup with increasingly worse scenarios the closer I get to my destination. I stop at a four-way intersection three miles away from the hospital, and nearly clip another car, my mind somewhere far away. I pull over and park my car at the next gas station I see, realizing it’s dangerous to drive like this. Which is ironic seeing as how I’ve driven in far worse conditions without any concern for the outcome.
My grip on the steering wheel tightens like a vise and I force myself to take three deep breaths,in and out, in and out, in and out. Nothing is going to happen to Akio. Everything is going to be fine. I just got them back.
The universe wouldn’t be that cruel, would it?
***
Thewaitingareaforthe ED is pure chaos and stimulation overload. Kids sneezing and coughing, a toddler with vomit on his shirt. A teen or tween with what appears to be a broken wrist. Multiple other children with various illnesses waiting to be assessed. I approach the front desk and try to plaster on my most charming smile.
“Hi, I’m here to see—"
“Child’s name please and date of birth” the receptionist demands in a no-nonsense tone.
“Akio Matsumoto, January 13, 2017.”
“And are you related to the patient?” she asks briskly.
“Yes, I’m his father,” I respond, simmering with fear and agitation.
“Can I see your ID please?”
“Sure,” I open my wallet and hand her my driver's license. She reviews it carefully then gives it back to me.
“He’s in room 203. It’s straight back, fourth door on your left—you can stand by the doors over there and I’ll buzz you in in a moment,”
“Thanks.”
After she buzzes me in, I follow her instructions and find the correct hospital room. Kendall is curled up on the hospital bed with Akio and he seems okay, not in any immediate distress. She looks drained though. Instinctually, I wrap my arms around her and lightly kiss the top of her head. I give Akio a small wave and he smiles back at me with a sleepy grin from underneath Kendall’s shoulder.
“Hi,” I whisper. “How is he? How are you doing?”