"Don't Forget Me, Okay?" [Iwaoi]

Chapter 10

Feeling newly relieved, Iwaizumi decided that it was time to face his mother once again. Due to the past few incidents, he hadn't seen her in weeks. He stopped at home to change out of his school uniform and drop his bag off before continuing on his way the the hospital. Iwaizumi called a taxi and was at the building in a matter of minutes.

After entering the hospital, Iwaizumi approached the receptionist desk. He walked up and was greeted by a young woman. She held up her one hand in a waiting gesture and in the other was a phone. Iwaizumi nodded in response and waited until the call ended. The woman smiled at him.

"Hi, what can I do for you?"

"Um, I'm here for an Iwaizumzi," he said.

"Are you a relative?"

"Yes."

"Can I see your ID, please?"

Iwaizumi slipped his wallet out of his back pocket and handed his ID to the receptionist.

"Thank you," she said, following with,"Room 103."

"Thank you," Iwaizumi said and made his way down the all too familiar hallway. He waited at the elevator next to a middle aged woman. She, too, smiled and greeted him.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello," Iwaizumi echoed.

"What're you here for? If you don't mind me asking."

"My mother. She has alzheimer's."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope being here is offering results to slow it."

"I think it's been working as well as expected."
"Mm."

The elevator door opened with a ding, and the two climbed in. Iwaizumi pressed on the number one, the other woman on three.

"My grandfather's here," she explained. "He had a heart attack. Needs a triple bypass."

"Triple?"

"Yep. But, he's always been, well, obese. I can't say any of us weren't expecting it, as awful as that is."

"I hope he recovers quickly."

"Me too."

Soon, the doors opened for level one and Iwaizumi stepped out.

"It was nice talking with you," he said and continued down the hallway.

It wasn't comforting to know exactly which door to stop at without looking and the numbers or names.

Yet once again, he faced his mother's door.

The visit to the hospital was always a hard one. Iwaizumi had to explain everything once more to his mother, for her Alzheimer's worsened every day. It was hard to watch her brain deteriorate. To watch her memories slip from her grasp time and time again.

It was always hard. Knowing that something was wrong with someone you love wasn't something that you could easily digest.

Every time Iwaizumi traveled there, he'd ask Oikawa to go with him. It became such a routine that Oikawa didn't need to be asked to know he had to be there. It had been a custom before when Iwaizumi's father had been in the hospital. But those days were far behind them.

There was always a feeling of deep dread somewhere inside you, fearing that one day you're going to get that call, and that your worse nightmare has come true.

Iwa-chan waited in front of his mother's door, Oikawa at his side. He stared at the word Iwaizumi tacked onto the board on the wall. He did that a lot before going in. A way to brace himself. Always before entering his mother's room.

The memory wisped through Iwaizumi's brain. It wasn't any more comforting knowing that just weeks ago, Oikawa was with him. He did his best to shake off the longing feeling growing in his stomach. Raising his hand, Iwaizumi knocked twice on the door. It opened. A nurse dressed in white scrubs covered in purple flowers came into view.

"Iwaizumi-kun! How are you?"

"I'm fine, Yuri-san. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm doing well. Your mother is doing just fine, too. She's had a little trouble remembering a few things, but we make sure to review it with her at least twice a day."

Iwaizumi nodded.

"Come in, come in!" Yuri said, waving her hand.

Iwaizumi walked through the door, Yuri shutting it behind him. She retreated next to the bed.

"This is Hajime-kun. Do you remember who he is?" Yuri prompted his mother.

There was a slight pause in conversation.

"He's my... son. Hajime is my son," his mother announced.

"That's right!" Yuri said excitedly, clapping her hands.

Iwaizumi strode over and sat at the foot of his mother's bed.

"Hi, mom."

"Hajime."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine."

"School has been alright, I guess. Still boring as ever, but, I rejoined the volleyball team," Iwaizumi said.

"That's good."

"They had even kept my jersey for me, in case I did go back."

"You're number... four."

"Yeah. I am."

"And you... you spiked the ball. That was your specialty. W-what's it called again?"

"Wing spiker."

"Yes. You were--are--a wing spiker. And vice captain. You-you played with your boyfriend. Ah, I can't remember his name."

"Oikawa Tooru."

"Yes. How is Tooru-kun?"

"Oh, uh, he was in an accident."

"Oh! How is he?"

"He should be fine now. He just, uh, has some memory loss. Nothing major."

"That's good."

Iwaizumi didn't feel the need to tell his mother the big details. After all, she probably wouldn't remember anyway. It was better to keep it pushed aside. He didn't need to get tangled in it again.

"Look, Mom," he said. "I'm sorry, but I should go. I'm sorry it's a short visit, but I haven't seen you in a few weeks. I have school tomorrow and homework to do, so I should probably leave now. I'll visit again on Sunday, okay?"
"Okay, Hajime."
"Love you, Mom," Iwaizumi said, and kissed the top of her head.

He went back to the door.

"I'll be expecting you on Sunday then," Yuri said.
"Yes."
"Have a good day."
"You too, thanks."

Hajime shut the door behind him. It was nice to see his mother again, but it was just as painful. Another person who wouldn't remember him. But it wasn't their faults. How could it be?

He decided to take the stairs this time.