first american title | tenya iida

fifteen

~*~

iida's pov

Being confined between four hospital walls felt the same as being suffocated. The floors were cold and the silence was beyond uncomfortable. To say I hated it would be an understatement. What I hated more was the fact that I was here for a specific reason; that I was here for Tensei. I rushed into his room, my mom and his wife Emi surrounded him.  

Mom's gaze shifted from Tensei to me. She spoke up in Japanese, her voice barely above a whisper, "You're here."

I nod. "Is he alive?" I ask. 

She nods, rising from her spot to wrap her arms around me and starts sobbing. "Yes but- Tenya so many complications could happen. The doctors said he'll probably be paralyzed from the waist down, and-and-"

I stop her from continuing by hushing her softly. I've started crying too, and I can't even muster the power to pull off her and look at Tensei. However, I do eventually. 

A tangle of IV's are in his skin, one carrying blood, the others I assume are with morphine. His arms and chest are covered in scratches. Wrapped around his head is a long stripe of white gauze. It's a horrifying scene, and it doesn't feel real at all. Lydia trails behind me. She stands behind me silently, not making eye contact. I wrap my hand around hers hoping that she feels less awkward. 

"What happened to him?" I ask.

Emi lets out a defeated sigh and replies, "A dog walked into traffic and he swerved the car to avoid hitting it, the car flipped and crashed awfully."

I gulp. God, I hope he's okay. He looks thrashed, and it breaks my heart to see him like this. A few minutes go on as we watch the monitor repeat the same beep like a broken record. 

A doctor steps in, he greets us with a nod. "So, do you want the good or bad news first?" he says. 

"Bad," Emi mumbles. 

The doctor takes a breath before he speaks again. "He'll be permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Good news is that he's in great health and will survive. Also, your insurance covers the majority of costs so you'll only be left paying a fraction of what you would intend to."

Emi breaks down in tears immediately hearing the news. "Oh god," she grumbles.

I can't help from crying myself. "Whe-When will he be awake?" I ask. 

The doctor shrugs. "When the morphine wears off, probably in a day or two," he says, and then he's gone from the room. 

Lydia's grip on my hand tightens. "I'm so sorry," she mumbles.

I close my eyes, just listening to my own heartbeat. It's beating faster than I think it has in a while. I hate it. 

I spend an hour just watching over his body. I rock back and forth in my seat, hoping for some sort of salvation. A salvatore, if you will. 

When we leave Lydia doesn't say anything, just holds my hand as we hail down a cab to get back to the hotel we're staying in. "Are you hungry?" she asks on the way back. 

I shrug. "Kind of. You?"

"I'm hungry too."

I nod my head and ask the driver to take us to the nearest store, which he does gladly. I buy two cup of noddles with Lydia. The hotel is only a few blocks down, so we walk back. 

In the next few days, Tensei woke up, confused and in pain. He was glad to see me, though. The doctor prescribed him pain medication and talked him through what happened. The doctor asked that he stay another two days for testing an evaluation.

Two weeks later Tensei was brought out of the hospital in a wheelchair, and it was true, he was paralyzed. Now, he had medication to take every morning and evening and physical therapy every Thursday. His life was forever altered, and there was nothing to make it better. 

Lydia and I stayed and helped him adapt to this new life as best as we could. Of course, nothing could make it an easy change, but being surrounded by supportive family friends was better than being tossed aside. 

We ate a final dinner together before Lydia and I left. Tensei, his wife, his children, my mother and father all sat together. I coughed while we ate and cracked my neck, getting ready to speak in my native tongue. "I need to say something," I announce.

The table looks at me. I already knew that they weren't going to take this well, but here goes nothing. "Lydia and I are engaged and will be getting married on November sixteenth in San Fransisco. You're all invited, of course."

My mother lights up like a Christmas tree. "You're what now? What?" she seethes. 

As for my father, he looks down at his food and then raises his head to look back up at me. "You can't be serious."

I grip Lydia's hand under the table and with a straight face reply, "I love her. And I do not regret my decision. I'm going to marry her and I'm going to stay with her."

Tensei shakes his head. "Tenya, no. That's not how it works."

I take a deep breath. "Says who? It's my decision and life. I love her. We're going to get married regardless of what you all say."

The table blows up, my mother begins praying out loud, hoping that the lord will maybe change the situation. My father begins yelling about the tradition that I'm breaking, the foolish choice this could be. Tensei shakes his head and agrees with my father, adding his two cents in wherever he can. Nevertheless, Lydia is taken aback. 

She can't understand a word they're saying, all she knows is that they're all screaming in my direction. "What's happening?" she asks me.

I sigh. "I told them were getting married and I'm getting lectured. When they're done we can leave. I have to be respectful though," I whisper back. 

My father stops and huffs aloud. "What are you thinking?" he grumbles.

"Will you be in attendance on November sixteenth?" I ask. 

My mother scoffs. "We'll consider going. But know that we are extremely disappointed with this choice."

"I understand why. Now if you'll excuse me, Lydia and I will be heading back to our hotel to get a good nights sleep so we can get on tomorrows earliest plan. Thank you for the dinner, goodnight," I tell them, standing up and taking Lydia by the rest while I stomp out of their home.

Lydia looks at me. "What did they say?" she asks.

I don't respond for a moment. My mind is torn between telling her the truth. "They're ecstatic, just very confused about how we're getting engaged so soon, so that's why they were yelling. They're just expressing their concern," I lie. 

Lydia looks down and doesn't reply. "They don't like it do they?" 

I sigh. "It will be fine I promise you."

She shakes her head. "No, it won't. They're going to forever resent me for it won't they?" 

I stop her and make her look in my eyes. "Lydia. My parents don't hold grudges. And regardless, I don't care. I'm so entranced by you not a single thing in this entire universe could ever convince me to fall out of love."

She smiles. "I love you," she mumbles. 

I kiss her forehead and reply, "I love you too."

We walk back to our hotel and quickly fall asleep. The next morning we rush to pack, check out, and drive to the airport quickly. I'm grateful that the nearest airport isn't that far. Tickets are purchased, time is passed, and soon enough both of us are on a plane back to San Fransisco. Lydia falls asleep with her head on my shoulder.

She's so beautiful. I've never seen such a beautiful and perfect woman. I know, I know deep inside my heart that everything will be okay. 

Everything will be okay; we will be together forever.

~*~