April's Heart

Eomeoni

Once at the hospital Jae and April were lead to Jae's mother's room, all the while a tall doctor who seemed to be about Jae's age explained what was happening. Jae pulled April along by her hand as he rushed through the halls to her bedside. It had been another close call, Jae had explained before disappearing behind the door. They were able to save her but they didn't know for how long. Their goal had been to keep her alive until he had a chance to say goodbye.

April stood in the hall outside the room, unsure what to do. She couldn't help but be struck by the eerie stillness of the corridor. It was so deceptively quiet. A silent warzone. Behind the doors that lined the halls people were fighting for their lives but the only commotion occurred when the end was near. When the final battle was being waged against an often invisible enemy. April knew that surrender was an option for Jae's mother but still she fought and April understood why. Though she had never herself been a mother, she knew the undying love a mother has for her child. Though she sent Jae away all those years ago she had done it out of love, out of a selfless desire to see his dreams come true. She was fighting for him. She didn't want him to have to deal with the pain of losing her, of being alone in the world without the person who knew him best.

"Excuse me."

April turned, the quiet voice shocking her out of her introspection. Beside her stood a young woman and a little girl. The girl was holding a doll and was looking up at April with the brightest most hopeful eyes she'd ever seen. April couldn't help but notice the hospital bracelet on the girl's arm and her heart broke.

"Hi," April said, smiling.

"This is Soo Ae," the young woman said motioning to the little girl. "She wanted me to tell you that she loves your hair."

April self consciously touched her curls. When she was younger, she would have killed for Soo Ae's long straight locks, her curls having caused her more embarrassment than one person should have to live through.

"Thank you," April said to the little girl and the young woman translated. "You have pretty hair too."

The girl smiled shyly then said something to the young woman.

"She wants to know if you'd like to see her room. It's just down the hall."

After a glance at the closed door in front of her, April nodded and followed the girls to Soo Ae's room, hoping that everything would stay calm while she was gone and that Jae wouldn't notice she was missing.

April sat on the bed as Soo Ae rushed around the room gathering her prized possessions. Several dolls and drawings that she had done she shoved onto April's lap. As she did, her cousin, JiMin, explained her situation. She told April that she had been in the hospital for three weeks and that her spirit had been waning lately. She was beginning to realize that her sickness was serious though the adults around her had been trying to keep the grim details a secret. Only a week after she had been admitted she was diagnosed with leukemia. This small happy child was yet another soldier fighting for her life. April tried to hold back her tears for Soo Ae's sake as she happily handed her stuffed animal after stuffed animal. Each with a name and origin story. After a while her excitement seemed to have taken a toll and she climbed onto her cousin's lap smiling up at April.

"I think it's time for her nap," JiMin said, stroking Soo Ae's hair. She whispered to her in Korean and the little girl nodded, yawning.

"Thank you for visiting with her. I can tell this helped."

"I'm happy to. I hope to see you again soon," April said as the girl waved weakly.

Once back in the hallway April rushed back to Jae's mother's room all the while trying to gather herself and got there just as Jae came out.