Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Akasaka Moon ❯ Caterpillar ( Chapter 34 )

Caterpillar

Michiko and I lived in happy matrimony. I became a priest and Michiko became manager of the brewery. I put up my apartment for sale and we bought a house in the countryside of Kobe. We always made time for each other. And yet…

I kept noticing my wife was trying to be happy. I couldn't understand what was wrong.

“Michiko, what's the matter?” I asked her one summer afternoon in 1968. Michiko looked at me with a tired smile.

“Nothing dear,” she lied. I gave her a kind smile.

“You haven't been happy lately. What's the matter? Is the problem with me?” I asked. She shook her head at me.

“No, it's not you,” she said. I closed my book.

“Then what's the problem?” I persisted. Michiko shook her head, lowering her shoulders and sighed.

“I don't know,” she said. “I just feeling like something is missing from our lives.” I raised an eyebrow.

“Like what?” I asked. She shook her head.

“I don't know,” she said. “Just… something…” I really wished I could help ease my wife's endless feeling of emptiness. I just wanted to see my wife happy again. So the next morning at my temple, I wrote down a little wish for Michiko.

“Help Michiko find whatever she missing in her life,” I wrote down and tied it the altar. I drew in a breath and hoped that it would work. That night, Michiko and I spent the night in for once. It felt really nice to have just us in the house on a summer's night. Maybe she would find what she was looking for tonight.

Two weeks later, Michiko started to feel really sick. I became worried when she started throwing up in the mornings. I didn't know what to do.

“Is something wrong?” I asked her.

“I don't know,” she whimpered in the bathroom one June morning.

“Is it something you have been eating?”

“No,” she wailed. I worked my brain to try and find the cause. I kept thinking about the worst that could be happening to her. There was a stomach virus going around in our village that year. Maybe…

I quickly shook my head. No! You don't know that for certain! Don't even think about saying that out loud; you'll freak her out! But still, we had to find out what was making her sick.

“Michiko,” I spoke up.

“What?” she asked.

“I'm going to take you to the hospital,” I said.

“Why?”

“This is just in case it's something serious, okay?” I answered.

“Okay,” my wife said. I walked her to my car and drove her to the hospital in the next village.

“Hang in there,” I said. “It's just a few kilometers away.” Michiko held my hand.

“I'm scared,” she whispered.

“Shhh, it's okay. I'm here for you.” We made it to the hospital without any problems.

Michiko squeezed my hand as we walked inside. I paced around the waiting room as the doctor examined her. I took in heavy breaths as I tried to not make myself worry more. Maybe it's not something really bad. Maybe she just has minor stomach pains. Yeah, that's it. I tried to keep myself calm.

I almost jumped when I heard the door slide open. I rushed over to the doctor.

“How is she?” I asked. “Is it a stomach virus?” The doctor smiled, shaking his head at me.

“No, no,” he said. “It's just a little morning sickness.” I blinked at him at first.

“Morning sickness?” I repeated. The meaning of the phrase finally sank into my head.

“You mean… I'm going to be a daddy?” The doctor gave me a proud smile.

“That's right,” he told me. “Your wife is pregnant.” I felt like flying high around the sun and back. We were going to become a family now.

For the next nine months, I took good care of Michiko the best that I could. I treated her like a goddess every day. I talked to our unborn child every morning.

“Hey there,” I whispered to the baby. “I can't wait for you to meet us.” I followed that up with a little kiss on her belly. Michiko smiled at my affection toward our unborn child.

“You'll make a wonderful father,” she told me on her eighth month of pregnancy. I looked at her with dreamy eyes.

“You think so?” I asked. My wife smiled as she ran her slender finger along my cheek. She gave me a kiss on the lips. I kissed her back. Michiko slowly pulled away from me. Her plump, little lips curved into a smile.

“Convinced?” she asked. I smiled back at her, nuzzling her nose with mine.

“Oh yes,” I said. Michiko giggled. On February second of 1969, my wife gave birth to a baby girl. We named her Midori after Michiko's little sister. My wife's parents were so overjoyed to have a new grandchild that they named her the heir of the whole Hino. Michiko and I didn't mind it. Our beautiful daughter was all that mattered to us in our lives. After Midori-chan was born, I noticed a change in Michiko. She had become much happier.

“So, Michiko-chan,” I began, three days after we brought Midori home from the hospital.

“Mhm?” my wife hummed as she held our daughter in her arms.

“Do you feel that your life is complete now?” I asked, watching her dreamily. My wife smiled as she gently poked the baby's fat, pink little cheeks.

“Yes,” she answered. “My life is complete now.” I smiled at my family.

“I'm glad,” I said. “I'm really glad.”