Child

Kumiko had somehow survived the crash. She had sustained a plethora of injuries, however, requiring several surgeries and a lengthy stay in the hospital. But she was alive and that was all that mattered. Some believed Kumiko surviving such a horrible accident was nothing short of a miracle.

When she had recovered enough to have visitors, Kumiko rarely said a word to them. She would just stare blankly out the window and wait for her family and friends to leave her alone.

Only those who knew Kumiko extremely well had known about her having been with child. And only those select people were told that the accident had caused her to lose the baby.

But life had to go on, and that's exactly what happened.

The next few years went by like a blur. Kumiko and Hideki were able to mend their relationship and joined in holy matrimony. Kumiko was also able to become much closer to her father. His cancer diagnosis put things into perspective, making Kumiko even further realize just how fragile life really was.

During their first year of marriage, Kumiko and Hideki once again found themselves with child. It was a pregnancy that everyone was overjoyed with, and was something that had no need to be kept secret.

When Kumiko's delivery day came, it was celebrated with gifts and well wishes. But little did anyone know that the blessed day would nearly become an unspeakable tragedy.

The delivery began like any other. Kumiko was told to breathe and push, but complications arose immediately.

"Blood pressure is rising, doctor," said Kumiko's attending nurse. Rising blood pressure was a normal occurrence during childbirth, so it wasn't taken with too much urgency. "Blood pressure is still rising."

Kumiko quickly became short of breath and she began to sweat profusely.

"Doctor, her blood pressure is still rising," said the nurse, whose voice now had a sense of panic in it.

Ignoring what the nurse was saying, the doctor kept his focus on Kumiko. "Keep pushing," he exclaimed.

"Heart rate is increasing too fast," exclaimed the nurse. "Please, Kumiko, breathe. You have to calm yourself down."

To the dismay of everyone in the delivery room, Kumiko let out an ear piercing scream.

"Heart rate is spiking," exclaimed the nurse. "Doctor!"

Kumiko continued to scream in horrific pain. It sounded more as if she was being tortured than giving birth.

"Permission to administer an epidural," said the nurse.

"It's too late for that," exclaimed the doctor. "Kumiko, you've got to keep pushing! You're so close!"

Tears were streaming from Kumiko's eyes. "Please," she said, her voice only barely audible. "Please save my baby. I don't care what happens to me. Please save her."

It happened almost immediately after Kumiko had made her plea. Her blood pressure and heart rate began to drop back down to far safer levels.

"Vitals are beginning to stabilize," said the nurse, who was more than a bit surprised. "Doctor?"

It wasn't long thereafter when the sound of a healthy baby girl's crying filled the delivery room.

An exhausted Kumiko smiled as best she could in her current state. "Welcome to the world, Rumi-chan."