“Because you are in debt,” I said. I felt dizzy but held my ground anyway. “I had you investigated before I left New York, Diana. You got sucked into a Ponzi scheme and can’t pay off your gambling debts, or shopping debts, or rent—”
“Esther, sweetheart—”
“I will always be your daughter and when you want to act like a mother, please let me know. Until then, let’s go our own paths.”
Walking around her to the nurses’ station, I held onto the frame of the desk and asked, “Malachi Lord? What room?”
“The one right next door,” she said as everyone within the wing pointed to the door.
“Thank you.” I looked around at them and I tried to walk, but I was tired. All of sudden, a very familiar voice called out to me.
“Oshaberi.”
“Mrs. Yamauchi?” I grinned as she hugged me and her wrinkled hands touched my face. “You came?”
“Of course! You owe me a book.”
I nodded. “I do.”
“Esther?” I looked up to see a thin woman, who looked a lot like Kikuko, come up behind her. “I’m Maya Yamauchi, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Do you need help?”
“Hi. Yes.” I smiled at her as she put her hand over my shoulder and helped me walk. But she wasn’t alone. Murphy, dressed in her police uniform came to my other side and helped me walk inside. David, who was also dressed in his uniform, held the door open for all of us to enter Malachi’s room.
“You two always make our town a little too lively,” Murphy whispered as I stared at Malachi.
He was as handsome as ever even with his messy hair and unshaven face and dark circles around his eyes.
“What can I say, we are lively people,” I whispered once I got to the edge of his bed. My hand reached up and brushed his hair from his face. “You hear that? We’re lively, we’re alive.”
Turning back to them I smiled. “Thank you, everyone.”
“Esther, no, thank you,” Murphy said on the verge of tears as she stood beside David.
“You saved so many people that day. When you feel up to it, I’m sure everyone will want to come by if that’s okay?” David said.
I nodded as I looked back to Malachi. “That would be nice. Will you fill me in on everything I’ve missed in the last eighteen days?”'
MALACHI
“‘An hour ago, I thought that I loved you more than any woman has ever loved a man, but a half hour after that I knew that what I felt before was nothing compared to what I felt then. But ten minutes after that, I understood that my previous love was a puddle compared to the high seas before a storm.’—William Goldman. I couldn’t have said better myself if I tried. ‘At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet.’—Plato. That one should be your motto, Mr. Lord. ‘I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.’—Charles Dickens. Okay, scratch Plato, that one is your motto, we should see about getting it copyrighted or something.”
She giggled and her voice was soft. It was also so close that it was as though she were speaking into my ear.
“Malachi? Malachi, love, wake up.”
Opening my eyes, I found myself staring up at a white ceiling for the briefest of seconds before her smiling face blocked my view. Her curls dropped down around her and her brown eyes were filled with glee.
“I knew you were waking up.”
I stared at her beautiful face and reached up to touch it.
“We died.” I finally found the voice to speak.
“We did.” She nodded but still grinned. “Did you meet him…in the garden?”
“He gave me an apple.” I whispered.
“And now we’re alive again,” she said. She placed her hand on my face and I could feel it. Oh…god….