Little Angels

Her heart began to ache for them. Yumi wanted to help people. So she came here. She needed volunteer work for school credit. Yumi didn’t mind. This was what she loved.

Yumi made her way to the hospital that morning. She walked up to the front desk.

“Yes?” the receptionist asked. Yumi broke into a smile.

“I’m here for volunteer work,” she said. “Who am I shadowing today?” The receptionist looked up.

“Hm?” she asked.

“I’m here to shadow a nurse today,” Yumi said. The receptionist handed her a clipboard.

“Fill out this forum here,” she said.

“Thank you,” the girl said. Yumi filled out the information. She handed back the pen and the clipboard.

“Thank you,” the receptionist said. “Here is your name badge.” She wrote down the girl’s name on the tag and handed it to her.

“Just go do the hall,” the receptionist said.

“Thank you,” Yumi said. She bowed and walked down the hall.

----------

Yumi wound up in the activity room. She poked her head into the doorway.

“Hello?” she whispered. “I’m here for the shadow work. Hello? Hello?” She noticed a small group of nurses standing by the coffee machine. One of them looked up.

“Yes?” she asked. Yumi stepped into the room.

“Uh… hi,” she said. The nurse looked her up and down.

“You one of the volunteers?” she asked.

“Yes,” Yumi said. The nurse walked up to her.

“Yoko,” she said. “Suzuki Yoko.”

“Am I shadowing you?” Yumi asked.

“No, I’m the head nurse,” Yoko said. “You’re going to be shadowing Nurse Suki.” Yumi looked at the other nurses.

“Which one is she?” she asked.

“Oh, she’s running a bit late,” Yoko said. “I could show you where you’re going to be for the day.”

“Sure,” Yumi said.

“Come with me,” the head nurse said. The girl followed the plump woman out of the room.

----------

Yumi wasn’t prepared for this. She would shadow Suki in the children’s ward. The childlike Christmas decorations couldn’t hide the pain and misery of the children. They were all sick. Some of them dying. She was on the really sick children’s floor.

Now, Yumi had seen the sick and dying on TV. But that was it. That was on TV. She could unconsciously put distance. But not here. She couldn’t. Yumi wasn’t supposed to. Her heart turned at the sight of the first child. So many tubes going into their small frame. (She couldn’t tell if they were a boy or a girl.) Yumi trembled. Yoko turned her head.

“Something wrong?” she asked. Yumi shook her head. Yoko patted her on the shoulder.

“It’s okay, dear,” she said. “You’ll do fine.”

“W-W-What do I need to do?” Yumi asked. She couldn’t take her eyes off the child in their bed.

“Not much,” the head nurse said. “Just follow Suki and observe.” Yumi didn’t respond. That child struggled to breathe.

“Nurse,” Yumi spoke up.

“Hm?” Yoko asked.

“Who are they?” the girl asked. The head nurse looked into the room.

“Oh, her,” she said. “Her name is Mimiko. She was born with a weak immune system. Poor thing’s been in and out of the hospital all her life. She keeps fighting. They thought she would die when she was three. Mimiko is eight now.”

“Wow,” Yumi whispered. She felt herself tearing up. She sniffled a bit.

“Sensei!” a woman shouted. Yumi and Yoko turned to see a nurse running toward them. The twenty-something stopped to catch her breath.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said. She bowed and turned to Yumi.

“Is this the girl shadowing me?” she asked.

“Yes,” Yumi said. “I’m Taira Yumi.” The younger nurse perked up.

“I’m Ono Suki,” she said. “Nice to meet you.” The nurse and girl bowed.

“Shall we get started?” Suki asked. Yumi wiped away her tears.

“Yes,” she said in a little voice.