It was two days after Setsuko's funeral, October 13th, just coming on noon that Yasumori Atsuko of the Maruyasu Sawmill brought Yasumori Tokujiro in for an examination at the Ozaki Hospital.
"Since losing Setsuko-san, now Tokujiro Oji-san is all alone you see, we were going over to take care of him but ever since the funeral he's been so pale. I thought it was only natural but it seemed like if I wasn't careful he might only get worse, so."
Toshio nodded at Yasumori Atsuko's words. It was another case of that. Indeed all of the symptoms were present. Going by the blood test results the first stage had passed. They'd attacked twice, maybe three times, Toshio calculated in his thoughts. It was possible it started directly after Setsuko had died.
"To the treatment room," Toshio noted to Kiyomi. "1000ml lactated Ringer's solution, 15 minute checks."
"The catheter?"
"18G."
Tokujiro did not respond as Toshio instructed motioned about the room. It was Atsuko attending to him who seemed more worried. Even when Toshio plunged the catheter needle into him he only faintly furrowed his face without showing any particular sign of emotion.
"About Setsuko-san?" While treating him, Toshio spoke to Tokujiro. "She had said she had seen a dream of Nao-san. She wondered if she was coming to pick her up, she'd said. I told her it wasn't good to say such defeatist things, but none the less."
When Toshio said that, Tokujiro showed only the faintest reaction.
"Ah... Nao-chan, huh? ... I saw her too."
Tokujiro's face looked somewhat blessed.
"A dream of Nao-san?"
Mm, Tokujiro nodded. After nodding he gave no further response.
"You can't get weak hearted," Toshio said to Tokujiro, looking to Atsuko. "I do think it'd be best to have him hospitalized, though."
Before Atsuko could answer, Tokujiro cut in.
"I won't."
"Tokujiro-san?"
"I'll pass. I won't be hospitalized. I won't go anywhere. I have to watch the family altar."
Atsuko soothed him saying that she could see over the family altar if that was the problem but Tokujiro distinctly declared that "I won't."
"Being hospitalized didn't help Setsuko, and with the family altar and work I can't leave the house empty. Just let me be."
Toshio furrowed his brows. It wasn't at Tokujirou's topic. He was uneasy about how he said it. Patients being able to have a firm will at this stage was rare. Almost all showed an attitude of 'do whatever you want.' It was like it was another person's issue. That meant that so distinctly expressing any will was strange, and in spite of that the way it was said was strained, almost as if reading off memorized lines from the odd sound of it.
Is that your own will, Toshio wanted to ask. Or did somebody---did Nao give you detailed instructions to say that? If Atsuko and the nurses weren't around, by all means he would have asked him.
"As far as Setsuko-san's case, all I can do about it is apologize but Tokujirou-san needs to be hospitalized too. If I don't have you hospitalized, I can't give relevant treatment. I know how you feel but I wonder if I couldn't at least have you stay for two nights? If after that, you want to go back home no matter what, I'll let you do what you want, so."
If two days went without an attack, his consciousness would clear and probably return to normal wouldn't it, Toshio was thinking. But Tokujirou insisted "I don't want to." He exhausted his words trying to convince him but it didn't seem like Tokujirou was listening to his words at all. Atsuko said that she would at least look after the Maruyasu Sawmill but he said he didn't want to leave home. If the patient himself ultimately said no, he couldn't force him. There was no choice; with only a transfusion of Ringer's solution and an administration of CRCs he went home.
"I wonder if he'll be all right, Tokujirou-san, I mean."
Giving a vague response to Kiyomi's uneasy words, Toshio entered the waiting room. After just a bit of hesitation he picked up the phone. After three rings, Mitsuo picked up the phone.
"It's Ozaki. Seishin there?"
"Right now he is working. What is it?"
"Sorry, but when he's finished could you tell him to contact me? The Yasumori's Tokujirou-san fell, tell him."
"Tokujirou-san did. ---Is he all right?"
"He's really not doing all right is the thing. I suggested he be hospitalized but he wouldn't agree to it. If he can I'd like Seishin to convince him. If he still says he doesn't want to no matter what, then I want him to help him out and make sure he can sleep through the night properly, tell him if you could. If you say that he'll know what I mean."
Sure, Mitsuo said, not sounding convinced by his explanation, but Toshio said that he was in the middle of examination hours and hung up the phone.
He said he didn't want to be hospitalized, was insistent on staying home, but he couldn't imagine that was Tokujirou's own will. He had a sure feeling he was instructed to say that. When Setsuko was hospitalized, it was a problem for them. If the bunch of them all got together with a single goal, then from now on probably all of his patients would refused hospitalization.
As he was thinking about it the phone rang. A woman's voice on the other end sounded frantic.
"Uhm---This is Shimo-Sotoba's Maeda."
"Maeda? Iwao-san's place's?"
Yes, the woman answered. It was Maeda Motoko.
"What's happened?"
"My husband is acting strange," Motoko said with her voice seeming hushed. "No, he hasn't collapsed or anything like that. It's the same as my father-in-law was. It looks like anemia but..."
Toshio nodded. "Please bring him in, immediately."
"That's," Motoko said, hesitantly. "My family..."
I see, Toshio said clicking his tongue. Motoko's mother-in-law Tomiko hated doctors. As a result, once Iwao had died, it had only become more resolute, he feared.
"Your mother-in-law?"
My husband too, Motoko said letting out a heavy breath. Toshio knew the situation.
"Is your husband at work today?"
"Somehow he was able to take today off."
"Then I'll come by this evening."
I am counting on you, thank you very much, Motoko said, hanging up the phone with a relieved breath. She was happy that Toshio had judged the situation without having to make a fuss. Putting the phone down, Motoko peered into the living room. Her mother-in-law Tomiko was out in the fields. Her husband Isami was lying down seeming terribly sluggish. Even when she urged him to get into bed, he insisted there was no need. Because he had taken off work, she couldn't not cling to his arm and beg him somewhere out of Tomiko's sight. Motoko could by no means operate a vehicle, so she couldn't force her husband along to the hospital. That Toshio had known what she'd needed had been a relief from the bottom of her heart.
Motoko entered the living room and peered at her husband's face. Isami looked dubiously up at Motoko but seeming troubled by the effort he immediately closed his eyes.
"...For lunch, how about rice porridge?"
"Don't need it."
Isami's words were blunt and low.
"But."
"Going one or two days without eating isn't that big a deal."
I see, Motoko said breathing a sigh. Her husband's pallid face, the way he spoke, it all exuded the same washed out feeling that Iwao had had.
(It can't be.... Not him too.)
Motoko thought, shaking her head.
That shouldn't be, he wasn't like Iwao. She was worrying too much. That evening the doctor would come, so it shouldn't turn out like it did with Iwao.
(Please, this is all I ask.)
If Isami were to go before her. Motoko didn't even want to think about what would happen after that. Strangely it was Kanami's face that passed through her mind. Instantly she had thought how much she didn't want it to be like that.
(That's the one thing I.... No.)
What was she afraid of? Unable to see the true form of her fear, Motoko stared down into Isami's face as if to be swallowed up by it.