The Red Kimono Read online

  “Okay, let’s go. Be very quiet, and walk quickly.”

  She tiptoed behind her brother, trying not to giggle, yet at the same time scared about what might happen if the nurse caught them. Would she lock Sachi in a dark closet? Make her wait outside in the cold? No. She was sure she could out run those squeaky white shoes.

  Besides, seeing Papa was worth any trouble she’d get into. Maybe he’d wake up for her.

  She turned the corner into his room. The sight of him was like a kick in the stomach. He’d looked bad last night. But now in the light of day, his swollen eyes looked like raw meat. His cheeks were black and blue. Blood had seeped through the bandages on his head. And he was wheezing like Mr. Ihara.

  “Papa,” she whispered, then walked to the front of the bed. She wanted to hug him, but was afraid to tangle in the tubes that seemed to be connected to every part of his body. Instead, she placed her hand on his fingers sticking out from his cast. Did they move when she touched him?

  “I drew a picture of our Christmas tree for you.” She held her breath. If she was very quiet, she might hear his response.

  Nothing.

  “If you wake up, you can come home to have Christmas with us.” She smiled, but tears threatened to spill over the brave mask she wore for her father. This is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow is Christmas. No, Papa will not be home.

  Nobu touched her shoulder. “We better get back to the waiting area before someone sees you.”

  “Just a few more minutes?”

  “Sachi, remember? You promised you wouldn’t argue. Maybe I can sneak you in again later.”

  She kissed her finger and placed it on her father’s cheek. “Bye for now. I’ll see you later.”

  Though Sachi felt her heart being tugged to stay, she crept behind Nobu back to the waiting room.

  “I’ll come back and check on you soon,” Nobu whispered, then turned to leave.

  “Nobu?” she called. “Thanks for sneaking me in to see him.”

  He returned two more times to sneak her in. Still, Papa slept.

  When they returned home that evening, trees glittered through the front windows on Peralta Street. But the Kimura house stood in darkness.

  It didn’t matter. It didn’t feel like Christmas Eve anyway. How she’d looked forward to celebrating Christmas like all of her friends. Now, Papa wouldn’t even be there. There’d be no last-minute rush to wrap presents. No aroma of cakes or cookies or ham cooking for Christmas dinner. And Papa wouldn’t read The Night Before Christmas like he had promised.

  Lying in the quiet darkness of her room, she tried to think about the gifts she’d open in the morning—about what Santa Claus might bring in the night. But the silence brought only thoughts of Papa’s beating. She wanted to sleep, to escape everything that had happened in the last few days. But she was afraid. Afraid of the dreams that would come again in the silent night.

  Moonlight coming through her window cast a soft, blue light on the porcelain faces of her geisha dolls. They seemed to move in the light and shadows, and their black eyes stared at Sachi, so like Papa’s eyes when they had stared into nothingness at the park.

  She threw off her covers and ran to her shelf. Then, she turned the dolls to face the wall.

  Chapter 9

  Sachi

  December 25, 1941

  Christmas morning. Quiet. Was she the first to wake?

  What did Santa bring? Did I get my doll?

  Then she remembered Papa.

  She shut her eyes again, so tight, as though that might make it all a bad dream. But when she opened them, it all became real again.

  The shrill ring of the telephone interrupted the silence. Mama rushed past Sachi’s room, tying her robe.

  Sachi jumped out of bed to follow.

  “Hello?” Mama twisted the phone cord around her finger. “Taro!” Her eyes widened and a smile lit her face. “Yes, merry Christmas to you, too.”

  She rushed to Mama’s side to speak to her oldest brother.

  “No, there hasn’t been any change in Papa’s condition. We’ll be going to the hospital again this morning.”

  Sachi tugged on Mama’s robe. “I want to talk to him,” she whispered.

  Mama shushed Sachi with her hand. “What did you say?” she asked. “You joined the Hawaiian Guard?” Her eyes rounded with worry. “Taro. Why did you do that? We need you here at home.”

  Sachi’s heart pounded faster with each passing second. She had so much she wanted to say. “Can I talk now?” She tugged again.

  Mama shook her head. “Yes, I understand. I will let Papa know. Yes. You have a merry Christmas, too. Goodbye.”

  When Mama returned the phone to its hook, a door slammed on everything Sachi had wanted to tell Taro. The picture she’d drawn for Papa. Nobu sneaking her into Papa’s room. The mean nurse. “Why didn’t you let me talk to him?”

  “It is very expensive to call from Hawaii. Your brother asked me to say ‘Merry Christmas’ to you, Nobu, and Papa.”

  “He’s joined the Hawaiian Guard? What's that?”

  “It's like the army. He said lots of Japanese American boys are enlisting.” Mama walked downstairs.

  Sachi felt sad all over again. Papa in the hospital. Taro joining the army instead of coming home. No presents to open.

  She followed her mother into the kitchen. She needed to ask a question, but hesitated. Still, she had to know. “Mama?”

  Mama turned from the stove. “Yes? What is it now, Sachi-chan?”

  “When do you think we might open our presents?” She felt selfish for asking, but she’d been waiting for days and days to celebrate a real Christmas.

  Mama clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Sachiko, Sachiko. How can you even ask me such a thing … with Papa in the hospital and Taro joining—”

  Nobu ambled into the kitchen. “Merry Christmas, you two.” He pulled out a chair and winked at Sachi, then said, “Why don’t we see how things go at the hospital today? Then, we’ll see about opening presents tonight.”

  When they arrived at the hospital, Sachi knew the routine and plopped into a green chair in the waiting area. A tiny tree with colored lights twinkled from a table in the corner.

  Before leaving the waiting area, Nobu whispered, “I’ll come back for you as soon as the coast is clear.”

  Sachi smiled at her brother, then opened a book she’d brought. She’d only read a couple of pages when a cheery voice broke the silence.

  “Well, good morning and merry Christmas to you!”

  The deep, cheerful voice surprised her. But she was even more astounded when she looked up to see Santa Claus standing in front of her. Santa Claus? In the waiting area of the hospital? How could that be?

  “Are you really Santa?” she asked.

  “Mr. S. Claus himself,” he said, kneeling to greet her. “What’s your name?”

  “Sachiko Kimura.”

  “And why are you here on this Christmas morning, Sachiko Kimura?”

  “We’re visiting my papa. Well, my brother and mother are visiting my papa. I have to wait out here.”

  “Now that doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?” He put his hand into the large bag he carried. “Maybe this will make you feel better.”

  “A doll? Thank you, Santa! It’s just what I’ve been wanting.”

  “I have another surprise I think you’ll like even better.” He rose and extended his gloved hand to her. “Come with me.”

  She hesitated. “Mama told me to stay in the waiting area.”

  “It’s okay. Come on.”

  What could be wrong with going with Santa Claus? She gave him her hand and followed him down the hall.

  As they neared Papa’s room, a nurse approached. “Excuse me, the child must stay in the waiting area.”

  Santa held up a hand to the nurse and said, “Merry Christmas, Nurse Sherman.”

  She looked at him, rolled her eyes, and continued walking.

  At the entrance to Papa’s room, Santa
kneeled to speak to Sachi. “How do you like this surprise?”

  “You’re right, Santa. It’s the best.”

  “I’ll stand guard outside while you go in.”

  She smiled at him, then went in and heard Mama talking to Papa.

  Is he awake?

  Disappointment filled her again when she saw her father. Eyes still swollen shut. Head still bandaged. Tubes still connected everywhere.

  Mr. Ihara was still asleep, too. Did he ever wake up? Did anyone ever come to see him?

  Mama leaned over Papa as she spoke. “Taro called to say merry Christmas this morning, Michio-san. He’s doing well and sends his love to you.” She straightened and looked to Nobu before continuing.

  Nobu nodded.

  “Michio-san, Taro has joined the Hawaiian Guard. I am not happy with his decision. But after what happened to you, he believes he must do this to prove he is a good American.”

  Still, Papa did not wake.

  Mama looked at Sachi, standing at the foot of the bed. “Sachi-chan, what are you doing here?”

  She smiled. “You will not believe it, but Santa Claus brought me.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, and he’s standing guard outside the room.”

  Nobu went to see what she was talking about. Mama followed.

  Sachi watched for their expression when they met Santa.

  Mama smiled, yet her eyes filled with tears. She bowed to the man in the red suit and held her hand out to his. “Thank you, Doc—” She glanced at Sachi and then again at Santa. “Thank you, Mr. Claus. You couldn’t have given my daughter a nicer gift.”

  “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Kimura.” He smiled at Sachi. “I suppose we should go back to the waiting area, before Nurse Sherman catches us again.”

  “But I want to give Papa a hug first,” she said, and ran to his bedside. “Merry Christmas, Papa,” she whispered. “I wish you could come home with us today.”

  She took Santa’s hand and walked with him back to the empty waiting area.

  Chapter 10

  Sachi

  Christmas Night, 1941

  Sachi scooted her peas around her plate and watched them roll into each other like marbles. Nothing tasted good. Not the pork, not the peas. Not even the rice. Even worse, Papa’s chair was empty.

  Mama hadn’t eaten much off her plate either, and even Nobu, who usually asked for seconds and thirds, played with his food—stacking peas on top of his rice, only occasionally putting one in his mouth.

  Sachi really wasn’t hungry. She laid her chopsticks on her plate and said, “I ate three more bites. Can we open presents now?”

  “I suppose that’s the best you will do tonight. You and Nobu help me clear the dishes, then we’ll open them.”

  Sachi leapt out of her chair and carried her dishes into the kitchen.

  “I’ll wash, you dry,” Nobu said.

  She picked up a dish towel and waited for him to hand her a dish. “What do you want for Christmas, Nobu?”

  He was quiet as he held his hands under the running water. Sachi caught a glimpse of his dreamy gaze reflected in the window over the sink.

  “The bubbles are going to spill over,” she said.

  He grinned at her and handed her a dish. “I knew that.”

  “Were you thinking about what you want for Christmas?”

  “It’s nothing you’d be interested in. You want dolls and crayons.”

  “What’s wrong with that? Come on. Just tell me.”

  “For Taro to come home. For Papa to be okay. For there to be no war. And to be treated like everyone else.”

  He was right. After that, dolls and crayons felt silly. “Of course … I want those things, too,” she said softly.

  Nobu gave her another dish to dry.

  Mama called from the living room. “Are you two ready to open presents?”

  “Be there in a minute,” Nobu replied. “Come on, Sach. We’ll finish these later.”

  When they entered the living room, Mama was sitting on the couch next to the tree. Its tinsel shimmered with color; presents overflowed on the floor around it.

  But Papa wasn’t sitting next to Mama. And he wouldn’t be bouncing around the room, taking pictures like he always did at birthdays and weddings. No Papa to hug after she opened the gift she’d most wanted.

  “I think you will want to open this one first,” Mama said, handing her daughter the big, silver package she’d had her eye on.

  A flitter of excitement sparked a smile. “Thank you, Mama,” she said.

  “Papa helped me choose it for you.”

  Sachi ran her fingers under the creases on each end of the box and removed the tape.

  “Come on, hurry up!” Nobu said. “You’re unwrapping like a girl.”

  She giggled and ripped at the silver paper, then tossed it to the side. Her eyes widened. “It’s exactly the doll I wanted!” She removed the doll and held it close. “I already have her name picked out—Sally.” She hugged her mother. “Thank you, Mama.”

  “Be sure to thank Papa when you see him tomorrow,” Mama said. “Nobu, will you get the camera and take a picture of your sister and her doll for Papa?”

  When Nobu returned to the living room with the camera around his neck, Mama’s eyes filled with tears. “You look more like your father every day.”

  Sachi noticed it, too, and missed Papa even more as her brother stood in front of her.

  “Smile,” he said softly, then snapped the picture.

  Sachi watched the Christmas lights twinkle around the dark spots left by the camera’s flash and remembered the presents she had for her mother and brother.

  “This is for you,” she said, handing Mama a box wrapped in red. “And this is for you.” She gave Nobu a flat package wrapped in blue. “I bought them with my birthday money.”

  “How thoughtful of you, Sachi-chan,” Mama said.

  Nobu stared at the blue package. “I didn’t know we were giving each other presents. I don’t have anything for you.”

  “Oh, it’s just something small I found. Thought you’d like it,” she said. “Just open it.”

  “Let Mama open hers first,” he replied.

  Sachi sat on the couch next to her mother. “Go ahead and open it.” She leaned close to watch. “And don’t open it like a girl.”

  A whisper of a laugh cheered the room.

  Mama did open it like a girl and placed the red wrapping paper neatly beside her. “It is beautiful.”

  Sachi beamed. “It’s stationery for you to write letters to Taro-nisan. I painted little kimonos on each one.”

  “It’s the nicest thing you could have given me, Sachi-chan. “I’ll write him a letter tonight before I go to bed.”

  “Your turn, Nobu.” Sachi quivered with anticipation.

  Her brother ripped the paper off the small package. “Wow. A leather book with a lock on it. But it’s blank,” he said, grinning.

  “Silly,” Sachi said and grabbed it from Nobu. “See? It’s a journal for you to write in. The key is inside. You can write whatever you want, and when you lock it, nobody can read it. I have one, too.”

  Nobu hugged her. “I guess I have lots to write about these days. Thanks, Sach.”

  Rising from the couch, Mama clutched her gift. “It’s been a long day. We should get to bed so we can get an early start to the hospital in the morning.”

  Sachi followed, holding her doll. “You coming, Nobu?”

  He flipped through the blank pages of the journal. “In a minute. I’m going to make a journal entry.”

  The phone rang early the next morning. Sachi woke with her arm over her new doll and listened for Mama to answer. She strained to hear the conversation.

  “Yes. I understand. Thank you, Nurse Sherman. We will be there as soon as possible.”

  Mama hurried up the stairs and called, “Nobu! Sachiko! Get up and get dressed. We must get to the hospital quickly.”

  Nobu came out of his room. “What’s
wrong?”

  “Nurse Sherman wouldn’t give me any details. She just said we needed to hurry.”

  He peeked into Sachi’s room. “Get up. You need to hurry. It’s Papa.” He slammed her door, then hurried to his room, and slammed his.

  The tone of their voices left her heart racing and her stomach queasy. Something was wrong. She jumped out of bed, hurried to her closet, and picked the blue jumper and the white sweater with little yellow flower buttons. Papa had told her once how pretty she looked in it.

  She dressed in less than two minutes. Brushed her hair. Stuffed her pajamas under her pillow. Pulled the covers over her bed. Grabbed her doll. Dashed into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

  “Sachiko, are you ready?” Mama called.

  “Almost,” she replied between the toothpaste and toothbrush.

  Nobu rushed past the bathroom, buttoning his shirt. “Hurry up, Sach.”

  She spat and rinsed her mouth. Glanced in the mirror as she wiped her face.

  It’s Papa. Hurry.

  It was a quiet ride to the hospital. Sachi rode in the back seat and watched the raindrops shimmy across the car window, as if racing to the edge.

  Chapter 11

  Sachi

  December 26, 1941

  Everything at the hospital looked gray and moved in a strange, slow motion: nurses walking in and out of patients’ rooms, the second hand on the clock in the hall.

  Sachi held her mother’s hand tighter as they approached the waiting area.

  Please don’t leave me here. Not today.

  But Mama pulled Sachi with her toward Papa’s room.

  Hurry.

  Nurse Sherman met them at the entrance to Papa’s room. “He’s gone,” she said, her face expressionless.

  Sachi peered around her white-stocking legs to try to see inside the room. Papa’s bed was empty. And so was Mr. Ihara’s. “Where did you take my father?” she demanded.

  “Sachiko,” Mama scolded. Yet she, too, watched Nurse Sherman, waiting for an answer. “What do you mean he is gone?”

  “Well, I don’t know if I should tell you.” Nurse Sherman started to walk away.

  “Please,” Mama cried. “You must tell us what happened.”