*Shichiten hakki - Japanese proverb, literally meaning, "Seven times tumble, eight times stand up," an encouragement to keep going, no matter how tough life can get.
(Twenty years ago, Genova, Italy)
"Yamete! Hanattoite! Kūkō ni wa ikanai yo! (Stop it! Leave me alone! I'm not going to the airport!) I scream at mom and wrap my arms around my knees. If I do not stand up from the sofa and hold my legs as firmly as I can, they can not make me walk.
"Please, don't shout. People are looking at us." My mother is as pale as one can be without passing out.
I know she considers becoming the center of attention in a public place the most inappropriate thing to do. Me throwing a tantrum in a hotel lobby full of tourists is one of her worst nightmares. We had the same argument back in the room. Poor woman probably thought that, since I agreed to help her carry the suitcases down to the reception, I was done with the drama for today. She could not be more wrong.
Her face softens as she comes closer and lovingly puts a hand on my head. "Ryo, it's time to go. We have a two-hour drive to Milan, followed by a fifteen hour flight to Tokyo. And the plane takes off in four hours. We can't stay here any longer. This is not the right time to be stubborn. A week in the hospital and another one at the hotel are more than enough. Time to go home."
"No!" I yell. "Not before we find David. I must make sure he is ok. I want to see him. If we do not find him, I am not getting on the plane."
"Listen, Harinezumi (Little Hedgehog). I know you've been through something awful. You are very brave. We are all so proud of you." She fights her uneasiness and smiles. "But it is over now. We need to put this behind our backs. Everything will be fine. We just have to go home. Your father would be very disappointed if he saw this ill-mannered behavior. You either don't say a word or scream for everyone to hear you. Emotions should be controlled. This type of outburst won't help anyone."
"Ikanai yo (I won't go)," I resolutely repeat and wipe my runny nose with my sleeve, almost making her faint at the sight.
"Ara ara, doushimashou! (Oh, my God! What shall I do?)" She pushes a handkerchief in my hand and hides her face in her palms with a deep sigh. I am aware that I am causing her great distress. My mother is a beautiful, gentle woman who feels completely out of place in situations like this. She would never raise her voice, laugh out loud, or draw people's attention to herself. I have always respected that. This is far from my typical behavior, but desperate times require desperate measures. Italy is too far away from Japan. I can not miss my last chance to find him. If I board that plane, I will never see him again.
"Heyyy, look who's here." A tall man of portly presence waves at me from the opposite side of the lobby. He walks next to my father. Both are grinning widely. I quickly wipe away my tears and straighten up. No one would want the captain of a cruise liner to see them crying like a baby. The impressive man in a white dress uniform takes his naval hat off his head and places it on mine, holding out a hand. "How is my favorite passenger? I am proud to call myself a friend of a true hero. Always at your service, Mr. Takayama."
I wait patiently for dad to translate his words and shake his hand with all the seriousness I am capable of, given that I am ready to start jumping with excitement. Captain Luigi Russo, an amiable man in his fifties and a father of two sons and three daughters, did not miss a day to visit me in the hospital. Once, he brought all his children with him and a bunch of presents.
"In fact, I am here not only to say goodbye but also on a special mission on behalf of the entire crew." The captain digs out a small, elegant, leather box from his pocket. His gaze lingers on my face for a few seconds. His eyes visibly moisten. He shakes his head, gulps heavily, and opens it. "We would be honored if you accept this medal and the title of Honorary First Mate. This means that you will be the most important officer on the ship after the captain."
I peek at the shiny gold medal. There is an inscription in Japanese on its red ribbon. It says, "Shichiten hakki (Seven falls, eight stand ups)."
"Arigatō gozaimasu (Thank you)!" I utter solemnly while Captain Russo is pinning the award on my jacket' lapel. He ruffles my hair. His smile is a little sad. Perhaps he is going to miss me because we are friends. I lean closer and pointedly say, "Don't worry. You do not have to say goodbye. I am staying. Mom and dad want to go back to Japan, but I have no such intentions. If you want, we can search for David together."
"Aaah, David. I know." The man puts his hand on my shoulder. "I talked to the Police as I promised. Here is what they said. There were eleven boys with similar names on the ship, five David, three Davin, two Davidde, and a Davian. Two of them are toddlers. One is eighteen, too old to be your mysterious friend. The Carabinieri talked to all those eight kids' parents. The parents talked to their children. Ryo, I am really sorry. None of them had ever befriended a Japanese boy, let alone been in the water with one. In fact, only three of them got on a boat before the evacuation was called off. One fell from the boat but was quickly picked by another. I am so sorry, my boy!"
"But how can that be?" I barely utter. "We were there. Together. He was holding me above the water for at least an hour. I am sure. I am not imagining. There must be a mistake. I want to talk to each one of them personally. Please, can we go together?"
"That, unfortunately, is not possible," he apologetically answers. "Those children had a traumatic experience, not as scary as yours, but still... I assure you that I did my best. The same goes for the police officers. Maybe it's time to start trusting your doctor. Hypothermia and stress can cause hallucinations. Your mom said you've been reading David Copperfield* for the last couple of weeks. Your brain has connected the name with the terrible experience..."
*David Copperfield - a novel by Charles Dickens, following the life of a boy in Victorian England
Tears spring up in my eyes. My David is not a hallucination. Why does no one believe me? Why didn't he say he knew me? My heart shrinks. For the first time in my life, I feel despair. There is nothing more I can do.
Dad gently pulls my shaking body into his warm embrace. He takes my hand and places it on the medal. His soothing voice gives me the glimmer of hope I need to gather my strength and walk towards the waiting taxi.
"Harinezumi, akiramenaide (Little Hedgehog, never give up)!"
___________________________________
Photo by Kiwis from istockphoto.com
A/N
Hello everyone at the end of chapter 73.
Thank you for reading and supporting ❤❤❤
Why did David not tell his parents about Ryo?
Did he already forget what happened at that time?
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Love: Anny
CZYTASZ
SAFE (mxm)
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