The Promise
Sai Kung Central Lee Siu Yam Memorial School , Gabutina , Kimiko - 10
T he knock on her bedroom door woke up Madison with a jolt . She checked the time -- half past eleven . She needed the sleep – the next day was the first day of her final exams .
Education came before almost anything , her father always reminded her . ‘ It ’ s the one thing you can take with you anywhere you go .’
She had been in the middle of a dream , the one she had been having the past few nights . It always began with her standing on a bridge , staring at the most unusual set of rocks beside a traditional pavilion . If only she knew where that place was .
Madison rubbed her eyes sleepily as she marched toward the door , cracking it open . “ Dad ?” she grumbled , peering at her father , whose hair was a tangled mess . “ What is it ?”
“ It ’ s Nǎinai , she ’ s in hospital . She had another stroke . Mum and I are going there , you should come with us .”
Madison opened the door wider . “ Is Nǎinai going to be okay ?” Her father looked down at his feet . “ I don ’ t know , Maddie . Aunt Lorraine said it ’ s bad .”
Madison grabbed her father ’ s hand and squeezed it , not knowing what else to say to comfort him .
The drive to the hospital was filled with silence . Her dad was fidgeting behind the wheel while her mother quietly prayed . Madison ’ s grandmother had been immediately sent to the Intensive Care Unit , which only heightened her father ’ s distress . “ You should go inside , Maddie ,” her mother urged . “ Dad and I are going to talk to the doctor .”
Madison nodded and trudged into the sterile room . She gasped at the sight of her grandmother . She almost didn ’ t recognise the woman who used to bribe her with cookies in exchange for kisses . She swallowed a sob as she stared at her while trying to drown the sound of the heart monitor ’ s constant beeping . Nǎinai seemed so tiny and frail , with wires hooked into her body . Madison wondered how long it had been since she had paid gran a visit .
“ Nǎinai ,” she whispered . “ It ’ s me , Maddie . I ’ m here . We ’ re all here .”
She pulled the lone chair near the bed and sat . “ I ’ m sorry I wasn ’ t around that often . It ’ s just that school has kept me busy and I always have a truckload of homework . Also my piano recital is coming up . And , oh , I made it to the drama club too . We ’ re going to do Romeo and Juliet . I ’ m townsfolk number two . I have , like , two whole lines . Isn ’ t that neat ? Get well , okay ? So you could watch me upstage the leads .”
If gran were awake she ’ d be laughing . ‘ Oh , Maddie , you crack me up ,’ she ’ d probably say .
She should have visited more often , told her more stories , asked her to teach her Mahjong , or listened to her talk about the days when she and Yéyé lived in China . How they sailed to the United States with only the clothes on their backs . Ever since Yéyé died two years ago , Nǎinai had never been the same . No more spring in her step , no twinkle in her eyes .
Tears began trickling down Madison ’ s cheeks , moistening the pillowcase . She was dabbing it with the sleeve of her coat when something under it caught her eye . She tugged at its edge and pried it free .