• Chapter 62
    The White Dress Wish

    I slammed the car door of the black Honda S2000 and ran up to the clear hospital door as fast as I could my bag clanking behind me. I was still shaky from my trip on trip on the train, you needed a death grip for one of those things.
    “Hai, slow down!” David called, “You don’t know where you are going!” I dug the back of my heels into the waxy floor and stopped. He caught up behind me and started leading the way. “Hai you can’t run in a hospital.”
    “I just came in from Chicago after a train run that scared the life out of me! I think they can let me run!”
    “And I drove in from Lake Geneva in Wisconsin so calm down!” I slowed my pace as he led me up to the light wood door smashed between two white walls. “Wait here she wanted to talk to you alone. I’m going to go find Cody and Dad.”
    A young blond nurse in a clean blue scrub (who was obviously in training) stepped out with a similarly dress older one who was obviously her instructor.
    “Your grandmother is ready to see you now,” the trainee smiled letting me in as she glanced over at the older one who nodded approvingly. I gingerly stepped into the whitewashed room.
    “Hǎi, wǒ de sūnnǚ.” I translated the words in my head, Hai, my granddaughter. There was the traditional Chinese I had to speak. But I didn’t want to complain.
    “Nǐ hǎo wǒ bǎ nǐ Zǔmǔ de dōngxi. Hello Grandmother I brought you something.” I reached into the bag and pulled out the small China doll. She was made of wood and painted over so many times she felt like marble. A white face, red kimono, and short black hair with a pink ribbon. I handed the doll to her and her face lit up.
    “Oh my goodness it’s Hóngsè Héfú De Xiǎo Nǚhái, Little Red Kimono Girl. You know Hai I am truly impressed with your Chinese you’re a natural! You learned so much faster than Ada! You mother would be very pleased.”
    “She said I got it from you.” My Grandmother chuckled a bit and looked lovingly at the doll. “Zǔmǔ can I ask you something?”
    “Of course Hai anything.”
    “Do you know anything about this Hosts and Guardians thing?”
    She laughed happily, “Why yes darling why would you ask that?” She looked down at my confused face. “Oh your mother didn’t tell you. Oh that Shay! She never wanted to have anything to do with it after Ada was born!”
    “She told me what a Host was but that was it.”
    “Well then I will give you the story then. I think a good place to start is that I am the current Host to Jia Lee. And seeing that I won’t live much longer Ada will take my place because she is the oldest. You my darling are Nephlim as are your brothers. But I think this is the final year for Hosts and Guardians to take another generation and will stick with their current Hosts forever. I’m very excited and so is Jia Lee, this might be the first time she can be with Matoko!”
    “Matoko?” I said thinking of what Edan had said to me earlier.
    “Yes. He and Jia Lee have been in love for centuries! I think Ada just might fall in love with his Host this time! And they can be together forever!”
    “What?” I broke down into tears. It couldn’t be. I just couldn’t be, there had to be some mistake!
    “Hai is something wrong?”
    “Yes,” I choked, “I just so happen to know Matoko.”
    “And is there something wrong with that?”
    “Yes!” I half screamed half cried. “I don’t want him to love Ada! I want him to love me and only me! I love him and I don’t want anyone taking him away from me!” I didn’t want my cousin to steal away the person I loved. “Zǔmǔ, I don’t want her to love him.” I started sobbing as Zǔmǔ rubbed my shoulder.
    “Hai it might not have been meant to be between you two.”
    “It was!” This time I literally screamed. “He loves me I’m sure of it! He saved my life! He almost got killed for me knowing a secret of his but I saved his life too! It was meant to be! It just has to!”
    “Māmā?” My aunt said opening the door, “I need to speak with you.” My aunt was startled at the sight of me in full tears, crying and screaming.
    “Yes come in Mai, Hai why don’t you go wait outside for a moment,” Zǔmǔ said with her eyes pleading that I leave for just a little bit. I stood up and walked out the door, trading places with my Aunt Mai. I shut the door and slid down the wall. I pressed my ear to the wood, being curious as to why I had to leave.
    “Māmā,” Aunt Mai began, “I think it’s time I told you the truth about this.”
    “ About what?”
    “It isn’t Ada, Māmā, she was adopted.”
    Zǔmǔ was filled with rage, “You mean to say that all this time I have been training the wrong child! Mai why on Earth would you do that? You do realize that this puts basically the world in danger!”
    “I wanted it to be my child! Not Shay’s! Shay got everything! She was the good child, and the favorite! I wanted it to be my child and not hers!”
    “Mai do not speak ill of your sister! She has direct conversation to the Lord and you mustn’t let her tell the Lord that she thinks you are unworthy! She did not get everything, she is dead Mai! My daughter, your sister is dead! Do not speak so ill of her! Now listen, your choice has put her in, luckily another Host is there to help.”
    “Well can’t you do some majik charm or something and make it Ada?”
    “No! Mai! There is nothing left I can do! Ada can train her but I can’t do anything!” Zǔmǔ sighed, “Bring me my will.” The faint noise of footsteps and scribbling ink filled my ears. “Bring Hai back in.” I stood up and moved to the other side of the hall, putting on the air that I had heard nothing, even though I understood nothing. This was confusing? Who is this other girl who apparently has what Ada doesn’t? Did my aunt disdain my mother?
    “Hai,” Aunt Mai called, “come back in.” I slowly walked into the room and kneeled by my grandmother.
    “Hai will you bring me that cross?” she said weak voice pointing at the wood figure on the table. I grabbed it in my hands, rubbing my fingers across the smooth wood. Jesus was molded out of silver, and the wood was so dark he glowed off of it. I handed it to her, she took it faintly in her breakable hands. “Kneel down darling.” I did as she said, getting on the ground as Zǔmǔ placed the figure to my forehead. “Angel sent by God to guide me, be my light and walk beside me. Be my guardian and protect me. On the paths of life direct me. I want you to remember that prayer ok?”
    “Yes Zǔmǔ,” I said obediently.
    “You are going to do great things Hai, I’m sure of that. Now I want you to make sure of this.” I nodded. “Make sure that everyone where’s white to my funeral. There will be lovely white and pale yellow lilies, silver bells that chime, a full mass. And I want everyone to wear a silver ribbon around their wrist. But mostly I want to be buried in a pure snow white dress that is simple, and nothing special.”
    “Zǔmǔ don’t think like that!” I cried as she planned her own funeral as if it were a wedding. “You will be fine, just don’t put yourself down! We will do all we can to keep you alive!”
    “Hai,” she whispered grabbing my hand, “I am ready to die. I want Jia Lee to take her new Host. I have lived a very full life, and I think it’s time another person began hers. You my darling are very brave, caring, and talented. I have no doubt that you will be a wonderful girl.” I was choking on tears now, the same way I had when my mother died. She placed the doll in my hands, being careful not to pull out the many wires in her arm. “Hai I must tell you that you are-” she stopped suddenly with a surprised expression.
    “I am what Zǔmǔ?” I questioned.
    She switched her expression from surprised to warm and loving. She leaned in and kissed my forehead, “You are going to have to figure this out yourself, and I am out of time. Be safe and make sure to take good care of the others. I believe in you.” She lay down and shut her eyes, smiled, and let the monitor let out a long discordant tone, as she held the cross in her hands.
    “Zǔmǔ? Zǔmǔ!” I screamed, crying. I had just lost my grandmother. Right in front of me, I let her slip through my hands like water. The strangest sensation filled me. It was like a ping of good, pure, angelic energy that shot quickly through me, and then died out.
    “Oh dear,” said the trainee nurse. She scurried next to me, looked at my grandmother and called, “Josephine! I need you!” She looked down at me holding the doll with a death grip, my face wet and red. “It’s ok,” she said patting my back. “Let’s go get your family.” She helped me up and led me down to a waiting room where have my family sat. They instantly knew by the look on my face what had happened.
    “She wants us all to wear white to her funeral,” I breathed with difficulty while choking on words. “There will be white and pale yellow lilies, silver bells, a full mass, we will all wear silver ribbons on our wrists, but most important, she wants to be buried in a simple, nothing special, white dress.” Everyone look astounded at the fact that this was all her plan. “I think we should give her what she wants. It would make her very happy. I want to fulfill my grandmothers last wish.”