Free The Samurai's Garden: A Novel by Gail Tsukiyama Page B

surprised. In the flickering light, I caught a slight smile from behind her scarf. I tried to sit up again as the throbbing in my head became stronger.
    Sachi bowed. “I decided to come down when the storm finally passed,” she said. “We were hardly touched in the mountains. But I remember from my childhood how violent the waves can become.”
    “Thank you.” I swallowed hard and felt dizzy and feverish.
    “I was worried about you and Matsu- san ,” Sachi continued. She turned around and glanced shyly at Matsu.
    “I’m very honored by your visit,” I managed to say, lowering myself gently back down. I strained to keep sight of Sachi. I breathed in the pleasure of having her so close by, knowing it was the first time she had left Yamaguchi in forty years. I mumbled something about how long she was going to stay, hoping she would never leave, but my head began to pound so hard I could barely keep my eyes open.
    “Do you think we should send for the isha?” I heard Sachi whisper.
    I suddenly wondered if Tarumi even had a doctor. I wanted to say something more, but it took too much energy to tell them I just needed to close my eyes for a little while.
    “He needs to rest,” was the last thing I heard Matsu say.
     
     
    When I woke up again, a white light came through the shoji windows and filled my room. My eyes strained against the brightness. The house was quiet. I looked around slowly until all the past events filled my mind. My vivid recollection of the storm quickly gave way to the letter from my mother, my father’s infidelity, and finally, Sachi’s visit. I suddenly wondered if Sachi’s presence had been a hallucination. If it wasn’t a dream, had she already returned to Yamaguchi? Or was it possible that she was still here? With a sudden burst of energy, I sat up.
    A tray with cold tea and crackers sat by my bed. I was so thirsty I reached for the cup and drank down the tea, wanting more. I still felt a bit dizzy and my face was hot and flushed, but the pounding in my head had stopped.
    Slowly, I stood up and stretched. My back felt sore from lying so long on the futon. I pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt and walked slowly to the kitchen, but no one was there. I wondered if Matsu was in the garden, or if he had gone to town. Maybe he had taken Sachi back to Yamaguchi. I only hoped she had really come.
    The bright sunlight hurt my eyes as I stood in the genken and looked out. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I was shocked to see that Matsu’s beautiful garden was now only a memory. Seaweed and sand covered everything, while debris and branches lay everywhere. The wooden bridge that stood over the pond was nowhere to be seen, and most of his best pines were torn from the ground, lying lifeless in the muddy mess. A thick, pungent smell of salty fish and earth filled the air.
    While I surveyed the garden in disbelief, I heard a movement and looked up to see Matsu carrying two wooden buckets from around the back. The once-clean bandage on his left cheek was now soiled a dingy brown.
    “Ah, you’re finally up,” Matsu said. “I thought you might sleep another day away.”
    “How long have I been out?” I asked, rubbing my head and feeling the throb of the bump.
    “It’s almost the end of the second day. You came around once or twice, but most of the time you’ve been unconscious. Sachi wanted me to get the isha, but he has been tending to other injuries
farther down the coast.” Matsu put down his buckets and said seriously, “You had us very worried.”
    “It’s just a bump,” I said, reassuringly. “Is Sachi still here? I thought maybe she was just a figment of my imagination.”
    Matsu laughed. “Sachi- san ,” he yelled, “look who has finally risen from the dead!”
    In the next moment, Sachi appeared from around the back of the house. She pulled her dark scarf tighter around her face and happily bowed several times upon seeing me.
    “Stephen- san , I am very happy to see you are