Incident 6F-2 On the morning of May 28, 2995, Christine came back to check on me accompanied by two male nurses. After Christine checks my vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, and temperature), she tells the nurses to give me some sedatives intravenously to calm me down. I struggle when one of the nurses grabs me and turns me bottom up in his lap like some parents do when they are going to spank their children, but it's to no avail. One sharp sting and a rush of something cold runs like an electrical current through me. "Ouch!!!" I cried. "That hurts!!! Can't you give me that anywhere else but my rear end?!!?!" "Yes, Claribel, you could get it in the arm, but there's a risk of hitting a nerve and causing irreparable damage," Christine replied as she checks the injection site. "Flawless injection, boys. Besides, I need you to calm down in a hurry. You are much too tense which is why that shot hurt you more than it's supposed to." "I'm scared, Nurse Tomoe," I shuddered to Christine, shedding a tear. "I wish I had my dog here." "I know you're scared, Claribel," Christine replied as she takes my hand in hers. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you, but if your operation is to be a success, you must be calm. Think positive, Claribel. Soon this operation will be nothing but a bad memory. Your parents and I have arranged a surprise for you when you wake up from your operation." "What kind of surprise?" I asked Christine. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it, Claribel?" Christine asked me back. "Trust me; you'll like the surprise. But for now, you need to rest; tomorrow's a big day." "Is that when . . . my surgery will take place?" I asked Christine. "Is that the one day you won't visit me?" "Yes to both questions, but I'm going to be in the operating room with you," Christine replied before I could get upset. "Before you're put to sleep, you'll meet the surgeon and the surgical team. You'll be in good hands the whole time, Claribel. I'll make sure the surgical team behaves itself." Christine smiles and starts chuckling. "Come on, Claribel; smile!!" Christine giggles. "Your surgical team is thoroughly trained in what they do and are more than qualified for operating on you." "I'm still a little nervous about tomorrow, Nurse Tomoe," I told Christine. "But your pep talk helped me. Thanks a lot." "You're welcome, Claribel," Christine replied as she turns to leave. She sticks her head through the doorway and adds, "And one more thing: I had better not hear of you running away anymore, Claribel Mei'ou. I could have lost my job if something had happened to you." With that, Christine leaves to attend to other duties. I clutch my baby blanket close to me and begin to suck my thumb. Come on, Claribel; you can keep it together. I decide to lay down and take a nap . . . "You're at it again, eh?" Sharon greeted me. "I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with you, Claribel, if you don't stop sucking your thumb." Sharon then pulls my thumb out of my mouth. Disgruntled, I yank my arm away and stick my thumb back in my mouth. "Claribel, get your thumb out of your mouth!!" In case you haven't noticed, Sharon and I are not friends and this is one of the things we fight about. "You know, Claribel, that used to be real cute when you were younger," Kerwin told me. I stop sucking my thumb for a minute. "See, you can stop sucking your thumb whenever you want to. But now how to make you not want to start again . . ." "My operation's tomorrow, Daddy," I shuddered. "Yes, I know, Claribel," Kerwin agreed. "Just think: a few hours from now, the stomach cramps, the fevers, and those awful shots of sedatives will be nothing but a bad memory." "Oh, and we can't forget that surprise when you wake up," Sharon laughed at me. I smile briefly at my parents and then stare off into space. "I wish that Cecelia, Irvette, and Cleopatra were here," I sighed sadly. Sharon and Kerwin look at each other dismayed at my comment. "I'm sure they're thinking about you, Claribel," Sharon replied. "After all, you have known them all your life. In fact, the only things keeping you from being blood sisters is the fact that you live in different houses and have different parents." "I still wish they would visit me, Daddy," I sighed. "We'll see what we can do to remedy that, but we promise nothing, Claribel," Kerwin promised. "And like your mother said, Cecelia, Irvette, and Cleopatra probably figured out that you're in the hospital by now. I made sure to explain that to them and tell them that you're going to be laid up for a little while soon after while you recover from the operation." "But, Mommy, what if . . ." I began. "Claribel, nothing bad will happen to you and nothing will go wrong," Sharon interrupted me. "You'll do fine, my bright and fair princess of the dead. We must leave you for now." I reach up and grab Sharon's hand. "Mommy, Daddy, don't leave me all alone," I whispered. Kerwin looks at Sharon and then walks over and unhooks my hand from Sharon's. "Claribel, we're not leaving you for good," Kerwin told me as he removes his sunglasses and wipes away a tear. "We'll be back for your operation tomorrow. Just hang in there until then, okay?" I nod and Sharon and Kerwin leave the room.