An impossible prayer

The moon seemed rather splendid that night or was it? I thought. It was probably because I was watching it with my most important person.

Her hand was so tiny, I squeezed them gently afraid of not being able to hold them a second time. She then looked up at me and smiled brightly. The moonlight lit her face up so brilliantly that it caused my eyes to feel uneasy as they filled up with tears.

As the night grew darker I covered her in her blanket and she seemed to have fallen asleep and looked so peaceful. I then walked to the hospital canteen and bought a drink; sitting on the bench I simply gulped it down in one go. Would she be alright? I thought, But isn't it cruel for a seven year old girl to suffer so much and she was a wonderful daughter too.

I walked up to her room as I recalled what the doctor had told when I brought her here the first day, he had said that it was probably due to the tobacco smoke she had been exposed to. I hated myself for not having asked for a divorce from the man who had caused such pain to my daughter and he didn't even intend to take responsibility for it. If it hadn't been for the tobacco he smoked she would have been a perfectly healthy child, I thought. I gently pushed open the door afraid to awaken my daughter but I was shocked to find her awake and she was holding her chest gasping for air, I rushed out of the room as I called the doctor in desperate need of help.
Weren't these the signs of pneumonia that the doctor had warned me about, I thought. The doctor then approached me informing me that my daughter may indeed be suffering from pneumonia and she would have to be under careful supervision because she would suffer from severe breathing difficulties.

The words the doctor spoke seemed to penetrate deep and cause immeasurable fear. I sat next to my daughter's bed, she now had an oxygen mask. But all this for a girl of only seven, I thought.

The next day as she woke up she apologized for having frightened me and I smiled weakly.She then looked at me and suddenly asked,"Do you hate dad?"

I couldn't answer her simple question. All I could do was look away.

"I want to see dad," she requested innocently. My hands began to tremble as I tried to hide my tears but her tiny hands held mine.

"When mum sees dad, mum will smile but when mum sees Akira, mum cries,"she said.

I moved closer to her as I hugged her and cried harder.

"It's because I love Akira and I cry because its painful to see you go through so much pain and I dislike your dad for making you go through so much of pain,"I replied.

Akira looked confused but then replied smiling gleefully,"But Akira is fine mum"

And all I could do was smile back. That day I made a prayer wholeheartedly, I prayed tat I would never see her gleeful smile and her gentle hands ever fade away. I knew it was an impossible prayer but I still wanted to cling on every small ray of hope...