Your Hands are Whispering - Review 2
Kimi no Te ga Sasayaite iru
Second Installment (1998)
Mieko is pregnant in this episode. Her bestfriend, Naoko, who is also deaf, reminds her that it'll be difficult for her to be a mother. She cannot read books to the child, she cannot sing a song together with the child. Mieko thinks Naoko is right, it would be bad for the child to have a deaf mother. When she was going home, a child fell behind her and cried for help. Of course, she didn't know what happen, she finally noticed people are running toward behind her and that's when she found out what happen. She felt so scared, she didn't know that the child was asking for her help, she can't even call an ambulance. She thought, what kind of mother would she be? Not being able to help her own child.
Hirofumi found out that Mieko is pregnant from Naoko. At home, Hirofumi congratulate Mieko but Mieko said she will abort the baby. She told Hirofumi what she had been thinking for awhile. Hirofumi is upset and scold her gently, "Stop that. I won't forgive you if you do that. Why are you always like that? Why do you always decide something yourself like that? What am I here for? This is not just your problem. Am I that unreliable? Do you think that I still don't understand you?".
Mieko answered with teary eyes, "I feel bad for the child to have a deaf mother like me. I also want to give birth to our child. But that would be bad for the child..."
Hirofumi came to Mieko's parents asking for advice. Mieko's mother told Hirofumi to do as Mieko says and just follow what she wants to do. Hirofumi is surprised. Mieko's mother said, "It's okay even if you don't have a child! There are many husband and wife who are happy even without a child. It'll be very hard for a mother for not being able to exchange words with their child. She won't know what the child is singing, she won't know what her child's voice is like! Nobe-san, do you understand how painful this would be for her? I do not want to let her go through such a thing."
Hirofumi came home and found Mieko in the park at night then he told her, "I know I grew up without any disability so maybe I shouldn't say this. But don't you think whether or not a human is happy decided by the way they live on and not the way they were born? Indeed, there are many things you cannot do for the child but there isn't a perfect parent either, in this world. Although there are things you can't do for the child but you can do many other things for the child."
And so Mieko finally gave birth to a healthy, normal baby girl and they named her Chizuru. Everything were fine until Mieko is 3 years old and started to memorize words. Hirofumi taught her to tap Mieko whenever she wants to call mama. But it gets harder whenever Mieko misunderstand what Chizuru said, she mistook ohashi(chopsticks) with okashi(snack). Mieko thought Chizuru want to eat snack before dinner, so Mieko hit her hand and was angry to her. But when Hirofumi came, he understand Chizuru is saying ohashi and apparently Chizuru wants to help to put the chopsticks on the table. This made Mieko worried.
One day, Chizuru asked Mieko to read her a book, but of course with Mieko's unclear pronounciation Chizuru doesn't understand. In the park, Mieko noticed Chizuru was looking at a pair of mother and daughter who are talking normally to each other.
Hirofumi came home bringing a sign language textbook for children. He tried to teach Chizuru simple sign language but Chizuru didn't want to learn. Mieko asked Hirofumi to stop, she don't want them to give Chizuru any pressure at this age. Hirofumi didn't agree, he think it would be better if they teach her early. Mieko insisted, she feels bad for Chizuru if she has to learn sign language too.
Hirofumi still didn't agree, "What do you mean, feel bad for Chizuru? Why do you think I learned sign language? It's not due to obligation or that it can't be helped cause I was dating you. I just simply wanted to talk to you, that's all. Chizuru also wants to talk to you. And that's not an obligation or any pressure. We're a family right? I just thought it would be alot more fun, if the three of us can talk in sign language together,".
One day, Chizuru told Mieko that it's raining outside with sign language. Mieko was very shocked and felt so moved.
That was the end of Episode 2. Will continue with the next episodes later^^