Chapter 9: Hang in there
922 Words
“His condition is getting worse. If the transplant isn’t made soon.. like, soon enough.. we might…”
Charlotte’s pulse raced as the doctor’s words hung in the air, unfinished and ominous.
“We might what, Doc?” she blurted, her voice breaking despite her effort to stay composed.
Dr. Ellis adjusted his glasses, a look of sympathy softening his otherwise clinical demeanor.
“We might lose him, Charlotte. His body won’t hold up much longer under this strain. The dialysis can only do so much, and his kidneys…” He sighed. “We’re running out of time.”
Charlotte’s legs threatened to give out, and she gripped the chair beside her for support.
Her little brother, Matt, lay in the hospital room down the hall, fighting an uphill battle with end-stage renal disease.
He was only thirteen, far too young to face something this cruel.
She nodded, her throat dry. “How soon are we talking?”
“Within the next three weeks,” Dr. Ellis said gently. “If we can’t secure the funds and find a donor by then, the chances of survival drop significantly.”
Charlotte’s head spun. Three weeks? That wasn’t time.. it was an impossible deadline.
Her voice cracked as she stammered, “I-I’ll get it. The money, I mean. Just… please, keep him stable until then.”
Dr. Ellis nodded, his expression cautious. “We’ll do our best, but Charlotte, you need to understand how critical this is.”
“I do,” she whispered.
She left the doctor’s office feeling like she couldn’t breathe.
The weight of Matt’s illness had been crushing her for months, but this.. this was a new level of desperation.
She made her way to Matt’s room, her hands trembling as she pushed the door open.
“Hey, Charlie,” Matt greeted weakly from the bed, a small, tired smile on his pale face.
His energy was a shadow of what it used to be, but he still tried to act like everything was okay.. for her.
“Hey, champ,” Charlotte managed, forcing a smile as she sat on the edge of his bed. “How are you feeling today?”
“Better,” he lied, his grin faltering.
Charlotte swallowed hard, brushing a hand through his dark, unkempt hair. “Good. That’s good.”
She reached for Matt’s hand, her fingers brushing over his frail ones.
His smile wavered, and she could see the exhaustion etched into his small face.
“Charlie,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I’m sorry.”
Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces, but she kept her expression steady. “Sorry? For what, champ?”
“For being a burden.” His words were soft, but they hit her like a truck. Tears welled up in his eyes, his lips trembling.
“Matt, no,” she said firmly, squeezing his hand. “Don’t ever say that. You’re not a burden. You’re my brother, and I love you more than anything.”
“But…” His tears spilled over, and he turned his face away, his body shaking with quiet sobs. “I see how tired you are, Charlie. You’re always running around, working so hard. I hate that you have to do this for me.”
Charlotte’s chest tightened, and her own tears threatened to break free.
But she couldn’t cry, not in front of him. She had to be strong.. for him. She leaned forward, cupping his face gently to make him look at her.
“Listen to me,” she said, her voice steady despite the ache in her throat. “You don’t have to worry about me, okay? None of this is your fault. You didn’t ask for this, and I’d do it all over again if it meant you’d be okay.”
Matt sniffled, his big brown eyes searching hers. “You promise?”
“I promise,” she said, brushing a tear from his cheek. “You just focus on getting better. Let me handle the rest.”
He nodded, but his tears didn’t stop. She pulled him into a hug, holding him close as his small frame trembled in her arms.
“I love you, Charlie,” he whispered into her shoulder.
“I love you more, little brother,” she replied, her voice cracking despite herself.
Matt’s sobs eventually subsided, and his breathing evened out as he drifted off to sleep.
Charlotte stayed there for a moment, stroking his hair and memorizing the peaceful look on his face.
When she was sure he was sound asleep, she gently tucked the blanket around him, making sure he was warm and comfortable.
Standing up, she let out a shaky breath, wiping at her eyes.
As she left the room, her mind was made up.
Maybe it was time to go back to her stepmother. It wasn’t an easy decision, but Charlotte had no other choice. She had promised Matt she would handle the rest, and that meant swallowing her pride.
Her stepmother had agreed to give her a percentage of the money from the Grahams, and even though it wouldn’t cover everything, it would go a long way in paying for Matt’s surgery.
Her resolve hardened as she stepped into the cold hospital corridor.
For Matt, she would do whatever it took. Pride, anger, resentment.. none of it mattered now.
She glanced back at his door one last time before heading out, whispering to herself,
“Hang in there, Matt. I won’t let you down.”
- Writer
