Chapter 3 One Kidney
738 Words
Dad's expression went cold. "Allison, what did you just say?"
I looked him straight in the eye. "I said I'm not donating my kidney."
His whole body went rigid. "You..." A vein jumped at his temple. "You're backing out now? We already did the compatibility test, and now you're saying no? Allison, what is wrong with you? Are you really that heartless? That's your sister! Are you really going to stand there and let her die?"
Mom burst into tears again. Her voice shook so badly the words barely came out. "Allison, please! I'm begging you. You can't do this. Vanessa is your sister..."
The hospital room went dead silent.
I didn't answer right away. I just lifted the hem of my shirt.
The scar along my right flank was ugly, jagged, impossible to miss. Everyone saw it.
"Three years ago, I was in a car accident," I said. My voice cut through the silence. "My right kidney was ruptured. At the time, there was exactly one donor kidney that matched." I held their gaze. "You gave it to Gavin. Because he was Vanessa's boyfriend."
I let my shirt fall back into place and buttoned it calmly. "Another donor kidney didn't come in time, so they had to remove my right kidney. I only have one left now. If I give this one up, I die."
Mom's face drained of color. "But the doctors said you were young. They said you'd recover. We thought..."
"You thought what?" I said. "That losing a kidney was no big deal? Or that I just didn't matter enough for it to count?"
Dad looked thrown for a second, but the guilt on his face hardened almost immediately into anger. "That was different! We thought Gavin was in worse shape! If we'd waited any longer, he would've died! And besides... Vanessa loved him. Now he's her husband! We're family. Family doesn't sit around keeping score!"
"Family?" I repeated softly. "So in this family, my life comes last. Is that what you mean?"
Dad opened his mouth and got nothing out.
Vanessa covered her face. "Allison, I'm sorry. I really didn't know..."
She cried beautifully.
At that moment, the door swung open, and a nurse hurried in. "Vanessa's family? We just found an anonymous donor who appears to be a match. We can move forward with surgery as soon as possible!"
Mom rushed toward her so fast she nearly stumbled. "Really? Are you serious? When can she have the surgery?"
Dad forgot every second of awkwardness from before. His whole face lit up. "That's wonderful! Wonderful! I knew Vanessa would be okay! Whatever paperwork you need, we'll handle it right now! The sooner, the better!"
Not one of them looked at me.
Not one of them asked whether what I'd just said was true. Not one of them said they were sorry.
Mom clung to Vanessa and cried all over again, only now it was from relief. "Vanessa, baby, you're going to be okay... You're going to be okay..."
Dad was already on the phone, his voice loud and cheerful. "Yes, yes, it's confirmed! They found a match! We're moving forward right away!"
Gavin finally exhaled and sat back down beside Vanessa's bed, wrapping his hand around hers like none of this had anything to do with me.
And Vanessa, there were still tears on her face, but I caught the faintest curve at the corner of her mouth.
I turned and walked out of the room.
Late that night, my phone lit up.
A new message had come in from the private investigator I'd contacted anonymously a week earlier.
The investigator: I identified the anonymous donor. His name is Liam Logan. He had a thing for Vanessa back in college. The two of them reconnected three months ago and have been in frequent contact ever since.
The investigator: Vanessa's physical exam results from the last six months all looked normal. No history of chronic kidney disease. Some of her latest lab values look manipulated. I can't prove it yet, but they don't match the pattern of natural kidney failure.
I stared at the screen for a long time.
Allison: Keep digging. I want everything. Especially Liam's medical report. I want the full file.
I could still hear laughter and excited voices drifting faintly down the hall from Vanessa's room.
I tightened my grip on my phone until my nails bit into my palm.
- Writer
