Page 39 of My Damaged Protector

Here comes the moment of truth.

“Um, I need your opinion on something.”

“Go ahead.”

I swallow, and I muster a good amount of courage before I speak again. “As a doctor, would you advise anyone you know to donate bone marrow to someone?”

“Sarah, what's going on? Are you sick?” she asks worriedly. I hear a door closing from her end, and I assume she's doing that for privacy’s sake.

“No, no. It's not me. It's um, my dad.”

“Your dad? I thought he was dead?”

Yeah, you and me both.

“Turns out he's not.”

“Okay. And he has leukemia?”

“Yes.”

“I'm guessing he wants you to donate?”

“Also yes.”

“Wow.” I hear her blow out a breath. “Okay, as a doctor, I'd assure you not to worry and that the procedure is very safe. Which it really is. But as a friend, I'll say see me before you do it. You have nothing to worry about, really. But I'd like to run some tests on you and confirm you're at no risk.”

“Thank you.”

She remains with me for a while before I eventually end the call with the promise of reaching out.

I call Neville next. We exchanged contact information before I left my aunt's. I find out that his doctor is in New Jersey.

To say I am surprised he lives in New Jersey too is an understatement. All those years there, and we never saw him. But then again, it can feel like a big state.

I also find out that the hospital he's using is the same as the one Mandy works in. I am happy about the new discovery as I end the call.

I'm guessing he called my aunt, because I receive a call from her only a few minutes after I hang up on him, and she thanks me for being so gracious.

I don't tell her I'm not doing anything until Mandy gives me the go-ahead.

When I eventually fell into bed, I slept until noon.

I wake up to a call from Ian.

My head is still a little clogged from sleep when I answer.

“Hello?”

“Sarah, hi.”

“Ian. How are you?”

“I'm okay. I… uh, I called to tell you that I'm back in New Jersey now.”

It’s like I was being slapped in the face.

Words fail me for a few seconds before I eventually gather my thoughts and put up a front.

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