Page 102 of Play It Sinful

“Marnie doesn’t know about you and Ash, does she?”

“No. Dad wanted to spare her the heartache. I did the same for Ash.”

“You could have toldme. I wouldn’t have judged you or blabbered.”

The nurse shows us to an exam room so she can take our blood samples. It’s the first step to determine if we’re a match for Ashley. If we are, then there will be more exams, such as imaging tests, EKGs, and a physical examination to make sure we’re in top health. It’s paramount we get the first results fast, but I also know how backed up hospital labs can get. I wrote a paper about hospital procedures for one of my pre-med classes.

“How long until we know the blood test results?” I ask as the nurse takes a sample of Kenzie’s blood first.

“It shouldn’t take long. We’ll ask the lab to prioritize it.”

“And if Ash loses the left kidney too, how long can she survive without one?” Kenzie asks in a small voice.

Nurse Wilson’s mouth tenses, and her brows pinch together.

“A couple days,” I reply before the nurse can.

Kenzie looks at me, already tearing up. “Sean…”

“One of us will be a match, Kenzie. I know it.”

I try to put on a brave face for Kenzie’s sake, but I’m falling apart inside. The truth is, I’m not certain of anything.

After our blood samples are taken to the lab, Kenzie and I go ahead with the other exams to save time. In between tests, I finally call Gia, and then Coach Bedford. Because we’ve been moving from room to room inside the hospital, I have no idea who’s in the waiting area now, but considering how tight our group of friends is, I’d guess it’s everyone.

Almost two hours later, there’s only the physical exam left. We haven’t received an update about Ashley yet. I’m tense as hell, waiting for the doctor to come into the exam room. Kenzie is so nervous, she’s chewed her nails to the quick.

When the door finally opens, two doctors come in—the one who’s giving us the physical, and Ashley’s surgeon. My heart lurches inside my chest painfully.

“How is she?” I ask.

“She’s stable now. We were able to save the left kidney for now, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

“That’s good, right? That means she won’t need a transplant,” Kenzie says.

“The next forty-eight hours will be critical. The left kidney might still fail.”

“Do you have our test results then? Are we a match?” I ask.

The second doctor glances at the tablet in his hand. “There was only one sibling blood sample, and yes it was a match.”

My stomach dips. “What do you mean, only one sibling? The nurse collected both our blood samples. There should be two.”

The doctor scans his tablet again, then looks at me and Kenzie. He seems uncomfortable now.

“Whatever you have to say, go ahead,” I press.

“You’re not biologically related to the patient. Only your sister is.”

All the blood seems to drain from my face, and I get dizzy. “What? That’s not possible.”

The doctor pushes his wire-rimmed glasses up his nose. “The results are clear.”

“Maybe there was a mix-up in the lab,” Kenzie pipes up.

“Unlikely, but we can run the test again.”

My mind is spinning like a top, and the walls in this room seem like they’re closing in, ready to crush me.

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