Page 27 of A Package Deal

“Oh.” Nelie loosened her fingers and set the blanket on the bench by the door.

“Besides, I’m too mad to go back in there and play nice with them, and if I go home, Em will be mad I abandoned you.” He sounded upset. Nelie didn’t know if he was upset on her behalf or his, because the truth bomb had also rocked their world. Were Jackson and Pris as upset by this as she was? Pris had acted concerned for Nelie’s welfare by bringing her the blanket and escorting her to the lab, but maybe that was her medical training kicking in?

“Staying with you is my only hope for survival. After all, you wear a cape”—he gestured to the blanket—“and have an origin story.” Jackson deadpanned. Nelie didn’t know if he was trying to lighten the mood or humor her, a potential donor to save his son’s life. Her nephew. A nephew she hadn’t known about. Because they’d all lied to her. For her whole life.This is so messed up.

“Fine,” Nelie said. “But no talking, unless it’s inane talk like the weather or sports.”

“Can I scream?” Jackson asked, opening the side door for her and Pris.

“Only if I can join you.” She needed to keep it together until she was safely home, after the Galley closed, because of course she had to work tonight. If she made it through the shift without yelling at anyone or sobbing in the walk-in cooler, it would be a miracle.

Chapter 16

Nelie’slegbouncedunderthe table as she waited in the virtual waiting room. She was a match for Nate. In this meeting, she’d find out what that entailed and the timeline.If this meeting ever gets started.

Her laptop pinged, and the meeting organizer let her in. Jackson and Emily were already there with Nate tight to Emily’s chest in a baby carrier. The medical coordinator greeted Nelie and asked her to confirm her name and date of birth. A moment later, Dr. Dahl, the pediatric immunologist, joined them.

“How does a week from Friday sound to you, Nelie?” Dr. Dahl asked, looking excited.

“Not good. Is there another option?” She couldn’t miss the spelling bee. Piper had practiced diligently, and Nelie had volunteered to make cookies.

“Sure, we can wait,” Jackson said, crossing his arms. “It’s only Nate’s life at stake.” Emily swatted him on the arm and glared at him.

“No, no. You’re right. I’ll figure something out. Next Friday is fine.” She gave them a tight smile. She’d make sure the girls knew she couldn’t be there without telling them why. And she could make the cookies in advance. The girls would understand. But Chet? He’d want to know why, and Nelie didn’t have a clue what to tell him that wasn’t a lie.

“Excellent, then we’ll need Nathan to check into the hospital this Friday,” Dr. Dahl said.

“Why?” Nelie asked.

The doctor gave her a kind smile. “This is all rushing at you, I’m sure, since you just found out. We need Nathan here a week before you so we can start a conditioning chemotherapy. It will increase the odds of his body accepting your stem cells.” Nelie didn’t like the sound of that. She assumed since she was a match, everything would be perfect. It hadn’t dawned on her Nate’s little body might refuse her donation, but she nodded her head at the doctor.

“So, Nathan comes here this Friday, and you come the next. That morning, we’ll harvest your bone marrow from your hip bones. You’ll be under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel anything during the procedure.”

“And after?” Nelie asked. Jackson frowned, and Nelie wished Emily would swat him again. He acted like this was no big deal for her, but it was. She was breaking a promise to Piper. She was having her hips prodded, and there would be needles. She hated needles.

“Most patients are usually sore and tired for a few days afterwards, especially with low back discomfort, but Tylenol usually does the trick. You’ll be back to your usual self within a few weeks,” he said.

“That doesn’t sound too bad.” She’d lie on a chaise lounge under an umbrella, and if she felt guilty for being a slug, she’d remind herself it was doctor’s orders.

“It’s a straightforward procedure, and if all goes well, we can discharge you by the end of day on Saturday. Plan on a quiet weekend though, and keep the Tylenol handy.”Except for sobbing into my pillow.Nelie’s nonrefundable flight departed at six o’clock on Saturday morning. She made a note to check with the airline. Maybe they could move her to another flight on Monday or Tuesday? She wouldn’t have her full week in Florida, but something was better than nothing.

“Once we have the marrow, we’ll do a transfusion with Nathan and keep him isolated for three to four months in the hospital—”

“There? I thought he’d be here,” Emily said, wrapping her arms around Nate.

“You can visit him, of course. You’ll need to mask up and follow a few other protocols to keep Nathan safe, but we can discuss that later,” Dr. Dahl said.

“And after that?” Jackson asked.

“Once he’s home, you can gradually introduce him to the world. Our team will closely monitor him, and once his system develops, he’ll get his vaccines. If all goes to plan, in a little over a year this will all be in the rearview mirror, and Nathan will be like any other baby his age.” Emily and Jackson looked hopeful and thanked the doctor, who waved them off. “Don’t thank me. None of this would be possible without Nelie’s bone marrow donation.”

Jackson opened his mouth, but Nelie cut him off. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Avoid people when you can and stay healthy,” Dr. Dahl said before turning back to Emily and Jackson. Nelie looked at the bandage on her finger, wondering if self-inflicted wounds counted.

She’d been aggressively chopping onions yesterday, reliving the conversation at Mrs. Hart’s, when the tip of the chef’s knife hit her finger. She’d cleaned the wound, tossed the onions, and headed outside for a brisk walk around the block to clear her head.

When bitterness threatened to pull her under, she reminded herself that Gus had called her a gift. She hadn’t been a burden to him and Stella, but a gift. They hadn’t taken her in out of the goodness of their hearts, but because they’d wanted her. Nelie wished she knew if her newfound family wanted her.

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