The Kidney He Gave, The Love She Denied

gash on my arm was stitched and bandage

face was soft, her eyes filled with what looked like c

t. "I was just so worried about Noah. His heart

excuses. Justif

e was flat, devoid of emotio

" She fussed with my blanket. "I've paid for the bes

my forgiveness with mo

for me. It was for the other kidney still inside my body. The spare part she migh

laced with a sincerity that was utterly fake. "As long a

e. A cage, gilded wit

t. I had already walked out t

l advice. I packed a small bag at the Hayes' house wh

ng up to the house next door. I saw a flurry of activity. It was Noah. He was bei

rst life, his kidney failure had been a slow

mess of tears and panic. She didn't see me. He

ing thread of the past, pulled me forward

ng like a caged animal. She was frantic,

I asked, my voi

't know what's wrong! His kidneys are failing, completely. They said he has a

k. It must have put a real strai

's an acute case of Alport syndrome. We need to perform a transpl

Olivia. "Are

ars streaming down her

waiting room and landed on m

and swollen, locked onto mine. They were

irst life. The request that had l

his time, I knew the price. And I

rst life, I had refused to donate, and Olivia, consumed by grief and guilt,

ould save Noah. I would save her from h

ctor, my voice clear an

the one thing I had left tha

spital bed, the ache in my side a dull reminder of my first sa

. This was the final payment on

t, the evening light filtering through the blinds. I fe

screaming in protest. I pushed

oah's room. The door was sl

was holding his hand, her face glowing with love and

pered, stroking his hair. "I t

brother." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I

. He was painting himself as the humble rec

at," she said fiercely. "You are not a stranger. You are my everything.

d kissed him, a

ppy couple. The pain in my sides was nothing co

change. She wo

ever be her b

as now a calm, quiet sea. I turned away from the