25 Hours

Chapter 4

He took a deep breath and his next words sent a shiver down both his and my spine. “This is most likely the last birthday he will ever celebrate.”

“How much longer?” I asked, although I probably shouldn’t.

“A couple of weeks?” He made it sound like a question as he shrugged his shoulders up and down in a hopeless manner.

“Oh,” I muttered helplessly.

For once I started to think that maybe I did have it better than someone else.

What was worse: Having no future and being forced to live in a world where you don’t belong, or have the whole world laid out for you, just within your reach, but dying before you experience it?

This boy had the whole world going. He had people who loved him and a great support system and yet he wasn’t going to make it to his next birthday. I always thought fate had it bad for me but maybe it really didn’t.

“Nothing more can be done?” I asked. There had to be something, something someone could do for Joe.

“He’s on the list for a full liver transplant, but that could take months.”

“Transplant,” I repeated. I was a donor giver, if only there was some way that I could give Joe my liver I would in a heartbeat.

The thought stopped me short the second it entered my brain.

This was some kid that I barely even knew and I would give him my liver? No, there was no way that I would do that. It was just some kid.

Just some kid.

I repeated it in my head over and over although I knew it wasn’t true.

He was more than just some kid. He was so much more than that. Because although I barely knew him I already knew that he was kind, and smart, and funny and wise beyond his years. I thought back to when I first met him, he spoke as though he was five years older than he really was.

I could see him growing up, getting a girlfriend, graduating high school and college, getting married, and having kids of his own. And yet none of that was going to be able to happen.

“I’m really sorry,” I spoke feeling my own eyes tear up.

“It is hard but we’ll get through it. We’ll have to get through it; for Joseph.” His chair scraped again as he stood up, “They cut the cake; you want to go get a piece?”

My stomach growled again reminding me that the only thing I have eaten lately was the package of Raman last night. I can’t remember that last time I ate cake and I could feel my mouth watering at the thought of it. “Yeah. Yeah, that would be great.”

As we walked I set my brown paper bag on the table trying to ignore how dumb it looked next to the other, more extravagant gifts. It was still a gift and like they said it was the thought that would count, hopefully.

Everyone had moved from the table where Joseph sat happily digging into their slices of cake. As we got closer both his mom and sister smiled at me causing another wave of shock to course through my system.

“Hey Cassie!” Joe smiled at me while eating a mouthful of cake.

“Eat first, then talk.” His mother reminded him with loving but stern eyes before turning to me. “Can I get you a piece?”

“Yes, please.” I smiled back eyeing the layers of frosting.

She handed me a plate and pulled out the chair next to her, “Why don’t you take a seat here?”