When The Stars Align

Chapter 70

James's arms squeezed me tight, a low sob echoed in my ear. The pain was just surreal, there are no words to describe it. Basically he was saying that we'd only have our daughter around for two weeks more. I could imagine how he was feeling, on the verge of losing another important person to him, even more, a piece of him, his own flesh and blood. I ran a hand through his hair and whispered in his ear.

"It's gonna be ok." I told him, finding strength out of nowhere to cheer him up. As if it was possible...Then I let go of him and looked at the doctor again.

"Two weeks...but I am barely 7 months pregnant and we still don't know if the baby is a match." I said cleaning my tears with a hand. The doctor handed me a Kleenex box and I ripped two off it, giving one to James.

"The baby doesn't count from now on..." He informed us and James turned around to look at him and pay attention. I sat down in front of him and I grabbed James's hand pulling him to sit too. "Unless you sign an authorization." He said. "But as a doctor, I cannot do it."

"No..." I said firmly. "The baby would be premature, there's risk...no..." I said shaking my head. "No one is taking my boy from me before his time is done."

"What you're saying is that I might lose both my kids." James exclaimed. "That's insane...No. I also say no to that! There's got to be another way...You can't let my daughter die. Save her. You have to save her!"

"We're doing the best we can. Sarah's already first in line to receive a donor, let's hope someone appears." The doctor said. "Though...it's very hard to find one in just two weeks..." He added and that made us cringe again.

"Can we go see her?" James asked.

"Sure, you already know that you have to watch her from far." We nodded, unfortunately we had been to that hospital so many times that we knew the whole procedure. The doctor came with us until we reached the sterilized room and when he saw us staring at her through the glass he spoke again. "She's in coma because we put her to sleep. It would be very hard for her to be conscious of all the tubes that are stick in her arms." He explained.

"What's all that?" James asked.

"She's receiving a new dose of blood, as you can see. There's medicines, the oxygen mask, serum... I will leave the two of you alone now." He said and with that he turned his back on us and I saw the doctor walking away in small slow steps. I felt James's fingers looking for mine and I accepted them, entwining mine around them. Our hands united...in love...in strength and in pain.

"This can't be happening." I whispered crying again. He gave a step closer and put himself right in front of me, cupping my face with his strong hands and resting his forehead against mine. His warm breath against my face while he spoke.

"Nothing is going to happen to her. I promise you that." He said so with such certainty that it scared me a bit.

"What do you mean? You heard the doctor..." I told him, trying to call him back to reality.

"I heard what he said, but I am determined to save our girl and I am gonna do it Andrea." He said with tears running down his face. "If she dies, I'll die with her...I can't take it..." He confessed.

"What are you gonna do?" I asked him.

"I don't know..." He said letting go of me to clean his eyes. "I don't know...but I am not gonna sit here and watch two weeks passing by and see her die slowly. I have to do something. I have to think of something."

"We have many friends; we can ask them to do the test and see if any of them is compatible." I suggested.

"My bank account must be enough to buy a bone marrow from someone." He said.