Luke
"How long will the results take to get? Mike and Ash came too right?"
"They did. It will be a few hours,"
"Okay,"
"But I am testing other people," Calum said, "So I will be waiting,"
"Who else is there to test?"
He looked at me and then turned away, grabbing the door handle as I held the door shut.
"No,"
"Luke, come on man,"
"You are not letting that monster near my kid,"
"She won't be near Gabi, if she is a match then the kidney will be brought here. That's if she even agrees,"
"She won't be a match,"
"It's her mother, Luke. She might be, but keep it on the low for now because Gabi cannot handle any more stress. I am so serious Luke, she cannot handle unnecessary stress,"
"If you contact her I will fucking murder you,"
"I already did. She is in prison, she isn't coming anywhere near here," he said.
"Gabi is not getting one of her kidneys,"
"Then Gabi might not get a kidney for months because you might not be a match!"
"I will be!"
"Luke, right now I am not your friend. I am your daughter's doctor working in the interests of her health. She needs a kidney and I don't goddam care which one of you gives it to her,"
"Wow,"
"I didn't mean it like that. I meant I don't care because getting Gabi what she needs is most important,"
"Whatever,"
I let go of the door and he left, so I went the other direction back to Gabi's room, seeing her laid on her phone. When I sat down, she switched it off and looked at me expectedly, but I didn't have anything to say.
It was a lot to take in.
"I think this room is making me feel worse,"
"Hopefully it won't be too long,"
"Yeah,"
"Is there anything you wanna talk about?"
"No,"
"Okay... can we talk about something I have been wondering about?"
She propped herself up on her elbow, so I began to sit the bed up for her, and then put my phone down on the side.
"I feel like we kinda brushed over that you have a girlfriend now too,"
"It doesn't matter,"
"It matters to me. She seems like a really sweet girl, I am happy for you,"
"She is,"
"Do you wanna tell the guys about Maddox? I'm sure someone would pick her up,"
"Michael already knows,"
"How does Michael know?"
"He covered for me,"
"He covered for me too," I laughed, "We are terrible, aren't we?"
"Maybe,"
"Calum knows too. Probably Ashton,"
We turned as there was a knock on the door, and I called them in, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Sierra. Following her, was Maddox.
"Gabi what the fuck?"
"Mads," she said, scrambling to her knees to hug her, "I'm so glad you're here,"
"What's happening?"
Maddox was holding onto her so tightly that I was almost scared for Gabi, and she dug her head into her shoulders, tears forming in her eyes.
Sierra pulled a chair up beside me and put her hand on my thigh, but I took it instead, intertwining our fingers.
"How did you get here?"
"Sierra picked me up. What's happening?"
She sat at the end of Gabi's bed and twisted the cover with her fingers, both her and Sierra looking at me with confusion.
"Gabi passed out, so we came here and got her all sorted. But, she needs a kidney transplant,"
"What?"
"So we are seeing if I can give her a kidney,"
"And me,"
"Maddox, it's okay sweetheart. I know it's scary but we will find her a kidney,"
"Let me do it," she said, tearing up, "Now,"
"You have to be a match, it's not that easy! I could perhaps talk to Calum and see if we could run the tests but we don't expect you to donate a kidney,"
"But I would. I would for Gabi,"
"She's gonna be okay,"
Tears began to stream down her face and she looked around anxiously, gulping. Gabi tried to comfort her, but ended up having to lay back down and take a deep breath.
Slowly, I rose, and then took Maddox outside before hugging her.
"Have you called your parents?"
"No,"
"Maybe we can do that?"
"You have to test me,"
"We will if we need ,"
"I care about her,"
"I know, and thank you for that,"
"Why are you hugging me?"
"Because you're crying,"
She didn't lift her head from me, just wrapped her arms round me instead, then let go and shook herself off, drying her eyes.
"Are you okay with us?"
"Of course I am,"
"Okay,"
"You're always welcome at our house, and if you need anything then I am always here. I will always do my best to help,"
"Thank you,"
"Sierra and I will head somewhere else so you can catch up. Please call your parents,"
We went back inside and I gave Gabi a tight squeeze, then I took Sierra's hand and we went to my office, where I shut the door and leant on it, closing my eyes.
Everything had come crashing down.
"Can you explain to me what's going on?"
"She needs a new kidney,"
"What are her results?"
"I don't know,"
She sat at my desk and logged in, then rapidly began typing, biting her thumb as she read everything.
"She is being admitted, right?"
"For tonight,"
"Okay,"
"Is it that bad?"
"Mhm," she said quietly, "Are you giving her a kidney?"
"They're seeing if I am a match. And Calum is seeing if her mum is which is a fucking joke. She doesn't get to save Gabi,"
"The more people we can test, the better. Hell, I'll see if I am a match,"
"But Kiera? Fucking Kiera,"
"That's her mum, right?"
"Yeah,"
"Then that's a really good shot at getting her a kidney,"
"I know that. But I refuse. This cannot me happening,"
I felt my chest tighten and stood up off the door, breathing rapidly. My bottom lip stuck out and I couldn't bit it back, so I started pacing to try and release the tension.
"Calum contacting her is a stab in the back. He knows what she did, and Gabi doesn't deserve to have to have her kidney,"
"Luke, I think you're under a lot of pressure,"
"You don't get it. You don't know what she did to us, or how hard I had to fight for Gabi. I've advocated for her for 17 years for it to come down to this? Back where we started? My daughter getting sick and Kiera still controlling us. Calum stabbed me in the back,"
I began to sob and sunk to the floor, Sierra catching me in her arms as she came down with me.
Just like Gabi, I often found her mum made me cry too. She caused me so much pain, physically and emotionally, and I wasn't sure I'd ever get through it. I thought I had, but every so often she still managed to come and fuck up my life from a distance.
"You are right. You have been the biggest advocate for Gabi's health and I can see that she is extremely grateful for you. However, haven't you had to make hard decisions in order to get her the best care?"
"Of course I have,"
"Then don't you think that perhaps this is a hard decision Calum has had to make to advocate for Gabi's health as a doctor?"
"There's so many other people,"
"You know that family members are most likely to be a match," she said, gently running her fingers through my messed up curls, "It sucks. I can see how much this hurts you and that is valid, you have every right to be frustrated, and scared, but I really think Calum is trying every option...That is the kind of friend and doctor you want your daughter to have,"