already trying to control her life.

“I didn’t ask you to do that.” Rachel stood. “In fact, you should have asked me first. This is my personal business you’re interfering in, and it’s not okay for you to host some information session about kidney donation. It’s not some multilevel marketing scheme—this is my life.”

Ricky also stood. “And if you told me the truth the other day, without a kidney, you won’t have a life. I spent a lot of time talking to that woman at the hospital about kidney donation, and a lot of lives could be saved if more people understood the benefits of donating a kidney to someone who needed it. This might not help just you, but a lot of other people.”

She hadn’t thought of it that way. But it still didn’t make it right for Ricky to interfere.

Ty gave Ricky a look that Rachel couldn’t read, but Ricky must’ve understood, because he sat back down. Then Ty turned to Rachel.

“I know Ricky didn’t mean to invade your privacy. But when he sees a problem, he likes to solve it. Ricky might not be able to give you a kidney himself, but he knows a lot of people. Since you don’t have to be related to someone to donate a kidney, one of them might be willing. You can’t blame a man for looking into every option.”

If she didn’t know that Ty was a smooth-talking lawyer who made a living off getting people on his side, she might have been more understanding. But this wasn’t about Ty trying to do the right thing or help her, it was about Ty doing his job, and somehow, that felt wrong.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Rachel said. “I had a long day at work today, and then the drive and now this. It’s overwhelming. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go to my cabin, where I can rest.”

Ricky looked at Ty, who said, “Our cabins are booked for the weekend. Since you’re family, you’re in a guest suite here in the main house. While it doesn’t have a private entrance, it does have its own sitting room, a bedroom and a bathroom. You’ll take your meals in the dining room, and hopefully it will give you and Ricky a chance to get to know one another better.”

Once again, it felt like she was being forced into a position she didn’t want to be in. From her earlier visit, she knew there were no hotels nearby, and if all the cabins were booked, she had no place else to go.

“And if I don’t like that arrangement?” she asked. Ty sighed, like she was being difficult. And maybe she was, but her life had just been completely upended, and too much was being thrown at her at once.

“You can have my cabin,” Ty said. “It’ll take me an hour or so to straighten up and get the things I need, but I can stay here at Ricky’s instead. We weren’t trying to make you uncomfortable, but to let you know that you are part of this family, and that you’re welcome.”

Now she did feel like she was being difficult. The pained expression on Ricky’s face and the return of the lines in Ty’s brow told her that they were doing their best to make this a good experience for her.

She also had to admit, it was kind of Ty to offer to give up his own cabin to make her feel more comfortable.

“I’ll be fine here at the house,” she said. “I don’t want to put anyone out. But can’t you see how difficult this is to take everything in all at once? You’ve had all this time after you found out the results were positive to make plans, but I haven’t. Now suddenly you want me to stay in the main house, you’re organizing an information session to get people to donate a kidney to me, and who knows what else you’re going to take over in my life? I had everything under control until you stepped in.”

Ty nodded slowly. “Everything except the kidney you need. I’m sorry if it seems like we’ve overstepped, but family helps each other. That’s what community does, too. When one of us has a need, everyone steps in to fill that need. Not everyone here will be willing or able to donate a kidney, but if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. And you never know—someone here just might say yes.”

His motivational speech might have meant a little something more if he hadn’t looked so terrified at the prospect of donating a kidney to her. He’d be asking others to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself. And yet she didn’t blame him for being unwilling. If she were in his shoes, she wouldn’t be jumping up and down to give a kidney to a stranger.

Maybe that was why they hadn’t yet found a donor for her. Because if she were completely honest, until her own illness, she would have never considered helping someone in this way. It wasn’t completely unreasonable for someone to be unwilling to help.

Still, this wasn’t about her. It was, in the sense of her life being on the line. But really, this was about Katie, and making sure Katie had a mother and didn’t grow up in foster care.

“All right,” she said. “I guess we can do this community event about kidney awareness. I’m not one to ask for help from strangers, but given that I’m running out of time, I’m willing to do just about anything.”

As the men looked at each other and nodded, Rachel hoped that agreeing to all this nonsense wasn’t a terrible mistake.

Talk about difficult. Ty had never run into someone so obstinate in his life. The woman would die without a kidney, but rather than being grateful for their help, she acted as though they were trying to hasten her end.

“I promise we’ll do everything we can to keep

Добавить отзыв
ВСЕ ОТЗЫВЫ О КНИГЕ В ИЗБРАННОЕ

0

Вы можете отметить интересные вам фрагменты текста, которые будут доступны по уникальной ссылке в адресной строке браузера.

Отметить Добавить цитату