“What do you mean? We’ll draft up paperwork, and it’ll be a done deal.” How is this so easy for her to talkabout?
“I know the rules and laws of donations and transplants and a living person can’t offer to donate anorgan.”
“That’s ridiculous,” shesays.
“I agree, but that’s the law and I don’t know a doctor who would put their job on the line to break thatlaw.”
“You told me your doctor is a sleaze, right?” sheasks.
I did tell her this. Dr. Drake has propositioned me and has made things very uncomfortable. I have set him straight and debated on reporting him to the hospital but I’m not dumb enough to ignore the fact that he is the best heart surgeon in New England and I would be a complete moron for getting him fired. “Yeah,and?”
“Let me at him,” she says with a sinful glow to herface.
“What are you going to do?” I asknervously.
“Do you trust me?” sheasks.
“I did up until this very moment,” I say through soft, uneasylaughter.
“Look,” she says, stopping in place, turning to me and grabbing my shoulders firmly. “I’m most likely not going to make it thorugh birth and I have a perfectly healthy heart. We have the same blood type, which is just weird, and I feel like this is the way it’s supposed to be, Ari. Take my heart if you make it longer than I do?” The thought of taking her heart means she will no longer be here but that’s a part I can’t control. “Sayokay!”
I sniffle, trying to hold back my tears, but they come anyway. “Okay,” Imutter.
“I told you we were soulmates,” shesays.
“I thought it was because we were both dying and needed each other for support, not because one of us would outlive the other and then live on with the other’sheart.”
“But now, we’re truly soulmates,” she says. “You’ll have a part of my soul with you long after I’m gone. What are friends for,Ari?”
“If I make it that long, I promise you I will always take care of your heart, as if it were myown.”
“I know you will, and you will makeit.”
“The doctor said I probably don’t have more than a year,” I tellher.
“When did that happen? Why didn’t you tell me?” Ellie scoldsme.
“Yesterday at my appointment. I was going to tell you but I’ve beendigesting.”
“Well, I have six months to go. That’s half of a year. Hold on,okay?”
“I’ll try, but I’d rather you make it through childbirth and be this baby’s mom,” I tell her, reaching out and placing my hand on herstomach.
“We don’t have choices, Ari. We can only makeplans.”
