“I didn’t know—”
“You didn’t ask!” I shot back, my tone sharp and cutting. “That’s the problem… you don’t think! You just act on impulse and expect everybody else to pick up the pieces!”
Tears began to fill her eyes, threatening to spill over. “I was trying to fix things—”
“You broke things!” I retaliated, my voice rising further. “You broke the one thing I had that could’ve saved him without me risking everything!”
She froze, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. “What?”
I shook my head, anger spilling over now, a torrent of words bursting forth. “That money was for Kyrin’s surgery!" I explained, my voice sharp and trembling with raw emotion. “For his heart… for his life.”
Her face went pale, the realization crashing down around her. “No…” she whispered, disbelief saturating her tone. “No, I didn’t—”
“Exactly! You didn’t know because you didn’t care enough to ask or be around long enough to understand what was happening! I had to put my life on the line to get that money! Do you understand that?! I had to do things I never thought I’d do just to make sure my brother had a chance at life!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, each one a testament to her regret.
“I didn’t know,” she cried. "I swear I didn’t know."
“And that’s supposed to make it better, Vanessa?” I countered, my voice thick with emotion.
She fell silent, unable to respond, because she simply couldn’t.
I took a step back, shaking my head in disbelief. “You know what hurts the most?” I added, my voice trembling as the vulnerability crept in. “It’s the fact that you had every opportunity to be part of this, and you chose to disappear instead. You kept choosing yourself over us."
Her lips quivered as she struggled to articulate her thoughts. “I was thinking about us—”
“No,” I cut in firmly. “You were thinking about what felt good in that moment. I can’t forgive that… not right now. And don’t say nothing else to me today… not after what I’ve been dealing with just to get him in that room.”
She broke completely then, crying, but I was done.
“Enjoy the house,” I said, my voice cold as I made my way toward the door. “Because chances are, you’re going to be the only one living in it.”
With nothing else to say, I stepped out, leaving her alone in that sterile space, frustrated and anguished, as I carried every last fragment of my peace with me.
The damn nerve of her to steal money for a house when her son needed a heart. A house doesn’t make it a home, and Kyrin is home.
Seven long hours dragged by in the waiting room, a cycle of anxiety and hope swirling within me. When the surgeon finally walked through those doors, my entire being fell still.
Dr. Vega pulled down his surgical mask, the crease of his brow indicating the strain of the long day. “The surgery was successful.”
A rush of relief overwhelmed me, and as I wiped my eyes, I suddenly realized I was crying.
Lainey, who had been quietly supportive throughout the ordeal, gently squeezed my hand. “Ajori, breathe.”
“He’s stable,” Dr. Vega continued. “The heart responded well to the procedure. He’s in recovery now. You can see him shortly,but just one visitor at a time, and please try to space it out so he’s not overwhelmed.”
My head bobbed up and down in quick acknowledgment as I hastily brushed the tears from my cheeks, desperate to regain my composure.
“Thank you,” I murmured, the words tumbling from my lips, almost like a prayer, “Thank you so much.”
Vanessa stepped closer, her demeanor cautious yet warm, as she placed a supportive hand gently on my arm. “Go ahead. You should see him first. If anyone deserves to be by his side, it’s you. I know he’s going to want to see your face first when he wakes up.”
I wanted to argue or at least voice my concerns, but I was too mentally exhausted to go back and forth with her again that day. I was so happy that Kyrin had made it through his surgery unscathed and could still be with us.
When they finally gave me the green light to enter Kyrin’s recovery room, I took a moment to gather myself.
I wasn’t afraid of losing him anymore; rather, I was consumed by the fear of seeing him in such a vulnerable state.
