They Gave The Good Match To Her And A Replacement To Me novel · Chapter 13 of 24

Chapter 13: Weeks, Not Months

The lamp came on behind me.

"You're meant to be in the bathroom, darling," Diane said.

She stood in the study doorway with one hand on the switch and the other held out, palm up, for the folder.

I did not.

"Six of six," I said. "Donor, T. Dudley."

"Sit down, Molly."

"Friday. Before she hears anything more. Keep her calm." I held the page up. "That's your handwriting."

"It is."

She said it without any shame at all.

She shut the door and crossed the room and sat in her husband's chair, and she folded her hands on the blotter.

"You found me because of a blood test," I said.

"I found you because you are my daughter."

"Three weeks ago. After twenty-four years. And the first night, he took my blood."

"Yes."

"Say why."

Diane looked at me for a long time.

Then she said, quite simply, "Because Sylvie is going to die."

I had known it since the page.

It was different, hearing it said in that warm voice.

"Her kidney is failing," she said. "Richard gave her the first one when she was twelve, and it has done what it could. The doctors give her weeks. Not months. There is no list long enough, and there is no donor in the world who matches her the way you do."

"So you gave me a husband and a dress and a ring."

"I gave you a family."

"You gave me a deadline."

"I gave you a reason to stay in the house until it was safe to ask you." She leaned forward. "I would have asked you in the first week, Molly. I wanted to. Richard wanted to. But girls like you, with no family, learn to be suspicious of kindness. I did not think you would say yes to a woman who needed something."

← Chapter 12 · All chapters · Chapter 14 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend