Chapter 2

Around one a.m., my blood pressure had dropped to 76 over 48.

Bianca stared at the readings for a moment, then wheeled a chair right up to my bed.

"Come on. If we make you wait any longer, you could die."

When she helped me up, black spots were already dancing before my eyes. We had barely left the maternity ward when Mom came hurrying toward us from the other end of the hall.

"Where are you going?" Mom asked.

"I'm taking her for blood tests and a bedside ultrasound," Bianca replied.

Mom's expression darkened when she saw the word "urgent" on the request form. "Who approved this?"

Bianca was stunned by her question. "Her blood pressure is low enough to put her in shock. Who else needs to approve this?"

"Other patients don't, but Winona does." Mom took the form from Bianca. "Everyone knows she's my daughter. If I personally approve an urgent request for her now, all my efforts to avoid showing favoritism will have been for nothing."

Bianca stared at her in disbelief. "Dr. Gibson, any other mother with blood pressure this low would already be in the resuscitation room. Are you saying Ms. Winona can't go just because she's your daughter?"

Mom pressed her lips together and said nothing.

I tugged at her sleeve. "Mom, I'm in so much pain."

She looked down at me, and for a moment, I saw a hint of concern in her eyes.

But in the end, she only crouched down and stroked my cheek.

"Winona, it's not that I don't care about you, but Natalie grew up without her birth parents. Her biggest fear is that we'd claim to treat you both equally, only to favor our own biological child when it really matters. You're different from her. You know your dad and I will always love you."

I had heard those words all my life, and they used to make me feel safe.

This time, as I stared at the request form in her hand with the urgent status scratched out, I wondered for the first time if being loved forever was really a good thing.

The test results came back half an hour later. My hemoglobin had dropped dangerously low.

To make matters worse, the blood bank's refrigeration system had failed. They could only provide two units of emergency red blood cells.

Bianca grabbed the results and rushed over. "Prepare the blood for Ms. Winona Graham first. She's still bleeding!"

The blood had barely reached the doorway when the nurses brought Natalie back.

She had been halfway through her transfer when something happened with her baby. She had refused to leave, so they brought her back.

When she heard about the blood transfusion, Natalie immediately shook her head. "Give it to Winona. I don't need it. I'm just anemic. The doctors said I'm fine."

As she spoke, she even tried to push the blood bags toward me.

Mom stopped her. "Look at you, doing this again."

Natalie froze.

Mom's eyes were filled with tears. "From the day you joined our family, you've given everything to Winona. Natalie, you don't have to be so careful around us. We didn't take you in so you'd have to worry about pleasing everyone."

"But Winona's blood count…"

"Winona still needs more tests," Dad said.

He had arrived at some point, too. He glanced at the test results and told the nurses to take the blood to Natalie instead.

Bianca slapped the paperwork down on the table in a fit of rage. "Ms. Winona's blood pressure is in the 70s! What more do you need to check?"

Dad's expression darkened. "We can't bend the rules for family. Natalie's records show she has anemia, and she clearly needs a blood transfusion. Let's go by the facts."

I watched helplessly as both bags of blood were wheeled away.

Elijah came out of the operating room just then. When he saw me staring after the blood bags, he crouched beside me and held my hand.

"Don't hold it against Natalie. She doesn't even want the blood herself."

It took me a while to process what he had said. "I'm not holding it against her."

"Good." Elijah let out a sigh of relief. "Natalie's already feeling sensitive today. If Ian and Marsha gave you the blood first, she'll say she's fine, but it'll still hurt her."

I looked at him. "But I need the blood, too."

Elijah froze for a second, but soon smiled and patted my head.

"I know. I'll personally make sure you get your share when the next batch arrives. You won't be short by even one bag."

Bianca heard every word.

Then she suddenly asked him, "Dr. Colton, let me ask you something. Imagine the woman lying here isn't your wife but a patient you've never met. With her blood pressure at 76 and hemoglobin this low, would you dare make her wait?"

Elijah's smile slowly faded away.

For a long time, he said nothing.