Logan's Story: A Sand & Clay Prequel

by Sarah Robinson

  “There is nothing new with your mom’s condition since we are still waiting for an available kidney. Honestly, she won’t be able to be off that machine until then because her only remaining kidney after the accident has been overworked and is only at 5% functioning, if not less.” The doctor looked down at his chart as if to verify what he was saying, but in reality, he just hated seeing pain on people’s face.

  “Oh.” Logan mustered up after a moment of silence and ran his hand through his hair, looking bewildered.

  “Unfortunately, I am here on slightly different news. Your father’s blood test was negative. We checked it again, like he asked, but it’s definitely negative.” The look of pity on the doctor’s face made Logan’s stomach churn.

  “What are you talking about? What’s wrong with my dad?” Logan was confused as to what blood test his father needed.

  “Nothing, he is perfectly healthy. His blood just isn’t a match for donating a kidney to your mother. I am really sorry, I know how badly he wanted it to be but it’s just not a viable option.” The doctor explained further.

  “Test me. Please test me. Right now. Where do I go?” Logan immediately understood and jumped at the opportunity.

  “Well, hold on, sir. This isn’t something that you just jump into. There are a lot of risks in that procedure. If you are a match and you decide to donate your kidney, you are risking being in her same situation in ten, twenty, thirty years.

  It’s impossible to predict but it is very risky, just like any elective surgery would be. It’s not something that you can go back and change either. Once it’s done, it’s done and you will be walking around with one kidney for the rest of your life.” The doctor put one hand up as if to caution Logan from any rash impulse he might be having.

  “I don’t care, I understand. Just test me. Like you said, the worst case scenario is that I’m not a match.” Logan said.

  “Well, no, the worst case scenario is that you are a match, you donate your kidney, and then you end up in the same or worse situation as your mother. I don’t think you are hearing what I am telling you.” The doctor tried to reiterate his concerns.

  “What’s going on?” Dylan Moore walked into the hospital room unexpectedly to see the tension between Logan and the doctor. He went to stand next to Logan facing the doctor. Rock and Charlie appeared behind him and hovered in the doorway, arms across their chests, looking like body guards ready to protect and defend.

  “I want them to test my blood, see if I am a match to donate a kidney to Mom. Doc here doesn’t think it’s a good idea because I could in thirty years be in the same predicament.” Logan told him as he gestured to his mother still asleep. The pain medications she had been given not to long before that had a strong sedative effect.

  “Test mine too.” Dylan said, staring down the doctor and daring him to refuse. The doctor sighed and raised his hands in defeat. Rock and Charlie traded glances then stepped further into the room.

  “Alright, we will test you both. However, if one of you is a match, we will need to discuss the long term consequences. You’re both young, healthy men right now and this could change that.” The doctor warned, looking sideways at the two hulking men who were now joining Dylan and Logan.

  “I understand.” Dylan said simply, as if it was not a big deal at all.

  “Me too.” Logan chimed in.

  “I do, too.” Rock said, putting a hand on Logan’s shoulder in solidarity.

  “Same here.” Charlie spoke up.

  “All four of you want to be tested?” An incredulous look on the doctor’s face. Logan looked to his left and Dylan nodded his head at him, he then looked to his right and saw the determined looks on Charlie and Rock’s faces.

  “It looks like it.” Logan told the doctor.

  “Alright, I will send a nurse in to draw your blood in a moment. Just sit tight.” With that final instruction, the doctor walked out of the hospital room, shaking his head in frustration.

  “Do you mean this, guys? You don’t have to do this. None of you. She’s not your mom, this should be my responsibility.” Logan said, rubbing the back of his neck and scrunching his eyebrows together as he looked from one friend to another.

  “Okay, first of all, the fuck she’s not. That woman raised me a lot more than any other woman on this planet. Do you know where the fuck my mother is?” Dylan asked him. Logan chuckled and shook his head, knowing that Dylan’s mother had been in prison for years. They tried to joke about it a lot but mostly because it didn’t seem like Dylan was ever ready to talk about it.

  “Yeah, exactly. That’s what I thought. So, then second, fuck yeah if you are a match that kidney is coming out of your gut, not mine. You can take that to the bank, kid.” Dylan grinned and punched Logan softly on the left side of his chest.

  “Hell yeah, I agree with Dylan, and have you ever had your momma’s shepherd’s pie? Yeah, I’d give a lot more than one damn kidney to keep having that for the rest of my life.” Rock smiled from ear to ear and squeezed Logan’s shoulder as he started walking out of the room.

  “What do I need two kidney’s for anyway? It’s not like you bastards don’t always make me the fucking designated driver anyway, so I’m certainly not using my kidney as much as your piss drunk asses. I spend half my night waiting for you jackasses to piss and the other half trying to get your stumbling ass in the car.” Charlie jabbed at his friend, giggling.

  All four men started laughing hard and then realized that they were still very close to his mother, so they crept out of the room to wait in the hallway. Logan’s phone immediately began buzzing the moment he had stepped out and he quickly scooped it out of his pocket to answer it.

  “Hello?”

  “Mr. Clay? This is Garrett Vile calling from New York New Music. You left so quickly yesterday that I didn’t get to hear your answer.” Garrett said over the phone.

  “My answer to what?” Logan scratched his brain but couldn’t recall whatever Garrett was referring to.

  “The record contract, of course. Didn’t Gina go over it with you?” Garrett sounded a bit irritated now.

  “Oh, no. I didn’t give her the chance to, my mother got sick and I had to rush back home.” Logan said, covering for Gina. He was still furious at her, but he saw how much her father’s approval had meant to her and, for once, that was something he could relate to.

  “Oh, shit, sorry to hear that, son. Well, if you’ve got a minute, I can go over the terms with you right now?” He asked.

  “Uhm, yeah sure. Let’s hear it!” Logan motioned with excitement for his friends to come listen to the conversation. They huddled close on one side of the hospital hallways as he put the call on speaker phone and held the phone out so everyone could hear.

  “The contract is for six years, a million dollars a year flat salary, after taxes. You will be required to do at least three full albums during that time and you will receive forty percent of the royalties from that. We will want to do a tour probably every year but there is some wiggle room on that.

  You will also get five percent of all ticket sales. Merchandise is ten percent. There are a lot more, minor details which I can scan over and email to you right now, but that’s the major highlights. How do you think that sounds?” Garrett held his breath, waiting for an answer.

  Dylan’s face was so ecstatic, he was almost jumping up and down in excitement. Charlie looked stunned and Rock was grinning like they had all just won the lottery. Logan was lightheaded and found a chair nearby to sit in as his mind wrapped around everything he had just heard. He looked around at his friends who were all genuinely excited for him. The overwhelming feeling of support laid heavy on his chest and he owed these men for any musical success he would ever have. This would change his life. This would change everything.

  He felt his mind slipping to Gina for a few moments, wishing she were here to share in this excitement with him. At least the Gina that he had known and loved, not the real Gina. He didn’t even know who th
e real Gina was. It had all been an act and yet here he was feeling like something was missing, like she was missing. Logan pushed those thoughts out of his mind and focused his gaze back on the phone in front of him.

  “Well, Logan, how does that sound?” Garrett asked again, having heard no response. Logan sat up abruptly, realizing he had completely forgotten to reply in all his excitement.

  “It sounds amazing, sir. I can’t wait!” Logan said eagerly.

  “Good. Glad to have you on board. Lawyers will send over the paperwork shortly. Make sure to have your lawyer look it over and send it back. Once all that is squared away, Logan Clay, New York New Music will officially become your representative.” He concluded.

  “Thank you, sir. This is amazing news.” Logan gushed, unable to hold back his eagerness as much as he tried. His friends were high-fiving one another and smacking him on the back in triumph.

  “Get ready to be a star, Logan Clay.” Garrett said as he hung up.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  “I really wish you boys had talked to me about it before you did that.” Laura sighed and rubbed her fingers over her eyes.

  Everyone was crowded into the hospital room the following day, awaiting the results of their blood tests. Mickey was in a plastic covered arm chair pushed up against her bed, holding her hand. Rock and Dylan were sitting in two folding chairs off to his left and Charlie was leaning against the wall near the door. Logan was seated at the foot of the bed, rubbing his mother’s leg to help her circulation.

  “You would have just said no.” Logan retorted, shrugging his shoulders.

  “Damn right she would have said no.” Mickey grumbled and glared at his son.

  “Momma Clay, you don’t need to worry about any of us. We are not the little boys that ran around your backyard playing all day anymore.” Rock said, a softness in his voice that was very unusual.

  “Yeah, we are all smart and edu-ma-cated now.” Charlie slowly and purposefully mispronounced the word, teasing her. She grinned at them, tears flooding her eyes.

  “My boys. You may be all grown up now and three or four times my size, but you will always be my boys.” Laura sighed and smiled at each one of them. Mickey rolled his eyes and grumbled something inaudible, which caused all the men to burst out laughing. Laura squeezed her husband’s hand and wrinkled her nose at him in jest.

  “Are we celebrating something in here?” A nurse smiled at them as she waltzed in and picked up the clipboard hanging at the end of Laura’s bed.

  “Oh, yes. We are always celebrating but today is special. Today, my boys are men.” Laura smiled at her.

  “All these boys your sons? Man, you must have had your hands full. I have one boy right now and Lord knows that is enough for me.” The nurse chuckled and pressed some buttons on the machine, writing down numbers on the chart.

  “Every single one of them.” Laura grinned back at her and all the boys nodded in agreement, smiling back.

  “Well, you have yourself a beautiful family, ma’am. Your doctor is over in the next room finishing up, so he’ll be here soon.” The nurse gave them one last smile as she exited the room.

  “We should have told her that the real celebration is Logan here. Soon, we can all say that we know a celebrity!” Rock chuckled, pointing at Logan with a smirk on his face. Logan just rolled his eyes.

  “Hell yeah, plus we will have the hook up to front row tickets for the hottest shows in town!” Dylan said, looking at Logan with exaggerated seriousness.

  “Dude, it’s a record deal but that doesn’t mean I will become famous.” Logan responded, annoyed and trying to hide a grin.

  “The fuck it don’t! You are going to make over seven fucking figures a year!” Charlie burst into the conversation from his place by the door.

  “Hey, you watch your mouth around a lady, son!” Mickey abruptly cut in. Charlie put his hands up and mouthed “I’m sorry” to Laura who was laughing.

  “Well I can tell you now, the moment I get my first check, Momma, you’re getting out of this place. The nicest place we can find, with at least six windows. With room service. And a butler.” Logan said, playing into their joke even though they all knew that he was serious. Laura laughed again at his comment.

  “I knew you could do it, Logan.” Laura said to him.

  “We all knew he could do it. It was convincing him that was the problem.” Dylan said with a hint of sarcasm.

  “Never a doubt in my mind.” Mickey said quietly. The entire room went silent and looked at him. It wasn’t often that you heard a compliment from Mickey Clay and Logan was soaking in every minute of it.

  “Knock, knock.” The same doctor from the other day said, awkwardly standing in the door wearing the same scrubs and coat.

  “Come on in, doctor! Ignore these boys.” Laura said, smiling. He walked in hesitantly and looked down at his clipboard.

  “Well, I’ve got good news and bad news I guess, depending on how you look at it.” The doctor started, causing everyone to lean forward and scoot to the edge of their seat.

  “Let’s hear it.” Logan said after an uncomfortable pause where everyone glanced around, unsure of what to say.

  “We tested Mickey’s blood the other day and it wasn’t a match. We tested all four of you and unfortunately, none of you were a match.” The doctor said looking up from his chart briefly.

  “None of us?” Rock’s jaw dropped.

  “Out of all five of us men, not a single one was viable?” Charlie was incredulous. Logan looked silently at the doctor, his jaw rigid and angry in frustration. He felt his mother let out a quiet sigh so he reached up and squeezed her hand.

  “You said you had good news too, doctor. But so far, all I heard was a ton of shit.” Mickey said loudly, glaring at the doctor. Everyone turned to look at Mickey in surprise and then looked back at the doctor, awaiting his response.

  “Yes, there was one match and she has already signed all the paperwork, agreeing to the donation. So, we can schedule the surgery for this afternoon if you are ready, Laura.” The doctor said directly to Logan’s mother. The entire room was silent and everyone was looking around at one another in utter confusion.

  “You just said there wasn’t a match.” Logan inquired, his hand holding his chin as he furrowed his brow and tried to understand what the doctor was saying.

  “Yes, none of you five were a match but we did have one match. A, uh,” He lifted up one of the papers on the clipboard to double check, “Gina Vile. She was a match and she is being prepped now. So, we are ready to go, Mrs. Clay, if you are.”

  “What are you talking about? I don’t know who that person is.” Laura sputtered in confusion while Logan stood straight up, his face beat red.

  “Gina?” Logan spat out, barely breathing.

  “Wait, Logan’s girl, Gina?” Dylan stepped forward.

  “Wow, I didn’t know that she got tested.” Charlie said slowly.

  “You have a girlfriend, Logan?” Mickey was now standing and the entire room was firing questions back and forth in utter chaos.

  “Everyone, stop!” Logan shouted and the room fell silent. He looked around at everyone, while the doctor cleared his throat.

  “I’m just going to go. If you want to see her, she is being prepped in OR 3.” The doctor looked uncomfortable and backed out of the room quickly. Everyone’s eyes turned to Logan whose hands were on his forehead, trying to sort out in his head everything that he had just hurt.

  “So, your girlfriend wants to donate a kidney to me? Why did we not even know you had a girlfriend?” Laura broke the silence quietly, speaking slowly.

  “I broke up with her in New York. She wasn’t honest about who she was, she only started dating me to convince me to take the record deal.” Logan tried to explain.

  “Well, didn’t you already want the record deal?” Charlie asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Yeah, of course.” Logan replied.

  “Then, what convincing did she need to do?�
�� Dylan asked, poking holes in his logic and making Logan think back on his time with her.

  “Did you guys only talk about the record deal? Because you were a different person around her, you seemed so happy.” Rock said, his voice low.

  “No, we never really talked about it.” Logan said slowly.

  “Why did you break up with her, son?” His father finally chimed in. Logan hung his head and sighed. All of the reasons he had weren’t making sense anymore, or they just didn’t seem as important.

  “Shit.” Logan muttered to himself.

  “Logan, go talk to her, baby. But for God’s sake, do not let this woman give me her kidney. I never even met her and my son has been a complete ass to her. That poor girl.” Laura smiled at him, teasing him slightly in an attempt to lighten the mood. Logan tried to smile back but it was forced. He headed out of the room, feeling all eyes on his back.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Gina sat on the awkward operating table that was surprisingly narrower than she had expected and listened to the nurse standing in front of her, explaining how the procedure would go and what would happen each step of the way. It was probably the third time she had heard the entire spiel today but they told her that with a volunteer operation like hers, they had to make sure again and again that she knew what she was doing. Although it sounded a whole lot more like they were trying to give her time to back out.

  That was definitely not going to happen. Gina thought to herself as she tucked her hospital gown a little tighter, feeling strange that soon she would be lying naked on a table for a room full of doctors and nurses and who knows who else to see her. She glanced around at several trays filled with vacuum sealed medical instruments and gulped, pushing her nerves down at the sight of the sharp scalpels.

  “Do you understand everything I have just explained?” The nurse finally asked and Gina nodded her head yes.

  “I need to hear you say that you do or do not understand, miss.” The nurse badgered her.