The Deadline (The Friessens: A New Beginning)

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  Andy tried to look happy for Neil, but he couldn’t shake the worry that was still hanging over him. He knew that until Gabriel was wheeled back into this room, he’d continue to worry. “She’s getting comfortable around the babies? That’s great. Are you planning on adopting?”

  “We’ve talked about it, and I’m checking out our options. There’s a really long wait list to adopt, and I always wanted a child that was mine. I’m just happy Candy is having fun with your babies, that’s she’s getting comfortable. I was starting to worry I’d never convince her she’d be a great mother, but I knew she would. She was terrified of children. It took me a while to realize how scared she was, but she was afraid because she had never held a baby or a child,” Neil said with humor. Just then, Laura wandered in through the open door.

  “Are they doing the procedure?” Andy asked from the stuffed vinyl chair he’d become well acquainted with.

  “Yeah, they’re doing it now. They said it wouldn’t be long.”

  Andy held out his hand to Laura, and she went right to him, sliding onto his lap, resting her head on his shoulder.

  “Oh God, I think I could go to sleep here,” she said.

  Andy set his arms around her, running his hand up her legs and over her butt in the skinny blue jeans that made her look so incredibly hot. He rested his head on top of hers and took in Neil watching them.

  “I told you to stop worrying,” Neil said. “You’re home free. Why don’t I go and grab coffee for everyone?”

  There was some activity outside the room, a doctor and a couple of nurses talking, and Andy couldn’t help but notice the way they glanced into the room. An older man who Andy guessed was in his fifties, of average shape and height, with light hair and a mustache, tapped on the door. He had on a white doctor’s coat, a shirt, and a tie.

  “Mister Friessen?” He stepped into the room, and he had that look of authority about him that had Andy’s heart hammering. The man glanced from Neil to Andy.

  Laura started to sit up, but Andy kept his hands around her, holding her on his lap. “Yes, I’m Andy Friessen.”

  “I’m Chief Burns. Could I have a word with you, please?” He wasn’t asking, he was ordering, and anyone listening could have figured that much out.

  “Did something happen with Gabriel?” Laura stammered, and Andy could feel her shaking.

  “No, your son is fine.” He stepped further into the room and then gestured to the door. “We should speak outside, or can we talk here?” He gestured to Neil.

  “This is my cousin Neil. Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of him.”

  The man nodded and closed the door. “Very well. We seem to have a problem. Did you know the donor is a minor?” the doctor said rather brusquely.

  Of course he knew. He just couldn’t believe they’d found out. How? Andy’s adrenaline shot up, but he somehow managed to hold it together. He didn’t move, just stared at the doctor and then slowly looked over to Neil, who stood with his arms crossed, wearing the best damn poker face ever.

  He just prayed Laura wouldn’t say anything. He squeezed her hand, and when she looked at him, he took in all the worry and fear, his worst nightmare, mirrored in her eyes.

  “From what I understand, the donor is your brother, Missus Friessen,” Chief Burns said. At least he was being polite to Laura.

  He watched her swallow, and she started to shake her head. Andy linked his fingers with hers.

  “Look, he’s almost eighteen,” Laura blurted out. “Just let it go.”

  “Laura,” Andy said in warning, hoping she understood.

  “Andy, what now? Did they finish the procedure?” She was frantic. Hell, even he was a mess, but he wasn’t about to lose it, not now. One of them needed a clear head.

  The doctor crossed his arms and looked from one to the other. “Do you have any idea what kind of position you’ve put this hospital in, the lawsuit you’ve opened us up to? No, I stopped it.”

  “Fuck!” Andy yelled as he stood up, holding Laura and then setting her down. “Why would you stop it?”

  Neil just shut his eyes, holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger and shaking his head.

  They had almost been safe. They’d met the deadline. Everything had fallen into place—everything except the awful feeling that had been poking him over and over. He’d ignored it, and it was now glaring at him from the across the room, biting them in the ass.

  “Seriously, Mister Friessen? You were complicit in obtaining an illegal sample that can’t be used without parental consent, which we do not have, and Doctor Siegel…well, I’ll be talking with him. If due diligence hadn’t been done by one of the clerks in recordkeeping―”

  “A clerk in this hospital is responsible for this?” Andy was furious, and the chief didn’t appear to be amused by his outburst. Andy looked to Neil and back at the chief. “You’re telling me some person in your clerical department decided to play junior detective and, what, they get off on fucking up kids’ lives?”

  “This isn’t about a clerk. This is about what you did, and Doctor Siegel could be in serious trouble for ordering the procedure done,” Chief Burns snapped.

  Laura was frantic. Neil hadn’t moved or said anything since the bomb had been dropped on them.

  “So what now? You have a perfectly good sample that will save Gabriel’s life,” Neil said, gesturing as if this was a no-brainer. It was, with Andy, anyway.

  “What we have is a sample we can’t use. It will stay frozen, and Gabriel will be brought back up to this room to wait until there’s a match. He’s one little boy, and I’m sorry, but I will not jeopardize this hospital and the patients in it,” Chief Burns said. He didn’t speak in a booming voice, but it was direct and deep, and Andy knew the man couldn’t be swayed. He was the law here, and he was what stood between saving Gabriel’s life and ending it. “One more thing, Mister Friessen: You are not the legal guardian for Gabriel, which has also been brought to my attention. You married the lad’s mother, but he’s not your son, and you don’t have the authority to make medical decisions on his behalf.”

  This was going from bad to worse.

  “What? Andy is his father,” Laura said. “He married me because of Gabriel. He loves him, he loves us…Andy, what are we going to do?”

  “Laura, stop it,” Andy said, taking her arm and holding her to his side.

  “I’m not completely insensitive, so there will be a meeting this afternoon in the hospital boardroom, and I’ve invited all relevant parties to end this dispute,” Chief Burns said. “I suggest, in the meantime, you figure out a way to resolve this peaceably with the people involved.” He waited a minute and took them all in before pulling open the door and leaving.

  All Andy could think of was that there was right, and there was wrong—and what they were doing was so very wrong.

  Chapter 31

  What could Andy do when people he didn’t know were standing between him and his child’s wellbeing?

  He had gone home, showered, and changed, taking a minute to look over his babies, who were sleeping peacefully in their crib. These were his babies, and, legally, he had a voice. No one could tell him that he couldn’t make decisions on their behalf. His lungs hurt, as if glass was scraping his insides every time he took a breath. He couldn’t comprehend that others could decide what was best for Gabriel.

  Maybe picking up and moving to Montana, to a county that didn’t know him and didn’t know the Friessen name, hadn’t been such a brilliant idea after all. He wondered, as he slid his hand over Jeremy and then Chelsea, sleeping in the other crib, how a parent could stand in the way of someone trying to help another child.

  “You all right?” Candy was in the doorway behind him. She had smoky dark eyes and long, dark hair, a sensual look about her that was different than that of the doe-eyed bride he’d first met when Neil had been about to marry her. Then, she’d been terrified of her own shadow, afraid of all the babies and children running around.
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br />   “I never thanked you for jumping on a plane with my cousin and coming out to help us,” Andy said, starting out of the bedroom. Candy stepped back to allow him to pass and followed him into the living room. She was a very attractive woman, wearing a tight brown sweater and blue jeans, his cousin’s rock on her finger.

  “Of course we’d come. Neil got your call, and, being married to a Friessen, you learn fast enough. It was a little intimidating, at first, how you all have each other’s backs. I’m sorry about what happened. Neil called, told me. He said Gabriel is back in his room, resting, and Laura is with him.”

  Andy nodded, swallowing and pushing up the sleeves of his light blue knit sweater.

  “What time is this meeting?” Candy asked.

  “Soon.” Andy glanced at his watch. For the life of him, he hadn’t figured out what to do. Of course, his lawyer was ready to file a motion and an emergency hearing, but he really didn’t want to go that route unless he had to. “This is the first time in my life that I feel everything is stacked against us,” he said. He leaned on the window and looked out at the barren grass and debris he still needed to deal with.

  “Well, you’re emotionally involved. It’s hard to be objective from where you are.” Candy moved into his line of sight. She crossed her arms, and he wondered what it was about her that made her seem so innocent and experienced all at the same time.

  “So, from your perspective, how would you handle this?” he asked. Right about now, any advice would be welcome if it would get Gabriel his transplant.

  “Well, you have a mother who is strong willed and determined, and her husband has no voice. She has to make all the decisions and needs to have that control to feel wanted and needed.”

  “That makes no sense. How could Laura’s mother be that unreasonable?”

  “It makes perfect sense, Andy. Every woman wants to know a man can make a decision and will have her back, will respect her. When she has to be the strong one, it takes over. You need to let Laura’s mother know you have her back. You need to speak with her alone, to be respectful, is my guess. And Tyler, well, I can only assume this is all about his guilt and what he did to Laura. You need to talk to him, get him to understand, let him see how Gabriel is better off with you.”

  “Well, that’s easier said than done,” Andy said. He pushed away from the window and took in Candy, a woman he barely knew. “Thank you, Candy.”

  He started to the door, lifting his coat from the chair and sliding it on, and then headed outside.

  ****

  “Where’s Andy?” Laura said. She was sweating as she paced outside the board room. Doctor Siegel had already appeared, levelled his frosty gaze on her, and then disappeared into the chief’s office.

  Neil was staring at his phone, thumbing through the screen, and he glanced up when someone walked by. “He’ll be here. Don’t worry.”

  “Neil, what are we going to do?” She touched her damp forehead and then jumped when a familiar voice called out behind her.

  “Hello, Laura,” her mother said. She was wearing a mousy brown coat, her cropped hair framing her oval face. She looked determined. Behind her strode George, his hands in his pockets. Laura was surprised to see her brother with them, and his face was flushed rosy pink. He mouthed to her with a pained, wide-eyed look, “I’m sorry.”

  “Laura,” said Tyler as he came from the other way, his mother beside him. Both of them carried their coats and were dressed in light sweaters, everyone looking neat and tidy.

  Everyone converged and stopped just outside the boardroom, looking at each other. It was Tyler’s mother who took in Laura’s mother and said, “Sue, nice to see you again. Unusual circumstances.”

  Neil was watching everyone, and he carefully pocketed his phone. Laura fisted her damp hands at her sides.

  “Mom, I can’t believe you would actually put a stop to this. My son needs that transplant to survive. I knew you hated me, but I didn’t realize you hated me so much that you would hurt my innocent little boy, who has done nothing to you!”

  The look Sue levelled on Laura was frosty, chilling. If Laura hadn’t been so close to losing it, she would have taken a step back.

  Neil moved forward. “My name is Neil Friessen. I’m Laura’s husband’s cousin. My wife and I flew out to help once we heard Gabriel was so sick, and we’ll stay here to support Laura and Andy as their family. You must be Laura’s father, George.” Neil actually reached out and took Sue’s hand, which startled her, before reaching for her father’s. “Brian, Laura has told me a lot about you. Tyler, Nancy, it’s good that everyone could meet.”

  “So where is your so-called husband, Laura, who is responsible for all this? He left you to clean it up, didn’t he?” Sue said. The way she spoke felt like a slap to Laura.

  “I’m right here, Sue,” Andy said, stepping beside Laura and sliding his arm around her. “I’m sorry. I’ve been living day and night at the hospital. I slipped home to shower.”

  No one said anything. Neil cleared his throat.

  The chief’s door opened, and the older man who had arranged all this stepped out, Doctor Siegel with him. “Folks, is everyone here?” He took in all of them as if he was counting.

  Doctor Siegel started into the empty boardroom, flicking the light on and taking a seat at the end of the table. Everyone else filed in. Laura sat beside Andy, Neil on her other side. Tyler and his mother took a spot beside the doctor, while Brian, George, and Sue took up the other end of the table. The chief closed the door and stood at the head, taking them all in.

  “I’ve scheduled this meeting to resolve some things. First, just so everyone is clear, the hospital and Doctor Siegel were in no way aware that Brian was underage.”

  “This was entirely on me,” Andy said, putting it out there in a strong, clear voice that let everyone know he wasn’t ashamed of what he’d done. “This is my kid. I love him more than my next breath, and I’d sell my own soul to give Gabriel a chance to live. It’s what a father does for his child. A father will sacrifice everything for his kid and will put his kid before his own ego, before everything. All I’m asking, begging, is that each of you give this five-year-old boy a chance to live. He’s sweet, and he loves his baby brother and sister and his pony, and he just needs a chance to grow up, to date, to learn to drive and get his first car, to fall in love and get married…”

  Laura was stunned by the passion in Andy’s voice as he pleaded.

  “But you’re not his father,” Nancy said. “You may have married Laura, but Tyler is his father. I’m his grandmother. Sue, you’re his grandmother. How do you have any rights here at all?”

  Laura could sense all the egos and ruffled feathers in that moment, which could turn this meeting into a free-for-all. That wouldn’t be good for Gabriel.

  “Fine, Nancy, so what is your agenda here?” Andy said. “What exactly are you trying to do to help Gabriel?” He leaned onto the table and waited for her to respond.

  She opened her mouth to speak and then looked to Tyler. “Well, we wouldn’t be lying and sneaking around, stealing a minor’s bone marrow.”

  “So you’re more interested in letting Gabriel die?” Andy was so blunt that his words cut into Laura like a dull knife, digging into her heart. She didn’t know if she could take it.

  “Of course not. We don’t want him to die, but there’s a better way to do this,” she said. When Laura looked, she realized Tyler was watching her in a way she couldn’t understand.

  “Folks, this isn’t getting us anywhere,” the chief said.

  “No, it’s not, but I think Sue and Nancy have some things they need to say,” Andy said, gesturing to both of them.

  Sue was quiet at the end of the table, taking in Nancy and then Tyler.

  “Folks, just so you understand, there is a deadline that happens with the type of leukemia Gabriel has. He’s already been through two courses of chemotherapy to destroy the cancer cells, and with it his immune system. He has mouth sores, diarrhea,
and what he manages to eat, he can’t keep down. His little body is in agony, and he’s fighting to stay alive. His hair is falling out and will continue to, which is minor, but he’s handling it,” Doctor Siegel said.

  “In order to survive, he needs a bone marrow transplant, but it can’t be from anyone. He needs a perfect tissue match that you can only get from family. Donor banks can rarely provide that, and only seventy percent of patients who need a bone marrow transplant get the perfect match. It’s not as easy as you think. There’s no match for Gabriel in the donor bank, and there’s only one match we’ve discovered for Gabriel. That is Brian,” Doctor Siegel said. He was poised in his seat, taking every one of them in. “I’m not saying what was done was right, by Brian or Andy, who were both working together to make this happen, but I can’t believe that anyone in this room would willingly prevent this little boy from getting better.”

  Sue and George were quiet at the end of the table, and Brian slouched in the chair between them. “I may be only seventeen, but, Mom, if you don’t allow my bone marrow to be used to save Gabriel, I’ll never forgive you. I will go to court, and I’ll ask that a judge take away your right as a parent to make any decisions for me,” Brian said.

  Andy could have kicked Brian if he was closer, because he could see Sue digging her heels in even more. This was definitely not the way to handle her.

  “Sue, give my grandson the damn marrow. George, for the love of God, do something!” Nancy said. Tyler said nothing, as he was still watching Laura.

  “Sue, could I have a word with you alone?” Andy said in a reasonable voice that had her taking a second look.

  “What are you doing?” Laura asked, and he leaned down and whispered to her, “Just trust me, okay?” She took in his haunted look, which touched a part of her that made her unable to say no.

  “Please, Sue,” he added in a voice Laura recognized as the one that could convince her to do anything.

  Laura watched as her mother took Andy in and then nodded as he stepped around behind her, slid out her chair, and guided her out of the room.