As Time Flies.....Chapter 20
Last time: Bo told Nora about Lindsay, Jeff Barnes, and a DNA test gone wrong. Nora was hurt at Bo, but furious at Sam. The donor match test results came in.
Llanview Hospital - Room #414
Larry went across the hall to Nora's room to give Bo and Sam the news. Viki and Ben just stared at each other for a long time. They didn't know what to make of Larry's news.
Viki leaned down and kissed Ben's forehead. Ben smiled. "Don't worry, Blondie. We'll find a way." Ben squeezed Viki's hand.
"I know, Ben. We're going to make it. I don't doubt that for a second. Larry is doing everything he can. He said he would let us know as soon as he knows something definite. I've known Larry much too long not to trust him with my life, or yours. I love you, Ben." Viki gave Ben another kiss.
"I love you, too, Blondie. This is going to be one wild ride, isn't it?" Ben laughed.
Viki thought as long as Ben could laugh, nothing could be that bad.
The Gallery
Lindsay got dressed and gathered her belongings. She had a sense of déjà vu, but she tried not to let it bother her. This time she would make sure things went smoothly.
Llanview Hospital - Room #416
Nora's room fell silent. The anticipation was palpable. Sam was hoping upon hope that he would be the match Ben needed. He grabbed Nora's hand, but she let hers stay limp. Sam noticed it for a fleeting second, but he was too anxious to hear what Larry had to say.
"Okay, here it is. Bo, I'm sure you figured this already, but you're not a match. Well, that's not true, exactly. You match 2 of the genetic categories, but..."
Bo cut Larry off. "I thought you said that 2 was all you needed!" He really wanted to help Ben. Ben was such a good friend, and he was so young. It was heartbreaking.
"Slow down, Bo. Yes, I did say that 2 was the magic number, but it has to be the right two. Unfortunately, you don't have the right two. I'm sorry."
Larry turned his attention to Sam. Sam had a triumphant look on his face. He knew he'd be the knight-in-shining-armor this time!
"Sam, unfortunately, you match only 1 category. Not even close. I'm so sorry. Do you have any other relatives that we can test? I've been checking the bone marrow registries, but I haven't had any luck. We need to get moving on this." Larry looked grim.
Sam was devastated and angry. He couldn't believe this. He couldn't help Ben, yet to further annoy him, Bo had matched his brother's tissue better than he could. He was furious.
"Well, Larry, let's see. I'm sure you know my son Will was set-up by Asa Buchanan and he's on the run. He's running for his life and I have no idea where he is, so I'd say he's unavailable. Asa's already killed my younger sister, Grace, so I'd say she's unavailable, too! My daughter is in Switzerland, and my parents are dead! Can you think of anyone else that Asa hasn't touched? If you can, call them up and see if they're available!"
Sam's face was purple, and his dentures were chattering. If one looked closely, one could actually see them moving. Sam licked his lips furiously and spit flew everywhere. Nora tried to duck to avoid the spray.
Nora couldn't believe the way Sam was acting! She was completely amazed. She had never seen this side of him before! Nora wondered how Sam had been able to keep it hidden all of this time. She thought he must have been hanging around with Lindsay too long. Fourteen years of marriage to a crazy person was bound to do some damage.
She was embarrassed for Sam while at the same time, her heart was breaking for Ben. Nora wanted to do something to help Ben. Larry's words rang in her ears. It occurred to her exactly what she could do.
Llanview Hospital - Room #414
Viki lay down on the bed beside Ben. She stroked his arm and he put his other arm around her. She felt warm and protected. The feeling abruptly changed, and Viki felt a cold vise of fear close around her heart. She couldn't breathe for a moment.
Sam and Bo didn't match! They knew Sam wouldn't match, but they had known he'd insist on being tested, thinking, of course, that he was Ben's brother. They had really been counting on Bo. Viki had researched everything there was to know about osteosarcoma, and she now knew that brothers and sisters made the best bone marrow matches. She felt defeated.
Bo and Ben were only half-brothers, that was true. But Ben wasn't out of half-brothers. There was still Clint. And, if worse came to worse, there was Asa and Renée. Ben still had relatives to try. If she could just convince him.
"Ben? Are you awake?" They had been silent for so long she thought Ben might have fallen asleep again.
"Yeah, Blondie, I'm awake. I'm finding it a little difficult to sleep right now." Ben chuckled.
"Ben, you know you're not out of relatives, not yet. I'm sure Clint would help you in a heartbeat. And if he's not a match, there's always Asa and Renée."
"I'd rather wait for Larry to find an anonymous donor in the registry! I can't tell Asa now, Blondie, or he'll think it's a sympathy ploy to free Will. I'm sure he'd never agree to give me his own bone marrow! What's more, I don't want it! It's bad enough I have his blood flowing through my veins. No, bad idea."
"Well, what about Clint? I'm sure he'd come over from London in a minute to help you. We can ask him not to tell Asa." Viki was desperate. She'd try anything. She'd even call Cord if she had to.
"No, Blondie, no. I don't want to ask Clint to keep my secret from his own father. That's not right. If I take Buchanan marrow, I'll just have to face up and take the whole Buchanan clan, flaws and all. I'm just not ready to do that!"
Ben sighed. "Besides, did you see Sam earlier? I think he's very close to the edge himself. He's one step away from totally losing it, from Will being on the run to Nora coming back from the dead to finding out Matthew may not be his son. I just can't do that to him. He hates the Buchanans, and rightly so. Asa is the reason our family is falling apart. I can't defect to the Buchanan team now. It would kill Sam."
Ben tightened his grip on Viki. He just hated this! Ben hated asking for help of any kind, but of this magnitude? Never, and not from Asa. He'd die first.
Viki started to cry. "And what if it kills you?"
Llanview Hospital - 4th Floor Nurses Station
The floor wasn't too busy that night. Most of the excitement had been confined to just two rooms. The agency had sent a temp to replace one of the nurses who was on vacation. She was short and blonde, and she kept to herself. No one paid attention to her as she went about her tasks.
Llanview Hospital - Room #416
Nora cleared her throat. "Larry, can a nephew really be a good match?"
"Sure, Nora, if the markers are there. We'd test a niece or a nephew with the same hope that we'd test a brother or a sister. Why?"
"One more question, then I'll tell you. How old does a donor have to be?"
"Even babies can be donors. The procedure is relatively painless, and the amount of marrow donated is regenerated quite quickly, even more so in young people. What's on your mind, Nora?"
"Well, I'd like it very much if you would test Matthew. If he's Ben's nephew, then I'd like to see if he's a match. It's the least we can do for Ben, after he saved my life and everything. Please do it, Larry. It would mean so much to Ben and Viki."
Larry was impressed. He had known Nora was an intelligent and compassionate woman, but he hadn't known how unselfish she was. He smiled. "I'll be happy to do it, Nora. I'll even do it right now, if you don't mind. Why don't I take Matthew down to the lab and get him set up? I can have him back in less than an hour. Is that all right?"
"Sure, Larry. It's all right by me. Fellas?" Nora looked back and forth between Bo and Sam.
Bo answered immediately. "Of course, Larry, go right ahead."
Sam was silent and he looked angry. Larry guessed he was upset because Bo was giving permission for Sam's son to get tested. Sam didn't answer, so Larry lifted Matthew from Nora's side. She gave him a kiss and waved good-bye with her good hand.
As Larry carried Matthew down to the lab, he thought about what he had just witnessed. Nora's words rang in his brain. If Matthew is Ben's nephew... Well, wasn't he? But if Matthew were Sam's son, why would Nora be including Bo in decision-making? Larry was puzzled. He shook his head. What a strange trio!
Sam exploded after Larry left. "Nora, don't you think you should've consulted me privately before you offered our son for testing? I'm hurt that you would even ask Bo if it's all right with him. Ben is my brother, and Matthew is my son!" Sam was turning red again.
"Sam, we don't really know that Matthew is your son, do we? I know we didn't get a chance to talk before Larry came in, but Bo has told me what's going on with Matthew's paternity, and frankly, Sam, I'm really shocked at your behavior! You claim to know me so well, yet you didn't agree to a new DNA test. You have to know that I would've wanted to know the truth, and I would want Matthew to be re-tested. What were you thinking, Sam?" Nora let him have it.
Sam hung his head. "I was thinking that I would lose you, Nora, if Matthew turned out to be Bo's. I never thought I'd say this, but I can sort of identify with how Lindsay must have felt back then, thinking she was going to lose Bo if Matthew turned out to be his son. I'm tired of Bo interfering in our lives! I want us to be a family, a permanent family. I want to marry you, Nora!"
Sam was licking his lips rapidly. He certainly hadn't planned on proposing this way, but it came tumbling out of his mouth. He felt like he was losing his grasp on literally everything in his life.
Bo remained in the room, standing off to the side. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Nora and Sam didn't sound like the blissful couple Sam had made them out to be. Bo could hear real resentment and frustration in Nora's voice. He hated Sam for making her feel that way. He knew he couldn't interfere, or he'd probably be asked to leave. Besides, Nora was doing just fine on her own. Bo smiled to himself.
Nora geared up for round two. "Sam, for someone who's a prominent attorney and supposedly very intelligent, you can be pretty obtuse sometimes! I didn't want to marry you before, and to be honest, I don't want to marry you now. I'm flattered by your proposal, although I don't really care for your timing. This isn't the time or the place, and until we settle things with Matthew, I'm not going to entertain thoughts of any man. My son is my first and only priority, right now. End of discussion!"
Nora continued. "And I'm warning you, Sam Rappaport. Don't ever forget, father or not, that Matthew is my son too, and I'm perfectly free to make decisions for him. Don't you ever question my authority as Matthew's mother, do you understand?" Nora's eyes were steely and her voice was ice cold.
Sam realized he had gone too far. His jealousy of Bo drove him to do such stupid things! He knew he'd have to undergo another DNA test. It was only a matter of time. Rationally, he knew he had just as much of a chance to be Matthew's father as Bo did. 50-50. He hoped the odds were finally gonna be in his favor. He was tired of the Buchanans playing Russian roulette with his family.
To Be Continued...
|
|
|
|