Chapter 6 - The Emergency Medical Crisis
Madeline’s victory, however, was short-lived. Just as her attorney handed over the papers, the heart monitor attached to Luke began to beep erratically once again. The stress in the room, the shouting, and the negative energy had taken an immediate toll on our fragile little boy.
Luke began to gasp for air, his eyes rolling back into his head. "Mommy... it hurts again... it hurts bad..."
"Doctor! Help!" I screamed, completely forgetting about Madeline, the money, and the lawyers.
Dr. Evans immediately rushed to the bedside, shouting for nurses. "He’s going into acute hemolytic crisis! His G6PD deficiency has triggered a severe reaction. His red blood cells are breaking down rapidly. We need an immediate, direct blood transfusion from a compatible biological relative to stabilize him, or his kidneys will fail!"
"Take mine! Take my blood!" Brandon yelled, pulling up his sleeve.
"We need to cross-match it immediately," Dr. Evans said, rushing Brandon out of the room toward the lab.
Madeline stood in the hallway, watching the chaos with a detached, almost annoyed expression. To her, this medical emergency was nothing more than an inconvenience to her legal ambush.
Ten minutes later, Dr. Evans returned, his face grim. "Brandon’s blood is a match for the blood type, but because of his own genetic markers from his biological father, there is an antigen incompatibility. If we use Brandon’s blood, Luke’s body might reject it, causing further complications. We need a perfect maternal match, or we need blood from someone who shares the exact genetic lineage of Brandon's biological father’s side to bypass the antigen blocker."
I stepped forward. "I'm his mother. Test me!"
"We are testing your blood right now, Elena," Dr. Evans said. "But your blood type is O-negative, and Luke is AB-positive. While you are a universal donor, his specific antigen crisis requires a plasma match from the paternal side to prevent a major renal failure."
Brandon looked at his mother, who was standing by the glass window of the ward. "Madeline... please. Tell me who my biological father is. If he has family, if he’s alive... their blood could save Luke. He is your grandson, regardless of who my father was! You gave birth to me! Please, save your grandson's life!"
Madeline looked at her grandson fighting for his breath, and then at Brandon. Her jaw tightened, her expression hardening into stone.
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"I don't care about that child," she said, her voice dropping to a horrific whisper. "He is the product of your rebellion. And as far as I am concerned, my obligations to you ended the moment you walked out of my house on Thursday. Find a donor through the public registry. Leave me out of it."
With that, Madeline turned on her heel and walked down the hospital corridor, leaving her own son and grandson to face the abyss.
