A New Life: Sequel to Amber

Chapter 28

Rhett's POV

I held Link's hand tightly as he silently sobbed. A few tears fell from my eyes as well. Link's body shook as he sobbed harder and harder. I wanted to hug him so badly, but all the monitors and IVs were in the way. "Link, please you have to understand why I'm doing this. I love you so, so much, brother. You have a daughter and mostly likely a soon to be wife. They need you to live. I need you to live. I'm giving you my life, Link. Please, just take it." 

He sobbed harder and soon, I was sobbing too. I wanted to do this for him, but I was scared, and seeing him fall apart like this because of it only made it harder. Link threw himself forward and into my arms. He hugged me as tightly as he could and I gently hugged back, not wanting to hurt him. I knew he was begging me not to do this, but I had too. They couldn't find anyone else to give him enough blood. He needed too much. It had to be someone who was willing to die. I was still hugging him and sobbing when the door opened and the doctor stepped in.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you need a minute?" he asked awkwardly.

"N-no, we're fine now. I'm sorry." Link slowly released his grip from me, but he was still silently sobbing. I gave his hand another squeeze and wiped away my tears.

"Mr. McLaughlin, are you sure you want to do this? Unless there's some sort of miracle, you will have lost too much blood to live. You will die. You're absolutely certain that you want to do that?"

"Yes, yes I am." I looked back at Link. He was shaking his head gently and looking at me with pleading eyes. "Link, I have to. You'll die if I don't. Please, brother, please let me do this. You can't stop me from doing it, but you're definitely making this so much harder on me. It still won't stop me though. I'm going to do this." Link started to shake as his sobbing got even harder. He shook his head furiously and squeezed his eyes shut. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly.

"We're ready to do the transfusion now. We need to move you two into the room. Mr. McLaughlin, please just follow me." The doctor walked off and I let go of Link's hand and followed him. As we were leaving the room, I looked back at Link. He was shaking horribly and sobbing so hard it seemed to hurt him. He was tightly clutching his chest as the tears continued to flow in an unending waterfall. I felt awful he was suffering like this because of me. 

The doctor took me to another room and had me lie down on the bed. They stuck a needle in my arm and then quickly tested my blood to make sure it was clean and healthy enough to give to Link. After about five minutes, Link was wheeled in next to me. I reached over and grabbed his hand tightly. 

"Link, when you're better. Please, tell them I love them. And don't you ever forget how much I love you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Link. You've been my best friend and brother for about as long as I can remember. You mean everything to me, Link and that's why I'm doing this. This may be the last time we talk, well, I talk. I love you so much, Link. Don't be too sad when I'm gone. You have to keep going. Amber needs you. She loves you more than any other person in this whole world, I couldn't let her suffer even more than she has, and I could not let you die on me. I'll see you up there sometime, but don't rush yourself. You're needed down here." *I smiled through my tears and held his hand even tighter than before.

The process was about to start. They quickly put us both under and began to slowly transfer my blood into Link's veins. 

Jessie's POV

What is going on? Where did Rhett go? He's been gone for so long. I was so scared. The doctor said Link was going to die. He couldn't die! Even though I didn't know him all that well, I still loved him. He had that kind of personality. You just take to liking him immediately. My eyes were wet with tears. Tears of such unbearable sorrow and confusion. Christy gently hugged me, but she was full on sobbing. The man she loved most was going to die and she couldn't even say goodbye. Amber was still sleeping. She was going to be worse than both Christy and I combined when she finds out. 

A doctor walked over to us. "Doctor, where's Rhett? He left about an hour ago and he hasn't come back. And can we see Link? I-is he alright?" The doctor looked surprised.

"Oh, no one told you. Link will be fine. He's currently getting a blood transfusion. Rhett is donating his blood to Link. And unless there's a miracle, he won't make it. He has to give away too much blood to save Link, it won't be enough to support his body. I am so, so sorry. And I'm also sorry you had to wait so long to find this out." The doctor looked at us compassionately.

I felt my whole world crashing down at my feet. He didn't even say goodbye. I was so happy when the doctor told us Link was going to be alright; that they had found a compatible donor. But then, he said it was Rhett and that Rhett wouldn't survive unless there was some sort of miracle. The pain and shock was so bad, I couldn't even cry. I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I was frozen, staring at the shiny white floor below me. My hearing was blocked out. The only sounds I could hear was the ever present flow of blood, the steady pumping of my heart, and the rise and fall of my lungs as air entered and left them. I stayed like this forever. I could hear muffled voices, but they were so distant and quiet. It felt like no time had passed at all, but in reality, an hour and a half had gone by.

"Jessie, Jessie!" Christy shouted and snapped her fingers in my ear. I shook as I woke up and looked around. A doctor came running in with a huge smile. He was breathing heavily.

"I-it's a miracle!"