Hidden in Stone

XXVIII - It's Granny Time

Time jump forward

If you told me at the beginning of the year that here I'd be. laying in a hospital bed ready to give something of myself to someone I've never met. I wouldn't believe you. 

The crispness of the air slowly floods my lungs as every breathe is taken and released from my lungs. The needle sat uncomfortably on my hand and the other occupied by the man I love, who also loves me back .

"Hey..." I whispered, my voice groggy. 

Xavier's head snapped up and his blue stained eyes widened before planting a rushed kiss on my forehead. 

"What's with you?" I chuckled but coughed in the process.

Turning away from me, he grabbed a glass filled with clear liquid, water. And slowly brought the pink straw to my lips. Sucking in enough to quench my dry throat, he opened his mouth. 

"Nothin' wrong with me." He commented before walking to the door and opening the door. Soon after my Mom's raced into the room with balloons, teddies and a pizza. 

Giggling as my mothers peppered kisses over my face before pulling back and planting their asses on my bed. 

"So.. the Dr said everything went good on our end and that the transplant was successful. The donor is taking well so far and nothing seems to be going wrong." My mama beamed.

Nodding, I smiled at my parents before turning to the door, which the doctor was knocking on. After 20 minutes of him explaining what my parents told me in a matter of minutes, he switched topics. 

"So the receiver would like to meet you, if you would allow it?" The older doctor commented. The receiver being my paternal Grandmother.

Opening and closing my mouth slightly, I questioned, "She wants to meet me? Does she even know who I am to her, biologically?" 

The doctor shrugged and replied, "I'll give you some time to think it over and I'll ask again in a couple of hours." 

"Ok, Doc." I smiled before watching him leave.

Slowly, but steadily, my body succumbed to my exhaustion and I was back asleep before my parents left. 

When I was waking up, I didn't remember dreaming, so I was assuming I was now, as a frail looking woman with sharp features stared at my face , her hand clutched in mine. 

My eyes widens and my sudden jerk of my body frightened the woman and sent a shock of pain through my back. Pulling my body up the bed a bit until I was sitting straight I said nothing but stared at the woman, and she did the same. Her eyes glared into my face as if storing it in her memory. 

"Who are you?" I asked the woman, my hands clutching the thin fabric that was acting as a blanket. 

She smiled lightly before answering, "I'm family, dear..." 

Slowly moving my left arm, I started moving it across the bed, searching for my phone. 

"I don't know what-" 

"I'm the 'receiver', if you'd like. I'm your Granny." The woman smiled, a small pair of dentures was introduced to the face, almost weary of the girls coldness, the woman reached forward to grab the me. 

"Don't." I warned the woman. "I helped, to get your family out of mine. "

The woman sighed before leaning back into he chair she occupied. She spoke, "If it helps you, we only recently knew of your existence. When the chemo stopped working was when my son informed us." 

Scoffing, I snapped, "Is that supposed to make me feel better? That I was only acknowledged because you lot wanted something from me?" 

The woman didn't answer as I continued, "I was raised by two wonderful women, who loved me and helped me understand that I shouldn't envy something I never had. This meaning a father and an entire family." 

Sitting in silence for a minute felt long, but the minutes dragged from one minute, to two, to three and before I knew it, I had been staring at this stranger for more than 10 minutes.

She suddenly started nodding, before reaching into her bag and pulling out a small, black rectangular card and placing it on the bed, tapping it twice before pulling her arm away. 

"If you change your mind. Or need anything." She smiled gently, before adding, "Or if you wanna talk, to know anything about our family. I'm just a phone call away, and so is my husband." 

She pushed herself out of the chair and wrapped sleek silk dressing gown around her before making her way to the door, but last minute she turned around and declared, "Even though I don't know you, and haven't known about you long. I love you, not only because your my blood, but because you've saved me. Saved my family." 

She then disappeared through the door.