Part 3
Daniel stepped closer to the bed,
he leaned in,
he was trying to look like a grieving uncle,
it was a terrible performance,
"The doctor mentioned the timeline,"
he said,
his voice dropping to a somber whisper,
"he said we need to expedite the process,"
"the kidney match is critical,"
"it is a matter of life and death,"
I looked up at him then,
I let a single tear slip,
a perfect,
calculated drop,
"Life and death,"
I repeated,
my voice trembling,
"my sweet niece,"
"how could this happen?"
Marissa stood up,
she was pacing now,
"Claire,
we have to be practical,"
she said,
her voice high and shrill,
"the costs are mounting,"
"the insurance is complicated,"
I stood up slowly,
I faced her,
"Money is no object,
Marissa,"
I said firmly,
"you know that,"
"the trust is substantial,"
"I will ensure the best specialists are here,"
Daniel looked at me,
a flicker of greed crossed his eyes,
he was thinking about the money,
he was thinking about the trust,
he was thinking about how to siphon it,
I saw it,
I cataloged it,
I added it to the pile of evidence,
"I appreciate that,
Claire,"
he said,
his voice oily,
"you are so generous,"
"you are so kind,"
"we are lucky to have you,"
"Yes,"
I thought,
"you are lucky,"
"you are so very lucky,"
"until you are not,"
"until the floor falls out,"
"until the sky collapses,"
I sat back down,
I took a deep breath,
"I spoke with the surgeon,"
I lied again,
the ease of it surprised even me,
"he said he has a potential candidate,"
"a direct match,"
"but he needs a final sign-off,"
Marissa froze,
her face went pale,
"A match?"
she stammered,
"already?"
"how?"
I smiled,
it was cold,
it was sharp,
"Technology is amazing,
is it not?"
"they ran a global sweep,"
"they found a donor,"
"an anonymous donor,"
Daniel looked suspicious,
"That's unusual,"
he said,
"that fast?"
"that expensive?"
"I am paying for it,"
I interrupted,
my voice hard,
"it does not concern the budget,"
"it concerns the child,"
"unless,"
I paused,
"you have a problem with her living?"
The room went silent,
the air was thin,
it was heavy,
it was charged with electricity,
I had backed them into a corner,
I had forced them to agree,
they couldn't say no,
they couldn't object,
they were trapped by their own charade,
I watched them sweat,
I watched them squirm,
I watched them realize,
the game was changing,
it was no longer theirs to play,
it was mine,
May you like
all mine,
and I was only just getting started.
