The Ballad of Katie: Somewhere Under Heaven Series

The Big News

Katie's POV

I walk with Dad into the office and I see Ms. Donovan talking with my mom about how things are for her working at Rider. Mom's been an adjunct there since I was born and became a part of the full-time faculty the year after her car accident. She loves the job because it gives her time to be with us but also because she says it's a way to pass her wisdom on to the next generation of filmmakers and photographers in the wake of having to go into retirement from filmmaking.

"Katie, your parents called me with some news," Ms. Donovan says when she sees me. I would sit across from my parents and Ms. Donovan would take a seat on her desk next to us. 

"Katie, your dad got a call today from Dr. Macy. Seems they found a match. It's 99.9% which is around the range we wanted and very local," Mom tells me

"How local," I ask. 

"Princeton," she says.

"Wait...a match? I'm getting the transplant," I say in shock.

"There's more," my dad tells me.

"More?"

"Love, we know who the match in Princeton is."

"We know?"

He would look over to Mom and say, "Should I tell her?"

"I think you should."

I can see the tear in my dad's eye. I know he's always been the sensitive teddy bear type around Mom and both me and Ashton but this time, I know this news is one that really pulled at his heart. "Katie, I got the call from Dr. Macy and she said I'm the match." 

"You? But I thought they said they couldn't tell for certain."

"That first test was a lab error," he tells her. "Dr. Macy had me re-tested and they found that I was the perfect match. The second closest was your mum but Dr. Macy said it would be too risky for her to donate."

"And Aunt Victoria, Aunt Lizzy, Uncle Shane, Eric and Ashton didn't come close?"

"Exactly. The registry found a match but they were only 80% and Dr. Macy wasn't too comfortable about that.  I have to do this, Katherine because I can't live with the alternative." 

"But isn't it still risky, Dad?"

"It could be."

"And you'll still do it. I mean, you're basically putting yourself in harm's way yourself!" 

"How do you know about the risks," Mom asks me. 

"I have the Internet, don't I," I sarcastically ask. 

Mom laughs at it. "Yeah, you're right, sweetie."

Dad would take my hand and tell me his reason for doing this. "No matter what you say to me, I'm still going ahead with this procedure, Katie. The best birthday I had was when I was in a delivery room in London when you were born Sure I love your brother just as much but 13 years ago at 12:03 AM on May 13, I knew there had to be a reason for you to be in my life. I may not fully understand why but all I know is that I have this one opportunity to change your world and give you a second chance on life and I'm determined to do that."

I can't help but cry at his words. I look over to see my mom with tears in her eyes. "You really mean this," I say to Dad.

"I can't picture my world without you."

I look back over at Mom who says to me, "Your dad and I talked this over and we both know the risks but it's for the best."

"Guess I'm lucky. I got parents who will stop at nothing to see me live."