Change of Heart

A Change of Heart, Chapter 8

Nine months passed since Criss's transplant. He was outside playing fetch with Oso and Chicklet while Teddy and Spike joined in which made Criss laugh. Inside Molly was watching Criss with a smile on her face. "It's so good to see Christopher so happy again" Dimitra remarked coming down the stairs.

"I know the doctor are shocked how fast the heart took to Criss"Molly stated sitting down with Dimitra. "I'm just happy to see my son alive thanks to you I'm glad you moved in to help Christopher with his after care" she replied. Criss came in sweating. "Those dogs really missed me" grabbing a bottle of water. "Now what would you like for lunch?". "How about PB&J"Criss replied.

Dimitra looked at Criss with a confused look. "What's with the weird look mom?" Criss asked. "You've never liked PB&J even when you were a child"she replied. "I read somewhere that when a person has a transplant sometimes a part of the donor is still with the organ. I guess your donor liked PB&J" Molly stated. "Well I'm going to take a shower" Criss remarked and went upstairs.

In his bathroom Criss looked at the scar on his chest even running his finger against the scar. "You all right?". Criss looked up and saw Molly standing in the doorway.  "I was just thinking of who the donor was so I could live" he replied as Molly came in the bathroom. "Have you talk about this in your surport group?". "A lot of them talk about it some of even found the family that have donated the organs" Criss replied leaning against the sink.

"Why don't you get dressed and meet me downstairs". She gave Criss a kiss and left as Criss smiled. When Criss came down Molly and Dimitra were sitting in the living room. "So what did you want to talk about?" Criss inquired sitting down. "When the doctor came and informed us that you were out of surgery following your transplant he gave me a letter the donor's mother wrote". She gave Criss the letter that hadn't been open. "I'm surprise you haven't read it mom" Criss replied.  "I thought you should since he told us that the donor should read it". Criss took a breath and opened the letter. It read:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

MY NAME'S PAULINE COON AND IN YOUR BODY IS AN ORGAN FROM MY SON SAMUAL. SAM WAS TEN YEARS OLD WHEN A DRUNK DRIVER HIT MY SON. AS HE SAT IN A COMA MY FATHER SUGGESTED THAT SINCE HIS FATHER WHO WAS A FIRE FIGHTER DIED SAVING PEOPLE WE DECIDED TO DONATE MY SON'S ORGANS SO PEOPLE LIKE YOU COULD SURVIVE I HOPE YOU DON'T TAKE THE ORGAN FOR GRANTED. I HOPE SOMEDAY WE GET TO MEET.

PAULINE COON

Tears fells down Criss's face after he finished reading the letter. He showed the letter to his mother as he went outside to gather himself. "You all right?"Molly inquired walking over to Criss. "Yea I just needed to gather myself" wiping the tears away. "It's a lot to process Criss you came so close to dying and for this lady to donate her son's organ so you could live".

"I remember feeling sorry for myself that I wouldn't be able to see the future, getting married again or becoming a father now I can" Criss replied looking into Molly's eyes. "Criss seeing what your family went through praying whenever they could, being your support system knowing that you could of died infront of them, but when I called your mother to tell her that they found a heart for you, I could feel that pain they were in blowing away".

Criss smiled. "I never saw it that way Molly". "If you want to I can find out where this lady lives and we can go meet her" Molly suggested. "All right" and Molly went back inside.