The Leaking Heart

Chapter Fourteen

Petunia swallowed as she took a step forward.
"You'll be able to get him a donar right?" She asked.
"It won't be that easy, he'll be placed on the waiting list."
"So basically we need to wait for someone to die and have his blood type?" His father asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid that's how it works. I'm sorry."
Just then, Lucy was moved into his room.
Her parents and Nick came in with her.
"Jason!" Lucy said and couldn't wait for her bed to be placed next to his.
They moved it so that the machine was the only thing between them.
"Jason..." She said and reached out for him, but couldn't find his hand.
That's when Nick stepped in and took her hand, placing it on Jason's hand.
"Is he awake?" She asked.
"No sweetie. He's asleep." Nick replied.
Lucy held his hand and fell asleep like that, Nick took a photo of the two of them together and smiled.
Later that night, Jason had a terrible seizure and Lucy threw up blood.
The room was filled with doctors.
After they managed to stabilized both of them, Jason woke up and looked at Lucy who was smiling at him.
"Is this a dream or is it heaven?" He asked with a soft shaky voice.
"Neither I'm afraid, it's real." She said.
"Too bad, I wanted to be in heaven with you." He whispered.
"I love you Jason and I don't want you to die."
"I love you too and I also wouldn't want you to die." He said.
The following day, Jason slept and Lucy sat awake, amusing herself by playing chess with Nick.
"What do you think he's thinking? Knight to E2." Nick asked as he made a move.
"I don't know, probably not anything good." She replied.
"Do you think they'll find a donar for him?"
"I hope so, I don't want him to die." She said.
"What are you guys talking about?" Jason asked.
"Nothing interesting." Nick replied and Lucy laughed.
"Looks like my Crowdy burger at Joe's is out, since I'm basically eating through a tube." She said.
"What are you talking about?" Nick asked.
"My bucket list... It just became significantly shorter, also I won't be hearing Jason play the piano because he's..." She trailed off.
Suddenly something came to her as she sat there.
"Lucy? Are you alright?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be back in a few minutes." She said and took her pink walking stick.
She left the room and Nick looked at Jason, who was also confused.
"Doctor Shelton!" Lucy said once she heard his voice.
"Lucy? What are you doing? You need to rest." He said.
"I know, but listen. I have to ask you a question first."
"Of course." He said.
"What if Jason doesn't need to wait for a donar?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'm saying, what if he already has one?"
"If I'm reading this correctly than, no, it's too risky. We don't even know if it'll work. There's too many things to consider." He said.
"Like what?"
"Like your blood type for one. What if it doesn't match. Your cancer for another, since blood flow goes through the heart, there's a 99.9999% chance that your heart is affected as well." He said.
"Can we at least try?" She asked.
"Lucy, lymphoma is one of the many cancers that attacks the heart and I'm sorry to say, you have it." He explained and walked away.
"I'm not leaving here until you tell me that you'll try. Give me an MRI or whatever, do any test you can think of to see if my heart is healthy."
"Alright, I'll consider it, but you need to go back to your room." She smiled and gave a quick nod before heading back.
"Where were you?" Jason asked and Lucy gasped.
"Just took a little walk, how are you feeling?"
"I should be asking you that."
Later that day, Lucy went through a series of tests.
"Lucy, I need you to lay very still." Sge heard from the microphone.
"I can't believe it!" One of Shelton's assistants said while looking at the results from all Lucy's heart tests.
"What is it?" Shelton asked.
"There's nothing wrong with her heart, the cancer haven't spread to her lungs yet, but it is spreading. If we're gonna do the transplant, we need to do it fast." He said and Shelton nodded.
After all the tests, Shelton informed her of the result.
"It seems that you have a healthy heart, untouched by cancer. Which is rare and very strange since you have lymphoma, but it's healthy." He said with a smile.
Lucy almost cried upon hearing it.
"Can you help me tell my parents as well as Jason's?" She asked.
Doctor Shelton nodded and asked an audience alone with the parents.
He explained everything, Lucy also made it clear that it is what she wanted.
"Doctor, the blood types came back."
"And?"
"She has blood type O-positive."
"What about Jason? This is all for nothing if their blood-type doesn't match."
"His is AB-negative."
"This is good, it means it'll work." Shelton said.
"How?"
"Well, O-positive can basically match any blood-type." He explained.
Lucy rejoiced with Jason's parents, who cried out of pure joy.
"Don't worry guys, it'll be fine."She said to her parents and they nodded, hugging her back.
Lucy was constantly on morphine and walked around with a drip, as well as oxygen support.
She made her way back in the room, to break the news to Jason.
"Hey sleepy head."
"Oh hey." He said as she kissed him.
"The doctor has a solution, they've found a donar for you." She said.
"No... Just let me die. I want to be with you." He replied.
"Jason... Please... Listen to me, you need to be healthy and that's why I'm willing to make that sacrifice for you."
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"I'm giving my heart to you, the doctor says it's perfectly healthy and I want you to have it."
"Lucy... No... No." Jason protested with tears streaming down his face.
"I know this is difficult, but you gave me so much. At least let me give you something in return."
"Not this, please Lucy." He begged.
"You don't have a choice, we're both underage and can't make these decisions ourselves. My parents understands that I'll die of cancer and they're willing to consent to this so you can live."
"But I don't want to live! Not without you Lucy!"
"Listen to me, your parents consented to this they understand. It's my wish, it's what I want."
"What about what I want!?" He asked in tears.
"Don't you see that it's so much bigger than that? Would you rather let two kids die than allow one to die and the other to live?"
"That's not fair Lucy, how could you ask me that?"
"No! It fits, cause that's what you're doing. The surgery has been scheduled for this afternoon, I just don't want to leave, knowing you didn't agree."
"But I don't!"
"Then you want both our mothers-motherless and both our fathers - fatherless?" She asked.
"I can't live without you Lucy, how will I cope?" He asked.
"Do it for me Jason, if you can't live for yourself, live for me, please..." She asked softly.
Jason slowly nodded and took hold of her.
The tears were streaming down both their faces as they held onto one another.
"I'll miss you Lucy... So much... Everyday I'll think of you."
"Don't waste your thoughts on something sad." She said and pulled away.
"I hope I'm looking at you, live boldly Roger Hemmings." She said as she started to sob.
"I'll miss you too and I'll wait for you." She said before they kissed.
Everyone in the room either cried or stepped out to cry.
"Excuse me." Doctor Shelton said as he knocked on the door.
"They need to get ready for the cardiac transplant." He informed.
They were both rolled to the same operation room, where they kept looking at one another.
"I'll hold your flower." She said as she clutched it firmly in her right hand.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"I'll never forget you Lucy Adams."
"And I'll wait for you... Meeting you halfway." She said as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Lucy and Jason held hands and started into each others eyes, until the narcotics took over and they fell asleep.
The doctors had to place both Jason's right arm and Lucy's left arm back on the table.
"Start operation."
Once Lucy's heart was removed, they declared her dead as the flower in herhand fell to the ground and broke on the operating floor.
"Time of death... 07:35."
The surgery went on for six-seven hours.
"Cardiac Transplant, successful." They declared.
A doctor stood over Lucy's body and covered it with a sheet.
Jason recovered a few hours later in his room.
As he opened his eyes, he looked at the empty bed next to him, the scar on his chest abd started weeping.
"She's gone..." He cried as Chris came over to comfort him.
Once Jason was ready to walk, he asked doctor Shelton to take him to the morgue.
"Thank you." Jason said as Lucy's body was pulled out of tye steel container.
Tears fell on her lifeless form as he stared at herpale face and closed eyes.
"How long do I have to stay here?" He asked.
"A few days, theb you'll be released." Shelton answered.
Jason stayed in the hospital for another week before he was released.
He saw Mr and Mrs Adams on his way out.
"I'm so sorry." He said giving them both a hug.
"It's alright Jason, she beats within you now." Allison said as she looked at him with watery eyes.
"We had so little time..."
"I know, I know..."
"When will the funeral be?" He asked.
"Next friday." Bill answered.
Jason nodded and walked out of the hospital with his parents and sister.
He went to school, but even with hus friends there to support and cheer him on, he couldn't find it in him to even smile.
The week flew by and Jason along with his family attended the funeral.
Everyone said a few words and Jason walked to the front once they called for him.
He stepped up to the podium with a piece of paper in hand.
"I'm Jason Clifton and I first met Lucy in class, this strange looking blind girl with a very intriguing mind. Which is why I fell in love with her. She was different and didn't see me for my looks."
Some people smiled as he continued.
"She charmed me with her intelligence and knowledge of books, and I'll never forget her, nor the times we spend together. I hope to find you halfway so we could walk together." He said before stepping down.
After the funeral, Jason's friends and family gathered.
"Hey man." Goose greeted.
"Hey guys." Jason said as he saw Goose and Bobby walking over to him.
"We got a gift for you." Bobby said.
"A gift?" He questioned.
Goose handed him a book, to which he frowned.
"It's a photo album... Open it." Bobby said and Jason paged through photos of him and Lucy.
The one at the prom, the ones they shared when they were alone together, even when they were in the hospital together.
"When was all this taken?" He asked.
"We all worked together so that the memory you shared with her, will last forever." Goose replied.
"Thanks guys." Jason said and hugged them both.
Years passed and Jason was still grieving over Lucy, she never left him.
He was still very attractive and continued his gymnastics as a hobby, but gives piano lessons part time while working as an architect.
By the time Jason was 30 he was married and blessed with a healthy boy as well as a healthy baby girl.
He was fairly happy, but his mind constantly drifted to Lucy and every time he thought about joining her, he would hear her voice, preventing him form doing so.
He still had the flower encased in resin and had it on him always, thinking of her... Everyday.
Jason still listened to I can't forget you-by my darkest days.
The song spoke to him and he always cried while listening to it.
His wife was a lovely down to earth woman who worked as a fashion designer.
She loved Jason and he loved her as well as his children, but his true love would always be and always remain Lucy Adams, the girl with the yellow sneakers and the shocking pink walking stick.
"Lucy! Adam! Time for dinner!" Jason shouted while they played around the house.
Jason lived a full life with his family, with the love of his life beating fresh in his heart.
A heart that's now full and healthy... Leaking... No more.