Grantley
“Your dad needs a kidney transplant, so I’m here to ask for your kidney,” Sue-Ann said.
Phoebe gasped, Barney dropped his mug to the floor, and me…well I busted out laughing.
“You really are a piece of work,” I snarled. “That has got to be the most -.”
“It’s true, he does. He has kidney failure. You probably don’t remember, but he had one removed when you were a kid, you were maybe two or three.”
I nodded slowly, remembering the long scar he had on his side and how he always told me it was from fighting a dragon. Of course, as I grew older his story never held up, but he’d always wave me away and say it was nothing, just an operation he’d had.
“And?”
Sue-Ann swallowed before continuing. “And now his remaining one is failing and he needs a transplant.”
I dragged a hand down my face, before holding it over my mouth and exhaling deeply.
“And he wants me to donate one of mine?”
Sue-Ann nodded, looking at me warily, before moving her gaze past me when there was movement behind me. Phoebe was at my side and taking my big hand in her small, soft one.
“Go and sit down, I’ll make something to drink,” she whispered, before dropping a kiss to my bicep. “You’re cold too, I’ll grab you some clothes.”
I stared at her vacantly, not knowing what to say, as she gave my hand a squeeze before disappearing out of the room.
“Come on Grant, let’s sit down.” Barney’s deep voice broke through my haze.
I didn’t move straight away, but stared at Sue-Ann, wondering whether this was some stupid joke and I was being punked in the worst possible way. A whole bunch of thoughts were swimming around in my head, trying to make sense of what I’d just been told. My dad was dying. He needed my kidney. He was dying – fuck.
“I just -.”
“I know,” Sue-Ann replied. “But you’re the only one that can help him. If he waits for a donor, it could be too late.”
I ran a hand through my hair, absolutely floored by the news.
“I haven’t spoken to the man in twenty years, why the fuck would he think I would do this for him?”
Before Sue-Ann had chance to answer, Phoebe came back into the room. She was wearing the jeans I’d bought for her and one of my hoodies and fuck, despite the shit storm in my head, it struck me that she looked cute.
“Is it okay?” she asked, tugging at the sweatshirt. “It’s a little chilly.”
I nodded and took the jeans and sweater she was handing to me. “It’s fine, pretty girl.”
“I’ll make some coffee.”
“I’ll come with you,” Barney said, laying a hand on my shoulder. “You’ll be okay for a few?”
I nodded. I was pretty sure he wasn’t worried I’d kill Sue-Ann in the length of time it took to make coffee, so obviously he was worried how I was taking the news. As I slipped on my clothes, I thought about it– I had no fucking idea what to think. The man had left me when I was six-years-of-age, I owed him nothing, yet I’d be a cold hearted man if I didn’t admit that I felt sick to my stomach about his situation; he was my dad.
“Grantley, baby boy,” Sue-Ann whispered. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
I flopped down onto the couch, resting my head back and looking up at the ceiling.
“I’m thinking why the hell hasn’t he asked me himself?”
“Well, he’s scared,” she replied, in a tone that said she wondered how I could not know that.
I lifted my head to look at her and frowned. “I get he’s scared at what’s going to happen to him, but why should that stop him from asking me himself for one of my god damn kidneys?”
Sue-Ann lowered herself onto the opposite couch, perching on the edge.
“He’s scared to ask you himself, because he hasn’t seen you in so long.”
“Twenty-fucking-years to be exact.”
Sue-Ann started to chew at her thumbnail as wary eyes watched me.
“So why ask you?” I said, leaning forward. “You’re the one who was a useless drunk, you were the reason he left us. So why the hell would he trust you to be the bearer of the shit news?”
“It was his wife,” Sue-Ann replied. “She was the one who asked me. She said Trent was too scared or too proud or whatever, and so she thought I could ask for him.”
“Does he actually know that you’re asking, or is this just something you and his wife have agreed on?”
Sue-Ann colored and looked down at the floor.
“He has no fucking clue does he?” I bellowed. “You’re fucking unbelievable.”
“But baby boy, he’s your dad and –“
“Yeah so you said, and quit calling me baby fucking boy.”
“His wife, she said she told him to call you, but he’s so riddled with guilt at leaving you like he did, he doesn’t think you’d agree. He said he didn’t want to put you in that position.”
“No, but you and his god damn wife are happy to.”
“I’m sorry,” Sue-Ann said. “But you’re his only hope and I loved him once, I kinda felt I owed it to him to ask.”
I clutched at my hair with both hands and wondered where the hell Phoebe and Barney had gone to. The coffee machine took seconds, what the hell was taking them so long?
Blowing out a breath, I looked up at Sue-Ann. “If I say I’ll do it, what happens?”
“You go to a private clinic and they’ll remove it and put it into your dad,” she said with a shrug.
“It can’t be that simple. Won’t I need tests?”
“Oh, yeah of course, but they’ll do that at the clinic.”
“And who is paying for this clinic?” I asked, knowing that it was most likely going to be me.
“Well he won’t know you’re the donor. His doctor is going to tell him a couple of days before and then he’ll be in the clinic, ready and waiting. I thought you’d want something private, you know, no publicity. His wife is going to tell him their insurance paid.”
“Do I get to see him or talk to him at all?”
I had no idea why, but the thought of seeing my dad again filled me with a nervous excitement. Yes, I was angry with him for leaving, but I wanted to see him and talk to him again. I wanted to know why he’d left me with her. I would have gone with him no question, if only he’d wanted me.
“Maybe afterwards.” Sue-Ann cleared her throat as she played with the hem of her blouse. “Let’s make sure it’s all okay and then visit him. I know he’ll be happy to see you, once it’s over, but if you go before, his wife is pretty sure he’ll refuse your help.”
“Fuck.”
I flopped back against the couch and pushed the heels of my hands into my eyes, not having a damn clue what to do. If I said no, I was being a cold-hearted bastard, sentencing a man to probable death. I could only imagine what the press would say if that got out. If I said yes, I was giving something to the man who’d abandoned me to a shit childhood, with the worst mom on the planet.
“I need to speak to Marcia about this,” I stated, looking up at the ceiling.
“Why? This is your father we’re talking about.”
“Yeah, my father who fucked off out of my life.” I lowered my gaze and glowered at her. “So, like I said, I need to speak to Marcia.”
“I don’t –.”
I held up my hand. “I don’t want to hear it.”
As I watched Sue-Ann, daring her to speak, Phoebe and Barney came back into the room each carrying two mugs of what smelled like the shit, machine-made coffee.
Phoebe handed one to me and sat down, while Barney passed one to Sue-Ann.
“You got any hard stuff I can add to this?” she asked.
“Really?” I asked. “You think that’s appropriate seeing as we’re talking about one of my parents dying of kidney disease? You want to trump him with liver failure.”
“Listen,” she said. “If I’m going to get liver problems, I’d have gotten them by now.”
“Whatever.” I shook my head and turned to Phoebe.
Her eyes were full of sympathy, but her body was tense and I knew I should have let her go home when she suggested it. She didn’t need to be involved in the Miller dramas.
“You want Barney to take you home?” I asked, gently running a finger down her cheek.
“No,” she replied with a sigh. “Unless you want me to, of course.”
“Nope. I need you here. I have no fucking clue what to do and could do with your input.”
“I don’t know, Grantley,” Phoebe said, shifting in her seat. “I think maybe Sue-Ann is right, maybe it’s a family matter and you should discuss your options with her.”
“Phoebe, believe me, we haven’t been a damn family in twenty years, and one of my parents needing one of my organs isn’t going to change that.”
“Grantley,” Sue-Ann squeaked. “We’re family. I’m your mom.”
I turned to look at her, my lip curled in disdain. “Don’t think we’re going to get all warm and fuzzy just because you delivered the good news. This does not change the fact that you are a shit mother.”
“Grantley.” Phoebe’s tone was chastising, but I’d bet she’d fucking agree with me if pushed.
“Maybe I could take Sue-Ann out for a while,” Barney offered. “Get Marcia over here.”
“I think you should speak to her,” Phoebe said. “She is your agent after all.”
“I don’t get why you need to speak to her,” Sue-Ann complained. “You need to do this for your dad. It doesn’t matter what she says.”
“Take her to a bar,” I snapped, ignoring her. “That’ll keep her occupied.”
Barney nodded and stood up. “Come on Sue-Ann, go get your coat.”
“The department store has a lovely cocktail lounge,” Phoebe said. “It overlooks the city.”
“Thanks sweetheart, we’ll check it out.”
“You got my credit card?” I asked.
Barney nodded. “Yep. There a limit?”
“Keep it to three figures if you can, but don’t make that all booze.”
“Will do and I’ll call Marcia for you on the way out.”
“Thanks buddy.”
When the door finally shut behind them, I pulled Phoebe into my arms and kissed the top of her head. I sighed and wondered for the millionth time in the last five minutes, what the hell I was going to do?