The morning of the transplant, Carter woke early, before his alarm went off. Maddy was tangled in his arms, fast asleep, and for a moment, he just cuddled her close, breathing in the smell of shampoo, grapefruit, and mint. It was a combination he’d never really thought of, but now it followed him around, like the best kind of memory.

Today was the day. He glanced at the clock on his phone. He had twenty minutes before he was supposed to get up, but he was too restless to just lie there. He carefully extracted himself from the tangle of Maddy’s legs—God, that bedhead of hers; it never got old. She looked like a cat had mistaken her head for a ball of yarn.

He smiled fondly at her and then tiptoed out of the bedroom. He couldn’t eat or drink anything, but he put together a smoothie for her, setting it on the counter in a travel cup before checking his messages.

There were texts from Nat and some of his other friends and all of his relatives, wishing him and Olivia love and luck. And a text from his mother saying they had arrived at the hospital. He sent a text back, saying he’d be heading out soon.

He went to stand out on Maddy’s rickety balcony, staring out into the courtyard. He was excited. Nervous. Terrified.

He was so damn terrified. It was the kind of fear he’d never experienced in his life. He had no fear for his well-being. What came would come. But Olivia…

No matter what happened, Olivia needed to be okay.

“Hey,” said a soft voice, just seconds before her arms came to loop around his waist. She stood on her tiptoes, hooking her chin around his shoulder so she could see what he was looking at. “It’s going to be a good day,” she said, pressing her palm over his heart. He covered her own hand with his, his eyes closing as he breathed in the feeling of her pressed against his back, the warmth of her, the comfort she provided.

He’d never felt fear like this before. But he’d also never felt love like this before. Love for Olivia. Love for Maddy. Love for his family.

It was staggering and humbling. He was a lucky man.

“Yeah,” he said, drawing her to his side so he could kiss her. “It’s going to be a great day,” he said, when they parted.

* * *

“I just realized I’m kind of springing meeting the parents on you,” Carter said as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

“Oh dear,” Maddy looked down at her jeans and cherry-red peacoat. “I probably should’ve worn something nicer.”

“They’ll love you,” he assured her as they got out of the car and headed across the lot. It was just starting to rain as they made it inside the lobby, and they took the elevator up to the third floor, where the surgical wing was.

“My mom’s name is Lindsey; my Dad’s Bill,” Carter said as the elevator doors opened. The elevator was right in front of the surgical wing’s intake lobby, where his dad was waiting.

“Dad!”

“Carter,” Bill smiled, looking relieved. “Your mom’s with Olivia, getting ready. I told her I’d wait for you.”

“Great,” Carter said. “Dad, this is Maddy. Dad, this is Maddy, my girlfriend. I asked her to come.”

His father’s eyes widened with surprise. “Well, this is a pleasure,” he said, holding out his hand and gripping Maddy’s warmly. “It’s wonderful to meet you, my dear. I apologize in advance if we’re a little distracted today.”

“No apology necessary,” Maddy said quickly. “In fact, I want you and Mrs. Daniels to let me know if you two need absolutely anything. Consider me your personal assistant while we wait. Coffee runs. Food runs. Cheesy magazine runs? I’m your girl.”

His father’s face broke into a wide, delighted smile. “Carter, you’ve found yourself a lovely young lady.”

“I think so,” Carter replied with a grin. “Why don’t we find the doctor and get this show on the road? My stomach isn’t going to shave itself.”

“Does he always make such cheesy jokes?” Maddy asked Bill, slanting a teasing look at Carter as his dad laughed and said, “Always.”

“Lies,” Carter said grandly, so damn glad that Maddy had agreed to come. The idea of his parents sitting alone in the hospital had made him sick. Most of his relatives lived on the East Coast, and while he knew his aunts would’ve flown out if they could, they each had big families of their own. And he hadn’t wanted Maddy sitting alone at home, waiting for him to call to tell her everything was fine… that didn’t seem fair to her. To them. To this thing that they’d built that already felt so solid, so real, even after so short a time.

They walked back to where Olivia was waiting with her doctor and their mom. When his mom saw them, she hurried over and hugged Carter tight, cradling the back of his head as she shook a little in his arms.

“It’s okay, Mom,” he assured her. “Look, I brought someone to meet you.”

His mom looked over to Maddy, her worried expression melting into a smile. “You must be Maddy,” she said.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Mrs. Daniels.”

His mom was a hugger, so he wasn’t surprised when she pulled Maddy into her embrace. When they parted, she said, “Please, call us Lindsey and Bill. I’m very happy to have you here today. And this is Olivia.”

Maddy turned to smile at Olivia, who was looking shyly at her. “Hi, Olivia!” she said brightly, coming over to her. “I’m Maddy. Your brother has told me all about you. He thinks you’re super cool.”

Olivia smiled bashfully at her, obviously a little overwhelmed by everything that was happening. “Maddy and I have a present for you,” Carter said, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed. Maddy pulled out the stuffed Matilda and the copy of the book that they’d picked up on the way to the hospital on Maddy’s suggestion. The children’s bookstore hadn’t opened yet, but Maddy had knocked on the door and the bookseller had gladly sold them the toy and the book after Maddy had explained.

“It’s Matilda!” Olivia exclaimed, her eyes getting so round they looked like saucers. She began to sing “Revolting Children” at the top of her lungs, making his parents laugh for what was probably the first time in days. Carter smiled.

“I know Mommy hasn’t read you this one yet,” Carter said, holding up the book. “It’s a little different than the musical.”

“Is it as good?” Olivia asked skeptically.

“It’s even better,” Carter said. “Because the author, he was the one who knew Matilda well enough to write her story first. And you and I are going to read this when we wake up. We’re going to eat a ton of ice cream and I’m gonna read you this entire book.”

“At once?!” Olivia asked, in that really cute impressed way kids sometimes got.

“We’ll see,” Carter said. “You might get tired.”

“I won’t,” Olivia promised solemnly.

“Then it’s a deal,” Carter said.

“Everyone,” Dr. Rhodes stood in the doorway. “It’s time. Carter, I have a room for you. Time to prep.”

Carter took a deep breath, keeping his smile on his face as he looked at Olivia. “This is it, Olly-Wolly. We’re gonna be twins!”

“Kidney Twin Powers Activate!” Olivia said, holding out her fist for him to bump. When he did, she made a explosion sound, splaying her fingers out, and he mimicked her, making her laugh.

“You’re the best,” he told her. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

He watched, with his parents, as the doctors wheeled Olivia away. She waved cheerfully at them until she disappeared around a corner, and then his mother finally let the tears fall, leaning into his dad like he was the only thing keeping her upright.

“It’s gonna be okay, Mom,” he told her. “I’ve got to go with the doctors now, too, okay?”

“Be safe,” his mother said, hugging him again, kissing his cheek. “Bless you, baby,” she whispered against his ear. “Thank you for doing this.”

“Thank you for giving me a sister,” he said back, making more tears fall down her cheeks.

“I’m going to walk with Carter,” Maddy told his parents. “And then I’ll be right back to sit with both of you, if that’s alright?”

“We would like that,” Bill said.

With his hand in Maddy’s, Carter let his transplant team lead him to the room, where he got undressed behind a curtain and let them prep him by shaving all the hair off his stomach and chest. Maddy held his hand while the doctors explained the procedure—something he almost could repeat by memory on his own from all his research. And then the doctors left them alone to say goodbye before he was wheeled into the O.R.

Carter glanced up at her, smiling. She looked worried, and he loved her for that. He wanted to tell her that, but if he told her he loved her right before he was wheeled into surgery, he worried she wouldn’t believe him. No, it was better to wait until this was all over. He’d set up something romantic and tell her then.

“You gonna be okay all alone with my parents?” he asked.

“Not the ideal first-parent meeting,” she said. “But they are very sweet.” She smiled. But the smile wavered, and she bit her lip, looking at him through her lashes. “I’ll do my best to distract them until you’re both awake.”

“Thank you,” he said. The fact that he didn’t have to ask, that she would automatically think of it, made him feel warm inside.

There was a knock on the door, and the head of his transplant team, Dr. Lee, peeked in. “Carter, we’re ready to start when you are.”

“Great,” he said. He looked at Maddy. “Kiss me,” he said.

She did, bending down and kissing him like it was the first time. Like there was a lifetime of kisses ahead of them.

And there was. He was sure of it.

She walked with him until they reached the doors leading to the surgical unit, and as he was wheeled through the double doors, her eyes never left his.