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Chapter 3
The next day- Meredith and Derek were cycling back home again on the way from school, as usual chattering about their day in school. Derek couldn't help stealing glances at his younger sister as she cycled with this happy contented look in her face, the autumn breeze blowing her dark blonde wavy hair in the air. They had grown up so close together, they practically did everything together and shared all their deepest secrets to each other- the type of secrets they wouldn't even tell their best friend. In fact, Mark, Derek's best friend- has always teased that had Meredith not been Derek's sister, she might as well be his girlfriend. Derek always laughs it off. But truth be told, he absolutely adores his sister and would do anything for her.
He finds himself stealing a glance at her butt as she cycles in front of him. He turns away almost immediately, scolding himself for being so inappropriate. She is his own sister for goodness sake!
Oblivious to the fact that her brother had been looking at her, Meredith decided that she was bored and wanted to try something new.
' Hey Derek, I've got an idea….why don't we race each other home?' Meredith, who can be quite mischievious for a girl winked at her brother.
Derek didn't really like the idea. They might fall off their bikes or worse still collide with the traffic on the main road. He knew that as the older sibling he needed to exercise his authority.
' Ermm…..I don't think it's a good idea Mer, it's too dangerous….let's just cycle home slowly'
She was too fast for him. Before Derek knew it, Meredith was already out at the main road, cycling together with the busy traffic.
'Meredith! Wait for me please!' he yelled out….but she was too far away to hear him…
She continued cycling happily at the side of the main road, smiling to herself. She was so going to beat her brother home this time, hah. When she saw that the road was clear, she decided to just cycle across the road which was so much faster than having to cycle down the long road and wait for the traffic light. Yes, she is so going to laugh in Derek's face when she reaches home before him.
She didn't see the car coming towards her. Until it was too late and her whole world turned black.
For Derek- the entire thing was like a scene in a movie, all moving in slow motion. First he saw the black Mercedez-Benz moving towards his oblivious sister. He wanted to scream out a warning to her, but his throat went dry. And then before he knew it, the car collided with the girl and her bike, causing the girl to be flung off her bike into the air, flung across the hood of the car and finally landing on the side of the road. She lay there still and motionless, blood gushing out from her forehead, nose and mouth.
By the time Derek reached the accident site, a few curious onlookers and passers by have gathered around the unconscious Meredith.
He knew he was in deep deep trouble, but the only thing running through his mind right that moment was 'please please let her be alive….please God….don't take my sister away from me.'
'There's a pulse!' yelled someone. 'It's there but weak. This girl has to be brought to the hospital, she needs immediate medical attention.
Apparently a kind stranger had dialed 911, because the ambulance arrived not long after. By then, Derek was reduced into tears. He knew that he would get a proper scolding from both of his parents for not looking after his sister well.
Half an hour later, Mr and Mrs Sheperd walked into ICU room where their children were. Meredith was intubated and ventilated, while Derek was sitting on a chair beside her bed, his face buried in his hands in shame. He could sense his parents arrival, but he couldn't gather the courage to look up at them.
It was Carolyn Sheperd who broke the silence by rushing over to her daughter's bedside screaming 'oh my God, oh my God..' tears rolling down her face. It killed her inside to see her beloved daughter like this….being hooked to machines and lifeless. If she should, she would replace her in an instant. Instead, the most she could do was to hold her daughter's hand and pray to God.
Meanwhile, Christopher Sheperd walked to the other side of his daughter's bed and held her other hand. They all sat in silence for some time…
Derek finally mustered the courage to speak…
'Mom, Dad…I'm so sorry….it's my fault…..I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me…..she was too far ahead….'
Christopher placed a hand on his son's shoulder. 'It's ok son, we both know that it's not your fault. It was an accident. I'm just glad that she is….' He choked on his words, not wanting to say them out loud. His daughter was his little princess, daddy's girl.
Later that night….. Derek was left alone in the room with Meredith as their parents went down to the cafeteria for a while to grab a snack. Holding her hand he said
' I know that you can hear me now Mer. I have read in a Neurology book that the last sense to go and the first sense to return when you are unconscious is hearing. So I know you can hear me. So…I just want you to know that I love you and so do mom and dad. You have to wake up for us ok? If not we would be devastated. Mum hasn't stopped crying and dad hasn't stopped worrying. And me? You'll always have my back. I will always be with you and will always protect you forever.'
Suddenly he thought he could feel a slight movement in the hand which he was holding. 'Mer?'
Her eyelids fluttered open. 'Promise?' she smiled as she held out her pinky finger.
Derek felt like strangling her…..she had been awake and listening to his entire speech. But instead he shook on their promise.
In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. Sheperd were on the way back to their daughter's room, when they were stopped by her attending doctor, Dr. Owen Hunt.
'Mr. and Mrs. Sheperd – I need to speak to both of you urgently.'
5 minutes later, they were in Dr. Hunt's office.
Dr. Hunt cleared his throat. 'Your daughter lost a lot of blood earlier on, therefore we have to transfuse two pints of whole blood into her. She is a rare blood group, group AB, and the blood bank has somehow run out of that blood group. Lucky that her blood group enables her to receive blood from all the other blood groups. Therefore we transfused her with some 0 negative blood. We'll be watching her for any signs of transfusion reactions. Just to let you know. They thanked him and walked out of the room.
Carolyn suddenly stopped in midtrack. 'Wait a minute…. Did he just say that her blood group was AB?' Her face suddenly paled. She was a nurse, so she knows some medical stuff. Meredith has been very healthy and therefore never needed to get her blood group tested.
'Yeah honey. Why?'
'But how is it possible that her blood group is AB when we both have blood group O?'
It was then that Carolyn sensed that something is not quite right. Could it be possible that Meredith wasn't her daughter? But she remembered very well carrying her for nine months and the long hard labor. How was that even possible? No. It was a lab error, she was sure of that. They have to test Meredith's blood again. She decided to act normal and not scare both children.
But when the second blood test came back similar, she was now at loss of what to do.
'Christopher….' She shook her husband awake that night.
'Yes dear'
' I….ermm….I think that Meredith might not be our daughter'
Christopher was now wide awake. 'What? What makes you think that?'
'Blood groups don't lie…. There's something up, Chris. Maybe she might have been switched at birth with someone else…'
Christopher was now angry, which was very unusual of him. 'She is our daughter Carolyn! You carried her and gave birth to her and we raised her up together! What crazy thing has gone into your mind to make you think of such a thing?'
Carolyn decided to let the matter rest for a while, but it is now bugging her deep inside.
She decided go to the record office the first thing next morning- to trace all the birth records of the babies born in Seattle hospital the day Meredith was born. Luck was on her side when she met with a nurse who had been working in the newborn nursery since over 10 years ago.
'Do you happen to know if there is a possibility that Meredith Sheperd had been switched with another baby that day? I mean, was there any mix up of the labels or something?'
The nurse thought for a long time before suddenly remembering something. 'Oh yes, I picked up her label and the label of another baby from the floor.' Then her face paled at the realization that she might have switched the two babies without realizing it.
'It's ok, just tell me that name of that other baby' says Carolyn kindly to the now shaking nurse.
'Alexandra Grey'.
So that is the end of this chapter. How did you like it? As usual, reviews and comments are very welcome!
