Chapter Fourteen: Closest Blood

A.J. was back in the hospital, Lucky learned upon returning to school after his stint in jail ended.

Darry sighed, and Lucky thought he caught a glimpse of Darry as an old man. An extremely fit, muscled old man, but an old man nonetheless.

"Will she be okay?" Lucky asked stupidly, as if Darry could know.

"Dr. Saunders said—" Darry began, but never finished his sentence. He was cut off by several loud expletives from, surprisingly, Jay.

"Mini took off," he explained, waving a note in Lucky's face. "Left it on my door last night. She was high and hiked to San Francisco."

"It says that in the note?" Darry guessed.

"No, she called me this morning and told me," Jay said. "After I found this note."

Lucky squinted at it. "I can't make anything out," he admitted.

"Well, she was high when she wrote it," Jay said.

Lucky shrugged. He had a point. But he wasn't interested in that just now. "Darry, I have to go see A.J. I have to know what's wrong."

He turned around with every intention to get to the hospital, by walking if necessary, when an apologetic sound from Darry made him turn around again.

"Um…"

"What?"

Darry sighed again. "Look," he said tiredly. "A.J…she…" He paused.

"What?" Lucky demanded. A gut feeling of trepidation was twisting in his stomach.

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Darry was unsure of how to put this to Lucky. He didn't want him exploding again. Then again, it was probably better that he exploded on Darry, who would at least be able to defend himself against Lucky, rather than poor Dr. Saunders again.

"Something happened and…well…Lucky, the disease she has…it's decreasing blood flow to her vital systems. Since they diagnosed it they've been treating her, and she's responding well to treatment."

"But?" Lucky said. Coming from him, the question sounded like a threat.

"But since they diagnosed it late, some of her organs have already started malfunctioning." The look on Lucky's face alone made him want to shut his mouth, but he plunged on anyway, possibly against his better judgment.

"Her kidneys are as good as gone. They're doing the best they can to save her liver, but it's not likely."

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Darry's voice seemed to be getting far away. When Lucky spoke, it was as though his own voice were far away as well.

"How about organ donation?" he heard himself ask through a roaring ocean in his ears.

Darry laughed mirthlessly. "She's one of millions waiting," he said.

"Who's donating a kidney to her?" Lucky wanted to know. He could give her a kidney. Hell, she could have both his kidneys and his liver, too, if it meant saving her.

Darry frowned, as if he suspected Lucky of having the thoughts he was having. "Her parents just got tested for a match," he said.

"I'll get tested too," Lucky burst out. "If they don't match."

"That's unlikely, since they're closest blood to her," Darry pointed out.

It was Lucky's turn to frown. "I'm just saying," he said defensively. "If it doesn't match. In the unlikely case."

"That's improbable," Darry said. "A few years ago my brother Soda's kidneys failed, and both Ponyboy and I matched, but the doctor said I would be a better possibility since Pony's a smoker." He sounded a bit prideful about it.

"Thanks for that anecdote," Lucky muttered sarcastically. "Can we at least go see her?"

"Just tried," Skate said from behind him. Lucky turned to see him and Oak. "Family only at this time," Skate went on.

"What happened to Pepsi? I thought he went with you guys," Darry said.

Oak rolled his eyes. "He took a detour to the patent place."

Lucky shook his head sadly. "Will the kid never learn."

"Still," Skate said with a shrug. "You can't blame the kid for having dreams. If Pepsi didn't have his crazy dreams…he wouldn't be Pepsi."

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Jeez, it's been a while.