Jake was lounging in his new room, he had moved into a dorm room that day with four other guys before he started college the next week. Grace had caught the later flight to New York, she would be there by now. His phone started to ring, it was Grace.
"Hey how's the big apple?" he said.
"Shitty," said Grace her voice squeakier than normal.
"Are you alright? Have you been crying?" he said sitting up.
"No I'm not alright."
"What happened?"
"I went to surprise my Dad at his office and he… he…"
"What did he do?"
"He was buying my mother's kidney."
"What?!"
"I went to his office and he was talking to some woman I didn't really recognize but it was my mother, she told me who she was. He was trying to buy her kidney for me…"
"Is she a match?" said Jake, knowing that Grace would be upset about seeing her mother again but at least she could get well if she got a new kidney.
"I don't know and I don't care."
"What did you do?"
"I ran out, got a cab and now I'm on the way to the brownstone. I just can't believe he would do that and not even tell me! Why would he want to see her?"
"She might be a match and you can get better, you must be able to see why he would want to get her kidney."
"I don't want hers though, she practically sold me. I don't want anything to do with her, I know you can't understand because you come from the perfect family but I just can't take anything from that woman."
"That's fine," said Jake. "If you don't want your mother's kidney, then you don't have to take it, okay? No' one is going to force you, okay?" said Jake knowing Grace had to calm down or she could hurt herself. "I want you to go straight to the brownstone, calm down do whatever it is you do that relaxes you."
"Alright I know you're right," she sighed.
"Make sure you eat something for dinner too."
"Yes father," Grace mocked.
"Get a good nights sleep too, then talk to your Dad in the morning," said Jake.
"Alright."
"Call me no matter what time alright?"
"Alright."
"In fact get on a plane to Seattle and I'll meet you at the airport," said Jake realising how much he missed her in only one day.
"No I better not," said Grace, sounding sorely tempted.
"Alright then," sighed Jake. "But call me I mean it."
"I will, thank you."
"I love you."
"Love you too,"
"Bye."
"Bye."
------------------------------------------
"What's going on? What are you doing here?" said Jake when he arrived at the hospital the next morning. He found Derek and Mark in Derek's office with the police.
"Grace is missing," said Derek. "She stormed out of Mark's practice last night and hasn't been seen since."
"Have you seen or heard from the girl?" asked the police officer.
"Why would he?" said Mark, he wasn't aware that Grace and Jake even knew each other very well.
"I spoke to her about ten minutes ago," said Jake.
"Where is she? Is she alright?" Mark demanded.
"She's fine, she's at the brownstone in New York," said Jake still not sure what Mark was doing back in Seattle.
"She's in New York?" said Derek.
"Yeah she said she was going to see you this morning," Jake said to Mark. "Why did you come out here?"
"Because I thought she would come back here," he growled.
"Jake can you call her?" said Derek calmly.
"Yeah," he said taking out his cell phone, before it could start to ring Mark had snatched the phone off him.
"Hello," said Grace.
"Gracie it's me," he said. "Where are you?"
"Bloomingdales," said Grace. "We can meet for lunch later if you want?"
"I'm in Seattle."
"Why?"
"I thought you were in Seattle."
"Well I am not," snapped Grace. "Did you finish buying organs?"
"Grace I was trying to help," said Mark. "Your mother…"
"I don't want to hear it," she shouted. "I don't care about my mother or her damn kidney."
"Grace I'm going to book you onto a flight back out or do you want me to come to New York."
"I already got a flight, I'll be there around midnight," said Grace. "I'll get a cab from the airport."
"I'll pick you up," said Mark.
"No I'm taking a cab."
"I'm picking you up," he snapped.
"Fine!"
------------------------------------------------
"What am I supposed to say to him? Dirty organs belong on the black market not my body," said Grace as she got off the plane.
"Maybe a little less harsh, but yeah just explain that you don't want your mother to be your donor. Be cool and calm and adult, okay?" said Jake.
"Okay, I won't lose my temper."
"Good. Breakfast tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I'll bring bagels I want to check out your college dorm," said Grace. "I wonder if college guys really as untidy as they are on TV."
"I'll…uh tidy my room," said Jake looking round.
"It's fine, I'm used to your mess," she laughed. "I gotta go I see my Dad."
"Okay love you too."
"Love you too."
Grace took a deep breath and went over to meet Mark. She knew they would end up arguing. Mark wanted her to have a kidney and get well and he didn't care where it came from, and she did.