The ride to the hospital seemed to take forever. I got more anxious with each second ticking away. I held on tight to Truett's hand, hoping he knew we were there.

I looked up when I felt Bridgette place her hand on my arm. "It was an accident; Truett and everyone else is in excellent hands."

BBBEEEEPPP BBBBEEEEEPPPPP

Bridgette had barely finished what she was saying before the monitors started flaring. Bridgette immediately sprung up and started calling out commands. Everything they said was lost on me as I watched them work on Truett.

I only snapped out of my daze when we pulled up to the emergency bay of the hospital. The EMTS rushed out with Bridgette leading charge. I ran behind them with only Truett's safety on my mind until I heard the blaring sirens approaching. When I turned, I saw an ambulance pulling to a stop beside the ambulance we were just in.

That had to be the ambulance that Zeke and C.J. were in.

My eyes landed on a third ambulance to the left of the ambulance we arrived in. It was empty. Javy's already here with Melody.

I looked around briefly before racing into the hospital after Bridgette. Behind me, I could hear EMTs and Zeke talking as they wheeled C.J. in. In front of me, I caught up with Bridgette and the EMTs as they were heading through the second set of double doors.

Antonio called over to us as soon as we came crashing through the doors. "Trauma Bay eight and Gabby, Melody is in trauma one with Javy and Pop-Pop."

The EMTs immediately started wheeling Truett toward the trauma bays. A resident and two nurses were right behind us. I peeked through the window of trauma one as we passed by, longing to be with my daughter. I saw Javier and Pop-Pop working with many nurses and other ER residents. There was so much going on I couldn't see Melody through all the hustle. Part of me felt like I was failing as her mom if I wasn't the one in there with her, even if she didn't know I was there.

Bridgette stopped the EMTs for a second. She approached me, looking through the window of trauma one. "Rosie should be there soon; if you want to be with Melody, I can make sure that True is OK."

I glanced over at Truett and back in through the window again. Javier must want to be with Truett as much as I want to be with Melody, and he must feel just as bad as I was about not being with Truett. But he wasn't thinking about himself. He was where he was most needed, thinking of what was best for Truett and our entire family.

The bangs and crashing of EMTs coming through the double doors of the emergency room caused me to turn. Relief washed over me, seeing C.J. alert again. He wasn't a hundred percent, but he was awake and responding to Zeke. It was a step in the right direction.

"I'm OK," I knew where I needed to be now. I just had to trust that Pop-Pop and Javier would care for Melody the best they could, and I did. "I'll stay with you and True until Rosie arrives. Let's go."

We hustled to trauma bay eight, fully aware of the precious seconds being wasted. When Truett was transferred to the bay bed, the EMTs left, and Bridgette started barking out the orders. I stood in the corner, watching everyone work like a well-oiled machine until Bridgette disappeared and Antonio returned. Antonio was making another attempt to stop Truett from bleeding when Javier arrived in the bay with a clipboard.

I knew from the look on his face that it wasn't good, "Melody's breathing is stable, and we did an echo and EKG. The results were not as well as her last test, but our biggest concern is stopping the bleeding from the cut below her knee. It's really deep, and every attempt we made to stop it isn't working. We need your consent to operate before she bleeds out," he handed me the clipboard.

I stood rooted where I was, not moving a muscle, as I took in his every word. It took a moment before every word sank in, and I could ask him anything, "doesn't she need to be on antibiotics for like two weeks before an operation?"

Javier nodded, "normally, yes, but this is an emergency. The cut is bad, and we can't stop it without operating. We'll keep a closer eye on her and put her on a high dose of antibiotics as soon as she is out of surgery, but this is necessary."

My heart sank while my stomach formed a huge knot as I took the clipboard from him. I felt as scared, helpless, and pathetic as I did two years ago when Melody was first born, and I wasn't sure if I'd lose her. This was my worst nightmare, and the only thing that made it a little easier to handle was knowing that Melody was in the hands of the best doctors I knew.

"Unfortunately, it's one consent for another," Antonio handed Javier a clipboard. "True's cut is too deep for us to stop without operating."

The all-too-familiar feeling of guilt struck me hard. I looked over at my brothers, then at Truett, and started wondering, would Truett have gotten hurt if I had been more careful? Would Melody's life be in danger if I stayed with her and Zeke went to check the map? Was there something I could have done differently? Could I have prevented all this?

I scribbled my signature on the consent forms Javier gave me as Javier did the same with the consent forms given to him. Handing the clipboard back to Javier, I whispered, "sorry, I should have kept a better eye on True and Melody."

Javier gave me a comforting smile. There wasn't a hint of anger in his eyes, "Elly, we're not mad at you, and you shouldn't be blaming yourself. It was an accident. Any one of us could have been there, and it still could have happened. I'm going to make sure that Melody is prepped for surgery."

Javier hugged me, letting me know everything would be OK. I squeezed him back, hoping with everything in me he was right. He quickly left when Pop-Pop called him, letting them know they were ready.

Zeke came in as Javier left. The frown on his face gave me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I pulled him aside to talk while Antonio prepped Truett for surgery.

"I saw that C.J. was alert when you guys came in," I whispered, "I take it he's doing better."

"He is. The bleeding from the cut on his head stopped on its own, and the cut wasn't as bad as they thought. He does need stitches, though, and he can't be discharged until his scan comes back clean without a concussion." Zeke explained, "Chad, Taylor, and everyone else is with him now. How are True and Melody doing? Are they OK?"

I looked over at Truett being prepped for surgery. They were far from OK. "They're being prepped for surgery," I replied with as much faith as I could muster, "but they're in excellent hands, so I'm hopeful they'll recover soon."

"I'm sure they will be," Zeke encouraged, "anyway, I can't be way too long. Mind keeping me posted?"

I narrowed my brows, studying him, trying to figure out if he was serious. I nodded after a moment. "Yeah, I'll text you."

"Thanks," he replied, "I'll try to sneak away again later."

Zeke gave me a big hug before rushing off. I stared in his direction until he was out of sight, and for the first time in three years, I saw Troy in person again as Zeke was slipping behind the curtain. My heart stopped momentarily, and I felt like time had frozen. I held my breath, waiting to see if he noticed me. After a minute of staring at the curtain with no one coming out, I figured I was safe for now.

A few hours later, I was waiting in the surgical waiting room for news with Rowan, Trey, and my parents. Everyone else was at home waiting for any information we could give them. Each passing second felt like a lifetime as I did my best to stay positive and distracted.

We all had our distractions. Mom and dad were reading a book. Rowan was working on her latest story on her IPad. That left Trey and me trying to get some planning done on our IPads. I struggled to stay focused, though; everything distracted me from my work, and Trey wasn't even attempting to stay focused.

"I'm going to get something from the cafeteria," Dad stood up, "anybody want anything?"

Trey was unusually quiet. I knew Trey wasn't going to be able to eat anything. The calm and quiet he was showing now was an act. In truth, he was even more nervous than we were. As long as he was this nervous, he wouldn't have the appetite for anything.

I slipped my hand into Trey's, giving it a light, encouraging squeeze. "He's good, dad," I answered for Trey. "But, I can really use something sweet."

"Anything in particular, or will anything sweet be OK?"

I shook my head, "surprise me."

Dad turned to Rowan, "Rosie, would you like anything?"

Rowan scrunched her nose as she thought, "can you get me some pretzels and a milkshake, thanks."

"So anything sweet, pretzels, and a milkshake," Dad repeated to ensure that was it.

Dad headed for the cafeteria once he was sure that was it. I lifted my head when I saw a bottle of water and snacks before me just minutes later. That was fast, I thought, taking the water and snack.

"OK, if I take a seat?" Zeke asked with a bright smile. He turned to my mom, "Hi, Ms. Montez."

Trey shifted uncomfortably in his seat. I noticed the hint of jealousy in his eyes and mouthed an apology. Scooting over, I made room for Zeke on the couch. Breaking into the snacks, I thanked him. Zeke took a seat as mom greeted him, "hi, Zeke. It's been a while."

He turned back to me, "how are Melody and True?"

I put my work aside, giving Zeke my full attention. "We're waiting on word about Melody, but True's surgery is going well. They should be out soon."

Zeke nodded and confidently said, "I'm sure, True and Melody would both be fine."

Dad returned with an armful of snacks. Zeke's eyes immediately bugged out as he let out a gasp. Zeke actually pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"OW," he screeched, sitting up straighter, "I'm awake."

I chuckled, shaking my head, "why wouldn't you be?"

Zeke nodded towards my dad as he leaned closer to me and whispered, "that's Alexander Montez, captain for the San Francisco Warriors. He's the best player ever. He was my idol growing up, the reason I got into basketball."

"Sounds like you're a fan," I noted, before taking a sip of water, "so go say hi."

Zeke shook his head, "no way, I can't just go up to him. He's a legend in the basketball world. Can you get his autograph for me?"

If Zeke couldn't talk to Alexander Montez, what would happen when he discovers he is my dad? Would he see me the same, or would things be different? Would he still be my friend, or would everything be about my dad? I felt like I was getting a glimpse into my worse nightmare.

Before I could answer him, the double door to the ORs opened, and Javier came out with a nurse right behind him. The serious look on his face sent a worry chill down my spine. Something was very wrong.

I stood on my shaky feet, "How bad," I asked in a trembling voice.

"Melody needs a blood transfusion, but there isn't enough O- blood in the bank." He explained, not daring to look me in the eye.

I would need more explanation if it were someone else but not with Javier. We were an open book with each other and could read each other like one too. I could tell from the apologetic and guilty expressions that this was really bad. What's worse was that this wasn't like the usual problems. He didn't have a fix this time.

Rosie stood up, "I can donate; I'm O-." She offered.

My head whipped in her direction so fast that the room started spinning momentarily. Zeke and Javier caught me simultaneously when I began wobbling on my feet. Zeke didn't hesitate to let go when he knew Javier had a grip on me. I knew Rosie wasn't mad at me, but I hadn't expected her to volunteer to help.

The nurse turned to Javier, waiting for his instructions, "that could actually work; do you want me to draw her blood?"

Javier shook his head, "she isn't a qualified donor."

"What about me?" Trey offered.

Javier narrowed his brow, "you're O-?"

"O+," Trey replied.

Javier shook his head, "sorry, O- only."

Mom decided to try, "what about me?"

The nurse smiled like she had just won the lottery, "great, I'm pretty sure she can donate, right?"

Javier shook his head again, "sorry, relative donation means Melody's at an even high risk for infections."

The nurse narrowed her brow, "isn't a risk of infection better than a certain dead kid on the operating table?"

"Unfortunately, Dr. Simon doesn't see it that way," Javier continued, "and if we go behind his back and lose our jobs, we're not doing anyone any favors. And Melody will still die."

The nurse's smile turned back into a frown. She said disappointedly, "there's really nothing we can do, is there?"

Javier dropped his head, "not unless by some miracle we can find someone Melody's not related to with O- blood."

My heart sank, realizing the danger my little girl was in. I was going to lose my little girl. No one in our family could donate, and there were no other options. My knees started weakening, and it took everything in me not to break down.

Javier pulled me into a hug, knowing I was going to need support. He whispered, "I'm so sorry, Elly; you were counting on me. I really let you down and blew your trust."

Zeke stepped up and cleared his throat to grab our attention, "Troy is O-, and I know he has donated blood before. He's still upstairs with Chad, Taylor, and C.J. I can talk him into donating, no problem."

I broke free from Javier's hug. "No," I practically shouted, causing everyone to jump. I took a moment to calm down before continuing in a whisper, "Troy can't donate."

Zeke's expression went from shocked to confused. "OK, then what about me?"

My head snapped up like a yo-yo, "You're O-?"

Zeke nodded, "unless I'm for some reason not qualified, I'll volunteer to be Melody's donor."

I turned to Javier, giving him a pleading puppy dog pout, "Please say he's qualified."

"Ever donate before," Javier circled him and studied him.

Zeke trailed him with his eyes. He had an uncomfortable expression, "yes, not as much as Troy, but a handful of times I went with him to the blood bank and thought, what the hey, I was there anyway; I might as well save a life or two."

"Health issues?" Javier stopped where he was, making Zeke even more uncomfortable.

"Not according to my recent health evaluation," Zeke answered in confusion.

Javier nodded, "how recent?"

"I picked it up two weeks ago."

Javier continued to interrogate him, making him more uncomfortable by the second. At one point, I thought Zeke would back out and make a break for the door. I was pretty sure Javier had asked all the questions one could ask a blood donor when he ended the fifty questions.

Javier finally smiled like he's just received the best gift ever. He was grinning from ear to ear as he instructed the nurse, "draw his blood; we found our miracle. Meet me inside the operating room after."

The nurse happily leads Zeke off to draw his blood. Javier returned to the operating room after promising to do everything he could to save Melody.

Later that night, Truett and Melody both pulled through their surgeries. They were now recovering in the recovery room of the PICU. We were all in the room waiting for them to wake up now.

The sound of the machine beeping evenly was the best sound in the world. I could listen to it for hours, knowing it meant Melody was OK. Melody was breathing, and her heart rate was where it was supposed to be. It was all that mattered to me.

I thought back to Zeke's earlier request just before Javier came out of the operating room. I knew there was no way I'd ever be able to thank Zeke for what he did. I wouldn't be sitting by my little girl's bed if he didn't offer to donate.

"Dad, do you still have some copies of your autobiography?" I asked.

Dad looked over at me from the chair he was sitting in, "yeah, why?"

"Earlier today, before Javier came out from the OR, Zeke asked me to get your autograph," I explained, "after he saved Melody; I figured it's the least I could do."

Dad closed the book he was reading, "and you figured since he was a big enough fan to want my autograph, he'd want my autobiography too."

My dad knew me so well. Aside from Javier, he was the only one who could read me like a book. Not that I wasn't close to everyone in my family because I was. But my relationship with my dad and Javier had always been extra unique.

"Exactly," I stated, "it could be our way of thanking him."

"Your brothers and sisters are coming by later," Dad replied, "I can ask them to bring a copy over and sign it before you give it to Zeke."

I hugged him, "thanks."

Throughout the night, I went by C.J.'s room, hoping to find him alone. It was close to dawn before I finally got a chance to check on C.J. without anyone else there. C.J. was asleep when I slipped into the room quietly.

Staring at C.J., I silently thanked God that C.J., Truett, and Melody were all OK. After a minute, I reminded myself I had to hurry before someone returned. Rushing over to the nightstands, I carefully opened the drawers for a paper and pencil. I cursed myself for not writing a note earlier when I came upon my third empty drawer.

Opening the last drawer, I grabbed the notepad and pencil in front of me. Scribbling a quick note for Zeke, I returned everything the way I found it.

I quickly reread dad's message:

Zeke, what you did for Melody and her family was genuine kindness. Speaking from personal experience, I know there's no way the family could ever thank you for your courage and compassion. Keep treating everyone with the compassion you showed Melody's family, and you'll go far.

Alexander Montez

P.S. I heard you're a great basketball player. Maybe you can show me some of your moves sometime, or we could even play a game.

I reread my note for Zeke:

Zeke, I know you're Alexander Montez's biggest fan. This is my way of saying thank you for everything-especially saving Melody.

Slipping the message into the book, like a bookmark, I left it on the nightstand where he was sure to find it.

Peeking out of the room to ensure the hallways were clear, I returned to the PICU. Halfway back, I realized I forgot to leave Zeke Pop-Pop's number for Jason and Kelsie in case they wanted a second opinion.

A groan of annoyance escaped me as I headed back in the direction I came from. The room was still empty except for C.J. when I slipped back in. Working fast, I scribbled Pop-Pop's number on another piece of paper.

Before I could slip the note into the book, I heard voices in the hall. My stomach flipped and flopped with nerves hearing the voices coming in this direction. Panic set in instantly when I realized who the voices were.

Frantically searching the room, I realized there was nowhere to run. For half a second, I thought about diving under the bed. I quickly noticed I was going to have to face them. Time seemed to stand still for me until I heard the jiggling on the nob. Shoving the pad and pencil back in the drawer, I stood straighter, facing the door.

My heart hammered in my chest as knots formed in my stomach. This is it, I thought when the door started opening at a snail's pace. There's nowhere to run now.