Jennie

I wake up in Lisa's bed and smile to myself as she pulls me closer, still fast asleep. I snuggle into her and sigh. I've been on cloud nine all week. Things have been so perfect between us, and I couldn't be happier. I don't even mind the sneaking around we do around the house. If anything, I find it fun and exciting. I've spent every single night in Lisa's bedroom, and I have a feeling Dad knows, but he's just letting us be.

I was worried that Dad would be upset, or that he wouldn't approve, but he hasn't said a thing. I guess he might be waiting until we tell him ourselves, but we haven't really talked about our future together. I told Lisa that whatever was going on would be temporary, but neither one of us is acting like it will be.

I've only just about started to fall back asleep when my phone buzzes. I glance at it and frown when I realize it's the local clinic's number. I pick up, feeling anxious, my voice still sounding sleepy.

"Jennie?"

I freeze, recognizing Layla's voice. Why did it have to be her, of all people.

"Good morning, Layla."

I try to get up, but Lisa groans and pulls me even closer. "Minx," she murmurs, her eyes fluttering before she falls back asleep.

Layla falls silent on the phone, and for a second I actually feel bad. She clears her throat awkwardly.

"It's about your blood tests. There was an anomaly in them," she tells me, and my heart starts to hammer in my chest. She laughs, and the sound sends chills down my spine.

"I was wondering why Lisa was so adamant that you shouldn't ever see the physical files. She asked me to call you with the results, but she requested that I keep the paperwork from you. I didn't think much of it, because it's Lisa, but I just had a look at your files, and something doesn't add up."

I feel uncomfortable and anxious. "What are you talking about?" I whisper, my voice shaking.

"Your blood type is A, but your father's blood type is B, and your medical file states that your mother's blood type is O."

I blink, not quite getting it. Layla sighs loudly. "I never knew you were adopted, you know? It's nice that you'd still consider organ donation for your adoptive father, but unfortunately, you aren't a match."

I sit up and push Lisa away, my stomach churning. "This must be some kind of mistake," I whisper, feeling sick.

Layla pauses. "I've ran all the tests twice, Jennie. Your blood types don't match, and it's impossible for two parents with blood type B and O to have a child with blood type A. I hate having to be the one to tell you this, but I just thought something like this shouldn't be kept from you."

I don't even hear whatever else she's saying, my mind whirling. My phone drops from my hand and I start to tremble. My dad isn't my dad? How could that possibly be true? Does he even know? Why would he take care of me for so many years if he knew? Why would he have kept me after my mother left us?

Maybe Layla is wrong, and my mother's blood type isn't O. I run a hand through my hair, and Lisa shifts uneasily. I glance at her as she blinks lazily, a smile on her face as she wakes up and finds me sitting here with her.

Lisa frowns and sits up when she realizes something is wrong, and I take a good look at her. Could Layla be right? Has Lisa known all along?

"Jennie?" she says, sitting up. The sheets fall to her waist and she leans back against the pillows. she runs a hand through her hair, confusion clouding her eyes. "What's wrong?"

I inhale deeply and wrap my arms around myself. "Is it true?" I ask. "About my dad?"

Lisa glances at my phone in my hands, her eyes widening.

"What do you mean?" she asks. I see the wheels in her mind whirling, and the way she looks at me makes my heart sink. I've seen that look in her eyes before, but I've never seen it directed at me. She looks calculative and defensive, and I've got my answer. Betrayal washes over me, and my stomach churns violently.

"Layla called," I whisper, and Lisa's eyes fill with resignation. She looks down, as though she can't face me, and my heart twists painfully.

"She said there was an anomaly in my blood work. But then, you already knew that, didn't you? She said she's had the paperwork for weeks, and you asked her not to share it with me. Why, Lisa? Why would you do that to me? Why would you keep something like that from me?"

She looks so lost, so heartbroken, but I have no sympathy for her. I shake my head and get out of bed, throwing my robe on as quickly as I can. Lisa grabs me from behind and holds on tightly, her chin on my shoulder.

"Jennie," she whispers. She wraps her arms around me tightly, as though she's scared to let me go, to let me walk away.

She's got her hands wrapped around my waist, and I grab them tightly, holding on for just a second before forcibly removing them. I can't tell if I'm in shock, if I'm just angry or if I'm sad. I push away from Lisa and grit my teeth, forcing back my tears.

"How could you?" I ask her, my voice breaking. "How could you keep something like this from me? How long have you known?"

Lisa sits down on her bed and turns me so that I'm facing her. I look at her, and a tear drops down my cheek. She's the one person I always thought would have my back. The one person that would never lie to me, that would never betray me.

She runs a hand through her hair and sighs, looking just as devastated as I do. "Jennie, this is something you father intended to take to his grave with him. He didn't want you to know. I only found out when he first got sick, and at the time you and I hadn't even spoken in years."

She raises her hand to my face and swipes my tears away with her thumbs, her expression anguished. "What about when I came back? How could you have taken me to bed knowing you were keeping something like this from me?"

Lisa pulls her hands away and sighs. "Minx, it wasn't my place to tell you."

I stare at her in disbelief. "So, if I hadn't found out, you would've kept this from me for the rest of our lives?"

Lisa looks away and shakes her head. "I don't know, Jennie. I don't know."

I sniff and clutch my robe tightly. I don't even know how to feel. I have a million questions that I'm not even sure I want the answers to.

When Dad first told me about his diagnosis, I thought I'd be able to save his life. I thought it was only a matter of time until all tests came back positive. Would I have been able to save him if I were his real daughter?

I inhale deeply, shakily, and walk out of Lisa's room. For the first time in forever, she isn't who I need right now. She isn't the person I can turn to when my world falls apart, because she had a hand in it.