“What’s happening, doc?” Rocco asked.
“I’m sorry, your dad didn’t make it,” the doctor said.
Lucy looked very sad, like it was her dad or someone close who had died.
“But I thought you said with the blood transfusion he would make a full recovery,” Rocco said.
“The loss of blood and his cancer just took a toll on his heart. I’m so very sorry. We did the best we could.”
“They did the best they could,” Lucy said.
Silence struck the room.
“Hey, doc,” Cole said. “May I talk to you for a moment, please?”
Cole pulled him aside, but his conversation was still within earshot.
“Yes, of course. How can I help?”
Cole looked uneasy, and the doctor looked calm. Rocco was crying. Lucy was trying to comfort him. Michael and Ralph walked away and started talking.
“You said earlier that Michael was AB negative. That he was a match for Moretti. How is that possible?”
“It isn’t, really.”
Cole’s expression changed. His face turned red.
Before things got uglier, I interrupted and hugged Cole. I embraced him as hard as I could. I didn’t want to let him go. He finally embraced me back.
“I’m sorry. I am so sorry. Michael is not your son,” I whispered in his ear.
Cole pushed me away with such force that I almost fell backward. The doctor was able to catch me.
My heart was pounding. I didn’t know what Cole was going to do or what he was going to say.
“HE’S NOT MY SON?!” Cole yelled at the top of his lungs. “What the fuck do you mean he’s not my son?”
Michael rushed to hold back Cole. He was furious.
Cole looked at the doctor.
The doctor shook his head.
“He’s not,” the doctor mouthed.
Cole broke down and started crying.
“You fucking bitch, you’ve ruined my life!”
I didn’t know what to say.
“How could you have lied to me all this time?” Cole screamed.
“I didn’t know. I just found out today, just like you did.” I lied.
I had to lie. I had to defend my dignity.
“Liar, you’re a fucking liar and a whore.”
