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She points toward the small bag hanging on the pole above the bed. "A few hours ago. The fever has come down some."
"What is it now?"
"100.3"
My eyes widen. "What was it before?"
"Sophie." Charlotte groans.
"What was it?" I insist.
"101.7," the nurse answers.
"Do you know what it is?" I ask, walking around the bed to sit beside Charlotte's side.
I take her hand in mine, hating how frail it feels. She's lost so much weight since she got admitted, and I never notice it more than when I'm holding her hand.
The nurse shakes her head, bringing my attention back to her. "We're hoping the bloodwork will tell us. It's obviously an infection, but we're not sure from what. Could be something as simple as a cold..."
"Or something more serious?" I push.
"Yes," she tells me the truth that terrifies me.
"Would it affect her getting onto a transplant list?"
I curse when Charlotte's head rises off of the pillow, her hand tightening on mine. Giving her hand a squeeze, I hold a finger up, asking her to wait and getting a glare in return. She must be feeling a little bit better to give me the 'I'm the bigger sister' look.
"No, it wouldn't. If anything," she pauses and leans in a little before continuing, "It might help a little, but this fever should be outta here by tomorrow, so don't even let it be a factor in your mind."
I nod as she begins walking toward the door. "I'll let Veronica know everything that's going on, and we should get the results back from this bloodwork in a few hours. Anything at all, and you call for a nurse, okay, Charlotte?"
"I will. Thank you," Charlotte says.
I can hear Charlotte's question coming before the door even completely closes.
"What's going on?" she asks.
I look down at her, putting the smile I had a few minutes ago back on my face. "You're going to be added to the list."
"What?" she croaks. "But... how?"
I swallow the guilt for how I'm about to lie to her. "I got a loan."
"But we tried that already, at damn near every bank."
"I went to a small bank, out of town. I had to kinda pull on their heart strings, but they agreed to give it to me."
"A bank agreed to give you..."
"Three hundred thousand dollars," I supply.
Her eyes widen in surprise, but then narrow with obvious suspicion. "They gave you that much money because you told them some sob story about your sick sister, Sophie?"
I shrug, mentally begging her to just take my words and move on. "It was an older woman. She was probably thinking she'd want someone to do this if it were one of her grandkids or something. I don't know." I squeeze her hand. "But what matters is I just wrote a check out to that snob of a woman in the financial department, and it's done. You're going on the list."
Charlotte's eyes fill with tears. "Is this for real, Soph? After everything we've been through, can it really be that simple?"
I lean down and kiss her cheek. "I think we're due some good luck on our side for once, don't you?"
