Ruined

It had never entered his head that his son was not his own blood and if that car crash had never taken place he would have never known. How many times had he studied the boy during those years he grew up? Everything the boy did had made him smile because it reminded him of himself. Heavily wounded the lad was taken to hospital and needed blood, blood and a liver, kidney. He was happy to give it but the doctor said he wasn't a match, they were not related either. He had gazed at the man, speechless and wondered what went wrong.
"How about his mother," the specialist asked, "no siblings other relatives?"
"His mother...," he swallowed and hastily turned around, "I'll get her over here I will."
He couldn't tell the man about the boy's mom, where she was, how she ended up there but he would go over and ask her.
She was right all those years she was right, he thought. She had begged him to believe her, not to trust the doctor on his word. The doctor said she had postnatal depression and simply couldn't love the child as did. Lack of or due to some hormones if he remembered well.

It was a long drive. After she had been taken he had left with the boy to start a new life and make the best out of it. The two of them were close a team.
He drove the entire night ignoring how tired he felt. It was for the boy and he needed to know if his wife had been right.
"Dear God what if she is? What crime would have been committed to her, the boy, their own son? A trace of hurt people damaged lives," he said to himself. "Is my son still alive, can I continue to love this young man I raised?"

The car park was almost empty. He did not care that his truck was parked crookedly. He got out in a hurry and banged on the door while pressing the bell. A surprised nurse opened the door and stared at the heated man: Sir, everyone is still sleeping, can you please calm down. Visiting time is at 3 o'clock this afternoon.
"The doctor, I need to see a doctor urgently, my wife..."
"Are you hurt? Your wife is what?"
The nurse held the door open for the man who at her insistence took a seat at the kitchen table saying she would call the doctor.
"Another confused man," she said when the phone was answered and ended the call.

"Can you test her, her blood?"
The young doctor nodded although, he already knew the answer. That woman would never be able to save the lad. Too many drugs for too long even if it was a match.
"Can you run a DNA test too?"
He handed over the proof the hospital had given him.
"I can everything needed is here. You better see your wife first. How long has it been?"
He nodded didn't feel to tell this doctor more than needed. It was about his life, his son and his wife. A woman no one cared enough about to believe, to find out if she was right. Why didn't any doctor did test it before? She was phoned crazy, depressed just like that nurse said he was 'another confused man'. What the heck does that mean?

"Just a drop of blood dear," the doctor said, "it's for your son. Let's find out who's wrong."
The woman glanced at the face of the young man in front of her.
"Are you my son? You could be. Who's he?"
She slowly raised her hand and pointed at the man behind the doctor who easily could be her son.
"Someone who can take you home if you want to."
She frowned and nodded.

"You have less than thirty minutes. Just get her dressed and leave everything behind. Switch off the light when you leave." He pushed the man a paper bag in his hand. "Everything you need is in it. Follow the instructions and take her off the meds. Your finger, please."

She fell asleep immediately and after a three-hour drive, he parked next to the road to check the paper bag and stretch his legs. She hadn't said a word. Slowly he typed the phone number the doctor gave him in his phone texted his e-mail address for the results and waited. It didn't take long to receive the answer: negative no match see e-mail don't ring run.
He felt dizzy but started the car and did what the doctor said. He would drive back or further and find a place where they could stay till he knew what to do next. She looked awful and so did he. No call from the hospital about the status of the boy who wasn't his son. He always switched the phone off while driving. Without thinking he drove in the direction of where it all started. Saint Barbara's hospital was the place they never intended to be. The academic hospital praised by many living in the smart city. Back then it all started with a car accident as well. Did history repeat itself?
He should have believed her but he let them do with her as they liked without fighting back, too busy with the newborn who needed him more than his wife. It was what they had told him and he believed back then. Would she ever forgive him?

"I know who you are," she said as he put her in bed. "You didn't believe me, didn't care about your promise to stand next to me bad times included. What changed?"
"I'm losing my son," he said with tears in his eyes.
"I lost mine a long time ago after I gave birth to him. I only held him for a few seconds," she paused, "it's not the same right? The pregnancy, all those months carrying him with me, giving birth. Your lost counts heavier than mine."
Ashamed he sank on the bed next to hers and handed her over the bag. He felt she was observing him. After a while he said: it's time for your medicine the doctor added a note on how to...
"No need to," she dropped the bag on the floor, "I'm not taking any of these for a long time. You better order some food. Pizza is fine."
She turned around and fell asleep. He couldn't help smiling through his tears in a way she hadn't changed a bit. He would take a nap too, set the timer and order pizza in a few hours.
Unaware of the man with the damaged vehicle and what the effect of his visit had resulted in for the doctor and nurse he only met a few hours ago he fell asleep.

To him, this was a peaceful place, once the home of holy men good enough for him. No soul would look for him. The hidden car wouldn't be found in at least a decade long enough to make people forget. They shouldn't have given up on him so easily. What kind of parents do such a thing? He delivered the pizza, took the tip and told the hospital to let go of the damaged boy. There was no reason to save the false son. His parents were gone anyway.

#kittywu #story