Chapter 49: A Special kind of Forgiveness

The days that followed were a grueling test of endurance. To protect her from infection and allow her body to rest, the doctors kept Diana in a deep, medically induced sleep.

Selen never left the isolation room. She slept in the uncomfortable chair, washed her hands dozens of times a day, and watched the digital displays constantly.

The first week brought terrifying setbacks. Diana developed severe fevers as her body struggled to process the massive changes occurring inside her system.

Her temperature spiked, and her blood pressure dropped, and it would send the nursing staff rushing into the room to adjust her medication pumps.

Every morning, the medical team ran tests to see if the new cells were working, and every morning the results showed nothing. Diana remained on the edge of survival, suspended between life and death.

Clancy also sat through the silence of the nights, listening to the machines breathe for his daughter, wondering if his sacrifice would be enough.

He had not mentioned his requests after that, even after the boys would come over and look at him, wondering who their mom’s new friend was. A time was going to come for him to intriduce himself, but it would not be while his daughter’s life hung at a balance.

JK and Newton spent their fair share of time in the hospital as well. But JK focused more on making sure that Selen and the boys did not fall into an unhealthy routine.

He would spend some time with the boys after school, and answer as many questions as he could about their sister and when she was getting back home.

Newton was all about being there for Selen. She was depriving herself of food and work because she wanted to always be at Diana’s side.

Clancy had made it clear that although he wanted to be involved in their lives, he was not going to just come in like a force.

He was trying to ease his way into their lives. He would sometimes have light conversations with the boys when they came over, and traded places with Selen so she could get some shut eye.

After a few weeks, Newton and JK had to spend less time by her side, sometimes leaving her with just Clancy who did not owe any of his businesses an urgent appearance.

They were still not in support of him being around but they had no say. It was Selen’s decision and they would have to be there for her no matter what.

They were watching his every move, waiting for any screw up from him to send him away. And he was not giving them a chance to do that.

It took Selen a while to learn to take turns with him to watch Diana, and when she eventually did, she found it rather effective than watching with half closed eyes.

On the fifteenth day, the attending doctor walked into the room. He was not looking at the charts with his usual furrowed brow. He was smiling.

"The numbers are finally going up," the doctor announced, tapping the computer screen. Selen and Clancy were now alert.

"Her body is accepting your cells. The transplant is working." He said to Clancy.

Clancy stood up, his own physical pain completely forgotten. He looked at the monitor.

For the first time in weeks, the lines indicating her internal cell production were moving upward. His cells had taken root inside her bones.

Selen let the happy tears leave her eyes. Finally, the long awaited good news.

A few days later, the medical team determined that Diana was strong enough to breathe on her own. They carefully removed her breathing tube and began to lower the sedation.

The doctor’s assured that the process would not decline when she woke up but they would still observe her after she did.

Later that day, Diana’s eyelids slowly fluttered. She squinted against the bright lights of the room, looking confused and exhausted.

She turned her head weakly until her eyes found Selen sitting beside her. "Mummy," she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

"Diana?" She asked as Selen leaned over the bed while clicking on the call button.

Tears blurred her vision, as she very gently squeezed her daughter’s hand. "I am right here, Diana. You are going to be okay. Everything will be okay" she whispered.

"C?" She questioned as she slightly tilted her head to look at Clancy. He had a smile on his lips as he stood behind Selen.

"Do not strain your voice, sweetie," Selen said to her. She had been silent for over two weeks and there was a lot of time to talk but not now.

He slowly nodded his head and walked closer. He had been standing at a distance the entire time in fear of how he would reintroduce himself to his daughter.

Clancy leaned closer to the hospital guardrail. His hand trembled violently as he carefully placed a plush teddy bear near her blanket, his eyes never leaving her pale face.

"Hey, kiddo," he managed to say, his voice cracking under the immense weight of the moment.

"Mummy, did you find him because he was my friend?" She asked innocently in a tired voice, not obeying her mom’s instruction to be quiet.

Selen reached down, her own fingers sliding into Diana’s hand and squeezing gently.

She looked down at her daughter, her voice thick with emotion, forcing herself to say the words that should have been said seven years ago.

"Diana, sweetie," Selen swallowed hard, looking from the little girl to the man standing beside her.

"This is Clancy. And Clancy is not just your friend from the park. He is also your dad."

The room fell completely silent, Diana’s eyes grew wide as she processed the words, her gaze darting back and forth between her mother and the man who had always looked out for her in the park.

The confusion on her face slowly gave way to a profound, innocent understanding. "You are my daddy?" She asked, her voice a tiny, raspy whisper. A small, genuine smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.