Chapter 117: Thank You, But No

Dominic and Andrei underwent their preliminary testing separately, although apparently neither had been above trying to see who finished first.

Dominic finished first.

Andrei pointed out that completing a blood draw several minutes earlier wasn’t an accomplishment.

Dominic disagreed.

Victoria told them both to grow up.

The results took considerably longer.

When they were finally available, the attending physician asked all three to return to the hospital. Conrad had already been told his family wanted to see him, and more importantly, he’d allowed them to be present. At the same time, his condition and possible transplant options were discussed.

By then, Conrad looked considerably different from the man Victoria had last seen across a conference table.

He was awake.

That was the first thing Dominic noticed.

His father was propped against several pillows, an IV line disappearing beneath the sleeve of his hospital gown. His face looked pale and slightly swollen, while the exhaustion around his eyes made him seem older than he had during the divorce.

But he was alert.

More importantly, the physician said Conrad was perfectly capable of understanding his condition and making his own medical decisions.

Conrad looked toward the doorway.

His gaze passed over Dominic and Andrei before stopping briefly on Victoria.

"Didn’t expect to see all three of you."

Victoria walked inside.

"You put Dominic down as your emergency contact."

Conrad looked at his younger son.

"I did."

"Why?"

"You answer your phone."

Dominic stared at him.

"That cannot possibly be the qualification."

"It worked."

Andrei took the chair beside the bed.

"He has a point."

"You stay out of this."

"I’ve been trying for years."

Conrad almost smiled.

Victoria noticed.

So did Dominic.

Apparently, kidney failure hadn’t eliminated the Sebastian family’s ability to irritate one another.

The physician eventually rescued them.

Conrad’s kidneys were no longer functioning well enough on their own. The medical team had already begun managing the immediate complications, and dialysis could support him while they considered longer-term treatment.

Transplantation remained an option.

Which brought them to Dominic and Andrei.

"Your sons both completed preliminary compatibility testing."

Conrad’s expression immediately changed.

"You did what?"

Dominic frowned.

"Why do you sound offended?"

"I didn’t ask either of you to do that."

"You were unconscious when we arrived."

"I wasn’t unconscious."

"Very sick, then."

"That’s different."

"Not from where I was standing."

Andrei interrupted before they could get any further.

"What did the tests show?"

The physician explained that both brothers could potentially proceed with further donor evaluation.

Dominic immediately looked at Andrei.

Andrei looked back.

Then came the important part.

Based on the preliminary results, Dominic seemed the more promising candidate.

Dominic slowly smiled.

Andrei closed his eyes.

"Don’t."

"I didn’t say anything."

"Your face did."

Dominic turned toward his father.

"Good news. Apparently, you get mine."

"No."

Dominic’s smile disappeared.

"What?"

"No."

Conrad looked at the physician.

"I won’t take a kidney from either of them."

Silence settled over the room.

Dominic stared at him.

Andrei was the first to recover.

"Why?"

"Because they’re yours."

Dominic glanced at his brother.

"Well, yes. That’s generally how donation works."

"Dominic."

"What? He’s refusing perfectly serviceable merchandise."

Conrad gave him a tired look.

"You’re not merchandise."

"That might be the nicest thing you’ve said to me in years."

Victoria finally sat down.

"Conrad."

"No, Vicky."

Her expression tightened slightly at the old name, but she let it pass.

"They have their own lives. I’m not asking either one of them to undergo surgery because my kidneys failed."

"You didn’t ask," Andrei said. "We volunteered."

"And I’m saying no."

Dominic folded his arms.

"You realize I’m an adult."

"Unfortunately."

"And it’s my kidney."

"Yes."

"So shouldn’t I get to decide what I do with it?"

"You can decide to keep it."

"That isn’t how choices work."

"It is today."

Dominic looked toward the physician as though requesting intervention.

The doctor wisely remained neutral.

"A living donor must volunteer," he explained, "but the recipient also has to consent to the transplant. We can’t force Mr. Sebastian to accept an organ from either of you."

Dominic looked personally betrayed by modern medicine.

"So he gets veto power over my kidney?"

"In this particular situation, yes."

"Ridiculous."

Andrei leaned back.

"What happens if he refuses us?"

The answer was considerably less dramatic than Dominic expected.

Conrad would continue receiving the treatment he needed, including dialysis as appropriate. The transplant team could evaluate other options, and he could be considered for a deceased-donor transplant according to the applicable waiting-list process. If another willing living donor came forward, the team could evaluate that person as well.

Refusing his sons didn’t mean refusing treatment.

It only meant refusing their kidneys.

Dominic looked at his father again.

"You’d rather wait for a stranger’s?"

"If necessary."

"That makes no sense."

"It makes perfect sense to me."

Andrei was quieter.

"You’re sure?"

"Yes."

"You haven’t even thought about it."

"I’ve had plenty of time to think about the things I’ve taken from my children."

That silenced the room.

Even Dominic had nothing sarcastic ready.

Conrad looked between his sons.

"I won’t take this too."

Dominic’s irritation weakened.

Andrei lowered his gaze.

Victoria simply watched the man she’d spent decades married to.

For once, nobody tried to argue.

At least not immediately.

Dominic finally exhaled.

"Fine."

Conrad looked suspicious.

"Fine?"

"You said no."

"Yes."

"I heard you."

Andrei glanced at him.

"That was surprisingly mature."

"Don’t ruin it."

Dominic picked up his jacket.

Then he looked back at his father.

"But I’m staying approved for evaluation."

Conrad frowned.

"I said no."

"And I heard you. You’re allowed to refuse."

"Then why?"

"Because you’re also allowed to change your mind."

Andrei stood.

"So am I."

Dominic turned.

"You’re the inferior match."

"Preliminary match."

"Still inferior."

"By whatever margin the transplant team determines after further evaluation."

"Sounds like jealousy."

Victoria rose from her chair.

"Both of you still have all your original kidneys. Perhaps wait until someone actually loses one before celebrating."

Conrad closed his eyes.

"Were they always like this?"

Victoria picked up her handbag.

"No. You missed several developmental stages."

That one landed.

Conrad opened his eyes again.

Victoria’s expression had softened, but only slightly.

"Continue your treatment. Let the doctors do their jobs. Your sons have made their position clear."

"And I’ve made mine clear."

"Yes."

She looked toward Dominic and Andrei.

"And apparently none of the three of you knows how to stop once you’ve decided something."

Dominic considered that.

"Genetic?"

"Unfortunately."

Andrei opened the door.

For now, that was the final answer.

Conrad would continue treatment and dialysis while the transplant team explored his options.

His sons would respect his refusal.

Mostly.

But neither withdrew his willingness to donate.

Because Conrad Sebastian was allowed to say no.

And if he ever changed that answer, both of his sons intended to make sure he still had someone to ask.