Chapter 2

2

"Mom, you've got it all wrong. Look at me―I'm skin and bones. I'm not nearly as sturdy as you are."

I leaned back, staring her down. "Just last week, you were out in Terrence's field hauling fifty-pound sacks of corn. You carried two at a time. Even Dad was impressed."

"Besides, Mabel is his actual daughter. What kind of daughter lets her cousin give up an organ while she sits around doing nothing? People will talk, Mom. It looks bad."

Cynthia opened her mouth to argue, but I didn't give her the chance. I used her own logic against her.

"Mom, it's settled then. You should go to the clinic tomorrow and sign the papers yourself. You're the hero he needs."

Before she could process what I'd said, I bolted out the door and ran straight to Uncle Terrence's house.

My mother was raised in a family that worshipped men. My grandmother had drilled it into her head that her brother was her only real family and her only purpose was to serve him.

She had spent her whole life practicing that toxic philosophy. When Terrence was diagnosed with kidney failure, she acted like the world was ending.

She had wailed and screamed until every member of our family went to get tested for a match. When I saw Terrence, I put on my best mask of concern.

"Uncle Terrence, we're so glad Mom is such a match!" I said breathlessly. "She's so brave for wanting to save you."

Terrence looked at me, a flicker of greed in his eyes. "She's a good sister. But is she too old? Will her body hold up?"

"You know how she is, Uncle. If anything happened to you, she'd probably just die of grief anyway. It's better this way. Let her do this for you."

Terrence went quiet, thinking it over. He was probably remembering how my mother had practically forced my dad to marry her just so she could get a dowry to pay for Terrence's wedding.