Chapter 33

At the hospital, Brian checked in and was led up to his room on the fifth floor. Then he started calling everyone. He started with his parents. His mother broke down on the phone again, while his father struggled to stay calm. Brian felt a sense of déjà vu. It had been just a little over a year ago when Brian had been sitting in a similar room on the fifth floor calling everyone to break the news about his diagnosis. Now he was calling everyone to break the news about his relapse.

He called Leighanne next, but there was no answer on her cell phone. So, he started calling the guys. Nick started crying on the phone. Brian could tell he was trying to hide it, but he could hear the sniffles coming over the other line.

Kevin tried to keep calm, although Brian figured he probably had a good long cry after he hung up the phone. Kevin was very emotional, but he could keep calm in an emergency.

Howie and AJ were both very concerned as well. All of the guys told Brian they would be at the hospital soon. His parents were also on their way. Brian settled back to wait for them all.

***

When the guys arrived, they hung around with Brian for about an hour. Then Dr. Benson came in.

"Oh good, your friends are here," he said, smiling. He turned to the rest of the guys. "Would you four mind if we tested you to see if you are compatible to be bone marrow donors?"

The guys exchanged glances. Kevin spoke first. "I wouldn't," he told the doctor. "I'll go first. Brian's my cousin, so I might be more compatible with him than the others."

Dr. Benson nodded. "Alright," he said. "Do the rest of you want to be tested too?"

"I do," Nick said, standing up.

"So do I," Howie said.

"Me too," AJ said.

"Great," Dr. Benson said. "You can all come with me now, and I'll test you." They all stood and followed the doctor out the door, waving good-bye to Brian, who smiled and flashed a thumbs-up at them. Brian wasn't sure how the testing was done. He figured it was just a blood test. He knew that poor Nick didn't like needles. He remembered how he had almost passed out during Brian's bone marrow test.

The test was indeed just a blood test. Dr. Benson took some blood from each of them.

"It will take awhile to get the results, so you guys can go back to Brian's room now, if you want." They nodded and went back to Brian's room.

"How did it go?" Brian asked when they got back, eyeing Nick.

"Fine," Howie replied. "It was just a little blood test.

"It was no big deal," Nick spoke up. Brian smiled at them.

"Thank you, guys," he said.

"No problem, cuz," Kevin said. "If no one in your family is compatible, we'd be more than happy to give you our bone marrow." Brian smiled at them all.

***

 

 

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