I've Been There Before

“What … do you mean?” Payne was surprised. Grace turned around. He quickly grabbed her arm tightly and said, “Did you really find a donor?”

He stared at Grace nervously. Grace lowered her eyes when noticed Payne’s nervousness, anxiety, and hope.

The hope of survival.

She smiled and answered, “Yes, I did. You won’t die.”

Pulling his hand away, she seemed to have made up her mind.

When she walked to the door….

She smiled at him. He would never forget that smile.

“Payne, stay strong and enjoy your life.”

Then, the door was closed.

Payne didn’t even have time to say “thank you”.

The next moment, he called Mrs. James excitedly, “Mom, I’m saved! I won’t die!”

He was overjoyed.

Mrs. James couldn’t believe it. She kept asking, “Really? Who is so kind?

I must show my thanks to the donor.

I’ll call your ruthless sister. She actually refused to save you!

Even a stranger was willing to do it.

She should be guilty!”

Payne blushed. He said with embarrassment, “Mom, don’t do that. Grace found the donor for me.”

Mrs. James was surprised at first. Then she said, “Whatever. She is not the doctor. She found a donor for you just because she doesn’t want to donate her own bone marrow.

Do you think she did this for you?

She did this for herself.”

Payne’s face turned even redder. “Mom, I’m tired. I must hang up now.”

Not long after, his attending doctor came and told him that he could have a bone marrow transplant.

Payne hesitated for a moment, but he didn’t ask who the donor was.

The doctor only said, “You’re lucky. From today onwards, I’ll prescribe antibiotics for you as preoperative preparation. You have to take this. After your body indexes return to normal, I’ll arrange an operation for you.”

The doctor added, “I need to talk to your family. The result would come out one month after the operation.”

…

you sure you want to donate bone

medically speaking, can still live.” The nurse in charge explained to

lift heavy things. They would

know

regenerate bone marrow. The bone marrow is like

to five days in a row. We will collect hematopoietic stem cells. Then normally the

condition

fail, and the collection of hematopoietic stem cells is not entirely safe. There

condition

are you sure you’re going to do

signed her name on the

surname James?” The nurse

surname

The nurse was puzzled….

…

Grace returned home, she saw a man

urge to leave and walked to him. “I know you have

She said slowly.

stared at her with his dark eyes. “OK,” he said in a low

didn’t you

“You broke your words first. You agreed to let

Why was he here?

he bothered

He didn’t deny that.

eyes still dark,

“Where did you go?”

an

and said calmly, “I didn’t go anywhere. I just

“Oh … I see.”

there was implication in

with work at that time. He couldn’t know where she had been and

not going

did not take

calmly, “You promised to leave me alone for some time.

he looked at her.

and walked into the elevator,

be there for me for the rest of your life,” he said sadly in a low

body suddenly trembled, and she

elevator door had closed. She took out her keys and opened the door. Walking into the

risk should have been small, it might

marrow was her

entirely

to take the risk before for

James Group was on the right track, grandfather’s efforts would

She didn’t let her late

made the decision to find a bone marrow donor for

her mind when she returned from

said that Payne would take