Temptation of affection

Chapter 1

My sister, Sarah, was getting a check-up at the hospital when they found out she had leukemia. Turns out, my bone marrow was a perfect match.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I told my family that I was the one who was sick.

Their reaction was a unanimous "no way."

"Donating bone marrow is risky, we can't put Sarah through that," they said.

"You being sick is your problem, don't drag your sister into it. You’ve gotta accept what life throws at you."

And Sarah herself just flat-out refused, claiming she was trying to get pregnant.

The last threads holding our family together were ripped to shreds.

I finally got it. I left my test results behind and walked out, done with the whole damn thing.

1

I’d just found out I was pregnant myself when I got the news about the bone marrow match.

My advisor, Dr. Ramirez, had pulled me aside, looking grim. He told me that if I wanted to donate to Sarah, I’d probably have to terminate my pregnancy first.

He urged me to think it through and talk it over with my husband, Ben.

And honestly, I was torn.

I'd been taking all kinds of herbs and going through fertility treatments for months to get this baby.

And Ben had been practically jumping for joy when he found out I was pregnant, like he couldn't wait to be a dad.

To lose this baby... It was a thought I could barely stand.

But Sarah was only 29, and she'd always been my parents' golden child, their world. If something happened to her, they'd be destroyed.

So, after agonizing about it all afternoon, I decided to go home after work that night.

2

When I got there, they were all having a big, happy dinner.

Besides Sarah and her husband, my younger brother, Matt, and his girlfriend were there too.

They were laughing, toasting - clearly celebrating something.

But the cozy scene froze the moment I walked in. Everyone’s smiles faltered, and they awkwardly put their glasses down.

Only my mom forced a chuckle, making a show of being affectionate as she pulled out a chair for me.

"We thought you were busy, honey, or we would’ve invited you. But you got lucky, sit down and eat with us.”

But she could say all the nice things she wanted, her actions gave away the fact that there was a distance there.

Suddenly, I had this urge to mess with them a bit.

I did a complete 180. Instead of my usual quiet self, I turned and gently took hold of her hand that was on my arm.

"Mom, I'm sick."

Her hand stiffened. She played along, pretending it was nothing.

"...Uh, well, if you’re sick, eat up. Food cures everything."

She didn't even ask what was wrong, she just used the excuse of moving the chair to pull her hand away from me.

Matt frowned.

"Ava, you're always trying to kill the mood. Every time something good happens in the family, you gotta spoil it."

"Sarah just got a spot on that big European tour. Don’t tell me you weren't doing this on purpose."

I ignored him and sat down in the chair my mom had pulled out for me.

"... I have leukemia,"...