I took the stairs down to the third floor. As I passed Kurt’s room I looked in. Both of his parents were there. His mother was crying and his father was pacing back and forth. Kurt was unconscious. As I pushed up against the glass of the door to get a better look, I could see his skin was an awful yellowish, greenish color. I knew that was because his liver wasn’t working. He was getting worse and time was running out.
I felt frozen, totally helpless. I didn’t think I could move away from that spot. But someone was walking at a fast clip toward me. I didn’t turn around to look. It was Martha again. She gave me a pat on the shoulder. “I know,” she said. “I know. Now let’s move before those goons behind me start hassling you again.”
The “goons” weren’t all that scary looking—just two white-coated attendants. But I moved anyway.
We walked toward the elevator and stepped inside. As the door closed Martha waved goodbye to the attendants who had followed us. As we began to go down, she punched the red stop button and we came to a halt between floors.
“What did Jason’s parents say?”
“They said no. I have to talk to them,” I told her. “I have to convince them.” Even as I said it, I didn’t know if I had the courage to face them. I was scared to death that I wouldn’t say the right words, that I would screw it up somehow and it would be all over. “But I don’t know if I can do it.”
Martha took my hand and squeezed. She looked me straight in the eye. She punched the second floor button and the elevator started moving
The doors parted. Martha held them open and pointed to the third door down the hall. “They’re in there. Wait until there’s no doctor or nurse around.”
There was nothing in the world that could have stopped me from trying.
My legs seemed to move on their own. I walked down the hall and knocked gently on the door frame. Then I went in.
Jason’s head was almost completely bandaged. There were electronic machines beeping and ticking. Jason’s parents appeared to be praying. They looked up when I entered.
I had met Jason’s parents only twice before. They were wealthy like Kurt’s folks and lived in a big house. They had lots of money, but you could tell by the way they dressed they were old-fashioned. They spoiled Jason by giving him anything he wanted, though. That’s why he had the motorcycle. They were probably blaming themselves for Jason’s accident. I don’t know if they had ever thought much about me, but they knew I was Kurt’s friend. I knew that Kurt’s parents had let on how unhappy they were that Kurt was hanging out with me.
“I’m here to talk about Kurt,” I said, looking straight at Jason, not them.
“How dare you!” Jason’s father shouted at me.
I pretended I didn’t hear. I looked at Jason’s mother and spoke in a calm slow voice, hoping the words would do some sort of magic all on their own.
“Jason is probably going to die and it’s not going to mean much,” I began. “A stupid accident.”
“You get out of here right this instant!” Jason’s father shouted. I didn’t listen.
“It’s not fair,” I said, “that he has to die. I’ll miss him very much, although it’s nothing like what you will feel, I know.”
Jason’s father started for the door. He was going to get someone to throw me out. I almost panicked and started crying, but Jason’s mother pulled him back. “Let’s hear what she has to say,” she said in a voice full of sadness.
“Jason and Kurt were friends,” I said.
“They still are friends,” Jason’s father insisted. “They were always very close. They grew up together.”
I could see then that he must not have known what Jason was like to his “friends.” And I could tell that he wasn’t ready to admit that his son was dying.
“We know that Jason isn’t going to make it,” Mrs. Evans said. Jason’s father just shook his head. He looked angry—like he wanted to hit somebody. He scared me, but I wasn’t ready to back off.
“And when he dies,” I told her, “he can save Kurt’s life. If you give your permission for the transplant.”
“We already said no to the doctors. It’s too much for us to think about. Too much to ask at a time like this!” Mr. Evans shouted. His hands were clenched into fists and he was right over top of me now. I was sure he was ready to hit me, or hit something, because he was so frustrated and angry that he couldn’t do anything for his son.
I held my ground. “It is too much to ask,” I told him. “And I’m not supposed to be here asking it. But I’m asking it anyway. Jason’s death will be worth something because he’ll save another life.”
He was shaking his head no. Mrs. Evans was sobbing, but I could see she was trying to get control of herself. I was shaking too. I was so scared. I almost wished Mr. Evans would hit me and get the anger out of him. Right then I knew I was losing it, and I wanted to feel the pain that Kurt and Jason must have felt.
“Get out!” he said.
“No,” I answered. “I’m sorry to do this, but I have to. I think I know how you feel. And maybe you’ve never thought about donating part of your son’s body if he dies. But you have to think about it now. Jason was a tough guy and he didn’t back down from much. I think he’d be mad at you if you let him back down from this.”
I was shocked that I had come out and said that. I was sure it was the wrong thing to say. But suddenly Jason’s mother looked up at me. “You really did know Jason, didn’t you?”
“Not all that well,” I admitted.
“He just pretended he was tough,” his mother said. “Underneath, he was just a little boy trying to act tough.”
“I think I knew that.”
“He wanted to be the best at everything he did,” his father said. “Jason pushed himself hard. He always wanted to be the best he could be, and I think he wanted others to follow his lead.”
I nodded in agreement.
He didn’t seem so angry now. “I think Jason wanted to be some kind of hero.”
I swallowed hard and went for it. “I think he finally has his chance.”
The door opened and three doctors walked in. “It’s time,” one of them said. “You can stay in the room if you like.” They had come to shut off the life-support system.
I turned to leave. It had all been in vain.
“Wait,” Mr. Evans said. I turned around, but he wasn’t talking to me. “We want to see Dr. Bennington,” he said.