My Son is Not My Son
CHAPTER 18: NOT MY SON

The sound of Febi's fingers tapping into the iron chair made her even more agitated. He stopped his movements as the sound of the iron door beside him screeched.

Someone called to enter a room, which turned out to be 15 people including specialists at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital and pediatrician Dennis. They sat around a round table and began to explain Adam's deteriorating condition.

“I am an expert in the field of numbers, please let me know directly. On a scale of one to ten, one he's healthy and ten he's dead, what's the chance for Adam?"

"9.5-” says pediatrician Dennis.

The room became quiet. Febi shook and started crying. It felt like someone had just ripped through the core of his body and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Adam needs therapy to shut down an overactive immune system that keeps spinning non-stop. A neutron bomb for the immune system. It's completely empty to turn off HLH to be safe to even think about having a transplant" Dr Dennis said.

Rebecca Marsh, MD, a dark-skinned curly-haired woman chimed in. "It's basically like if you're cleaning up space for a garden in your yard. You give CHEMOTHERAPY to kill what is already growing there so you have a place to plant new seeds or new stem cells from a bone marrow donor." 

They called the term 'bone marrow transplant', and Febi didn't know exactly what it meant, just that this sounded like it was going to be a very long and difficult road and she was increasingly afraid of losing Adam.

The first step for Adam was to undergo chemotherapy for HLH to go into remission. However, seven weeks passed, it was clear that Adam's body was not responding. In fact, Adam's bone marrow didn't function properly, and Adam had to undergo blood and platelet transfusions all the time, and a bone marrow transplant became Adam's only chance of survival. 

Febi underwent an examination, a buccal swab (cheek) without pain. The small cell sample helped determine if she could potentially be a spinal cord donor for her son.

The next day, Mia was also taken to the hospital for a check-up. Unfortunately when Febi met with the lab officer, that neither he nor Mia, both were suitable to be donors.

At the moment, Dennis' pediatrician called him into the room. The middle-aged man looked at her so deeply, but lovingly. "Miss Febi, I'd like to hear your answer directly. Is Adam your biological son?"

Febi's eyes widened and were shocked. "Why do you ask that, he's obviously my biological son? Who I gave birth to and raised myself?"

The rustling sound of a freshly taken white paper and on the slopes of Doctor Dennis was then handed to him. This moment de javu made Febi uncomfortable. Again a DNA test. This time it was written inside.

"I don't know what you're going through and you don't seem to know about it yourself" Dr. Dennis said, observing Febi's trembling lips.

"But actually, Miss Febi, if we're going to try, we have a chance on both of Adam's biological parents, one of whom might be a good fit. Including Adam's extended family, we cannot rule out the possibility of that opportunity for Adam's salvation. Have you not had a DNA test?" Doctor Denis asked as Febi continued to stare at him with a fickle expression. So, he was not sure what his words were from earlier listened to.

It took Febi some time for the reality of the situation to be understood. He shook his head with a hand squeezing the DNA results. He stood up without answering because it was very painful to hear the man call 'Both parents of Adam'.

Even though the twins aren't Mike's kids? Now this letter shows you're not his son, either? Meanwhile, he and Mike split up because of this. All this time he's been figuring out if in the past he accidentally betrayed Mike instead of thinking here. His limp knees were unable to withstand the weight of his body.

"My boy?" Febi cried out to know where her biological son was.

Doctor Dennis's sincere tone of voice drew Febi back to the horrible reality, “Yeah, I'm sorry, Miss Febi!"

Febi cried more often, gently helped to stand back by the kind-hearted Doctor Dennis. Everything was a blur for Febi.  The man took her to a private office in the next room.

Trying to calm down, what was thought of now was the father of the former-in-law. If Mr. Xander wants to help him find his biological son, he will because it's his grandson. However, the man he had loved all along like his own father was referring to his calling. Also, when I called Mike. The woman was grieving and feeling burned. Would Mike still accept it if he knew the twins weren't his children?

The world and all the colors inside were drained away. Febi was unable to catch her breath as shock took hold of her heart. Then a deep pain resounded from one unanswered question in despair and begged for a solution. WHERE THE NINE-MONTH-OLD BABY WAS CONCEIVED.

Nothing makes sense. Confusion rampant. No one knew how to help the sick part, yet he knew which part was sick. No, he thought it better not to tell Mike. Febi deleted the message she just sent.

The woman came out of the office and sat down near the garden, cupping her face with a trembling body. Meanwhile, Doctor Denis calls Jordan while observing Febi from a distance.

*

The reddish sky had turned gray as the Sun set entirely on the western horizon. Jordan half ran through the white-walled hallway. In the treatment room, she found Febi stroking Adam's hair while reading a book.

"Forwardly," Jordan said, refusing to interfere with their focus. He glanced at the title of the book 'A Dogs Promise'.

Adam looked at Jordan's face on his right side. One corner of his lips lifted because of Jordan's gaze, it looked like he was listening to the story of the mother.

"This time, Bailey joins forces with another very special dog, who helps Bailey fulfill his promise for several lives" Febi said. The two humans were different generations, reviewing smiles along with similar movements to the point of making Febi stunned by their compactness. If Adam's curly hair was blond, then people thought they were father and son.

"The dog's soul is charming and thoughtful, bringing joy, laughter and comfort as it manages to unite a family torn apart by the inevitable obstacles to life" Jordan said itching not to comment.

"The love and loyalty of both dogs are effective. It shows us the incredible power of hope, truth, and endless devotion." Febi stroked Adam's hair. It didn't feel like an hour Jordan was hoarding with them.

Febi arranged the height of the headrest of the bed so that the son could rest comfortably. He rubbed Adam's black curly hair with his finger and thought about the emotional bond he had with his son.

If I raise you then in everything important you are mine. I guess I still don't accept this, but it won't change my love for you and Mia in the least. She was also scared and did not want to tell anyone the truth. What if your parents find out and take you from me. My mom won't!(Febi)

"Come on, eat" Jordan said as he touched Febi's arm after Adam fell asleep.

They came out of the room and stepped in.

"You" said Jordan.

"Adam" said Febi.

They talk collided, now the two look at each other until finally Jordan asked Febi to speak early. The man himself was at a loss as to what to ask about the twins who were not Febi's children.

"Adam needs a spinal cord transplant. Without it, the chances of survival are very small" Febi said, staring at Jordan with her eyes. Her tears automatically fell.

"I'm going to do a test as well who knows mine fits," Jordan said and got a meaningful nod. As a yearning appeared in his heart, Jordan did not understand why there was this kind of feeling. His hand will grasp Febi but be undone.

"So what did you say?"