Page 120 of Eleven of a Kind

“His name is Carter?” Conner asked.

“Yeah. He’s a nice guy, and Grayson and I are going to get tested tomorrow. I just pray one of us is a match.”

“You know the odds of being a match are very low because you’re a half-sibling, right?” Christian asked.

“Yeah, we know.” I sighed.

Ella walked over and whispered in my ear. I looked at her with a smile.

“Yes. We just told them.”

“You knew about this, young lady?” Nathan cocked his head.

“Ella, I thought we were tight?” Conner said.

“Sorry, Dad. Sorry, Uncle Conner. But I promised Gabriel that I would keep quiet until he told you. So, now that I kept quiet, I want in,” Ella said.

“In on what, sweetheart?” I furrowed my brows.

“The whole process. Whoever is a match, I want to watch the extraction of the bone marrow.”

“If either of you are a match, I can do the procedure,” Conner said.

“How are you even one hundred percent sure this guy is your brother?” Simon asked.

“We aren’t yet, but your mother believes it,” I said.

“My mother? She knows about him?”

“She walked into my house earlier, and when she looked at him, it was as if she saw a ghost. She said he’s the spitting image of our father when he was younger.”

“So, she just found out about him? She knew nothing about this previously?” Simon asked.

“No.” Grayson chuckled. “She had no idea that he existed.”

“Simon, Carter is Grayson and Gabriel’s brother. I knew it the moment I saw him, and I’m never wrong.” Ella smiled. “I think I’ve proven that.”

“You’re right, kiddo.” Simon grinned. “If you say he is, then he is.” He winked at her.

“Is that him?” Shaun gestured with his head.

I turned around and saw Riley and Carter walking toward us.

“Yeah, that’s him.”

“Dad, Uncle Carter wants to meet everyone,” Riley said.

“Well, you don’t need to convince me anymore,” Simon said. “He looks just like the two of you. Goddamn our fathers.” He shook his head.

* * *

Grayson and I found out we were both a match for Carter and that he was definitely our brother. We weren’t the perfect match since he was our half-brother, but a good enough match to donate. After further testing, Carter’s doctor decided that I should be the one to donate. He was already back in North Carolina and in the hospital getting prepped for the transplant.

It took a few days for me to recover, but it was well spent with Piper and my daughter.

“I’ll miss you.” I hugged Piper tightly.

“I’ll miss you too.” She smiled as she broke our embrace, and our lips met.