was cold and mech

mination in

values from all targ

d. Commencing eli

t hum in my mind, a clock ticking away the last moments of a life I had fo

stand, a harsh, demanding so

e was persistent. Fi

s tight with panic, no trace of the c

om

ospital. Now.

r. It was always Emily. My

asked, my own voi

. Both of them. The doctors say she needs

ear for her. I closed my eyes. Of course.

're testing Mom and Dad, but you... you're her twin. Y

hum of the system in my head. Elim

shouted into the phone.

ou," I sa

voice. "Good. I'm at the hospital no

ay. He didn't ask if I was willing. H

er call

pital right now! How can you be s

with the familiar disappoi

m,

a place in this family. The least you can do is save your siste

r excuse for everything. Their excuse for loving her more, for givi

o was supposed to endure, to giv

too scared. I was a match too. I did the surgery in secret, letting everyone believe it was Emily who saved him. I spent a week in a private clinic

my father's love. He neve

wanted my

own continued. 23 h

giving them my last kidney would make them happy, ju

y," I said, m

e a scene," my mother sn

eyes hollow. I had tried so hard. For twenty-eight years, I had tried to be th

never

eed. He'd probably embrace me when I arrived, tell me he was proud, m

ught a bitter t

al. Their love was a p

y mind's eye. It was oddly com

, not feeling the chill in the air. The