The Drake Unwound Complete Collection (The Drake Series Book 9)(32)

"OK, thank you so much for calling."

I hung up, clasped my hands behind my head and just stood there. I looked out of the living room window but didn't really see anything, my mind consumed with the news. Kate came up behind me but didn’t say anything at first.

"I'm so happy, Drake."

I nodded, but didn’t turn around. Then, I exhaled. "Christ. I was so worried. There was a chance I wouldn't be a match, so I didn't want to get my hopes up…"

She stood closer then slipped her arms around my waist, laying her head against my back. We stood there for a while, the apartment silent except for the noise from the street that filtered up through the windows.

Finally, I turned around and embraced her. My arms slipped around her waist and pulled her against my body tightly. I had to fight off tears, so I held my breath as I tried to gain control over myself.

The positive test results meant I could save my son’s life—the son I never knew I had and would probably never get to know until he was an adult—if he survived.

Finally, I released Kate because I had to let Michael know I’d be late coming to Africa and wouldn’t be able to take over a slate at the hospital.


"I'll be right back," I said. "I'm going to send an email to Michael in Nairobi that I'm a match and will have to give up my OR time."

She followed me to the desk in the dining room where I had an old computer.

"That's too bad, Drake. I know you wanted to help out." She stood in the doorway and watched as I opened the laptop on the desk.

I shook my head. "What's a surgical slate compared to a son's life?"

Then, my cell phone rang back in the living room, the trill urgent.

"Can you get that?" I asked as I checked my email.

"Yes, sure," Kate said and went back to the living room to my cell phone.

In a moment, she walked back to where I sat and handed me the cell. "It's Maureen."

I took the phone. "Hey," I said and ran a hand through my hair.

“Did you hear?” she said, her voice a bit breathless.

"Yeah, I just got the news. I'm so pleased."

“Thanks so much for agreeing to do this. Chris and I really want you to know we appreciate it. I know you have to change your plans in Kenya…”

"No, it's no problem. I'm glad to help. Anything to help."

“Listen, Drake,” Maureen said her voice lowering. “This doesn’t change anything. Don’t think this means you can get involved, get to know him or anything. There’s enough turmoil in his life without learning Chris isn’t his biological father. It broke Chris’s heart to learn Liam wasn’t his and that I was still sleeping with you. You have to understand. This could have broken us up. Please don’t push. Please keep this limited to making the donation.”

"I will," I said, irritated that she was reminding me something I had already agreed to. "I understand."

“Seriously, Drake. No sneaking in to see him or anything.”

"No, I said I understand. You don't have to worry. Chris is his father. I'm a total stranger." Emotion built in me and I exhaled in an attempt to regain control. "I'm meeting with the oncology team and will make the arrangements. Thanks for calling."

I hung up and stood there, shaking my head.

"What's the matter?"

"She wanted to remind me," I said and my voice broke for a moment. I took in a deep breath to calm myself. "She wanted to remind me that this didn't change anything. I'm still not going to be part of Liam's life. As if I don't already know that. Jesus, she must think I'm a real idiot."

I turned away and leaned against the windowsill once more, watching the cars on the street below as I tried to pull my thoughts together. Kate came over to me and touched my shoulder gently. "That wasn't very nice of her, especially considering how cooperative you are."

I sighed. "She doesn't want to screw things up with Chris. He was shocked to learn Liam wasn’t his. It meant she was still f*cking me when she was f*cking him. That must have hurt," I said and sighed. "They almost broke up about it, so you can imagine how hard this has been for her as well. And for Chris."

"Hard for all of you."

I sighed and said nothing. She stood quietly behind me. I didn't feel guilty but I felt I needed to clarify the situation for Kate. Finally, I turned back to her.

"Kate, she'd like to think I forced her to have sex, absolve her of responsibility for f*cking me even after our marriage had failed, but I didn't. I remember the last time we had sex vividly. She had sex with me, willingly. She was maybe a bit reluctant at first, claiming she wasn't feeling very romantic, so I," I said, shrugging. "I seduced her. I didn't force her. I want you to know that. We hadn't been having sex very much. I'd been away a lot. I would never force her."

"Of course you didn't, Drake. I know. You wouldn't force her or anyone."

I looked deeply in her eyes to see if she believed me.

"Listen, let's forget about this," she said. "You have such good news to be happy about. Can I get you a cup of coffee? Something to eat?"

"Sure," I said and sighed, brushing my fingers against her cheek. "Thanks. I've got to call Michael, explain things. It's early evening in Africa, so I'll call him at home. He'll understand. He said that if the match was good enough, and I stayed to donate, he could find someone to take over my cases."