Read Donor for Free Online Page B

earshot of the two main protagonists.
    ‘Nothing personal in this, Ross, you understand,’ said Bannon with a half-hearted attempt at a smile.
    Ross gave him a look that suggested that politicians were akin to something he might find occasionally on his shoe. ‘Of course not,’ he said flatly.
    ‘I do appreciate how important your research work is to you, Doctor, and that you’ll probably need more time to consider your position, but I just wondered if perhaps you’ve come to any kind of decision yet in your own mind?’
    ‘Yes, Mr Bannon,’ replied Ross. ‘I’ve made my decision.’

THREE
     
     
    As the days became weeks, the strain of constant travelling up and down to Glasgow, and guilt over excessive time taken off work, began to tell on Kate and Sandy.
    ‘I’ll have to resign,’ said Kate as they drove up to see Amanda on the Friday of the third week. ‘It’s not fair on the school.’
    ‘I’m sure they understand,’ said Sandy.
    ‘I’m sure they do too, but it’s too much of an imposition on them. They’re bound to be feeling the strain and they’re far too nice to say so themselves. I’ll have to make the decision.’
    ‘Maybe you’re right,’ conceded Sandy. He didn’t feel so bad because, although his two colleagues were covering for him during periods taken off in the daytime, he was taking on more evening duties to compensate. Both Charlie and Andrew had young families, so they were quite happy with the arrangement. Kate was not so happy. It meant that she seldom saw Sandy in the evenings.
    ‘I thought we’d have had her home by now,’ said Kate. ‘They said at the outset she’d probably be home within two weeks and we’d just have to travel up on dialysis days. I think something’s wrong. In fact, I’m sure something’s wrong and they’re just not telling us.’
    Sandy glanced out of the corner of his eye at Kate in the passenger seat. She was biting her lip and nervously interlocking her fingers as she stared at the road ahead without giving the impression of seeing anything.
    ‘No doubt Grayson will tell us,’ he said. ‘He’s not one for gift wrapping anything and Clive Turner did say he wanted to see us today.’
    ‘Do you think our marriage will survive this?’ Kate asked suddenly.
    ‘Of course it will,’ replied Sandy, taken aback by the question. He took one hand off the wheel and reached over to squeeze Kate’s hand. He felt her grow tense. ‘What brought that on?’
    ‘We were always so close,’ said Kate. ‘But now things seem different. You don’t even tell me what you’re thinking most of the time.’
    ‘We’re both under a lot of strain,’ he said. ‘Too many other things on our minds, I suppose. I never knew continual worry could be so exhausting. It’s like being an overwound spring.’
    ‘If that’s all it is.’
    ‘Of course it is.’
    ‘I don’t want this to drive us apart,’ said Kate.
    ‘It won’t,’ said Sandy supportively. ‘We’ll soon get Amanda home and then we’ll get back to being just as we were.’
    ‘Apart from the dialysis.’
    ‘We’ll even get used to that in time, and when we get a home set-up it’ll be practically no bother at all. You’ll see. It’ll become part of our routine. So much so that we’ll hardly notice it.’
    Kate smiled weakly and looked across at him. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
    ‘Come on, love,’ said Sandy. ‘I need you every bit as much as you need me.’
     
     
    ‘We have a problem,’ announced Grayson with characteristic bluntness as he spread his notes on his desk and moved his glasses to a more comfortable spot on his nose to read them.
    ‘What sort of problem?’ asked Sandy. His skin tingled in fear and anticipation. It was as if his every sense had suddenly been heightened. He was aware of every raindrop running down the window behind Grayson’s head as he waited for him to begin.
    ‘Truth to tell, we’re not very sure ourselves,’ said Grayson.