Chapter 76
I said, “Yes, congenital heart disease–it’s not the first time he’s had an episode. He had two incidents when he was in kindergarten, and yet your little girlfriend knew about it and kept it hidden. That’s why I beat her up yesterday”
I spoke bluntly. “As the father of the child, don’t tell me you can just sit by and do nothing.
Dexter’s face turned pale, his fists clenching so tightly the veins on his hands stood out. Juno, is he okay?” he asked in a hoarse voice.
“He’s stable for now, but he still needs surgery,” I replied.
After a pause, I added, “No matter what issues we have between us, the child is innocent. I think… it’s best if we put our grudges aside for now and focus on getting him the treatment he needs.”
“What do you need me to do?” Dexter didn’t hesitate, which made me breathe a little easier.
Honestly, after everything that had happened, I wasn’t sure I could count on Dexter. But hearing him say that, the weight in my chest eased.
No matter what, Juno was his flesh and blood. Even if my marriage with him was over, the bond between him and Juno couldn’t be broken.
I said, “The child has RH–negative blood, and I’m type B. so it should match with your side of the family. The doctor said that in case there are complications during the surgery, it’s best to have a backup donor.
“But direct relatives can’t donate, so I thought… you could check with your relatives to see if anyone is a match. I’ll cover the costs and make sure they’re compensated fairly”
Dexter stared at me, looking stunned. “RH–negative blood?”
“Yes.” I noticed his strange expression but couldn’t quite figure out why. “Is that a problem?”
He quickly shook his head. “I just thought the child would inherit your blood type. It’s a bit of a surprise, that’s all…”
“I wish he had.” If Juno were type B, I wouldn’t even need to ask Dexter for help–I’d be able to handle it on my own. But because of the blood type, it added another layer of complexity to our already tangled relationship.
“That’s the situation. Go back and check, and let me know what you find,” I said.
I started to get up to leave, but he stopped me. “If you want me to help, fine. But you’ll need to do something for me in
return.”
At those words, I almost couldn’t believe my ears. I thought. What do you mean, helping me? Isn’t Juno your does it suddenly feel like all of this has become my responsibility?”
child too? Why
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. I had been so naive to think that Dexter might still have a shred of decency. After just words. I’d convinced myself he wasn’t beyond saving. And yet, sure enough, his next words slapped me back to reality.
2
I to use
my
Dexter said, I’m on suspension, you kicked me out of the house, I don’t have any income or place to stay. I had to savings to pay off my mom’s debts.
“How am I supposed to help you with any of this? Dealing with people back home costs money for gifts. Am I supposed to show up empty–handed and ask them to help me?”
few
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14:46 Mon, 17 Feb
Chapter 76
“Dexter, Juno is your son too. You’re talking like you’re doing me a favor, but… are you really planning to completely give up on him? Well, your other illegitimate child is already that big, so aside from Juno, you’ve got other plans.”
