excitement in his face was clearly not only because of her arrival. Something else was going on.
“Elle, wait. Let me show you something first.”
Ellen hardened her resolve. She should not get distracted. “Tom, I really need to tell you something first.”
“Please, Elle. You’re not going to believe this. I don’t know what to make of it.”
Maybe telling him in this moment was not such a good idea. It would ruin the excitement of whatever else was happening. A few more minutes shouldn’t matter. “Okay, Tom. You go first. What’s in your letter?”
“It’s from the Blood Bank.”
“You got a letter from the Blood Bank... Why would they...?”
“I’m registered on their bone marrow donor list.”
“Are you?” Ellen was surprised to hear that.
“Yes.”
“Huh.” She wondered why.
“One of Mum’s sisters needed a transplant years ago, and Dad and I were tested. Anyway, that’s not the point.”
“Sorry. Go on.”
“Apparently, I’m a suitable match for someone living in New South Wales.”
“Someone who is ill, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“And they want you to donate bone marrow to a stranger? That is something for you to think about, I guess.” Ellen wondered how much pain and effort was required to donate bone marrow, as she really knew nothing about it.
“Wait, there’s more,” said Tom excitedly. “They have indicated that both my brother and I are suitable donors. It says they have written to my brother also, and they want to encourage one of us to donate.”
“But you don’t have a brother.”
“Exactly.”
“What? I don’t understand.” Ellen was thoughtful. “Obviously this is a mistake.”
“I suppose so.” Tom seemed disappointed to say so.
“What do you mean – you suppose so? Of course it must be an error.”
“Maybe my dad had an affair?”
“You think Jack had an affair which produced a son?”
“It’s possible.”
“Margaret would have told you.” Ellen couldn’t imagine Margaret keeping a secret like that.
“Maybe Mum doesn’t know about either the affair or the child.”
Tom had obviously already put a lot of thought into this idea. “That’s a lot of maybes, Tom.”
“I’m going to show the letter to my parents.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“You know I’ve wanted a brother. If there’s any chance that this is true, I need to know.”
Ellen could imagine the conversation between Tom and his parents. It reminded her of the time when she confronted her own parents about her adoption. It wouldn’t be easy for any of them.
“Elle, I know this is a lot to ask. But I really want to investigate this matter now. It can’t wait. The wedding will still be my number one priority, but this matter will be a close second. Is that okay with you? I wanted to check with you before I do anything.”
Ellen was surprised and shocked by the turn of events but managed to mumble, “Of course.”
“I will really need your support to follow this through. I won’t be able to do it without you.”
Ellen thought through what she had come here to tell him. This wasn’t the right time, but she couldn’t put it off forever. “I love you, Tom. You know that.”
“I love you too. Does that mean you’ll support me?”
“Yes, I’ll support you through this.” How could she do anything else? This was the man she loved.
“That means everything to me. Now, sorry – what did you want to talk about?”
Ellen hesitated. She tried to think of something else to say, but nothing came to hand. “Oh, it doesn’t matter now.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, it was just a wedding thing. I might talk to our planner tomorrow first, before I raise it with you.”
“Well, just so you know - whatever you want is fine with me. Just tell the planner and she will make it happen.”
Ellen smiled even though there was worry in her heart. “Thanks, Tom.”
Chapter 12
“Let’s go, Marg,” Jack called impatiently. “We’re
“Elle, wait. Let me show you something first.”
Ellen hardened her resolve. She should not get distracted. “Tom, I really need to tell you something first.”
“Please, Elle. You’re not going to believe this. I don’t know what to make of it.”
Maybe telling him in this moment was not such a good idea. It would ruin the excitement of whatever else was happening. A few more minutes shouldn’t matter. “Okay, Tom. You go first. What’s in your letter?”
“It’s from the Blood Bank.”
“You got a letter from the Blood Bank... Why would they...?”
“I’m registered on their bone marrow donor list.”
“Are you?” Ellen was surprised to hear that.
“Yes.”
“Huh.” She wondered why.
“One of Mum’s sisters needed a transplant years ago, and Dad and I were tested. Anyway, that’s not the point.”
“Sorry. Go on.”
“Apparently, I’m a suitable match for someone living in New South Wales.”
“Someone who is ill, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“And they want you to donate bone marrow to a stranger? That is something for you to think about, I guess.” Ellen wondered how much pain and effort was required to donate bone marrow, as she really knew nothing about it.
“Wait, there’s more,” said Tom excitedly. “They have indicated that both my brother and I are suitable donors. It says they have written to my brother also, and they want to encourage one of us to donate.”
“But you don’t have a brother.”
“Exactly.”
“What? I don’t understand.” Ellen was thoughtful. “Obviously this is a mistake.”
“I suppose so.” Tom seemed disappointed to say so.
“What do you mean – you suppose so? Of course it must be an error.”
“Maybe my dad had an affair?”
“You think Jack had an affair which produced a son?”
“It’s possible.”
“Margaret would have told you.” Ellen couldn’t imagine Margaret keeping a secret like that.
“Maybe Mum doesn’t know about either the affair or the child.”
Tom had obviously already put a lot of thought into this idea. “That’s a lot of maybes, Tom.”
“I’m going to show the letter to my parents.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“You know I’ve wanted a brother. If there’s any chance that this is true, I need to know.”
Ellen could imagine the conversation between Tom and his parents. It reminded her of the time when she confronted her own parents about her adoption. It wouldn’t be easy for any of them.
“Elle, I know this is a lot to ask. But I really want to investigate this matter now. It can’t wait. The wedding will still be my number one priority, but this matter will be a close second. Is that okay with you? I wanted to check with you before I do anything.”
Ellen was surprised and shocked by the turn of events but managed to mumble, “Of course.”
“I will really need your support to follow this through. I won’t be able to do it without you.”
Ellen thought through what she had come here to tell him. This wasn’t the right time, but she couldn’t put it off forever. “I love you, Tom. You know that.”
“I love you too. Does that mean you’ll support me?”
“Yes, I’ll support you through this.” How could she do anything else? This was the man she loved.
“That means everything to me. Now, sorry – what did you want to talk about?”
Ellen hesitated. She tried to think of something else to say, but nothing came to hand. “Oh, it doesn’t matter now.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, it was just a wedding thing. I might talk to our planner tomorrow first, before I raise it with you.”
“Well, just so you know - whatever you want is fine with me. Just tell the planner and she will make it happen.”
Ellen smiled even though there was worry in her heart. “Thanks, Tom.”
Chapter 12
“Let’s go, Marg,” Jack called impatiently. “We’re
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