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After Extracting My Bone Marrow, My Mother Regretted It
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When I was six, she left with the man she loved, taking my twin brother with her. She shoved my hands away from her legs, sending me crashing to the ground, ignoring my desperate cries for her to stay...
章節（6）
第1章
When I was six, she left with the man she loved, taking my twin brother with her. She shoved my hands away from her legs, sending me crashing to the ground, ignoring my desperate cries for her to stay.
She walked away without looking back, her resolve unyielding.
Now, at twenty, she was back with my brother. She said my brother was sick, and I was the only one who could save him. But what she didn’t know was that I was sick too, and I might not have much time left.
——
Mom returned with my brother.
She tiptoed to touch my head, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Oh, look at you, Gavin! You’ve grown so tall and look so strong!”
Strong?
The neighbor used to say I was too skinny and always urged me to eat more. At 6 feet tall and weighing only 117 pounds, I’d lost a lot of weight.
Her sudden touch threw me off balance.
I instinctively turned my head, and her hand brushed against my face.
I lowered my gaze awkwardly, catching a glimpse of her hand rubbing against the seam of her pants.
She knew I saw, but acted as if nothing happened. “Mom’s back. Are you happy? From now on, we’ll be a family together forever. Sound good, son?”
To me, this was the greatest temptation. Ever since that day at three years old when she left, I had wished for this moment over and over again.
I didn’t respond, but then she hit me with another emotional punch. “Gavin, your birthday is coming up in a few days. I came back just to cook you your favorite birthday meal!”
In that instant, my heart sparkled with hope. I had to admit, I longed for her love, even just a little.
She remembered my birthday. It felt too good to be true, and I needed to be sure. “We’ll really be together forever? You won’t leave me again?”
“Of course, we’ll always be together.”
With her reassurance, a smile broke across my face.
“But your brother is sick. You’re the older brother; you need to help him so we can stay together forever.”
I’d known for a week that Blake had leukemia. Four months ago, I was diagnosed with it too. Last week, while picking up my medication, I overheard the doctor talking about them. I later confirmed with the doctor that Blake’s situation was manageable and not severe.
“Gavin, are you quiet because you don’t want to help your brother?”
I opened my mouth, eager to explain. “I’m not, I–”
But I was sick too. If I weren’t, I’d be willing to donate my bone marrow to Blake if only Mom would love me a little more and not leave me again.
But those words never left my lips.
Mom lost her patience and flipped the switch in an instant.
Her tone hardened, devoid of any warmth. “Gavin, are you making excuses again? I thought you’d changed, but you’re just as selfish as your dad.
“I risked my life to bring you into this world. Shouldn’t you give something back? Your brother is sick; you can donate your bone marrow to him.
“Helping him means you’re just giving up a bit of bone marrow, but if you don’t, Blake loses his life!”
I let out a self-deprecating laugh.
The doctor said Blake’s condition was mild and treatable with medication.
The one who really needed a bone marrow transplant was me.
第2章
Mom married my dad to get back at the man she loved, Tim Goodwin.
After five years together, Tim cheated on her and refused to return.
When she learned Tim was about to become a father, her fury boiled over.
It was then that my dad, who had waited for her all those years, pursued her once more, and in a fit of anger, she married him.
Not long after the wedding, she got pregnant.
Tim found her again, begging for forgiveness, pouring out sweet words and promises, trying to rekindle their past.
Her already shaky heart was torn apart.
She cried and demanded a divorce, wanting an abortion.
But my dad couldn’t bear the thought of losing his two babies.
He promised her that after the child was born, he’d transfer his assets to her and let her go free.
The doctor told her it was twins, and at this stage, an abortion was risky.
Plus, her chances of getting pregnant again would be slim.
If she went through with the abortion, she’d lose the chance to be a mom forever.
In the end, Mom weighed her options and gave birth to me and Blake.
Dad kept his promise and transferred his wealth, but he didn’t let her leave; he even used Tim to threaten her.
Dad just wanted her to stay a little longer, to care for us more.
But she felt he was selfish, deceiving her, and holding her back this way.
Mom hated him – and me.
She loved Blake but didn’t love me.
Because I looked like Dad, while my brother resembled her.
She said I was a constant reminder of her shame, with my features resembling my father’s, making her feel sick just looking at me.
In the end, she spent six years with Dad.
After he died in a car accident, she couldn’t wait to leave with Blake, abandoning our home and me.
第3章
To welcome Mom back home, I made a big feast.
I knew what she liked to eat.
I wanted her to enjoy it, to see a satisfied smile on her face, and maybe even get her to smile at me.
In my memories, Mom always looked cold toward me.
She walked into the kitchen with Blake, her face soft and smiling – only for him.
I told myself that after she tasted my cooking, she would smile at me too.
After Mom left, I lived with my grandma until she passed away a few years ago, leaving me to live alone.
When I was six, other kids said I was a jinx for not having parents.
But I knew I had a mom.
After she left, I would cry and throw tantrums, begging to find her.
Grandma told me Mom ran off with someone.
I wouldn’t listen; I kept demanding to see Mom.
Grandma tried to explain, giving me all sorts of reasons, but none worked on my stubbornness.
Finally, she changed her story.
She said Dad had died, and with no income, Mom left to save money for me, so I wouldn’t go hungry.
I believed her.
How could a mother not love her child?
All the other moms around loved their kids.
So I was convinced my mom loved me too.
She must have had her reasons for leaving, and I was sure she would come back.
From that day on, I finally stopped crying and throwing fits.
I stared at the big bag of potatoes in the corner, tears streaming down my face like a string of broken pearls.
I decided I’d eat half a portion less each day, so when Mom came back, she wouldn’t have to worry about running out of food for me.
And I did just that.
Now, Mom was finally back.
第4章
I served Mom a generous helping of mashed potatoes. “I cooked your favorite. Please, have as much as you’d like.”
She frowned, clearly displeased. “You can’t even call me ‘Mom’ anymore? Gavin, where are your manners?”
“M-Mom.” The word felt strange on my tongue. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d called her that, and now it felt unfamiliar.
I had stopped using that name because she seemed to dislike it.
When I was eight, I had run into Blake, who looked just like her.
Just one glance, and I recognized him immediately.
That’s how I found out about their new home.
I saw Blake being pinned down, swearing at someone.
I jumped in to help him.
I was filled with a fierce energy, and Mom who had come to find Blake saw me throwing punches.
She looked just as I remembered – nothing had changed.
The moment I saw her, my heart sparkled with hope.
But her eyes were filled with worry only for Blake as she scanned him repeatedly.
Only when she saw he was unharmed did she shift her gaze to me.
She looked at me like I was a stranger.
No, even worse than that.
There was no warmth in her eyes – only pure disgust.
I thought she might have been startled by my fierce demeanor or that she hadn’t recognized me after so long.
“Mom, it’s me, Gavin. I was helping my brother…” I was desperate to explain, not wanting her to misunderstand.
“Shut up! And don’t call me ‘Mom’! Blake is so well-behaved; he’s never been in a fight. Why would he suddenly start after you show up? And you helped him?”
I glanced at Blake, hoping he’d come to my defense.
He rubbed against Mom’s arm and obediently said, “Mom, I wasn’t fighting. It was my brother who fought. I told him not to.”
His innocent demeanor was a stark contrast to the foul-mouthed boy I’d just seen.
In that moment, I felt utterly defeated, unable to defend myself.
Mom gently patted Blake’s head, speaking softly, “Blake, I know you’ve always been good. I believe you.”
Then she turned to me, her expression shifting from warmth to disgust.
“Gavin, don’t ever call me ‘Mom’ again! I’m afraid of you being a bad influence and embarrassing me.”
My thoughts drifted back to the present, and I heard Mom’s impatient voice again.
“And why did you serve me so much potato? Are you trying to stuff me to death? Can’t you see your brother wants soup? Hurry up and serve him some!”
I obeyed, filling a bowl with soup for Blake. I wanted to serve Mom some vegetables, but Blake beat me to it.
Mom smiled at him, saying, “Blake is so considerate. You should eat too.”
I opened my mouth, but in the end, I said nothing.
第5章
That day, Mom brought up the idea of me donating bone marrow to Blake again.
I lowered my gaze, feeling dejected.
Mom had been living with me for nearly a month, but my condition was worsening, and she didn’t seem to notice.
I had tried to be honest with her, but she didn’t believe me.
I vaguely remembered the first weekend after she returned.
She and Blake were getting ready to go out, and she told me to stay home while they handled some errands.
I nodded, not really wanting to go out anyway, as I felt increasingly weak.
It wasn’t until I saw Blake’s post on social media that I realized “errands” meant a spring outing, a picnic.
In the video, they were all enjoying drinks and an array of delicious foods, having a great time.
They spent the whole day out, returning home late at night.
When they got back, Blake sprawled on the couch, complaining, “Mom, I’m so tired. I really feel weaker every day.”
Mom sat beside him, soothingly saying, “Blake, feeling tired is normal. We’ll follow the doctor’s advice and after your bone marrow transplant, you’ll be fine.”
Blake turned to glance at me.
“But can my brother agree to it?”
Mom looked at me too.
“Mom, I’m sick too,” I said. I have leukemia as well.
But Mom had never had much patience with me, and she cut me off before I could finish.
“Sick? Are you talking about that little injury on your hand?”
I glanced at the back of my hand, which was still red, like a birthmark.
It was a burn from a few days ago when I was cooking.
I had been applying ointment, and it had improved a lot.
I wasn’t sure if she had just noticed it now or had seen it back then and simply didn’t care to ask.
“No, that’s not it. I have leukemia too.”
I even pulled out the hospital’s diagnosis report to convince her.
Her eyes widened with surprise, but quickly returned to calm.
She barely glanced at the report before tossing it aside.
With a scoff, she said coldly, “If you didn’t want to help, you could’ve just said so. Why bother making up such an excuse?
“I can’t speak for other things, but you’ve certainly inherited your father’s lying, selfish ways. You’ve got that down to a tee.
“Especially faking being sick – something you were always good at as a kid.
“And now you’ve really outdone yourself, going as far as to fake a hospital report.”
Yes, I had pretended to be sick once before to keep her from leaving when she planned to take Blake away.
She saw right through me then, roughly shoving my hands away as I clung to her legs, sending me tumbling to the ground.
Mom wouldn’t believe me, and I felt powerless to explain.
第6章
My birthday arrived in the blink of an eye.
Since Mom came back, I had been looking forward to this day.
The meal Mom cooked for my birthday was supposed to be the best thing in the world.
But in the end, I never got to taste it.
Blake woke up that morning complaining about a stomachache.
Seeing how much pain he was in, I went to the kitchen to make some ginger tea with honey, just like Grandma used to make for me whenever I had a stomachache – it always worked.
But when I brought the tea to Mom, her expression changed instantly.
“Gavin, what are you doing? Don’t you know your brother can’t drink this? Why are you trying to hurt him?”
I honestly didn’t know, but even if I tried to explain, I knew she wouldn’t believe me.
She grabbed the cup and threw it to the floor, and the hot liquid splashed all over my hand.
The skin turned red instantly, and bubbles formed.
The pain brought tears to my eyes, but she didn’t see.
All her focus was on Blake, pale and whining on the bed.
How could she notice me?
“Why is it not you who is sick? Why is it not you who is dying? Why does my Blake have to suffer so much?”
I managed a weak smile.
Mom, your wish is about to come true.
The doctor had strongly suggested I be hospitalized, but I knew without a suitable bone marrow match, my condition was hopeless.
Being hospitalized would only prolong my struggle.
I closed my eyes, feeling despair as I looked at her.
“Mom, do you really want me to die? I’m your child too. Why do you only care about Blake?”
I didn’t know which of my words hit her, but she grabbed a cup of water and threw it in front of me.
“Gavin, with Blake like this, how dare you threaten me! If you want to die, just go ahead!”
After a pause, she continued, “If I’d had a choice back then, and known you’d turn out to be this selfish, I would rather have died than given birth to you.”
Each word was like a knife, stabbing my heart deeply.
I smiled weakly. “Mom, besides wanting my bone marrow, what else do you want? I’d give you anything. Even my life, I’d give you that.”
She looked at me in surprise for a moment.
Perhaps my willingness took her aback, and her tone softened. “What would I want your life for? Donating a bit of marrow doesn’t cost you your life.
“If you’d agreed earlier, this wouldn’t have been necessary. Don’t blame me for it.”
I managed a weak smile.
If there were a mirror nearby, it would reflect a face paler than the wall.
Twenty years ago, on this day, Mom gave me life.
On today’s birthday, she wished for my death.
And I truly felt like I was dying.
How ironic it was.