"Oh," the doctor smiled in relief as he said, "I wouldn't know until we checked him, but it is not a must for siblings to have the same blood type. A lot of things constitute blood types, and they vary between siblings." he sighed before he continued "What about we get the father here just so we can test him?" he turned towards Reyona apologetically as he said "Not to dispute what you are saying, ma'am, but we need this blood urgently. We have also been reaching out to international agencies and NGOs who have actively engaged in preserving the rare blood type over time, but we have not gotten any affirmative response yet. Any help we can get right now is fine. Any means at all. Let's start by checking the father, please. Or anyone that you know who could be a possible match."
The doctor left in a hurry as he got a call from the nurses.
Celia came in just as Maxwell was calling Andrea to see if she could help them get the blood from any of her connections.
Andrea exclaimed when she heard the blood type and promised to do her best, but even before he disconnected the call, Maxwell already knew it would not be that easy.
Celia expressed her joy at seeing Reyona awake.
Then she told her about Toria's call.
"Though I told her we got this handled, I think she might be on her way here," Celia said.
"What? But she is in... may I have your phone, please?"
She tried Toria's number, but it was not reachable.
She sighed in resignation and handed the phone back to Celia.
"I will call my parents later. My head is aching."
Reyona asked if she could see Allysyn, but Celia urged her to please concentrate on her recovery first.
The girl was in the ICU currently and the doctor had advised no visit to avoid any transfer of bacteria that could affect her in her current fragile state.
Celia told them worriedly that she was sceptical of the worried look on the doctor's and nurses' faces.
Whenever she asked them if everything was alright, they said, "We need to get her blood type as soon as possible."
When she saw the anxious look on Reyona's face, she swore and said "Oh, I am so sorry, I tend to open my mouth and just utter the first thing that pops into it these days. I shouldn't add to your worries. She is going to be fine."
"But we need the blood urgently," Reyona said in a waning voice.
"We need that blood," Celia said. "And you also need to rest."
"That is right," Maxwell said urgently. "Please, stop worrying about this, Reyona. We will sort it out."
"I can't stop worrying," Reyona said with tears in her eyes. "She is in that state because of me. She protected me and my baby."
"No, she is in that state because of her vicious mother who dared to bring a child into such a situation. Let's not forget that," Celia said firmly.
"I don't care. I just want her to get better."
"Reyona," Maxwell said worriedly as he moved closer to her.
"I am fine, Maxwell. I am fine. Just do something, please. Just…anything. That girl needs to be fine as soon as possible. Do you see that doctor's face? Not getting that blood could be dangerous!"
Maxwell nodded as he knew there was no way he could get her to calm down at that moment unless she had some assurance.
"Okay, I will make some more calls. Just please calm down, okay? Think of the baby."
He saw Celia raise her brow at him above Reyona's head.
He knew what she was asking.
The baby? Have you not told her?
Maxwell inclined his head to let her know the time had not been right.
"Please, stay with her, Celia. I have to make some calls." Maxwell said, and Celia nodded.
He leaned over to kiss her forehead and quickly hurried out.
Andrew was just getting off a call when he came out. "Anything?" he asked anxiously.
"They will get back to me. Doesn't look promising yet."
"Please, keep an eye on them, will you?" he asked Andrew.
"You got it. Where are you going?" he asked.
"To get Lanoth or some fucking answers," Maxwell answered as he strode past Andrew.
"Okay," he heard his friend say curiously.
He owed him and Celia a lot, and he would properly thank them later, but for now, his mind was focused on that little girl probably struggling for her life, because they couldn't get their hands on what she needed the most.
"Where are you, Officer Guy?" he asked as the man picked up the call.
"I have actually just got back to the hospital now. I was going to check on you once I am done here."
Done with her.
"Alright. I will join you there now."
Maxwell asked one of the nurses he had seen earlier about the room where Susan was.
The woman gave him the number and pointed him in the direction.
He had no idea if it was by design or pure coincidence, but the room was far from where Reyona and Allysyn were.
Good, he didn't want either of them to have any cause to set their eyes on her anyway.
Officer Guy was waiting for him in the hallway.
"Hi, is this about your step-sister? I just learned that the doctors had a difficult situation on their hands too. We will need your opinion."
"I don't care," Maxwell stated without even hearing what the situation was. "Can you work out a missing person announcement from here, Officer Guy?" he asked urgently.
The man looked at him curiously and said "Not exactly, but I can call it in."
"Good, his name is Thomas Lanoth. Dark hair, blue eyes. Looks like shit, and he probably smells like the inside of a stale cheap liquor."
"Okay, I will need more information than that, but has he been missing more than twenty-four hours?"
"Yes, he has been gone more than long enough," Maxwell answered.
"Hmm," Officer Guy took out his radio, then gave MAxwell a curious look as he asked "This person, he is not really missing, is he? I want the truth. Mr. Rohan."