"Doctor Lily?"
"Yes."
"Where did you go to medical school?"
"Kindergarten."
"Prestigious."
She fed him one cracker herself.
Twenty minutes later, the coordinator returned.
"Mr. Webb, thank you."
"Is the blood useful?"
"Every O-negative unit is useful. Yours has entered urgent processing."
Marcus nodded.
That was enough.
He did not need to know whether the bag would go to Emma specifically.
Then the doors opened.
Victoria Ashford arrived.
She spoke to the coordinator.
"My daughter is Emma Ashford."
The coordinator checked with clinical staff before answering anything.
"Mrs. Ashford, I'm not on your daughter's care team, but I know surgical services are coordinating closely with the blood bank. Her doctors will update you."
Victoria looked through the room.
Saw Marcus.
This time she did not look away.
"Mr. Webb."
He remained seated.
"Ms. Ashford."
Her face changed when she saw the tubing, the blood collection bag being taken toward processing, and Lily beside him.
"You're donating."
"Yeah."
"For Emma?"
"I don't know where the unit will go."
The coordinator answered carefully.
"All emergency donations are allocated according to medical need."
Victoria nodded.
Her eyes filled anyway.
Marcus could see the connection she was making.
Whether his exact unit reached Emma or replaced one being used for Emma did not matter emotionally.
He had heard there was a child in danger.
He had blood they needed.
He had given it.
Victoria stepped closer.
"I don't know what to say."
Marcus looked at Lily.
Then back at Victoria.
"You should probably be with your daughter."
A surgeon entered the hallway.
"Mrs. Ashford?"
Victoria spun around.
Dr. Mei Chen approached.
"I'm Dr. Chen."
"Is she alive?"
"Yes."
Victoria's knees almost gave way.
Dr. Chen continued.
"Emma has a significant splenic injury from the fall. She's lost a substantial amount of blood. We've stabilized her with emergency transfusion and are taking her to surgery to control the bleeding."
"Will she survive?"
"We have good reason to be hopeful, but she's still very sick."
Victoria nodded repeatedly.
"Whatever you need."
"We're doing it."
Dr. Chen glanced toward the donor center.
"The blood bank has secured additional O-negative supply, including units being transferred from the regional center. We're in a much better position than we were forty minutes ago."
Victoria closed her eyes.
"Thank you."
Then she looked at Marcus again.
Dr. Chen followed her gaze but did not ask.
Victoria left with the surgeon.
Marcus leaned back.
Lily whispered:
"That's the lady from your work."
Marcus looked at her.
"How do you know?"
"She was on the big screen at family day."
He had forgotten.
Meridian workers had been allowed to attend Ashford Industries' summer family event.
Victoria's photograph had been everywhere.
"Yeah."
"Is that her little girl?"
"I think so."
"The one in the hallway?"
"Yes."
Lily looked toward the doors.
Then at Marcus.
"She looked scared."
"She is."
"Even bosses get scared?"
Marcus almost smiled.
"Especially parents."
They remained another half hour because the donor staff wanted Marcus to eat, drink, and make sure the light-headedness passed.
By then, Victoria had disappeared upstairs.
Marcus called a rideshare.
Canceled when he realized the first vehicle did not have an appropriate booster arrangement for Lily.
Called another.
While he waited, Lily fell asleep against him in the lobby.
Marcus closed his eyes.
His body was tired.
Not from the blood donation alone.