4: 4
4
Beth said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and I couldn't do anything but laugh.
I'd known for a long time that these people didn't have a shred of real feeling for me. Even so, standing here now, hearing them just come out and say it, that I was to hand over a kidney for Myron, I decided this whole family was sick.
I looked at them and shook my head. "Mr. Henson, even if you really are my birth parents, you never spent a single day raising me."
"And we've just met, and you already want to march me off to give up a kidney. Do you honestly think that's going to happen?"
The moment the words left my mouth, ice settled over Caspar's and Beulah's faces.
Beth, beside them, threw a bank card at me, one she'd clearly had ready the whole time.
"There's money on that card. Enough to see you through the rest of your life."
"I don't care about anything else. You are giving Myron that kidney."
I shook my head. "Sorry. I don't need it."
"I'm not short of money, and I've got no plans to give up a kidney to save your brother."
With that, I turned to go.
But Beth had no intention of letting me leave.
She grabbed my arm and yanked me back.
Anger threaded through her voice as she stared at me. "Lester, this isn't about whether you're willing."
"You have to give Myron that kidney."
"We've already lined up the best hospital."
"Right now, you're coming with us."
As she said it, she waved a hand at the men behind her.
They moved fast and closed in around me.
"Les, Myron is your brother too."
"You can't just throw family away."
Beulah took my hand, her voice soft and coaxing. "Mommy knows you've had it hard all these years."
"Don't you worry. As long as you're willing to help Myron with this, Mommy will take such good care of you."
There was an urgency in her eyes as she said it.
I only looked at the two of them, cold.
Their eyes on me held nothing but urgency. Not a flicker of care.
I smiled. "Sorry. There's no way I'm going anywhere with you."
I turned to shove past the security men.
But Caspar seized my hand.
His voice went cold as he looked at me. "This isn't about whether you're willing."
"We've already got your blood sample. We've run the paternity test."
"We are your parents."
"We have the right to sign that donation agreement for you."
With that, Caspar clamped down on my hand and started hauling me toward the car.
The bodyguards moved in at the same time, pinning my arms, ready to force me into their car.
"Lester, stop struggling."
"Daddy has plenty of ways to handle this. Come with us now, and we can still bring you back into the Henson family."
"You save Myron, and we won't turn our backs on you."
"But if you refuse, then from here on out we really are done with you."
Beth kept talking beside him.
I listened to them, smiled, and turned my head toward a car parked a short way off.
The bodyguards inside had already been straining at the sight of me being dragged toward Caspar's car, and they came charging over.
In one motion they had Caspar's men pinned to the ground.
"Call the police. They were about to unlawfully detain me."
I said it to my men, then turned to look at the Hensons.
"I hadn't planned on doing anything to the Henson family. But starting now, you can wait for bankruptcy."
