Then he looked at Rodrigo again.
—I’m not doing it for you —said.
Rodrigo sobbed.
—I know.
—Not even for her.
Ofelia covered her face.
—I know —she also said, drowned.
—I would do it for him. Because he did not choose to be born into his family.
The phrase left everyone motionless.
I closed my eyes for a moment. The fiercest pride of my life was no job achievement or paid house. It was that moment. Understanding that the girl they wanted to discard for not being a boy had become a nobler person than all the adults who despised her.
We didn’t decide that night.
I wasn’t even going to allow it.
I told them that we would get information from our own doctors, not just theirs. That Ximena would not sign or do anything without independent support. That any pressure, manipulation or blackmail would close the door forever. Rodrigo nodded to everything with the broken docility of someone who no longer comes to negotiate, but to implore.
When they left, Ofelia looked at Ximena again with real tears.
—I don’t even deserve you to listen to me —said.
Ximena responded with a coldness that did not know her:
—No. But I heard you.
I closed the door behind them and felt my legs shake.
That night we didn’t sleep much.
Ximena got into my bed, like she did as a child when she had nightmares. She was almost as tall as me, but in certain pains a daughter is still a girl seeking refuge.
—What would you do? —he asked me in the dark.
I thought a lot before answering.
—Whatever you decide, I’m going to take care of it. But if you ask me… I wouldn’t let their hatred make you a person you’re not.
She remained silent.
Then he murmured:
—I don’t want a child to die because of horrible adults.
I hugged her tighter.
—Then you know who you are.
Testing began a week later.
We went to another hospital, with another hematologist, another consultancy. I wanted to protect my daughter not only medically, but morally. Nobody was going to put her on a stretcher without her understanding what was happening. Nobody was going to use the word “duty” as a weapon. And Rodrigo, for the first time in his life, obeyed limits without question.
Compatibility was high.
Very high.
Enough for the doctors to say that Ximena was the best option available.
There began another battle.
