The room was white and impersonal, as hospital rooms tend to be. Katherine was lying on the bed, exhausted even if she had done nothing but lie down during the whole day. Her mother sat by her side, worried, a teenage daughter is not supposed to be sick. They had been in the hospital for a week, after Katherine had gone down with a fever. As soon as they had been admitted to the ER, it was clear that it was something else. When the diagnostic arrived, Katherine's mother couldn't believe it, leukemia, the doctors said in fancy words, but it was cancer anyway. They told her they would start the treatment immediately, that there was no time to lose. They also told her that Katherine would need a bone marrow transplant, so they would need to test the whole family for compatibility. That was what they were doing at that moment, waiting for the results. When the doctor arrived to the room, Katherine was awake, the nurse had brought her some food, but she wasn't able to keep anything down, so she didn't even take a bite. The doctor asked for her mother to join him outside, in a somber mood.
-Mrs. Addison- he started- We have received the results from the analysis.
-None of us is compatible, that's what you are going to tell me.
-Exactly, none of you is compatible. But there's more,...- he hesitated to continue.- Your daughter is not your daughter.
-Of course she is! I gave birth to her after several hours of labour! I remember how much she cried, and how they brought her to the room afterwards, the cutest little thing.
-I have read the medical history. Yet, she is not your daughter. Genetic testing doesn't lie, and her DNA doesn't match yours or your husband's. Katherine is not your daughter.
-But, but,...
-The only possibility I can think of is that she was switched at birth. That's the only explanation. Are you okay, Mrs. Addison?
Katherine's mother had gone pale, her eyes wide open. The doctor took her to the nurse's room so she could lie down. When the color returned to her face, she was able to speak again.
-How could that happen? Does this mean that Katherine is not my daughter? Doctor, I raised her, she's my daughter! And if she's not my baby,... where is my real daughter? I want answers!
-And you will have them. Yet, we need to find Katherine's biological parents fast. They are the best chance we have to find a compatible donor. It's Katherine's best chance at life.
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