Love by the Contract

Chapter 65

The family room outside the NICU was eerily quiet. Emma sat at the small table, staring at the pamphlet in front of her. The words experimental gene therapy seemed to blur together, becoming meaningless in the face of everything she was feeling. Her chest felt tight, her heart pounding in a rhythm that wouldn’t slow. Across from her, Alex leaned forward, his laptop open, furiously typing.

“If this therapy has already shown results in clinical trials,” Alex began, his voice tinged with both hope and desperation, “we have to consider it. Look at this article—it’s about a case from last year. A baby with SCID underwent the therapy and…” He trailed off, scrolling rapidly. “Here, listen to this: ‘The patient’s immune function improved significantly within weeks of the treatment.’ That’s exactly what we need.”

Emma looked at him, her expression weary. “And what about the risks?” she asked quietly. “The doctors were clear—this isn’t approved yet. We’d be taking a gamble with their lives.”

Alex’s eyes met hers, frustration flashing across his face. “Every option comes with risks,” he said. “Even doing nothing is a risk. We can’t afford to wait and see if their immune systems will stabilize on their own.”

Emma rubbed her temples, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She hated how calm Alex seemed compared to the storm raging inside her. He was focused, driven, throwing himself into research as if finding the right information would guarantee the right outcome. She envied his clarity, even if she couldn’t fully trust it.

“I’m scared, Alex,” she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. “What if we make the wrong choice? What if we hurt them instead of helping them?”

Alex’s expression softened, and for a moment, she saw a glimpse of the man she’d fallen in love with all those years ago. “I’m scared too,” he said quietly. “But doing nothing scares me more. At least this way, we’d be fighting for them.”

Hours passed in a haze of discussions, phone calls, and consultations. Dr. Reyes and Dr. Patel returned to the family room, their presence bringing both comfort and the heavy reminder of what lay ahead. They spread out charts and data, walking Emma and Alex through every detail of the experimental therapy.

“The therapy involves introducing a functional copy of the defective gene into the patient’s bone marrow cells,” Dr. Patel explained, pointing to a diagram. “This helps stimulate proper immune function. The risks include potential immune overreaction and complications from the procedure itself, but in similar cases, we’ve seen promising results.”

Emma clung to the word “promising,” even as the risks loomed large in her mind. “What are their chances without it?” she asked.

Dr. Reyes hesitated before answering. “Without intervention, their immune systems are unlikely to develop the necessary defenses to fight infections. The stem cell transplant remains a viable option, but it’s more invasive and requires a matched donor.”

Alex’s voice was firm. “We don’t have time to wait for a donor. The gene therapy is their best chance.”

Emma felt her chest tighten again, her breath catching as the weight of the decision threatened to overwhelm her. “How do we even get approval for something like this?”

“As the parents,” Dr. Patel explained, “you’d need to sign off on compassionate use authorization. This allows the treatment to proceed outside of clinical trials under emergency circumstances. It’s a lengthy process, but we’ve already initiated the paperwork in case you decide to move forward.”

Emma looked at Alex, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. But he looked resolute, his jaw set and his eyes unwavering. She hated that he seemed so sure when she felt like she was drowning.

“Okay,” she said finally, her voice trembling. “If we’re going to do this, we need to be absolutely certain. There’s no turning back once we start.”

Alex reached across the table, his hand covering hers. “We’ll do it together. Whatever happens, we’ll face it as a team.”

Emma nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She wanted to believe him, to believe they could face this together. But doubt lingered, whispering in the back of her mind.

Preparations for the treatment began immediately. The NICU buzzed with activity as nurses and doctors worked to ensure the twins were stable enough for the procedure. Emma stayed by their sides, her hand resting gently on her son’s tiny chest as his fragile breaths rose and fell.

Alex stood beside her, his presence steady but silent. He’d spent hours on the phone with specialists, reviewing trial data and coordinating with the hospital’s legal team to expedite the approval process. For the first time in a long time, Emma saw a side of him she hadn’t seen in years—a man willing to do whatever it took to protect his family.

“They’re fighters,” Alex said suddenly, breaking the silence. “Just like their mom.”

Emma glanced at him, caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. She wanted to say something, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she turned her attention back to her son, focusing on the steady rhythm of his breathing.

Just as the final preparations were underway, the doors to the NICU opened, and Thomas walked in. His expression was serious, but his eyes lit up with purpose as he approached.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he said, glancing between Emma and Alex. “But I think I might have found another option.”

Emma’s brows knitted together. “What are you talking about?”

Thomas pulled out his phone, quickly swiping to an email. “I reached out to a contact of mine in Europe—a specialist in neonatal genetics. He’s developed a treatment protocol that’s shown success in cases like this. It’s not as invasive as gene therapy, and it doesn’t require a donor match. The catch is, we’d have to travel to his clinic to start the process.”

Alex’s expression darkened. “Traveling with the twins in their condition isn’t an option,” he said firmly. “And we’re already moving forward with gene therapy here. We can’t afford any more delays.”

Thomas held his ground. “I get that, but this treatment could be safer. It’s worth considering, at least.”

Emma felt her head spinning. Two options. Two possible paths, each with its own risks and uncertainties. She looked between Alex and Thomas, her heart pounding as she realized the decision just became even more complicated.

“We don’t have much time,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Then we need to make the right choice,” Thomas replied, his gaze steady. “For them.”

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