Red, White, and Whole

Pete asks Reha about donating bone marrow. He tells her that she fits all the criteria for a hero. He kisses her, and Reha feels like the kiss is a “token […] / to help prepare [her] for the battle ahead” (204), just like the knights and maidens in the stories of courtly love.

Reha goes to have her blood drawn to determine if she is a match for Amma. She is afraid, but she feels strong. She forces herself to watch the blood come out of her arm and does not “feel even one bit / faint” (205).

Reha prays that she is a close enough match to be a bone marrow donor for her mother. She remembers the promise her mother made when Reha was little and her father was sick. Amma promised to always be with Reha, “[n]o matter what happens” (208).