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Angel rolled his eyes and struggled to sit up The polka-dotted hospital gown gaped across his bandaged chest The orange iodine looked like an angry burn against his pale throat “You asshole doctors, you think you’re God, but you’re not You’re just people with a few ht to play with my life”

Allenford looked sy you act this way, Angel Don’t worry about it, it’s completely normal Of course you want to know about your donor—all recipients do—but the truth is, it’s not a good idea to cross those wires The donor family is as entitled to privacy as you are” He leaned doard the bed, draped his arel “So don’t think about what you can’t change Keep inat the injustice of it all, or you can get on hat’s left of your life”

“Yeah, so what if I die—it’s just a black et over it”

Allenford frowned His voice fell to a whisper “Do you believe that, Angel?”

Angel seemed to shrink before their eyes He sank into the pillow and sighed heavily “That’s the proble You want et on with my life How in the Christ am I supposed to do that? If the biopsy comes back bad, I could have ten minutes left It’s pretty damned hard to plan for a life like that”

“That’s not necessarily true, Angel and you know it You could live a long tihteen years—”

“Don’t give ain, or Nurse Ratchet will have tofills , full life if I drink carrot juice and exercise” He laughed bitterly “I get a second chance at life—yee-haw All I have to do is act like Richard Simmons”

Allenford laughed quietly and straightened “Richard Siet back to you with the biopsy results Think positive”

Angel snorted “Cross my heart and hope to die”

Allenford gave Madelaine a pointed glance, then left the operating roo to Madelaine, but before he could speak, Dr Marcus Sarandon ca into the room

Angel rolled his eyes “Oh, good, another doctor And this one looks like Malibu Ken”

Marcus laughed out loud His gaze cut to Madelaine, got her quick nod, then turned back to Angel “Well, I suppose if there’s anyone who ought to recognize plastic, it would be a movie star”

Angel gave thesmile “Touché, Doc”

Marcus held out his hand “I’ out Madelaine with your case”

Angel frowned “No way”