The boyd mansion as I have it so far

The rising sun glistened off the wet, perfectly tended grass of the front Yard of the Boyd Mansion, illuminating the flawless lawns and gardens. The mansion itself was also flawless. It was a large three story building made of tan colored bricks, with ivy growing up the sides.11

Inside the mansion there were ten bedrooms, a large library, a spacious dining room, two living rooms, a huge kitchen, a gym, an indoor pool, and a couple dozen other rooms used for offices, game rooms, and many other things.2

The Boyd mansion had a back yard a good three times bigger than the front, with an outdoor pool complete with a waterfall, a slide and a hot tub. There was also a tennis court, a basketball court, a helicopter pad, and more gardens as well as plenty of open lawn perfect for running around and playing in.3

The Boyd mansion was owned by a man named Edward Boyd. Mr. Boyd had a wife Cassie, a sixteen year old daughter Dana, and twin seventeen year old boys named Zachary and Carter.4

Mr. Boys was the CEO of a very big successful monopoly business in On the Eastern Coast of The United States. Mr. Boyd loved money, power fame, and popularity. He had a family only for the benefit of looking like a family man to the press which helped make his business more favorable to the public. His three children were products of his late wife Roseanne, who had died a year ago. Mr. Boyd had wasted no time in finding a new wife, and married six months after his wife's death. Long enough to satisfy the press, but not nearly long enough for his children who hated their step mother and resented their father who they felt didn't care about them. They were not entirely wrong.5

Though he didn't pay much attention to his children Mr. Boyd did want them to be happy. So he showered them with things. TV's, movies, Dana had an unlimited credit card, Carter who was a certified Genius had all his expenses paid for, and had just finished his third year of med school, and Zachary, who was very ill and very frail had the best doctors money could buy, as well as a 24 hour nurse who lived in the bedroom next to his and was always on call.6

But all the big screen TV's in the world, and all the gifts money could buy did not make the Boyd children very happy. What made them most happy was the rare moments the three could spend together playing board games, or just talking. These moments, sadly, did not happen very often. Carter was very busy with med school, Dana was involved in cheerleading and popularity, and Zachary was often so ill that he couldn't talk, much less sit up and play games. Zachary had the best doctors, and they had run a million tests, but still they could not find a way to cure him. It was a miracle that they had managed to keep him alive for so long. It was Zachary's illness that had driven Carter into Med school, and Dana into cheerleading. Carter longed to find a way to save his twin; it had become almost an obsession with him. Dana couldn't care less about cheerleading and popularity, but it did offer a distraction from always thinking about death and illness.7

Carter stood on his balcony watching the sun rise. It was May now; Carter's classes were done for the summer. He had gotten all A's as usual. But the praise from his professors, some of the best medical minds in the country did not satisfy him. Another year had gone by, and he was no closer to saving his brother. Well maybe next year, or the year after... Carter turned away from the sun rise furious at his own inability to protect his family. He HAD to find a way to save Zachary, he just HAD to!8

When Dana entered the kitchen in her bathrobe, her hair wrapped in a towel from her shower she saw Carter sitting at the bar, a bowl of soggy cereal and a cup of cold coffee lay forgotten as he paged furiously through text books and medical journals. It didn't surprise Dana to see her genius brother reading text books during his summer holidays; she knew the burning desire that motivated him.9

"Hey Carter, did you sleep at all?" Dana asked sitting on the stool next to him at the bar as the cook Beth brought her a cup of coffee. "What?! Oh, yeah, I slept great." Carter said distractedly. Dana took a sip of coffee to hide her frown. She knew Carter hadn't slept. She had seen him pacing his room when she had come home from a party at four that morning, and it was clear by looking at him that he hadn't slept a wink. But before she could call him on the lie her Father entered the kitchen to get some coffee.10

The Boyd children became very still as they watched their father get a cup of coffee and leave instruction with Beth. As he turned away from the cook he noticed his children for the first time. "I am going away for a few days. Cassie is in charge while I am gone. You are to do as you're told." Mr. Boyd announced. Before he could leave Carter got up and blocked the doorway.11

"How can you leave when Zachary is close to death?" Carter demanded.12

"Carter," Mr. Boyd sighed looking at his watch.13

"Your SON may die while you are gone, and you don't even care!"14

"Carter," Now Mr. Boyd sounded angry.15

"I knew it! You DON'T care! You couldn't care less if he lives or dies! You'd probably LIKE it if he died, than you wouldn't have to pay any more doctor bills!"16

"Carter Anthony Boyd! That is enough!" Mr. Boyd shouted.17

"Do you even know how he is doing? Do you even know what he cares about? No you don't, because you have never once cared. Not once, in the sixteen years he's been sick did you ever check up on him. You don't even know him! He's your SON and you've never even seen him! You're so wrapped up in your own pathetic excuse for a life that you barely even bother to acknowledge that he exists! If he died tonight you wouldn't care! Just like you didn't care when Mom,"18

"That is enough!!! You are grounded! Get the H*ll out of my sight!" Mr. Boyd shouted. Carter looked at his father so furious he couldn't even speak. For a moment their eyes met, than Mr. Boyd changed tactics. "Carter, of course I care about Zachary. I love him you know." Mr. Boyd said gently. "Then PROVE it!" Carter snapped. Than Carter turned and stormed out of the kitchen. There was silence for several moments, than Mr. Boyd turned to Dana. "Dianne, you know I love your brother very much." Mr. Boyd said gently. "My name... is...DANA!" Dana hissed furiously. Then she shoved past her father and went off after Carter.19

"Well THAT was nicely handled." Cassie said sarcastically from the door way. Mr. Boyd just gave a frustrated sigh and went to his office to prepare for his trip.20

The first place Dana searched for Carter was Zachary's room. The room was painted a pale gold color, and the king bed had a gold comforter on it. There were a fire place, and a big screen TV facing the bed, and amidst the many pillows and satin sheets lay Zachary Boyd. Zachary had light brown hair like Carter, but where Carter's hair was thick and healthy; Zachary's was frail and limp. Carter was tanned, and Zachary was so white in comparison to the Gold colored bed spread and walls that he looked like a ghost. He was extremely skinny, barely more than a skeleton with skin, where Carter was rather muscular. When Dana entered the room Zachary was slumped, his eyes closed, and his hand dangling off the bed. Carter sat next to him in a chair, his head resting on his folded arms on the bed, near Zachary's head.21

"I thought I'd find you here. You know, you could warn me next time you plan to drop a bomb and mention Mom like that." Dana scolded sitting down near Zachary's feet. Carter raised his head slowly. "I'm sorry Dana; I myself didn't know I was going to say anything at all until it was out." Carter mumbled. "Why did you do that anyways? What do you care if he goes away?! He goes away about fifteen times a year. Why does it suddenly bother you?" Dana asked furiously. Carter sighed and glanced at Zachary. "I wanted to see if I could make him feel guilty. Last night Zachary told me that he wished he could meet Dad, before he dies." Carter explained softly. Dana glanced at Zachary. He looked so frail, so ill. Dana felt the all too familiar lump rising in her throat and furiously swallowed hard, she was NOT going to cry! "Well, you didn't need to bring mom up like you did. That REALLY hurt you know!" Dana accused furiously.22

"What did he say about Mom?"23

Carter and Dana looked at Zachary startled. They hadn't realized that he was awake. They certainly wouldn't have been talking about what had happened down stairs if they had known. "Hey Zach, how are you doing?" Dana asked gently, trying to change the subject.24

"Really tired. Kind of thirsty too. What did Carter say about Mom? How did Dad react?" Zachary replied, his bright green eyes traveling from Carter to Dana. "I'll go fix you a drink." Carter offered starting to get up. "There's no need, my nurse is already doing that." Zachary said with a small smile. 25

"You've been awake the whole time! Why didn't you tell us?" Dana scolded lightly. "Because I've found that the most effective way to get information is to pretend sleep. You'd be amazed at the stuff people will say about you and others in your presence if they think you can't hear them. You guys just gave a classic example of that don't you think?" Zachary replied with a twinkle in his eyes. Carter and Dana laughed. It was a relief to see that Zachary felt well enough to tease them, it was far better than the days he was too weak to make noise, or the even worse days when he was barely clinging to life, and the doctors and nurse were running around like crazy trying to keep him alive. 26

"Oh, you rat! You tricked us!" Dana cried grabbing a pillow and beating Zachary with it. Zachary laughed and weakly tried to protect himself from the attack, but gave up trying when Carter took Dana's side. "Traitor! Blood Traitor!" Zachary shouted at Carter as the pillow attack continued. Dana and Carter stopped fairly quickly, and they replaced the pillows silently as the nurse entered with a cup of foamy liquid and a straw for Zachary. "All right you two, leave him alone if you know what's good for him. Now look, you've gotten him all out of breath!" The nurse scolded as she arranged the pillows so Zachary could sit up. Carter lifted his brother into a sitting position and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a cloth as the nurse stirred the drink with the straw. "Here you go love. Drink this all up, there's a good lad." The nurse said holding the drink near Zachary's face and putting the straw in Zachary's mouth. Zachary made a face as he drank, and when he was finished he shuddered. "Well, I did try to make it better." The nurse said smiling apologetically. "I went off and mixed the meds with chocolate milk shake, guess it didn't help much did it love?" She asked. "No, it didn't. Sorry." Zachary apologized sadly. The nurse patted Zachary's cheek gently and left, shaking her head sadly.27

"Now, tell me what happened down stairs!" Zachary demanded. "Never mind that." Dana soothed. Zachary frowned furiously. "Tell me! No one ever tells me anything! Do you think I'm stupid?" Zachary demanded furiously.28

"No, of course not!" Dana cried.29

"Then tell me! Just because I'm ill doesn’t mean I don't have the right to know what goes on here!" Zachary cried30

"No one's saying that." Dana half pleaded.31

"Yes you are! If that wasn't what you were saying you'd tell me what happened!" Zachary insisted.32

"All right! Calm down, shut up and I'll tell you." Carter intervened. Dana shot Carter a look. She didn't feel that Zachary needed to be told what had happened, but Carter ignored his little sister and explained what had happened down stairs.33

"So than I left and came here." Carter finished lamely. "Than what happened? Did he say anything to you Dana?" Zachary asked fixing Dana with his bright eyes. "He... he called me Dianne." Dana said softly, tears in her eyes, even though she was trying hard not to show them. Zachary opened his arms wide, and Dana hugged him, her tears coming out at last. Somehow she couldn't hide her feelings from Zachary, somehow he always knew what she was feeling, and he always knew what to do or say.34

For several minutes Zachary hugged Dana as she cried, and beside the bed Carter sat with his head bowed, thinking about his father. Finally Carter couldn't stand the silence any more. "Let's do something. Play a game, or watch a movie or something." He said getting to his feet. "I'll watch a movie with you guys. I don't feel up to a game." Zachary answered weakly. Dana sat up, rubbed her eyes, and went over to the book shelf where Zachary kept his movies. 35

After some debate the three agreed to watch 'The Fellowship of The Rings'. But ten minutes into the movie Zachary fell asleep, so Carter and Dana lay him back down, and tucked him in. By the time Frodo and the others made it to Bree Carter had fallen asleep next to Zachary, where he was sitting on the king sized bed. Dana got up softly, turned off the movie, and went to call her cheerleader friends to see if anyone wanted to go to the mall. None of her friends were available, so Dana went to the indoor pool, and spent several hours just floating on her back and thinking. Dana hated not being able to do anything to help Zachary. Carter could do all sorts of things since he was in med school, and their Mom had always been able to help just by being there and holding Zachary's hand when he was weak and scared. Dana sat on one of the steps leading into the pool and cried. Her mom had been the best. She had been full of life and love. She had always been there for Zachary and for carter and Dana too. She had always been cheerful, always positive. She would never have left Zachary to go off on a business paid vacation, and she certainly would never have forgotten Dana's name! Dana cried so hard that she didn't even hear Carter coming, and was startled when he sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, Carter!" Dana sobbed. "Shh, I know, I know." Carter whispered softly.36

**********************part 2******************************37

How come you never have parties at your place?" Trisha Hays demanded. Dana just sighed softly and continued driving. Lately Trisha, who was Dana's best cheerleader friend, had been bugging Dana to have a party at her house. Dana never had a party at her house because not a lot of people knew about Zachary, and she was sure if all the popular kids at school were over, he'd surely be discovered and exposed.38

It wasn't that she wanted to keep Zachary away from her friends, but Zachary was not strong enough to handle so many people, and he had said he didn't want people staring at him. If he was found by any of the jocks and cheerleaders who showed up at very party than everyone would be staring.39

"Well?! You and Carter are always talking about your indoor pool and games rooms and full size cocktail bar. It's high time you lived up to those claims don't you think?" Trisha pressed as Dana pulled into the parking lot of Johnson school for promising teens. "Look Trisha, I can't have it at my place alright? So why don't you just drop it already!" Dana snapped as she got out of the car and headed into the office building that had been turned into a sort of fast paced prep. School. But Trisha Hays was not someone who let anything drop. "You said in the car that your old man is out of town. His wife is always at cocktail parties on Fridays, so why not? It would be so awesome to have a party with an indoor pool and a real bar for once. Come on, have it at your house Friday!" Trisha insisted hurrying to catch up with her friend.40

"The party is at your house Friday Dana? Cool! Hey Everyone!" Everyone turned to look at Josh Gernham who had climbed onto a bench in the main hall to address the crowds. "Dana Boys is having the party at her place Friday! Popular rich people only! Bring your swim trunks!" Dana glared at Trisha as everyone turned away murmuring. "Guess it's settled than. I'll see you at cheerleading practice." Trisha said with a smug smile. Dana stood there helplessly as people surged towards her asking for her address to attend a party that Dana didn't want to hold. She knew one thing for sure; she was going to kill Trisha for this!41

By the time Dana went out to the football field for cheerleading practice the news had spread all over the school, and everyone who was even remotely popular or rich had made plans to go. "Trisha! You need to stop this! You need to tell everyone that I am NOT having a party at my place this Friday! I can't!" Dana insisted almost shouting. Trisha just rolled her eyes though and sat down on the field to stretch. "Oh please Dana, it's no big deal! Look, we'll even come over Friday after school to help you set up for it ok?" Trisha snapped referring to the cheerleading squad in general most of who did whatever Trisha told them to do. "No, it's not ok! It's not ok at all! How could you do this! I've told you we can't have parties at my place! How can you tell the whole school that I am hosting a party?!" Dana cried. "OK, chill out. First of all, it was Josh who told everyone, not me. Second, I really don't see why it's a big deal. I mean, sure it can be a tough mess to clean up after, but if half the rumors are true you have plenty of servants who can do that for you. So mellow out ok?" Sarah Bernstand intervened. "Yeah Dana, why is this such a big deal?" Lana Smith asked, her voice muffled by the sweat shirt she was pulling off. "It's my brother. He doesn’t..." Dana trailed off. She just couldn't tell everyone about Zachary. Trisha rolled her eyes. "Well tell Carter to take a chill pill. Honestly, he is so obsessed with the medical feield it's unhealthy. Just tell him to go to the library or something. Doesn’t he have college friends?" Trisha said with a sneer. Dana just shook her head, not knowing what else she could say.42

"So now half the school is coming HERE Friday, to have a party. Dana you can't let this happen!" Carter cried. Dana, who was slumped on the dinning room table with her head buried in her arms just groaned. "It's too late Carter. Everyone is already planning to be here!" Dana wailed. "Dana, besides the fact that Zachary doesn’t want anyone to see him there is the health risk! What are we supposed to do with Zachary while all your friends are breathing in here with God knows what kinds of harmful illnesses on them?! Zachary is too weak to go outside! Can you imagine the troubles if there are fifty high school kids here bringing everything outside and more in here?!" Carter asked reverently.43

Dana looked up at Carter horrified at the thought. Everything in the mansion was washed within an inch of its life, because Zachary was allergic to dust, mold, pollen, and dozens if not hundreds of other things. Everyone who entered Zachary's room had to brush their teeth really well, and use alcohol hand sanitizer before entering his room because he was so weak. Even WITH all their precautions he often got very ill from small things like a cold. Doctors had tried to build up his immunity to things, but a very bad flue had killed his immune system almost completely a few years ago. Now everything around him was cleaner than a hospital. The thought of dozens of people bringing all kinds of illnesses into the house was horrifying.44

"Oh Carter! What are we going to do?!" Dana wailed. Carter sighed and massaged his temples, which was a sign that he was thinking hard. "Well, we were going to install that new system, the sterilization field, in his hallway. I suppose we could do that early, have him wear a gas mask, and keep everyone FAR away from the third floor. If we do all that, we may be able to get through this disaster. But the sterilization field wasn't going to be finished initialization-wise until some time next week. We'll have to pay a LOT to get them to finish early. After all, it is a delicate process." Carter sighed. "Let’s get to work!" Dana cried jumping to her feet and rushing to find the number of the initialization company.45

"Your father is NOT going to be happy about this! That money was going to buy me a new summer wardrobe. I am taking the money out of your allowance Carter!" Cassie exclaimed. Carter and Dana stared at Cassie wordlessly. They both knew that their father wouldn't even notice the absence of the extra three thousand dollars that hey had paid for the rush installation. Cassie was just looking for something to complainer about. "Fine, here's my credit card, knock yourself out." Carter said handing his platinum card to Cassie with a hint of sarcasm and annoyance. Cassie narrowed her eyes. 46

"You know, lately your attitude has been unacceptable. If you don't shape up I may take drastic measures." Cassie threatened. Carter looked at Cassie in disgust. "Like what? Take away my car? Go ahead." Carter sneered. "How about I send your brother away? Than you won't be able to see him any more." Cassie snapped. She was pleased to see Carter pale slightly, and Zachary look horrified, and hear Dana gasp. She knew how attached the kids were to each other, and she planned to use that to her full advantage. "Oh yes, I have half a mind to send him away to some hospital in San Francisco. You keep that in mind when you are speaking to me boy!" Cassie said triumphantly. Carter watched silently as she marched away, feeling pleased with herself. 47

"She wouldn't really do that, would she? Father would never let her, would he?" Zachary pleaded softly. Carter turned to his brother. Zachary had no memory of his father. He had heard all the things that Carter and Dana said about him, but he had also grown up listening to his mother’s stories about how kind he was to her. Zachary was very sheltered, having no experience of the world except through TV, books, and his family. He always thought the best of everyone. Carter didn't know how to tell his brother that their father would be more than willing to send Zachary away without so much as a pang of guilt. Carter glanced at Dana, who seemed to also be trying to figure out how to answer. Zachary looked at his siblings, and felt a pang in his heart. He didn't think he could go on without his siblings, especially Carter, who spent all his time when he wasn't in class with his brother. "Don't worry; I will never let it happen. I promise." Carter told his siblings in a tone that left no room for doubt.48

Friday morning the whole house was full of tension. All of Zachary's doctors were there, taking every precaution possible to make sure that Zachary would get through the night safely. The initialization of the sterilization room leading to Zachary's hallway had been finished, and was being double and triple tested. Zachary had been pumped full of antibiotics, allergy meds, vitamins, and everything else the doctors could think of to keep him safe. The whole third floor was being closed off and sterilized. No one could enter who was not there already. Not until Sunday at the earliest. On Saturday the entire mansion was going to be scribed and sterilized to within an inch of its life. The pool and Jacuzzi water was going to be replaced, all the food in the house thrown out and replaced with clean fresh food, the windows were all closed and locked, and Carter was being coached on how to handle anything that might happen. No doctors would be able to get anywhere near Zachary until Sunday, it would all be up to Carter, who was going to stay with Zachary's nurse at his brothers side.49

At school Dana was sick with worry. She was so worried that she called him between each class period, and spent the lunch hour in the nurse's office. During cheerleading practice that afternoon Dana kept getting distracted and making mistakes. She kept tripping during flips, and failed to catch Trisha who had been thrown up in the air. "Jeze Dana! What the hell is wrong with you today?! You know what? Practice is over. We have a party to prepare for." Trisha snapped.50

Dana watched apprehensively as her friends gasped at her house. They exclaimed over the pool and the bar and the leather couches and everything else. Lisa turned to Dana her eyes bright with excitement. "This house rocks! You know, I always thought you and Carter were lying. But this is just too cool!" Dana smiled weakly as the rest of the cheerleading squad agreed.51

Dana and her friends set to work laying out food on the buffet table and preparing cocktails at the bar. "It's stuffy in here. Let’s open the windows." Trisha said cheerfully heading towards a window leading to the back yard. "NO!" Dana cried leaping forward and grabbing Trisha's arm. Everyone looked at Dana in surprise. Dana thought desperately. "My Dad hates the windows open. He prefers us to use the air conditioner." Dana lied. It was a pretty lame story, but her friends seemed to buy it.52

The party started at eight. Dana was a nervous mess. She spent the whole party trying to make sure the doors and windows were shut, chasing people away from the third floor, and becoming terrified every time someone coughed or sneezed. At two in the morning Cassie came down stairs and broke up the party shouting that she was trying to sleep. Dana stood at the door making sure everyone left. Everyone was very impressed with the house, and they all praised her as they left. Trisha was the last to go. "See? I told you it would be fine. Can we have one here next weekend?" She asked. Dana gave a very firm NO to that question, and her friend left slightly annoyed.53

After everyone had finally left Dana sagged down onto the couch wearily. She took out her cell phone and called Carter's cell phone, which was the only way she could contact her brothers for a few days. After hearing from Carter that Zachary seemed fine so far and that he was asleep Dana went to bed feeling relieved. They had survived the party. They had made it.54

********************part 3***********************55

Zachary woke up with a terrible tightness in his chest. He tried to take a deep breath and felt a sharp pain. He was having a lot of trouble breathing. Beside him Carter was asleep. Zachary looked at the clock on his bedside table and saw that it was three thirty in the morning. Zachary started to drift back to sleep as the stillness and silence of the house pressed in about him. Silence? Zachary sat up in alarm and fear. The air purification system had shut down! The air wasn't sterile. 56

Zachary pushed on Carter's shoulder. Carter opened his eyes groggily. "Zach? What is it?" He murmured. "Carter, the air purifier is off!" Zachary said as loudly as he could with his chest feeling so tight. Carter leapt up wide awake. "Oh my God!" Zachary, use the air tank! Hurry, before you catch something! I'll check the purification system. Carter rushed out of the room and down the hall. Zachary didn't even have time to tell Carter that it was too late. Zachary put the plastic mask over his mouth and turned on the air. Until the purification system was back on he was vulnerable. His nurse rushed into the room and checked the connection to see if anything was obstructing the fan. A moment later the fan came back on and Zachary breathed a sigh of relief that turned into a chalked cough. The nurse turned to Zachary worriedly as Carter came back into the room. "It got unplugged somehow. It should be all right in a few minutes." Carter reported.57

Zachary nodded. Despite the oxygen tank he was having a lot of trouble breathing. He tried to speak, but began to cough again. He drooped the mask and held his hands over his mouth as his body shook with his coughs. Carter was at his side in a moment. He gently pulled Zachary's hands away from his face and put the mask back on. He took a stethoscope from the table covered in supplies and lifted Zachary into a sitting position to listen to his lungs. His face looked grim as he listened. Than he lowered Zachary back down onto the bed again. "Well?" Zachary asked weakly. Carter sighed. "It's just a cold, for now. Try to get back to sleep."58

Outside Zachary's room Carter and the nurse talked in whispers. "Isn't there anything we can do?" The nurse asked. "I'll do everything I can. Sadly, with all our advances in medicine, we still haven't found a cure for the common cold. But I'll make sure he gets decongestants and vitamins. I am going to have to ask you to leave. We must keep the area as sterile as possible." Carter replied. The nurse nodded. She had been sterilized as much as possible, but now that Zachary was sick he needed as few people to spread germs around him as he could have. The nurse left the third floor, carefully sealing the sterile environment behind her. As she left she felt horribly sad. Zachary was such a sweet loving boy. It wasn't fair that the world should be so cruel to him. He didn't deserve that.59

Zachary slept right until Sunday night, waking up only to take the meds carter gave him. He coughed horribly and constantly in his sleep, his whole frail body shaking terribly. On Monday the doctors entered and they were very busy. Zachary was near death, his body too weak to fight off the cold which had turned into a bad case of phenomena. Carter slumped against the wall exhausted as the doctors hurried back and forth with equipment, trying to keep the sick boy alive. 60

Carter was exhausted. He hadn't slept since the sterilization field had been unplugged accidentally. He was too tired to wonder how that had happened; too tired to wonder how a cold had gotten past the safe guards in the first place. All his energy had been spent trying to keep his brother alive. Carter's body longed for sleep, but Carter was determined to stay awake, to be there for his brother even if his brother didn't know that his twin was there.61

Dana stayed home from school Monday. She couldn't bear leaving. What if Zachary died while she was gone? Just like her mother. Dana knew she would never forgive herself, even though there was nothing she could do. She knew Carter would never recover if Zachary died. He had spent his whole life on trying to save his twin. If he ended up not being able to keep Zachary alive, Dana knew it would break him.62

Zachary drifted in and out of consciousness. He knew he was very ill, possibly dying. But he was determined to survive. For his siblings, he would stay a live as long as he possibly could. He would never give up, never let go of his fragile hold to life. He loved his siblings far too much. As long as he could, he would stay alive. Every time he woke up he told himself that he WOULD survive, he WOULD recover, and he had to.63

In Miami Florida Mr. Boyd got a call on his cell phone. It was Zachary's doctors calling to tell him that Zachary was barely clinging to life. He got calls like that at least twice a year, they didn't affect him. Until now that is. Now Carter's furiously spoken words came back to him, "Your SON may die while you are gone, and you don't even care!" Was Carter right, did he really not care about a child that his former wife had loved with all her heart? After all, Zachary WAS his son. Shouldn't he care? Mr. Boyd shook his head to clear it. So what if Zachary was his son? Zachary and Carter had been a mistake, and Dana had been born only because his wife begged him to have another child when Zachary was born so ill and frail. Mr. Boys told himself that there was no point in caring, no point in worrying. If Zachary died than so be it. He had done more than enough for his part for Zachary. He had spent millions of dollars on the boy. He had done enough. But as he lay sunning himself on the beach he couldn't shake off Carter's words.64