They had always approached life differently. Kayla carefully read every instruction. Jasmine jumped right in, already holding the swab.
Minutes later, the samples were sealed and ready to mail.
“Maybe we’re secretly royalty,” Jasmine joked.
“Or have some dramatic family secret,” Kayla teased.
They laughed.
They had no idea how close to the truth that was.
Two weeks later, the email arrived.
Jasmine opened it first while Kayla leaned over her shoulder. The first page looked ordinary — a mix of African and European ancestry.
Then a bold message appeared on the screen:
Significant results detected. Please consult a specialist.
Kayla frowned. “That doesn’t sound normal.”
Jasmine swallowed. “Let’s show Mom.”
Their mother, Leila, was in the kitchen. When she saw the alert, the color drained from her face.
“Don’t panic,” she said quickly, though her voice trembled. “We’ll see Dr. Carter tomorrow.”
The fun had vanished. Something in her tone made it clear this wasn’t routine.
The next morning, they sat in the waiting room of Dr. Carter’s office. The air smelled sterile. Jasmine tapped her foot anxiously. Kayla stared at her phone but wasn’t really reading anything. Leila sat stiffly, clutching her purse.