Erica Yang

When the college health clinic discovers Bonnie Deluca was born with a hole in the wall of her heart, she finds herself suddenly facing surgery -- and the family she's been estranged from since leaving home. They don't accept her girlfriend, don't respect her needs, and aren't the people she wants making her medical decisions if anything goes wrong. A friendly nurse points out that a new option has become available in their state: thanks to marriage equality, Bonnie can make Tina her next of kin.<br><br>Tina Harper never thought she'd be getting married at nineteen. In spite of her fear, she wants to be there for Bonnie as best she can. Tina agrees to marry Bonnie so she can protect her.<br><br>As she faces off with Bonnie's family, Tina can only hope Bonnie will come out of surgery wholehearted and ready to live with the decision they've made.

Wholehearted

He raised his hands, leaning back. “I will, if that’s what you two want. I just have to ask, as your father. I think everyone would understand if the two of you waited a bit and then decided to back off somehow. This was an extreme situation.”


“I’m not planning to divorce her. Marriage means something to me, you know.”


“I know. I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.”


Tina shook her head, relenting. She scuffed one shoe against the scratched tile floor. “No, I get what you’re trying to say. When she first asked me about this, I told her I thought I could do this, but I wasn’t sure. I told her I didn’t have time to get sure.”


Chapter 19