Mary nervously sat waiting for the doctor to look up from his computer. She had been in this room many times, both alone and with her husband. For the past 3 years, they had been trying to have a baby, but with no success. A few months ago they finally decided to see a specialist.
Dr. Taylor had the best reputation amongst couples looking to conceive. They booked the first available appointment and prepared themselves, not knowing what to expect. She had undergone a lot of physical tests to see if there was any reason she couldn't have a child, and the last time, her husband had begun to be tested too.
Mary shifted restlessly in the chair as she waited for the Doctor to finish reviewing her file. Being called here without her husband left her with an ominous feeling. She watched the doctor to see if his expression gave anything away.
She knew he was over 50 judging by the dates on his degrees, but he looked about 40. He had rolled up his sleeve, allowing her to get a glimpse of his strong muscles under very little fat. Even at 50 he hadn't allowed himself to gain the inevitable middle aged tire around his belly, and she could only see a few streaks of silver hair at his temples. In all, he was a strikingly good looking man. Even though she was happily married, she felt a tingle of desire when she saw him.
"I'm sorry about keeping you waiting. I wanted to make sure I checked your file again." Dr Taylor smiled at her, causing her cheeks to flush.
"Oh no, I completely understand."
"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked you here today without your husband."
Mary paused, taking time to gather herself. "I thought about it, and it must mean that there is something wrong with me. I'm the reason I can't get pregnant." She looked down at her hands folded in her lap, twisting her fingers together. She couldn't face him.
"On the contrary, you're in perfect health." Her head shot up, not quite believing him. "For a 33 year old, you're in excellent health. Your hormone levels are good and your cycle is regular. There is nothing physically that would stop you from getting pregnant."
"Really? If there's nothing wrong then why haven't I been able to get pregnant?"
"We focused on your tests for a while without finding anything. Last time we decided to run tests on your husband. The results we got back yesterday gave us the answer. Your husband is infertile."
Mary sat back in her chair, stunned. "What do you mean? Can we never have a child together?"
The doctor looked back at the monitor, clicking between pages. "Looking at his history, he revealed he was sick when he was around 16, but couldn't remember what caused it. It turns out he had contracted mumps. For most, the mumps can seem like a flu, but in some cases complications can arise. In your husband's case, the infection affected his testicles, causing them to swell. Though the swelling went away quickly, the damage had already been done. He was left permanently infertile. We couldn't detect any viable sperm in his semen."
The news began to sink in. He husband wasn't able to have children. There was no way she could ever carry his baby. They were never going to have a child.
Seeing her lost in thought, the doctor quickly continued. "There are other options, of course, if you still wanted to have a child. There's always adoption, or using donated sperm."
Mary's head quickly shot up. "Donated sperm? What do you mean?"
"There are many clinics where sperm from carefully screened men is used to help couples in situations just like yours. There is complete anonymity. You choose based on the donor's characteristics, background and health factors. Once you've selected the candidate, the donated sperm is inserted into you at the optimal time." His professional way of describing the event made it seem nothing out of the ordinary.
"So I would would be pregnant with another man's child?"
"It would be your child. Yours and your husband's. Just because it isn't his DNA doesn't mean it isn't his child."
"The biological father would never be involved? My husband and I would raise the child as our own?"
"Yes. I also brought you here to propose something else that might make it easier for your husband. I haven't told him yet that it is his lack of viable sperm that isn't allowing you to become pregnant. If you wanted to, you could have the procedure done without him ever knowing."
Mary was puzzled, "What do you mean?"
"We could impregnate you with donated sperm and your husband would never know. We could tell him that we had used his previous sample to impregnate you. He would never know that the child wasn't biologically his. Understandably, this isn't quite above-board, so I wanted to speak to you privately about this."
After a minute of silent consideration, Mary came to her decision. She wanted a child, desperately, and so did her husband. She knew him well enough to know that he would love any child they had, but if he was unaware the child wasn't biologically his, he would be happier.
"I'll do it. I want my husband to think the child is his."
"Excellent. Now there are some additional costs associated with artificial insemination and sperm donation. There is also no guarantee that it will take the first time it is done. It could add up to a considerable amount. Would you be able to finance the cost without your husband becoming aware of it?"
She thought for a moment. They shared a joint account and their credit cards were linked. Any spending out of the ordinary would definitely arouse suspicion. Her heart sank as she realized it was impossible. "No. I can't think of a way to pay without him finding out."
The doctor sat back in his chair. "I'm sorry to hear that. I guess it only leaves us with one option if you don't wish to tell your husband."
"What option is left?"
The doctor put rested his arms on the desk and looked into her eyes. "I chose this field because I love to see the joy of people having the children they desperately want. I don't feel good when money is the only thing standing between them and having a child. In extraordinary circumstances, like your own, I have on occasion offered my own service at no cost."
Mary couldn't believe she was understanding him correctly. "Your own service. What do you mean?"
"I offer to get you pregnant myself. It would be the old fashioned way."
"You mean that you and I would have sex?"
"Yes. In our case, it is purely physical, our emotions aren't involved. I would do a few more tests to make sure you're at the perfect time to conceive and then I would deposit my semen inside you. That's it. Just like other donors, I would have no further part in your, or your child's life. This way you can have a child, but it won't cost you anything in medical fees. Does the arrangement suit you?"
Mary scrutinized the doctor. She couldn't detect any hidden agenda, his expression was kind, not crafty. He genuinely seemed to want her to have a child in any way and was willing to help her, even at his own expense. She had already accepted being impregnated by an anonymous donor, why not from someone she knew? As far as intelligence, Dr. Taylor's ivy league degrees attested to that. Looks wise, she couldn't do much better. Even though he was over 50, he looked much younger. He was a prime specimen of a man, and he was offering himself to her.
Looking down at her lap, she nodded, indicating her acceptance of his proposal. At the slight movement, he rose from the chair.
"Good. Now, let's do a quick exam to see where you are in your cycle. We only want to do this when you're ovulating. Can you lay down on the exam table?"
Mary sat down on the raised exam table, the sanitary paper covering crinkling as she positioned herself. Dr Taylor quickly poured over her files on the computer until she was ready.