Episode 4

Luiza

It's been a few weeks since my first consultation. I'm following the protocol perfectly. Taking the medication every day, at the right times, without forgetting a single dose. The folic acid tablets, the hormones, the vitamins... Everything as the doctor explained. I've also done the tests he asked for — ultrasounds to monitor follicle growth, hormone tests to see how my body is responding.

And the truth is I already feel changes. My breasts are more sensitive, I feel a slight cramp on some days, a bloating in my abdomen... Subtle things, but noticeable. It's strange how the body reacts to everything. The doctor said it was normal, that it was a sign that my body was preparing.

Today is the big day. The day of insemination.

I left home early, with my heart in my mouth. Nona wanted to come with me, but a large order of sweets arrived at the last minute and she had to take care of the delivery. She hugged me tightly before leaving, as if transferring her strength to me.

"Go there, my bambina. Today is the day your life begins to change."

I took the bus with courage in my hands. I arrived at the clinic with my heart racing, went to the reception and gave my name. But the girl barely raised her eyes from her cell phone. She was laughing at something she saw on the screen and, carelessly, picked up my file and asked me to fill out the papers. I took a deep breath, trying not to let the irritation ruin the moment. I handed in the documents and went to the waiting room.

As soon as I walked in, my eyes met his.

The same honey-colored eyes I saw the other time. The same handsome, tall man, with that elegant and peaceful air. He looked at me too, for a moment, but we soon looked away, almost as if it were a reflex. I sat down quickly, trying to look uninterested. "Stop looking, Luiza! What if his wife notices," I thought.

Soon after, he was called along with that woman who always accompanies him — probably his wife, or maybe the mother of the baby they will generate together. I don't know. When I saw that they left, I tried to calm down. A few minutes later, they called my name too.

It was now. There was no turning back.

Enzo

Today is the day. I'm a bundle of anxiety. I barely slept at night, and not even coffee helped me wake up properly. I'm dividing my time between shifts at the hospital, visits to the orphanage, reports from the wineries and, of course, Betina's exams and consultations.

She's already done everything: hormone tests, ultrasounds, uterine evaluation, genetic tests. Everything is ready. Today we will do the insemination.

We arrived at the clinic early. While we were waiting in the waiting room, my eyes wandered automatically to the entrance. And there she was. That woman with firm eyes and quiet beauty. The same as before.

She seemed a little more nervous, with tense shoulders and hesitant steps. When our eyes met for a moment, I felt that strange thing in my chest again. She looked away soon after and went to sit alone. But she stayed there, in my head.

We were soon called. Betina nudged me on the arm and laughed:

"Are you in the moon world, doctor?"

"Nothing," I lied. "Let's go."

We went to the office.

Betina's Office

Dr. Pietro greeted us with a smile. Betina sat in the chair next to me and I stood, watching the whole process.

"Ready?" asked the doctor, animated.

"More than ready!" replied Betina, with her usual enthusiasm.

The doctor explained how everything would happen. The insemination was intrauterine, which meant that he would introduce the semen directly into her uterus with the help of a catheter, at the ideal time of the cycle.

The nurse came in with the sample in a small, identified capsule. There was a whole security protocol — labels, confirmation of names, codes. Betina confirmed the data, signed the papers, and the procedure began.

It lasted only a few minutes. Betina lay down, resting, with a smile on her face.

"Now we have to cheer," said the doctor.

"Hope is already here," I replied.

We left the room in silence, with light hearts.

Luiza's Office

On the other side of the hall, another nurse was receiving a new file.

Luiza was taken to a similar room. The on-call doctor greeted her kindly, confirmed her data, reviewed the medical record.

"Everything ready for the insemination, Luiza?"

She nodded, nervously. Signed the forms.

Another capsule was brought, with similar identification. Only, due to an almost imperceptible error, the sample was switched. That one was intended for Betina. But the attendant, distracted on her cell phone, did not see that there was confusion in the order of the codes. The tubes were switched on the transport tray.

The doctor followed the protocol normally, without suspecting. Luiza received the insemination believing she was generating her child with anonymous genetic material, as she had requested.

She finished the procedure with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, doctor."

"Life begins with courage. And you have plenty," he replied.

Luiza remained at rest, her heart beating fast, without imagining what had just happened.

Medical Records Room — Minutes Later

The nurse in charge returned to the sector and noticed something strange in the files. The tube labels seemed to have been switched in the sequence, but there was no way to prove it without laboratory tests. The tubes had been used. The supervisor was notified, but decided not to alarm anyone for now.

"It may have just been an inversion of papers. If there is something wrong, we will find out later. For now, keep it secret."

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