She stared at the picture on the wall, the facility's projector a crisp, clear image.
Auburn hair, brown, with reddish tints. Green eyes like ferns. There was a small silver scar along his chin, and she wondered briefly how he got it. His mouth was in a half grin, his nose a little too long.
He was perfect.
"Him," Astrid Hofferson whispered.
The man behind the desk, one of the directors of the clinic, looked at her in surprise. "No one has ever—"
She shook her head, silencing him. "Him," she repeated. "What do I have to sign?"
The man studied her. "We require you to think about the decision for at least two weeks, before signing our agreement."
She blinked at him, but nodded.
"Are you sure, Miss Hofferson?" the director asked, still frowning at her. "No one has ever chosen that donor before."
She smiled at him, before nodding. "Yes. I'm sure."
And that was that.
Five Weeks Later…
"You're serious going through with this?" Heather asked, staring at her as they walked into the elevator.
"Yup," Astrid said. She shifted slightly on her feet, wondering if the procedure had worked—if she was really pregnant. "A little too late for second thoughts."
Heather whistled softly. "And I thought you were reckless before…"
"I've never been reckless a day in my life," Astrid said, rolling her eyes. They left the elevator and entered the floor of their workplace. "Honestly? It just felt right. And I've wanted a kid for a while now—well, a few years, anyway. And really wanted it the last year."
"Why go through all the bother though?" Heather asked. "Why not just hook up with a guy? Or better yet, get a boyfriend?"
Astrid signed, walking over to her cubicle. Heathers was across the makeshift hallway that separated the columns of cubicles. "That would get complicated," Astrid said. "I'd have to deal with—the father. And I don't want to do that. Not if I'm not serious about him. And I haven't been serious about a guy since… well, my last boyfriend."
Heather sniggered at the memory.
"Anyway, this is safer. I don't know who the guy is, he doesn't know who I am… and, legally, I'm not allowed to look for him or tell him I'm pregnant with his child, even if I happen to run into him. Somehow. A completely anonymous donor with protection and everything." Protection for herself as well, she figured. "I signed a legal document saying," she took off her coat, sitting down, "That I wouldn't do or say anything to the father if I ever meet him. Or I could get sued. So… safe."
Heather snorted in disgust. "I still think you're making a mistake. How are you going to raise a kid when you're working so much?"
"Ever heard of a nanny?" Astrid retorted.
"Okay then," Heather admitted. "What about financially supporting a baby? You emptied your savings on fertility tests and this procedure."
A procedure that might not even take.
A procedure that might have all been for naught.
She didn't realize just how much she wanted it, wanted a baby, until the realization this was really happening hit her. Until after it was done. When the director's words had echoed in her ear, reminding her of the success rates. To prepare herself for disappointment, if the pregnancy didn't take.
She didn't want to think about it. Not when she still wasn't sure she was making the right decision. Upheaving her entire life just because her biological clock inconveniently decided to start ticking.
"I'll figure things out," she and Heather exchanged amused looks, before they began their work for the day.
The receptionist at the obstetrician's office she had chosen, the best office of its kind in Berk, she was told, was a kind, rotund woman in her mid-forties, about ten or so years older than Astrid herself. "Ah, Miss Hofferson," Mrs. Ack said, smiling brightly at her. "Please fill out this paperwork, and sign on the x, and I'll get you into the system."
"Thanks," Astrid said, taking the clipboard with the paperwork, each page asking a million questions, from the woman. She turned and walked shakily to her seat, sitting down and began answering quickly. She had only gotten a few hours off of work, and she wasn't sure how long this first session would be.
The home pregnancy test had been positive… but that didn't mean anything to Astrid. It could be a false positive. The stick could have malfunctioned.
It didn't mean anything.
In this moment, she wasn't even quite sure what outcome she would actually prefer.
She handed the clipboard back to Mrs. Ack, her stomach a flutter of wings as she returned to her seat. After a few moments, a nurse came to collect her, to take her weight and measurements, and to ask any questions that needed answering before the doctor arrived.
She sat, in a chair in the doctor's office, as the nurse left with the blood sample. She wondered when the doctor would come in, what he would say, what he would be like. She supposed it didn't matter too much.
She still didn't stop herself from gazing about the room. She didn't have much time to look too deeply, and jumped in surprise when she heard a firm, but quiet knock on the door. "Yes?" she asked, sounding uncharacteristically nervous.
Why was she so on edge?
Oh yeah, she was about to find out if she was really going to be a mother or not in just about an hour.
The door opened, and a man stood in the frame, wearing a doctor's white coat, and holding a clipboard that she had frantically scribbled her answers onto.
But what truly captured her attention, was the doctor himself.
Young for a doctor, about her age, with reddish brown hair, and green eyes, smiling at her pleasantly.
And a small silver scar on his chin.
To be Continued…?
So… some of you who have been reading my stories for a while now might remember this one…. And, might remember that I deleted it a couple years ago. Well, I'm reposting a bunch of old (and old but never published) httyd fanfics for no discernible reason that I can tell. I guess because I… feel like I guess lol
Not sure if I'll be posting more than just one to a couple chapters for any of these old/new stories, unless there's any interest to read more of them.
Is this a story you'd like to read more of?
Thanks for reading!
