"I'm sorry, Mrs. Sanders, I wish I could do something."

"So, how did I go on this long without knowing I had this disease?"

"Well, it's hard to tell considering your background"

"But I've only had two partners in all my life and one was against my will."

"It only takes one time of exposure to contract this infection."

"So, what are the long term effects of this disease, doctor?"

"Well, one of the most common ones is infertility in women."

"So you mean I'll never be able to have a baby?" Hailey Sanders choked as she sat on the table inside the doctor's office.

"That's correct."

"Usually, this disease is highly treatable when it is caught in the early stages, but in your case you could have been infected for years. The damage to your fallopian tubes is too extensive for even surgery."

Hailey could feel her eyes welling up. One of her lifelong dreams had been destroyed. She always wanted to have children, especially now that she was married to Greg. She knew he would make an amazing father to their kids. How was she going to tell him? How was he going to react? Besides feeling hurt, Hailey burned with hate for the man who had done this to her. Jerry had infected her with an STD and now she would never be able to carry a child. Here eyes were wet with tears as she went into the house. Greg had gotten off work early and as soon as Hailey walked in the door, he could sense that something wasn't right.

"Hey baby, what's the matter?" He said taking her in his arms and guiding her to the couch. Greg's hugs always made her feel better, but not this time. She felt a cavernous pit of hurt deep within her soul that felt like it would never heal. Reaching for a tissue, Hailey mentally prepared herself for what she had to tell Greg.
"Did your yearly checkup go okay?"

"Well, not really."

"I found out I have a disease, Greg"
"Oh Hailey." Greg felt a lump form in his throat as he reached to embrace his wife.

"Jerry passed it to me when he raped me." Hailey sobbed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Greg, the doctor told me that I'll never be able to have a baby."

"I'm so sorry, Hailey. I wish there was something I could do."

This was so unfair Greg thought to himself. How could Jerry do that to Hailey? Why did this have to happen now, when they were starting to think about kids?

"Honey, I'm so sorry." Hailey sniffed.

"Hailey, you have nothing to be sorry for. You can't change the fact that Jerry raped you and gave you an STD. Just be thankful that there's other ways of having kids."

"And no matter how we get a baby, I know you're going to make an excellent mom, and I'll try my best to be a great dad." Why was it always times like this that Hailey just wanted to jump Greg? The timing seemed terribly wrong, considering she had just been told she could never have kids. It was his kindness that made her heart burn with desire for him and she couldn't fight the fires of passion that raged inside her whenever she was with him. It seemed that he was on the same page as she was. Hailey kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled away and abruptly took off running towards their bedroom. Greg laughed and went after her. He loved these kinds of games.