Chapter 1: Introduction
Nick and Kate sat awkwardly in the sterile waiting room of the fertility clinic, a heavy silence hanging between them as they waited for their appointment. He looked down at his lap, avoiding her eyes, while she fiddled nervously with the edges of a magazine.
"You sure you're okay with this?" Nick finally asked, pushing his thick-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Kate glanced up, smiling weakly. "It's just sperm, Nick.
It's not like they're asking me to donate a kidney," Kate replied, trying to lighten the mood. Her chubby cheeks flushed a soft pink, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders in loose waves. She was a vision of warmth and comfort in the cold, clinical room, her thick bush of pubic hair hidden beneath her modest skirt.
Nick let out a small, humorless laugh, still not meeting her gaze. "I know, but... it's just weird, you know? Jerking off in a cup while some stranger watches."
Kate reached over, taking his hand in hers.