0002.

Stacy sat in the doctor's office next to Jerome, feeling numb. The events of the past week were still fresh in her mind, and she couldn't help but feel like a failure. She had tried everything she could to avoid this moment, to avoid having to make this decision, but it seemed like fate had other plans.

It had been a week of hell, Jerome had been relentless in his pursuit of an abortion, refusing to listen to her protests and pleas. He had threatened to divorce her right away, to take away everything she had worked so hard for. The last straw that made her agree was when he threatened to remove his company partnership from her family’s company which will make her father’s company likely crumble because the investors they have been getting since Jerome partnered with them will all pull out. The thought of her family losing everything she because of her was unbearable and she had felt trapped like she had no other choice.

Jerome had promised to keep the partnership after their divorce so she had to agree.

But as she sat in the doctor's office, thinking more about it, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was making a terrible mistake. But was it really a mistake?

She had no one to run to and her only hope of continuing in life was the money. If hee family loses the partnership, how would she manage to raise her baby when she goes back home? Where will she stay when she is kicked out? She has no house under her name yet and she dare not go beg her parents who had clearly made it known that they never wanted to see her if she failed.

It was a tough situation for Stacy and having known Jerome as a man of his word, he would do as he threatened.

There were tears on Stacy’s cheeks as she recounted all of these in the doctor’s office, her heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt like she was drowning.

As the doctor walked in, his cheerful demeanor did nothing to ease the anxiety that was building inside of her. And then, Stacy looked over at Jerome: he was sitting next to her, engrossed in his phone, completely oblivious to the storm raging within her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sky," the doctor called out, his voice breaking through the anxious silence. Stacy forced herself to look up, her gaze meeting the doctor's, but she couldn't bring herself to smile.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," the doctor said, placing a stack of documents on his desk. "Shall we begin?"

Jerome sat forward in his chair, a determined look on his face. "Yes," he said, "we're ready."

But Stacy wasn't so sure. She felt impassive as if she were floating outside of her body.

"Mrs Sky," the doctor called, his voice gentle and kind as he looked at her. She forced herself to look at him, but her gaze skittered away, unable to meet his eyes.

"Do you really want to have an abortion?" the doctor asked. "It's a very serious decision, and I want to make sure you're certain."

Jerome slammed his hand on the desk, the sudden movement making Stacy jump. "What are you doing? Why ask her such a question" he demanded, his voice hot with anger. "Are you trying to talk her out of it?"

“I have already finished discussing everything with you on the phone and you heard her tell you she wanted it. Why are you asking her such a question now? Show us the test result right away let's proceed with the abortion,” Jerome demanded.

"I'm not trying to talk her out of anything, Mr Jerome" the doctor said, his voice calm and level. "I just want to make sure that she's making an informed decision. It's a big decision, and I want to make sure she understands all of the implications."

"Implications?" Jerome scoffed. "You mean the fact that she'll be killing our baby?"

Stacy flinched at the word "killing," feeling a fresh wave of guilt wash over her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

“Mr Jerome, I understand how you feel but things seem to be a little complicated. I have to question your wife to know if she hasn't changed her mind before I show both of you the test results,” The doctor explained but Jerome hit his palm on the desk again.

“You don't have to question her. Do your job right away. Show us the result and proceed with the reason why we came here, or I will make sure you get fired, and locked up in jail. When did you start being so unprofessional?” Jerome questioned.

“I’m sorry Mr Jerome. Please be calm and hear me out. I am not trying to ask her questions to talk her out of carrying the abortion nor am I trying to ascertain if it was truly her decision to carry out the abortion_”

“Then what are you doing? What is your intention? Why would you ask her such a question?”Jerome asked, cutting the doctor off, as he lost his temper.

"Please, doctor, listen to him, let's proceed right away," Stacy chipped in, looking at the doctor imploringly. "He's my husband, and we're making this decision together."

"Okay then," the doctor replied, his tone brisk.

"I have no choice but to proceed with announcing the results. I apologize again for any inconvenience, Mr. Jerome," the doctor said, taking a glance at Jerome whose temper was still blazing.

“This is a scan of your full body system, Mrs Sky,” the doctor said, handing each of them a copy of the test result.

"Okay. What was the outcome of the scan?” Jerome asked, studying the test results.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news," the doctor said, his voice hesitant and Jerome's heart sank.

"It seems that your body may not be able to handle the stress of an abortion, Mrs Sky," he continued, looking directly at Stacy. "The risk of complications is simply too high."

Jerome's eyes widened, and he reached out to grab the copy of the test results the doctor was holding.

"That's not possible," he said, his voice shaking. "We were told that everything was fine by the other doctor we met when carrying out the test. There can't be any complications."

Stacy's face was pale, and she looked at the doctor in confusion. "But... How?”

“What? What are you saying, doctor?” She asked, putting all her attention on the doctor.

"What I'm saying is that an abortion could potentially be too dangerous for you, Mrs. Stacy," the doctor explained, his voice carefully neutral. "And, if you don't have an abortion, continuing the pregnancy could also be too risky. Because you have a high risk pregnancy. There's a very real possibility that you might not survive the birth."

Stacy's face turned ashen, and she swayed in her chair. "I... I don't understand," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Everything seemed fine before, how could this happen? What Are you saying, doctor?” Stacy started panicking.

“That I'm gonna die? I cannot get out of this pregnancy alive?” Stacy was shivering with fright as she asked these questions, then she tried to stand up but slumped immediately, crashing against her seat as she passed out.