5- Wants and Needs

      The sun was shimmering when Zion woke up to his alarm clock, he immediately turned off his phone and got up to prepare food for his younger sister. He is even dancing while cooking breakfast because with the help of his landlord he found a job, and at the same time taking care of his younger sister, so he was very delighted. Simple things really make him happy. Later on, Sarah woke up and saw the dance her older brother was doing which made her laugh, Zion immediately halted because he heard a laugh. He just rubbed the back of his head when he saw his younger sister.

      Afterward, they both stood at the door, and he is wearing a nice white shirt and black pants as per Fred's command while she is wearing comfy clothes since she is going to stay with Mrs. Ting. After a few minutes, the door opened and Fred faced them, who immediately smiled when he saw the two.

      "Good morning to the both of you," Fred greeted, his face distinctly showing that he was happy.

      "Good morning too, Mr. Fred," Zion and Sarah responded at the same time.

       — — —

      "Wow," Zion reacted after looking at the breathtaking hospital that was now in front of him with the words 'WILLFORD MEDICAL CENTER' written on it.

      "Don't just wow there. Come on, let's go inside and we're gonna be late," Fred laughed who was in a hurry and patted Zion on the left shoulder. Then, he walked inside first.

      Zion immediately followed Fred but the amazement of seeing the big place still didn't disappear from his face.

      Eventually, Fred introduced Zion to the rest of the crew, meanwhile, Toni drives inside the parking lot of the same hospital and before she goes out, she put on shades and then goes inside. She walked straight to the elevator, and then she pressed the third floor, which opened in just a few seconds. She immediately approached the front desk and the nurse on duty faces her.

      "Hello, good morning. I am here for Dra. Ko. I have an appointment with her," Toni introduced herself nicely to the nurse with a strong accent.

      "Your name, please," replied the nurse and she looked at the computer in front of her to look for the patient's name.

      "Name's Toni," she mentioned that no time was wasted since she only had one day to do her health check-up.

      "Okay. Please, proceed inside. Dra. Ko is waiting for you already," the nurse said accommodatingly and pointed to the door on her left where Dra's office is.

      "Thank you," Toni answered seriously and approached the door.

      On the other hand, the elevator opened and Zion came out wearing a blue uniform and carrying housekeeping materials. He turned to the left first to see where he could start cleaning and when he looked to the right side, Toni just entered her doctor's office so they did not meet again. When Toni entered, an old female doctor welcomed her, politely.

      "Nice to see you again, Toni, the pleasure is mine. Have a seat, please," said Dra. Ko and she offered the seat in front of her.

      "It's nice to see you again, too, Dra. Ko. Long time no see," Toni smiled back and took off her shades, and then she took the seat that Dra. Ko offered.

      "It's been a while, Toni. How are you?" was the initial question of Dra. and she started asking her patient to know how she is.

      "Well, as to my observation and to what I've read I am having the signs of menopausal. Is that even possible? But I am just 32," Toni asked concerned since her mom brought it up.

      "I just have one question, Toni, and I want you to be honest with me. Are you still a virgin at the age of 32?" directly asked by Dra. without taking her eyes off her patient to see if she is going to lie or tell the truth. And because she wants to give her patient a proper diagnosis.

      "I'm going to lie if I say yes," Toni answered with all honesty and she looked to her side as she suddenly got shy about what she just admitted that she hasn't told anyone even her parents.

       "That's why. You've never been touched so, your hormones are expiring," Dra. Ko clarified.

       "Expiring? What do you mean?" Toni confusingly questioned.

       "What I meant to say is, your uterus—your egg is expiring so, you are having menopausal symptoms just like you've mentioned," Dra Ko exemplified more clearly.

       "B-but I want to have a baby. Am I too late to have a baby? Please, tell me the truth," Toni responded in astonishment because she wanted to have a baby too just like everyone else.

       "To answer your question, let's conduct laboratory tests first if you can have a baby at your age. Okay? I'm going to give you a prescription and then you come back here when you get the results. Alright? Or, you can call me if you want once you get the result. Either way," said Dra. Ko and she started writing a prescription, and then she give it to Toni. "Here. You can go to the laboratory now so, you can get the results by tomorrow. I know some of the tests don't need any preparation, but some do. You can go now and have it done," she instructed.

       "Okay. Thank you for this," Toni responded kindly and looked at the prescription. "But I have one more question," she told and raised her head again to look at Dra. Ko. "Is it possible to have a baby even without interacting with a man? You know, just me and my child because to be honest, I am not interested in any man. I am not really into them, you know. And just for clarification, I am not also gay. You see, I am fine by myself. I am a fine, independent, and strong woman. I don't need a man in my life," she curiously asked and explained herself since she much prefers alone than to have a husband or boyfriend that she really doesn't like to have.

       "I can tell that, Toni. Just looking at you actually I can easily say that you don't need any man because you can stand on your own without them. And I respect that. And regarding to what you want, there's no impossible now with the modern technology that we have. You can have children without having sex with any man or get into a relationship since you don't want to deal with those," said Dra. Ko more.

       "Really? Do you know some alternatives that I can do to make that possible?" Toni asked excitedly because she badly wanted to have a child without a man in her life.

       "Well, we can try IVF or In Vitro Fertilization whereas the laboratory will be the one to make sure that the egg cell and sperm cell will mate to produce a baby. And then, we can implant it in your uterus so, it will grow in you. But if you also don't want to experience being pregnant we can also do surrogating where we will implant it to someone else and the woman will be the one to experience all the pregnancy symptoms, and not you. What do you prefer?" Dra. Ko discussed all the possibilities for her patient to give her ideas.

       Toni thought about what Dra Ko said to her. "And how much for the IVF?"

       "All in all expenses together with the laboratory tests? I think it will cost 12 to 15 thousand dollars," answered Dra. Ko based on the calculations in her mind.

       "How about the surrogate?" another question from Toni who couldn't decide because she was thinking twice.

       "Surrogate? 25 to 50 thousand dollars, I guess. Because you gotta have to support the woman who is going to carry your baby for nine months until your baby comes out," Dra. Ko calculated again.

       "Let me think about it first. But for now, I'm going to the laboratory to make these tests done. I will call you when I'm ready," Toni answered smiling and got up to get ready to leave the room.

      "Listen, Toni..." Dra. Ko called to get her attention, and their eyes meet again.  "I'm not going to lie to you anymore. At your age, it's going to be hard for you to bear a child, but well, nothing is impossible now just like I've said. But we also have to think of the other side. Right? Do you get me?" she reminded Toni for her sake.

       "Thank you for that wonderful advice, Dra. Ko. I will call you when I already made up my mind," Toni responded seriously and left Dra. Ko's office completely.

       However, Zion is busy cleaning the floor so he didn't see Toni entering the elevator even though they were in the same place.

       After a while, Zion and Fred got home at the same time, and that was the time Sarah returned to their own apartment.

       "How's work, brother?" Sarah asked and she sat on the couch while watching him remove his uniform and his shoes.

       "I'm tired. My back hurts from scrubbing the toilets and floor all day. But all in all, I am good. How 'bout you? What did you do today with Mrs. Ting?" Zion told his story and then, he threw the question to his younger sister to know what happened to her as well.

       "I had fun with Mrs. Ting even though sometimes she was rude. But I can see that she is very patient with me and very considerate. You know what, I like her," said Sarah softly and happily, who obviously enjoyed Mrs. Ting's company.

       "Did she teach you a lot of things today?" Zion asked smiling to know if Mrs. Ting taught her some things, and he sat next to her.

       "Yes, she did. She taught me how to draw and color and then, she taught me how to cook. We made the pie a while ago," said Sarah happily.

       "Really? Where's the pie? Don't tell me you ate it all?" Zion asked laughing, he narrowed his eyes and gave her a look.

       "Sorry. We finished it all. I forgot to get you a piece of it because it was really delicious. Don't worry I will make another one tomorrow," she sadly mentioned but then, she promised to make one tomorrow so he can taste it too

       "Yes, please. Come on, wash up now and I know you're tired too. Have a good night," Zion kindly reminded her and kissed her on the forehead, and then pushed her to sleep.

       "Good night to you, too, brother," she said sweetly and entered the room leaving him alone in the small living area.

      And the time he was left alone he went straight to the sofa because he was really tired from work. "I'll just wash up tomorrow morning, and I don't want to be late for work tomorrow. This is better than doing nothing. But I need an extra job. It's not enough if I want to pay off my debts. Oh, well. We ran off so, I don't think they are going to follow us here," he thought while staring at the ceiling until he made up his mind and he finally closed his eyes.

       In the following days, Zion continues to work in the hospital as a housekeeper while Toni keeps coming back because of the tests that need to be done before she comes back to her doctor. She made adjustments just to get her results and because she was doing so much, she couldn't answer the calls of her parents who were both worried about her. Loren and Warren are actually fighting over Toni and about her getting a husband or a date. He wants his daughter to do whatever she likes, but she doesn't approve because she wants to have grandchildren since they are getting older. Every day they are arguing about their daughter's life.

       At Nightfall, Toni is relaxing on her bed while watching a romantic movie, and just looking into it her eyes couldn't stop rolling.

       "That's predictable. Of course, the two will find their way to get back into each other's arms. They will get married and have babies. What a great love story," she muttered and she change the movie by clicking the remote control. "Isn't there an unpredictable movie? It's obvious from the cover that they are going to end up together," she added and she browsed more movies until she saw a cover with babies.  She watched the trailer and it made her smile so, she played it.

       ***

       While she is watching she also started imagining things inside her head like...she got pregnant and while the baby is growing inside her tummy she begins eating healthy foods to make sure that her baby will come out healthy too. And because she doesn't want to see her baby get sick or cry because of the needles stuck in her. She is the one hurting for her baby. She also imagined delivering the baby, and she got all sweaty but all her hard work paid off when she finally saw her beautiful daughter that Dra. Ko gave it to her since she was the one who operated on her. Ever since then she raised her daughter with full of love and all financial support. But then one day came, her daughter became a teenager and began to ask her questions about who is her father and where is he.

      "Mom, I was just wondering...everyone in my school has a father except me. Tell me, where is my father? Is he dead already that's why he's not with us? Or, is he abroad? I talked to my classmate and she told that her father just got home from abroad after 5 years of working in another country. Is my Dad in abroad too? Can I see him? Can I talk to him? I want to meet him, Mom," her daughter asked curiously and excitedly, who looks like Toni.

       And hearing all of that makes Toni's head heavy because of stress—

       ***

       Toni gasped when she woke up from dreaming that somehow calmed her down because it was not actually happening. She immediately sat on her bed without realizing that she fell asleep while watching a movie about babies that is still playing in front of her. And because she woke up, she stood up and made tea to ease her mind. After making tea she sat on the bar stool and there she meditated and then, she remembered what Dra. Ko told her about getting IVF and a surrogate.

       "I would like to try IVF and I don't care how much I get to spend as long as I can have a child of my own. He or she can inherit everything I have. And I am willing to get pregnant for her or him," she whispered to herself.

       — — —

       Toni and Dra. Ko are facing each other again in the office.

       "I have decided. I want to try IVF and I want to insert it into myself. I want to feel to be pregnant even if it's only nine months so, we can have a connection," Toni said seriously without any doubt or sarcasm on her face.

       "That's good to know, but I have something to ask you. If IVF didn't work out, what will you do?" Draw. Ko asked out of nowhere if her plan didn't work out.

       "Um...I don't know. Maybe I will find another way to get pregnant," Toni answered, thinking about the doctor's question that she didn't expect. "But tell me, how many percent is the assurance that it will work?" she asked again to know more about IVF.

       "20 to 35 percent. And according to your laboratory results, you don't have any problem with your blood. All are normal. The urine, the magic 12, and even your hormones. But there's one more thing that you have to do to find out if your uterus is really capable of carrying a child. I will give another prescription and I want you to go to the ultrasound to have your uterus checked for the record before we implant it inside. Okay? And then, if we see no problem we will proceed to the laboratory to get a sperm that will penetrate your egg cell," said Dra. Ko in detail and she handed over the prescription.

       "Wait. Before we go to the laboratory I want to choose from whom we will take the sperm cell. Of course, I want my baby to be healthy when he or she comes out. I want to make sure that all of her organs and body are functioning. I don't want some random guy. I want a healthy one," Toni demanded.

       Dra. Ko smiled at her request. "Of course, Toni. We both don't want that. How about you proceed to your check-up and I will look for guys that will meet your high standard? Yes?" And she raised two eyebrows to give her a look like she is saying that she will take care of that matter.

       "Really? That's wonderful then. I'll go ahead now and do this so, we can proceed and I can have my baby," Toni replied and she got up to do the ultrasound he was asking her to do.

       ~~~

       "This is not enough. I need more income to sustain our needs," Zion whispered to himself while looking at the pay slip he received from being housekeeping in a large hospital for a month.

      To be continued...