"I've discovered the perfect sperm donor for my baby," Amy casually announced to her two closest friends and her cousin, as they lounged in the sidewalk dining area of their favorite coffee shop that sunny afternoon.
She took a leisurely sip of her green tea, seemingly unaware of the impending chaos her revelation would cause.
The moment Amy uttered those words, a series of events unfolded in rapid succession. Larry, in the midst of savoring his freshly squeezed orange juice, suddenly found himself choking and required a hearty thump on the back to regain his composure.
Helen, who had been sipping her fruit juice through a straw, left it hanging mid-air from her mouth, frozen in surprise. And Laura, who had been about to speak, dropped her jaw wide open like a Venus flytrap awaiting its prey.
Breaking the silence, Amy reached out to pat her cousin on the back, pulled down Helen's suspended straw, and gently nudged Laura's chin to close her gaping mouth.
"Okay, folks, I promise my news isn't that earth-shattering," Amy reassured them. "Larry, you could have spared yourself the drama, especially with those midterm exams on your mind."
Larry, still recovering from his coughing fit, managed a sheepish grin. "I'm just here for the free food and drinks, you know."
Laura chimed in, "And to keep us entertained, I suppose."
Larry shot Laura a mock glare before wrapping his arm around Helen. "Well, you know me too well. But seriously, Amy, spill the beans about this 'perfect sperm' you've found. Weren't we supposed to hear about your date from last week?"
Helen nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's why we all gathered here, right?"
Amy sighed and revealed, "Well, as for that candidate, he promptly dumped me."
"What?" Laura's anger flared, a formidable force to be reckoned with. Her friends knew that look all too well; it spelled trouble.
"Relax, Laura," Helen intervened, tugging at her sleeve. She was acutely aware of the growing audience they had unintentionally attracted. Helen had always been averse to being the center of attention.
"Fine, Amy, go on," Laura said as she settled back into her chair, adjusting her glasses for her 'outside persona.'
Amy continued, "He saw my age and decided to call it quits."
"That scoundrel! If I ever cross paths with him, he's in for a world of hurt," Laura seethed, rising once more. Larry slammed his fist on the table so forcefully that it rattled, startling both Amy and Helen.
"Nobody dumps my cousin!" Larry declared indignantly. "She's the only one allowed to do the dumping."
Turning to Amy, he added, "Who is this guy, Amy? Give me a name, and I'll introduce him to my fist."
Larry was ready for action, rolling up his sleeves to flaunt his modest muscles, eager to defend his cousin. Laura chimed in, "Better yet, let's give him a full face reconstruction, what do you say, cousin?"
Their commotion had now attracted the attention of the café's other patrons, prompting Helen to shrink even lower into her chair.
"For heaven's sake, both of you, calm down!" Amy implored. "You're behaving like a couple of clowns. Sit down immediately. This isn't a circus."
Larry grumbled, "I'm not a clown; I'm a student." Reluctantly, he obeyed and settled back into his chair, like a well-behaved schoolboy.
Amy continued, addressing Laura, "I understand your anger, but let's not make a scene, please."
Helen chimed in softly, "Yes, Laura, please sit down. We're attracting too much attention."
"I can't help it," she said, irritation clear in her voice.
Helen couldn't help but burst into giggles at Laura's exasperation. "Of course you can't help it, Laura. You've never been able to."
Laura fixed Helen with a heated glare. "What's so amusing?"
Helen, still chuckling, replied, "You haven't changed a bit since intermediate school."
Helen reminisced about the time when Laura had punched a boy so hard that he ended up with a bleeding nose and a trip to the hospital. All because he had made derogatory remarks about Amy being half-blooded.
Laura seemed to catch Helen's drift and responded with a knowing smile. "Gotta defend my BFF."
Amy chimed in, "I appreciate that, both of you."
Larry, feeling left out of the conversation, asked, "What are you guys talking about? Some secret from the past?"
"Just reminiscing about friendships and standing up for each other, Larry," Helen replied with a smile.
Larry, uninterested in their cryptic conversation, suggested, "Anyway, let's get back to the topic at hand. Is this 'bro' someone new?"
Amy confirmed, "Yes, Larry, he's someone new."
"Tell us more about him," Larry inquired, his curiosity piqued about the man who had captured his cousin's interest. He couldn't fathom why no one had fallen for Amy; she wasn't unattractive.
Perhaps it was her self-perception that was the issue. She often underestimated her own appeal due to past bullying and low self-esteem.
Laura interjected, "So, are you saying you only want his sperm and not a relationship with him?"
Amy nodded, "Exactly, Laura. You've hit the nail on the head. It's purely for the genetic match."
Laura responded, slightly embarrassed, "Stop bringing up my professional life, Amy. I don't want it mixed with my personal life, especially with my dual personas. It's already hard enough to keep them separate."
Ignoring Laura's discomfort, Amy complimented her, "You're the intelligent one, Laura. I could never have pursued dentistry like you."
Helen chimed in, "And you, Helen, you're the pretty one."
Larry playfully added, wrapping his arm around Helen, "And you're the lucky one, Helen."
Larry then urged them to refocus on the current topic, "Can we get back to the mystery man? I want to know more about him. Is he as smart and good-looking as I am?"
Amy described her potential donor, "Handsome, intelligent, kind, gentle, and sincere. He possesses all those qualities, guys. And to top it off—brace yourselves—he's the CEO of QueenHotel."
Larry couldn't believe it. He slammed his palms on the tabletop once again, exclaiming, "You've got to be kidding me, Amy. How on earth did you stumble upon that guy?"
Larry had closely followed the blue-chip industry and knew that QueenEnterprises, which owned QueenHotel, was a major player. He admired whoever was behind such a corporate structure.
Amy clarified, "Actually, he's the CEO's nephew, not the CEO himself."
Larry, seizing the opportunity, offered, "What's his name? Maybe I can do some detective work for you."
"His name is Kyle," Amy revealed.
"Kyle," Laura and Helen echoed.
Larry quickly typed Kyle's name into his phone while finishing the last of his orange juice. He then turned to Amy with pleading eyes. "Amy, cousin, can you spare another ten bucks for some apple juice?"
Amy hesitated, reminding Larry, "You know too much juice isn't good for your teeth, right?"
Larry retorted, "I'll use a straw, just like before. And when will you be free to take me out again?"
Amy remained firm. "No, Larry, I won't allow it."
Larry couldn't help but stick his tongue out at Amy and then turned to Helen with his best puppy-dog eyes. Laura cautioned her, "Don't fall for it, Helen."
"Helen, can I?" she asked, reaching for her wallet, as Larry's eyes sparkled with anticipation over the impending cash.
Amy hesitated for a moment and then retrieved a ten-dollar bill from her own wallet, handing it to Larry. "Alright, but if you show up at my clinic with rotting teeth, don't blame me."
"Thanks, cousin. You're a lifesaver!" Larry exclaimed, jumping out of his chair. "And that, ladies, is what you call reverse psychology," he added with a grin before turning his attention to Helen. "Thank you too, Helen, for helping out."
Amy couldn't help but remark, "You really shouldn't spoil him, Helen."
Helen smiled warmly at Larry's departing figure. "I adore him. He's a good kid. Anyway, Amy, I'd like to have a serious conversation about your plans for the future with this man. Are you absolutely certain this is what you want?"
Amy nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm sure."
Laura chimed in with concern, "Won't you feel lonely raising a child without a father?"
Amy sighed, her gaze distant. "I've thought about it a lot, guys. I know I'm not getting any younger, and I can't wait forever for the perfect relationship. I don't need a man to validate me or make me feel beautiful anymore.
What I want right now is to be a mother. I want to pour all my love into my child. I don't have the luxury of time to wait for the perfect partner. I need a baby now, and if I choose Kyle, my chances are higher. I can get pregnant before I turn thirty-five. I don't want to wake up one day and realize I'm too old to have a child."
Laura nodded in understanding, but she still had questions. "But how do you plan to approach him about this?"
"Yeah, you can't just ask him," Helen added.
Amy admitted, "That's where I'm stuck. I have absolutely no idea how to go about this."
Laura suggested, "Why not go to a fertility clinic? They can help without any complications."
Amy shook her head. "I've been to a clinic today, but they won't allow me to see the donor's face. I can't accept that. I need to know who he is."
Helen cautioned, "Amy, maybe it's better not to know his face. What if you develop feelings for him and find out he has a family?"
Amy confessed, "The doctor did mention that, but I may have made a scene, and I don't think I can return there now."
Laura proposed an alternative, "There are other clinics, you know."
Amy replied, "I'm fixated on this one."
Helen pondered, "So, how do you plan to approach this?"
Larry, now returning with his apple juice, interrupted, "What are we talking about now? Did I miss something?"
"Just discussing ways to secure the perfect sperm for Amy," Helen explained.
Larry laughed, seemingly possessed by a mischievous spirit, and fixed his gaze on the three women. "Easy, just pounce on him."
Amy was flabbergasted. "Pounce on him? I'm not a lion stalking my prey."
Larry clarified with a smirk, "I mean seduce him."
Amy was puzzled, asking, "Seduce him? How?"
"You know, make one plus one equal one," Larry replied with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.
Laura and Amy both chimed in simultaneously, "No, one plus one equals two."
Larry chuckled, "Why are you two so naive? You're mature women, and you don't even know what one plus one means."
Amy retorted, "Larry, I know my mathematics. One plus one equals two."
Laura concurred, "I can do basic math as well."
Helen giggled on the sidelines and clarified, "Larry means you should sleep with him to get pregnant."
Amy's face flushed with embarrassment. "Did you really consider that, Amy?"
Amy stammered, "Of course not. I was planning to approach him formally."
Laura suggested, "You could try that, and see how he reacts."
Larry disagreed, "He'd probably say no, Amy. Who would donate sperm just because someone asked? Unless you, you know, sleep with him."
Amy was still puzzled, "Sleep with him? Like, how?"
Larry attempted to explain, "You know, so that one plus one equals one."
Amy shot down the idea, "No, one plus one equals two."
Larry sighed, "Amy, I'm talking about... his 'little brother,' 'ding-dong,' 'willie.'"
Amy cringed in disgust. "Don't use that terminology. What am I supposed to say? 'Co—'"
Laura cut her off, "Don't even say it. We'll wash your mouth out when you get home."
"Enough about the terminology," Laura interjected. "What I'm trying to say is that the best approach might be to establish an intimate connection with him. Just make sure he doesn't use protection, that's all."
Larry, with a mischievous grin, continued, "Amy, there's no need to be shy. I know you've never experienced this before."
Amy's cheeks burned even brighter, and her patience wore thin. "That's it, Helen, switch seats with me. I'm going to give this cousin of mine a stern talking-to."
Larry clung to Helen, pleading, "Helen, help me out here."
Helen, ever the peacemaker, chimed in after some contemplation, "You know, what Larry said isn't entirely without merit. He might have a point."
Amy couldn't believe her ears. "Laura, how could you agree with him? You two hardly ever see eye to eye."
Laura, typically at odds with Larry, admitted, "I didn't want to admit it, but he may have a point this time."
Larry, seizing the opportunity, got up and went to hug Laura from behind. "Laura, I love you. I'm officially your friend now. Give me a hug."
Laura chuckled, patting Larry's hand that was wrapped around her neck. "Enough now, little puppy. Let's get back to business. Be a good boy and return to your seat."
Larry complied and resumed his seat. Laura turned her attention back to Amy. "You should seriously consider Larry's advice."
Amy vehemently shook her head, resisting the uncomfortable truth. "No, no. I've never been in such a situation before."
Larry, still eager to help, offered, "If you're determined to have his sperm, you might have to consider it. I'll assist you."
Amy was firm in her response. "No! I want a baby, but that doesn't mean I have to resort to begging someone to sleep with me. I still have my dignity, you know."
Larry grumbled as he settled back into his chair. Meanwhile, Laura and Helen exchanged concerned glances, wondering how they could support their friend in resolving her dilemma.