Maren lay in the hospital bed, her face pale and drawn. The doctor, a kind-eyed woman, stood beside her.
"Can you tell me who your guardian is, Maren?" the doctor asked gently.
Maren's voice was barely above a whisper. "Astr… Astrid is my guardian."
The doctor nodded and turned to Astrid, who stood anxiously beside the bed.
"We need to discuss Maren's situation," The doctor explained. "The drug she took was harmful to both her and the fetus. We're lucky she came in when she did."
Astrid's eyes widened in alarm. "What do you mean?"
"The fetus is approximately one month old," the doctor continued. "Maren should have sought medical attention immediately. The drug has caused placental abruption, and the fetus is no longer conceivable."
Maren's eyes filled with tears as the doctor's words sunk in.
"We need to perform a dilation and curettage (D&C) to remove the fetus and prevent further complications," the doctor explained.
