The Facilitator© First Published 2023

Chapter 8 - To IVF Or Not To IVF

Harry noticed that the Tower seemed to be almost finished. There were twelve or so workers putting the finishing touches on the exterior of the three storey extension. When Harry entered his driveway he saw two Otis Lift Company vans parked on either side of the Tower.

He kissed Sue hello and asked about her day. She said it was the same old same old or something to that effect . . . he wasn't really paying much heed.

"Looks like they are nearly finished next door. It doesn't look that bad after all." Harry had been surprised at how the structure had grown on him over the months, "Maybe we can plant a few pencil pines to screen most of it off from the backyard? What do you think?"

"Yeah, maybe I'll Google it and find out the tallest and best ones for our area. If that's really what you want?" Sue offered.

"Can't blow it up can we?" Harry smiled.

"No, no I guess not, they'd have no trouble guessing who was responsible," Sue said with a grin.

Right, it's now or never, Harry thought. "I was over town this morning and stopped in for a coffee. I ran into Charity outside of the gynaecologist offices on Fifth street. She told me to tell you that she thought she might be pregnant, perhaps you should give her a call and find out. She might know something by now. I am interested to find out if we might be becoming Uncle Harry and Aunty Sue.

Sue was gazing out the kitchen window until she realized that the sink was overflowing. "Shit!" She screamed as she struggled to quickly turn off the faucet.
"Did I hear you right? Did you just say my sister is pregnant?"

"I guess, she seems to think so anyway."

"I'll go call her from the study. Can you mop the floor? Sorry honey, and put the rice cooker on, thanks, I won't be long."

"Sure darling, take your time, I've got this."

Harry busied himself in the kitchen and was relieved to overhear his wife say from the study, "Charity. Is it true? Oh My God! That's fantastic news . . . congratulations."

Harry cooked the rice and the chicken stir fry Sue had been preparing. She was beaming when she came back into the kitchen after her call.

"Charity IS pregnant! She's two months gone already."

"How come she needed to go to a gyno? Thought you guys could tell from a simple urine test these days?"

"That's just it, she did two tests, with two different test kits. One said positive, the other negative. So . . . but you'll never guess who her gyno is . . . Dr. Mengle."

Harry spat out the mouthful of beer he had just taken. "Not crazy Joe next door, surely not?"

"No, no, silly, his nephew though, Dr. Mengle, apparently his name is Nathan, is looking after his uncle's house for twelve months or so. His uncle is busy with the opening of his museum or something back in Barbados."

"I hope he has a better bedside manner than his uncle then!"

"Apparently he is very
nice, quite a looker, according to Charity that is. Anyway, Charity even suggested I might like to make an appointment with him, apparently, he let slip that he specialises in IVF treatments in Barbados. He is in quite a lot of demand, especially amongst the elite millionaire set over there.
What do you think, darling?"

Harry knew it was over, the "darling," said it all. She only used it when she was expecting him to agree to one of her suggestions.

"Of course, darling, whatever you want. We will give it a go, but do we even qualify?"

"I don't know, but it might be worthwhile talking to Nathan about it."

"That's if he hasn't been turned against us by his crazy uncle."

"Yeah, good point. I'll make an appointment for us, how's Friday next week for you?"

"Okay, I believe, Sam was coming down from Seattle. I'd booked the day with him to go over the books, but he rang last night and told me he had to cancel."

"That settles it then, Friday it is, that's if Nathan has an opening in his busy schedule I guess. Although Charity got the impression he was keen to meet with us, being next door and all."

Sue had no idea just how keen Nathan was to meet his neighbours.

#Word Count: 4198#