The Facilitator© First Published 2023

Chapter 12 - In Treatment

It was that Saturday night and Harry was wasting no time. He took Sue into town to a nice restaurant to celebrate their decision. It was a high relief now for Harry as well as Sue.

Harry couldn't get over how good he felt about everything. Sue said it was because they had finally made a life altering decision to continue trying for a family. The stress he had been feeling and the utter self-imposed isolation was leading him down a path to depression. He knew it, even Charity had commented to Sue asking if he was alright. His sperm count had become the measure of his self-esteem and it had tumbled to its lowest ebb in his short miserable life.

All that changed that morning in Nathan's office. His self-esteem had already lifted after his breakfast shower. It skyrocketed in the Planning Meeting when Nathan refrained from alluding to the sperm count. Instead, he expressed extreme confidence that Harry could get the job done. No one had ever had that much confidence in him, ever, not his father or even his mother, no-one except Sue when he proposed. He had begun to think even she was faltering as much as he was, as their sex life took a tumble.

Now he was back.

Harry's back with a vengeance, he thought, as he pulled up in front of the restaurant and picked Sue up. The meal had been superb, the champagne and red wine were excellent. They had done their job. Sue had placed her hand on his right leg all the way home. It was their secret nonverbal body language that confirmed that a night of pleasure and sexual exhaustion lay ahead.

Harry smiled the next Monday morning remembering the night of passion, as he drove back downtown with his sperm sample in his lap. He ran up the stairs two by two, burst through the door into the waiting room and  placed the cryovac container triumphantly in front of Mia on her desk.

"My my, you are a fast worker aren't you Harry?" Mia giggled as she stood up, "I'll put this precious cargo straight into the test sample fridge shall I? You did fill out the id sticker . . . Yes, you have, good boy, hehe."

Nathan came out of his office, "I thought I recognised that voice. Hi Harry!  Looks like you've had a good weekend then? I hope Sue is well. Let's get the treatment regime started shall we? I'll do the necessary tests of this first sample then freeze it. When was this sample taken, Harry?"

"Saturday night, late, very late." Harry smiled.

"I need it within 24 hours, Harry."

"You're not open Sundays are you?" Harry retorted.

"No, but you are just around the corner. In future just drop it off at home after hours. You have my mobile number just check that I'm home. I have a test lab at home so I can get it tested straight away. Okay?"

"Yeah sure, it'll save me coming into town. Most of my customers are in the suburbs anyway."

"Oh? What do you do Harry?'"

"I've got a TV repair and home theatre business."

"That's interesting. My uncle has a home theatre but it's not fitted out yet. He didn't have time to finish it before he had to return to Barbados. Perhaps you could take a look when you drop in the second sample? Maybe you could give us some suggestions, maybe a discount?" Nathan smiled.

"Sure thing Nathan. Happy to oblige."

"Good, see you next weekend then?"

"Maybe sooner!" Harry smirked in Mia's direction.

Mia flashed Harry a smile but it soon vanished when she noticed Nathan glaring at her over Harry's shoulder.

"Mia, get me Charity Jäger's  file please and put it on my desk. I'm going out to lunch. Be back around two."

"Yes, Mister Mengle," Mia said with her eyes downcast as she rushed past Harry and into Nathan's office juggling Charity's file.

Harry shook Nathan's outstretched hand as he realized he had been dismissed.
He wheeled around, left and dawdled down the stairs conflicted inexplicably between a feeling of having been nicely chewed out a bit, and elation at getting a new customer, and a rich one at that.

Wait till I tell Sue what just happened, then again, maybe not all that just happened, Harry thought as he got to his car and looked up the address of his first client of the day. It was back past his house and two suburbs further east. His mind began to wander as he drove.
If only he had told me I could drop it off at his place before. I'd be at Mr Spencer's already. Shit. Probably could've finished early. Perhaps had nine holes with Josh. Wonder what Nathan wanted with Charity's file. Funny he asked for it while I was there. I guess he knows she's my Sister-in-law . . .  maybe he forgot.

But Nathan hadn't forgotten. Nathan never forgot important details about his clients.

I'll ask her what she thinks of him at dinner next weekend. I'll ask Josh too at golf. Yes. that's what I'll do. He thought, feeling a bit more pleased with himself. He had a plan. He wasn't sure just why he even needed a plan though.

#Word Count: 9265#