The evening is peaceful. Amber and Dave are sitting together in their bedroom. Amber looks unusually happy, but there is something important on her mind.
She moves closer to Dave and gently takes his hand.
AMBER: Dave, there is something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about for a long time.
DAVE: What is it, baby? You look like you have something serious to tell me.
AMBER: I’ve been thinking about our future. We’ve been together for a while, and I feel like we’re ready for the next chapter of our relationship.
Dave smiles and looks at her.
DAVE: Okay, I’m listening. What are you thinking about?
AMBER: I want us to have a baby, Dave. I want to start a family with you. I want to experience what it feels like to become a mother. I want to wake up in the middle of the night because our little one is crying. I want to watch you hold our child and see how happy we can be together.
Amber smiles emotionally.
AMBER: I know having a baby is a big responsibility, but I’m ready. I don’t want to keep dreaming about this forever. I want us to make it happen.
Dave becomes quiet for a moment. He looks at Amber, trying to understand how to respond without revealing what he has been hiding.
DAVE: Amber, I understand what you’re saying. And if having a baby is what you really want, then yes, we can try.
Amber’s eyes immediately light up.
AMBER: Really? Dave, are you serious? You’re actually saying yes?
DAVE: Yes, baby. I want you to be happy.
Amber jumps toward him and wraps her arms around his neck.
AMBER: You have no idea how happy you’ve made me! I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you.
She kisses his cheek several times.
Dave forces a smile and hugs her back, but his expression reveals that something is bothering him.
AMBER: I can already imagine our little family. You, me, and our baby. I hope it happens soon.
DAVE: Yeah, baby. I hope so too.
Amber rests her head against his chest. Dave looks toward the ceiling, silently wondering how he will fulfill the promise he has just made.
A few minutes later, Amber receives a message from her friend. She gets up from the bed and starts looking for her phone.
AMBER: Baby, I’m going downstairs for a minute. I need to answer this message. I’ll be right back.
DAVE: Okay. Take your time.
Amber kisses him and walks out of the bedroom. The moment the door closes, Dave’s smile disappears.
He sits on the edge of the bed and puts both hands over his face. His breathing becomes heavier.
DAVE (THINKING): Oh God! What have I just done? Why did I tell her we could have a baby?
He slowly looks down at his hands.
DAVE (THINKING): Amber has no idea what I’m dealing with. She thinks everything is going to be easy, but she doesn’t know the truth about my body.
Dave stands up and begins pacing around the bedroom.
DAVE (THINKING): I’ve been dealing with this problem for so long. I’ve tried different medications, and I’ve spent so much money trying to fix it. Sometimes I thought things were getting better, but nothing has really changed.
He stops near the bedroom window.
DAVE (THINKING): How am I supposed to make Amber happy? She wants to become a mother, and I want to give her that happiness. But what if I can’t?
Dave runs his hand over his face.
DAVE: I love this woman. I don’t want her to feel like I wasted her time. But I can’t keep making promises when I don’t even know whether I can keep them.
He looks at himself in the mirror.
DAVE: Maybe I should have told her the truth before agreeing to anything.
His phone suddenly vibrates on the bedside table.
Dave turns around. A notification appears from an unknown number.
He picks up the phone, but before he can read the message, another notification arrives.
The message says:
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR MEDICAL CONDITION. IT’S IMPORTANT.
Dave’s eyes widen.
DAVE: What the hell?
He checks the number, but there is no name or photograph. He tries calling it back, but the call doesn’t connect.
Dave becomes even more nervous.
A few moments later, Amber returns to the bedroom. She immediately notices Dave standing near the window with his phone in his hand.
AMBER: Baby, what’s wrong? Why do you look so worried?
Dave quickly locks his phone.
DAVE: Nothing. I’m just checking something.
AMBER: Are you sure? You look like you just received some bad news.
DAVE: No, Amber. Everything is fine.
Amber walks closer and touches his shoulder.
AMBER: Dave, you know you can talk to me about anything, right? We’re supposed to be building a future together. I don’t want you keeping things from me.
Dave looks into her eyes. For a moment, he considers telling her everything.
DAVE: I know, baby. I promise there’s nothing you need to worry about.
AMBER: Okay, but I want you to understand something. Having a baby isn’t just my dream. It’s something I want us to experience together.
DAVE: I understand.
AMBER: And if something is worrying you, we can figure it out together. You don’t have to carry everything alone.
Dave looks away.
DAVE: You’re right. I’ll keep that in mind.
Amber hugs him.
AMBER: I love you, Dave.
DAVE: I love you too.
Amber smiles and returns to the bed. But Dave’s mind is still occupied by the mysterious message. He knows he cannot ignore it.
Later that night, Amber falls asleep. Dave is still awake, staring at the ceiling.
His phone begins ringing again. He immediately grabs it. The same unfamiliar number appears on the screen.
Dave looks toward Amber to make sure she is sleeping. Then he quietly gets out of bed and walks into the hallway.
He answers the call.
DAVE: Hello? Who is this?
UNKNOWN CALLER: Dave, finally. I’ve been trying to reach you.
DAVE: Who are you? And why do you keep contacting me?
UNKNOWN CALLER: I think it’s time we talked about your medical situation.
Dave freezes.
DAVE: What medical situation?
UNKNOWN CALLER: Don’t pretend you don’t understand. I know you’ve been struggling with a personal medical problem. I also know you’ve been using medication to deal with it.
Dave looks around nervously.
DAVE: Listen, I don’t know who you are, but you need to stop calling me.
UNKNOWN CALLER: You might want to hear what I have to say before you hang up.
DAVE: How do you even know about my private medical information?
UNKNOWN CALLER: Because someone recently reviewed your medical history, and there is something in those records that you need to understand.
Dave’s face changes.
DAVE: What are you talking about? Who reviewed my records?
UNKNOWN CALLER: Your condition might not be what you think it is. And if you’re planning to have a baby, you need to know the truth first.
Dave grips the phone tightly.
DAVE: Are you telling me there’s something seriously wrong with me?
UNKNOWN CALLER: I’m telling you that you shouldn’t make any decisions until you speak with me.
DAVE: I need answers. Tell me who you are!
The caller remains silent for a few seconds. Then the voice responds.
UNKNOWN CALLER: My name is Dr. Harris. I believe we need to meet face-to-face.
Dave looks confused.
DAVE: Dr. Harris? I’ve never heard of you.
DR. HARRIS: You may not remember my name, but I know about the tests you had done several months ago. And I know something about your condition that nobody has explained to you.
Dave swallows nervously.
DAVE: What exactly are you trying to tell me?
DR. HARRIS: I can’t explain everything over the phone. Come to my office tomorrow morning. Bring any medical records you have.
DAVE: Why tomorrow? Why can’t you just tell me right now?
DR. HARRIS: Because I need to verify something first. And Dave, whatever you do, don’t make another decision about having a child until we talk.
The call suddenly ends. Dave stands motionless in the hallway.
Dave returns to the bedroom, but he cannot sleep. He sits on the couch near the window and opens his phone.
He searches for Dr. Harris’s name. A medical clinic appears in the search results.
Dave stares at the screen.
DAVE (THINKING): How does this doctor know about my condition? I never gave anyone permission to discuss my private medical information.
He scrolls through his old messages and medical appointments. Suddenly, he remembers something.
Several months earlier, he had visited a clinic after experiencing difficulties with his health. At the time, the doctor had recommended additional testing. But Dave never returned to receive the final results.
DAVE (THINKING): Wait a minute. Could this be connected to those tests?
He opens his old email and searches for the clinic’s name. He finds an appointment confirmation and a message about a follow-up consultation.
Dave becomes more nervous.
DAVE: I completely forgot about that appointment.
He looks at the date. It was scheduled around the same time he started taking medication.
DAVE (THINKING): What if those results contain something important? What if I misunderstood everything?
He closes his phone. Then he looks toward Amber, who is sleeping peacefully.
DAVE (THINKING): I can’t tell her anything until I know the truth. I don’t want to give her false hope, but I don’t want to destroy her dream either.
The following morning, Amber wakes up feeling excited. She notices Dave sitting on the edge of the bed, already dressed.
AMBER: Good morning, baby! Why are you awake so early?
DAVE: I have a few things to take care of today.
AMBER: Before you leave, I wanted to show you something.
She grabs her phone and opens a shopping website.
AMBER: Look at these little baby clothes. Aren’t they adorable?
Dave looks at the screen. There are tiny outfits, baby shoes, and small blankets.
DAVE: Yeah, they’re nice.
AMBER: I know we haven’t even started trying yet, but I couldn’t help myself. I keep imagining what our baby would look like.
She shows him another picture.
AMBER: Imagine you holding our little girl. I think she’d have your smile.
Dave becomes emotional but hides it.
DAVE: And what if we have a boy?
AMBER: Then he’ll be just like you. Hopefully, he’ll have your good qualities and not your stubbornness.
They both laugh. Amber leans forward and kisses him.
AMBER: I really believe this is going to be a beautiful chapter in our lives.
Dave looks at her for a moment.
DAVE: Amber, there’s something I need to do today.
AMBER: What is it?
DAVE: I have an appointment. It’s something personal, and I need to take care of it.
AMBER: Is everything okay?
DAVE: Yes. I just need to get some things checked.
Amber nods.
AMBER: Okay. Just promise me you’ll tell me if anything is wrong.
DAVE: I promise.
Dave kisses her forehead and picks up his keys. As he walks toward the door, Amber calls after him.
AMBER: Dave!
He turns around.
DAVE: Yeah, baby?
AMBER: I love you. And I can’t wait for us to become parents.
Dave forces a smile.
DAVE: I love you too.
He walks out, but the smile disappears as soon as the door closes.
Dave arrives at the medical clinic. He walks toward the reception desk and gives the receptionist his name.
RECEPTIONIST: Good morning. Do you have an appointment?
DAVE: Yes. I’m supposed to meet Dr. Harris.
The receptionist checks her computer.
RECEPTIONIST: Yes, Mr. Dave. He’s expecting you. Please have a seat. He’ll be with you shortly.
Dave sits in the waiting area. A few minutes later, a nurse approaches him.
NURSE: Mr. Dave? Dr. Harris is ready to see you.
Dave stands and follows her down the hallway. Inside the office, Dr. Harris is sitting behind his desk with several documents in front of him.
DR. HARRIS: Good morning, Dave. Please, have a seat.
DAVE: I came because of your call. I want to know what is going on.
Dr. Harris studies his face.
DR. HARRIS: I understand. Before we discuss anything, I want to ask you something. Have you been trying to have a child recently?
Dave hesitates.
DAVE: My girlfriend wants us to have a baby. I agreed, but honestly, I’m worried because of my medical condition.
DR. HARRIS: And have you told her about the difficulties you’v