Chapter 3 – Seeking Answers
Amara woke early, still feeling the weight of yesterday pressing on her chest. She hadn't slept well; every creak of her apartment, every distant sound of the city, made her flinch. The reality of her pregnancy loomed over her like a storm cloud she couldn't escape.
She had made an appointment with Dr. Ethan Carter, a geneticist Dr. Ellis had recommended after hearing her unusual case. A part of her was hesitant—after all, how could anyone possibly explain her situation? But another part, a quieter, more desperate part, longed for answers.
The clinic was sleek, modern, and quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos in her mind. She waited in a pristine white room, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve, heart hammering. A man walked in—tall, composed, with sharp features softened by kind, attentive eyes.
"Amara Benson?" he asked, extending a hand.
"Yes," she replied, shaking it with trembling fingers.
"I'm Dr. Ethan Carter. Dr. Ellis briefed me on your case. Why don't we step into my office?" His tone was calm, professional, but there was something in his eyes—genuine curiosity, empathy, and perhaps a trace of disbelief that he carefully concealed.
Once seated, Amara felt the weight of a thousand questions pressing down. She fidgeted, avoided his gaze, then finally spoke.
"I… I know it sounds impossible," she began, voice quivering. "But I'm pregnant. And… I'm a virgin. I've never been with anyone. Not physically, not romantically. I don't know how it happened."
Dr. Carter's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't interrupt. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "I understand this must be frightening. And I assure you, I've seen rare cases that challenge our understanding of human reproduction. There are extremely rare medical phenomena… parthenogenesis, for instance, although in humans it's virtually unheard of. But we'll investigate thoroughly. No judgment, only science and understanding."
Amara exhaled slowly. Part of her expected disbelief, perhaps ridicule, but his calm acceptance brought a flicker of relief. Maybe she wasn't entirely alone in this.
Dr. Carter ran through tests—blood work, genetic screenings, and multiple ultrasounds. Each procedure confirmed what she already feared: she was indeed pregnant. The scans showed a healthy embryo, developing normally. Everything about her body indicated a typical pregnancy… except the impossibility of conception.
"You're healthy, and the pregnancy is progressing normally," Dr. Carter explained. "Medically, we will continue monitoring, but the question of how this occurred… well, that's something we may never fully understand. Sometimes, life presents mysteries we can't immediately explain."
Amara nodded, absorbing the words. Her mind spun with possibilities—science, miracles, unexplained phenomena—but all she felt for now was fear and awe intertwined.
As she left the clinic, Dr. Carter handed her a card. "If you have questions, or need guidance, call me anytime. You're not alone in this, Amara. We'll figure it out together."
Alone again, Amara walked the streets slowly, wrapped in a mix of fear, confusion, and the tiniest spark of hope. She didn't know what the future held, and she didn't know if anyone else could understand. But for the first time, she sensed a thread of support—someone who believed in her situation enough to help her navigate it.
Her impossible reality was still terrifying. Yet now, with the faint reassurance of guidance, Amara realized she had a choice. She could succumb to fear, hiding from the world, or she could confront it, step by step, and seek the truth of the life growing within her.
She glanced down at her stomach and whispered softly, almost as if testing the words against reality:
"I don't know how this happened… but I will face it. I must."
And with that fragile resolve, a new chapter of her life—unpredictable, impossible, miraculous—began.