“I’ll have to ask you out for a moment. »
The atmosphere of the room changed immediately.
At first, no one moved.
Diego let out a little nervous laugh, that clumsy laugh that we use to chase away a malaise.
Is there a problem? He asked, gently tightening his hand around Allison’s.
The doctor did not respond immediately.
And that was the first crack.
Because doctors — especially in this kind of clinic, where money buys comfort as much as certainties — always respond right away when everything is fine.
But not this time.
She just looked at the screen again.
Then Allison.
And Diego.
And something in his expression froze the whole room.
“I need to speak alone with the patient,” she repeated, more firmly this time.
Diego’s mother frowned.
“Doctor, we are her family,” she said, almost offended. We are here to celebrate…
“It’s not a request,” the doctor gently cut.
Second fissure.
The kind that we can no longer ignore.
Sophia’s smile disappeared first.
Then the aunt who held a bouquet slowly lowered the flowers.
Diego hesitated.
And for a split second, something went through his eyes. It was not worry.
It was fear.
Not for Allison.
Not for the baby.
For himself.
“All right,” he said in a voice that he wanted calm. We’re going out.
He leaned over to kiss Allison’s forehead.
“It’s probably nothing,” he murmured.
But his voice did not convince anyone.
Not even him.
They left the room slowly.
The door closed.
And the silence that invaded the corridor became heavy.
Thick.
Oppressive.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
No one was talking anymore.
The laughter was gone.
The euphoria had disappeared, replaced by something cold and unknown.
At the twelfth minute, the door finally opened.
The doctor reappeared.
But she wasn’t smiling.
And Allison…
Allison was not behind her.
Diego immediately came forward.
What is going on? He asked dryly.
The doctor looked him straight in the eye.
For a moment, she said nothing.
As if she were measuring the damage that her next sentence would cause.
“Mr. Rivera,” she said cautiously, “I need you to come with me.
Diego’s mother stiffened.
Why only him?
The doctor did not answer.
Third fissure.
Diego followed her inside.
The door closed again.
And this time, the silence was not just heavy anymore.
He was becoming suffocating.
Allison was now sitting right on the bed.
But she had nothing of the radiant and triumphant woman of twenty minutes ago.
His face was pale.
His eyes enlarged by anxiety.
His hands trembled slightly on his stomach.
Diego felt his chest tighten.
What is wrong? He asked hastily. Is the baby okay?
The doctor directed the screen slightly towards him.
“Mr. Rivera, before I answer this question… I need to ask you one.”
His stomach was tied.
What kind of question?
She didn’t even blink.
How long have you been with Miss Allison?
The question took him by surprise.
What relationship? He threw it dry. Just tell me what’s going on.
“It matters,” she replied calmly.
A silence.
Then :
