Page 31 of A Game-Changing Christmas

“No.”

“Take any recreational drugs?”

“No.”

“Do you have any sexually transmitted diseases?”

“No.”

“Have you ever?”

“No.”

“Let’s start with a semen sample. Do you think you can give me one,” Dr. Young glanced to the wall clock, “in the next ten minutes? If so, I can get it to the lab before they go on lunch, and we could have your results by the end of the day.”

Jaden glanced at the same clock Dr. Young had.

“Ten minutes?” he asked, a pained expression on his face.

Dr. Young chuckled. “If you need any help, we have magazines on the shelf.”

“I think I can manage.”

Dr. Young strolled across the room and retrieved a jar from a bin. If for any reason we have an issue, we can try other tests.”

Jaden nodded, focused on the cup in Dr. Young’s hand.

“See that line there,” Dr. Young pointed.

“Got it,” Jaden said.

“Okay, ten minutes.”

Dr. Young left the room, and Jaden glanced down at the jar, rotating the sterling can in his hand. He sighed, then stood. This is what it had come to. His brother offered to see him through this, but for Jaden, it was something he had to do on his own. He was used to dealing with fear head-on, but the prospect of being infertile gripped him like never before.

He hoped for the sake of his wife that he could give her children because the devastation he’d feel if that were not the case was already wrenching from the depths of his gut.

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