Chapter 3 - Embryo H-17
Someone had altered the surrogacy paperwork.
That did not automatically mean the wrong embryo had been transferred.
Rebecca emphasized that.
Documents could be mislabeled.
Files could be uploaded incorrectly.
Clerical errors happened.
Marianne wanted that explanation.
Then Halcyon Fertility called.
Their compliance director sounded terrified.
There had been an “internal discrepancy.”
Rebecca put the call on speaker.
“What discrepancy?”
The embryology system showed H-17 transferred into Marianne.
The original treatment plan showed H-14.
“Whose embryos were they?”
“Both belonged to Claire and Evan Whitmore.”
Relief.
At least no stranger’s embryo.
Then why distinction?
H-14 and H-17 came from the same IVF cycle.
Both had undergone preimplantation genetic testing.
H-14 had been selected first.
H-17 was originally marked “do not transfer pending review.”
Marianne’s mouth went dry.
“Why?”
The compliance director refused to discuss genetic details without appropriate authorization.
Claire had it.
Evan had it.
Marianne did not.
Rebecca asked:
“Did my client authorize switching embryos?”
Silence.
“No.”
“Did anyone obtain her informed consent for an amended transfer?”
Another silence.
“We are investigating.”
That meant no.
Marianne stared through the nursery window.
The baby slept peacefully.
H-17.
A number adults had already used to decide whether she was wanted.
Then Claire approached.
Evan was elsewhere with Miles.
For once, she seemed ready to speak.
“H-14 didn't work.”
Marianne turned.
“What?”
“The embryo stopped developing after thaw.”
“When?”
“Transfer morning.”
Marianne remembered.
Claire arrived late that day.
Eyes swollen.
Claimed traffic.
The clinic transferred an embryo.
Marianne assumed it was H-14.
Claire whispered:
“Evan told them to use H-17.”
“You knew?”
“Not until afterward.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I thought it didn't matter.”
“It was inside my body.”
“I know.”
“No. You clearly don't.”
Claire cried.
“H-17 was still ours.”
“Why was it flagged?”
Claire looked at the baby.
Then:
“My family.”
Marianne frowned.
“We have the same family.”
“Not Dad’s side.”
Same father too.
Claire shook her head.
“Not our dad.”
Marianne stared.
“What did you just say?”
Claire immediately realized her mistake.
“Our father is our father.”
“That isn't what you meant.”
Claire backed away.
Marianne followed.
“What are you hiding?”
Evan returned.
Claire stopped speaking.
Again.
Rebecca later uncovered H-17’s genetic counseling notation.
Most details redacted.
One visible code:
MTR-9.
Marianne searched nothing online.
She gave it to an independent genetic counselor.
The counselor frowned.
“This isn't a standard clinical designation I recognize.”
“Then what is it?”
“Possibly an internal family marker.”
“For disease?”
“Maybe.”
Then she noticed something else.
The notation was dated six years before Claire’s IVF cycle.
Impossible.
The embryo did not exist then.
Unless MTR-9 referred not to the embryo—
but to a person.
Then Marianne’s phone rang.
Her mother.
Judith.
Marianne answered.
“Mom?”
Judith sounded frightened.
“Claire called me.”
“Good. Maybe you can tell me what MTR-9 is.”
Silence.
Marianne sat up.
“Mom?”
Judith whispered:
“Where did you hear that?”
There it was again.
Recognition.
First Claire.
Then Evan.
Now their mother.
“Tell me.”
May you like
Judith began crying.
“I thought they destroyed those records.”
