I looked at the back of Nathan’s neck, noticing the small muscle near his jaw twitching as he waited for her reply. “Nathan, if there is a balance from my hormone panels, we should pay it now.”
“It is taken care of, Evelyn,” he said, turning to face me with a quick, bright smile that did not feel genuine.
He guided me back toward the blue plastic chairs, his hand firm on my elbow. I looked back at the receptionist, who was now staring at her screen with a small, puzzled frown that she did not try to hide.
“Why did you tell her the balance was resolved if she still has a hold on the account?” I asked.
“It is a corporate billing error, Evelyn, and my accountant is handling it,” he said, his right knee starting to bounce again as he sat beside me.
“We have never had a hold on our account before,” I said.
“There are many details about the clinic’s corporate structure that you do not need to worry about,” he said.
Dr. Marcus’s office was lined with dark wood shelving and framed medical diplomas. The doctor sat behind his mahogany desk, reviewing a thick paper chart with a blue stamp on the cover.
“Your blood pressure is slightly elevated today, Evelyn,” Dr. Marcus said, looking over his spectacles at the chart.
“She had a very busy morning,” Nathan said from his chair, his voice smooth and reassuring.
“I feel perfectly fine,” I said, adjusting my silver watch strap. “The back pain from this morning has entirely cleared up.”
Dr. Marcus nodded, turning a page in the folder. “I see the supplementary consent form for the secondary protocol was uploaded to your file on Monday.”
I frowned, looking from the doctor to my husband. “What secondary protocol?”
Dr. Marcus paused, his pen hovering over the chart. “The laboratory protocol for the late-stage embryo monitoring, the one we discussed during your active cycle.”
“I do not recall signing any supplementary forms on Monday,” I said, my voice quiet and precise
