Chapter 12 - THE DONOR
When Noah turned one, Emily and Michael met with a counselor specializing in donor-conceived families.
They were separated.
Not divorced yet.
Michael still saw Noah regularly.
The counselor asked:
“What will Noah be told?”
Emily said:
“The truth.”
“When?”
“Age-appropriate from early childhood.”
Good.
No dramatic reveal at eighteen.
No:
your real father is someone else.
The donor contributed genetics.
Michael was the parent raising him.
Both truths could coexist.
They began building simple language.
“A kind donor helped Mommy have you.”
Later, more detail.
Then Michael asked:
“What if Noah wants to know who the donor is?”
The counselor answered:
“You help him access whatever information he is legally and ethically entitled to under the program.”
Michael nodded.
No threat.
No competition.
That mattered.
Then he admitted:
“I’m afraid one day he’ll think DNA means I’m fake.”
The counselor asked:
“Do you think that?”
Michael looked down.
May you like
“No.”
“Then don’t teach him to.”
