Waiting and Hoping

Oh, God, oh God. Today was the day. Helen had been waiting weeks for the results. Everyone else on the project was rooting for her, though they were probably thoroughly sick of her bringing it up every day. But now that she was here, standing in front of the Chromorphia headquarters, staring up at the tower of glass and steel, she was afraid to go in.

She realized it was understandable to be scared. The results could change her life forever. As someone who prided themselves on being rational, though, it bothered her immensely. Waiting out here wasn't going to change anything. Hoping wasn't going to change anything. The only thing to do was to go through those glass doors and find out her fate.

“Miss Kincade?” the receptionist asked as Helen walked in. He had a good memory. Helen had only been here twice before. She smiled at him and nodded as she approached the desk. “Today's the big day, I hear.”

“I suppose so,” Helen said. “Are you very behind?”

“Oh, not at all,” the receptionist said. “In fact, you're our first appointment today. Doctor Ferris is all ready, so you can head right up. Room five-thirty-two.” He handed her a guest badge with her name printed on it. On previous visits, the badge also acted as an elevator key that would take her directly to the fifth floor. The other floors were secured, she was told. Presumably if she took the stairs they would also open only onto the fifth.

“Thank you!” Helen said as she walked away, fumbling the badge to hang around her neck.

“Good luck!” the receptionist called after her.

Just a short elevator ride to go. And then... who knows? Helen had avoided dreaming too much about what it would be like, able to have her own, healthy child. As the possibility grew closer, though, the dream was hard to repress.

Agnostic as she was, Helen still crossed her fingers and muttered an indistinct prayer as the elevator carried her upward.