Chapter 405 - 397. Building One’s Own Tree
Zein stared at the explanation that the doctor sent to his commlink, reading the bold letter in the title. A hysterectomy, it said; the surgical procedure to remove his womb.
The doctor had asked him the same thing from the summer of last year. On both occasions, Zein’s answer was the same; he would think about it. That being said, the reasoning between both was different.
The first time, Zein just couldn’t be bothered. He was just starting to live there, he was busy, and he was still overly cautious about things. But he could feel that his reason for delaying the answer this time was a bit different. What was it?
The sound of creaking stones brought Zein’s gaze toward the pathway leading to the hospital’s park where he was. With two cups of warm drink in his hand, Bassena walked to the bench beneath a tree at the corner of the park. His tall and imposing figure easily shaded Zein from the sunlight that the tree could not cover.
Ah, that’s right. As he received the warm tea from Bassena, he realized it.
It was the future.
Realizing that he has a future to look forward to made him think of...hope. Of possibility. Even if would never come to be.
This silly new thought prevented him from saying yes, even though his rational mind told him to go with the procedure.
Of course, there was also the thing with Setnath telling him to leave some descendants.
But before that, there was something far more urgent for him to tackle.
Zein looked at the esper who had been mostly silent since the conversation with the doctor. No--he had been silent since the journey, and more so during the doctor’s explanation. But the tensed jaw and hardened eyes speak louder than anything.