//------------------------------// // Exploring Ideas // Story: Her Only Child // by Rhonie8k //------------------------------// "I'm terribly sorry to have to tell you this but there's just not much we can do at this stage." The orange unicorn said reviewing several files on her desk. Her voice was solemn but still filled with warmth and kindness. Bon Bon's heart sank as the doctor's words sunk in. She had spent the past few months and a rather hefty sum of bits applying for a treatment that would put her on the path to motherhood. But now she sat here in the specialist hearing the second worst news of her life or was it worst. "I don't mean to pry but there is something I need to ask." The doctor began. "For the most part, everything is fine, you're in generally good health but there was one major complication. Part of your womb shows signs of untreated damage. It's nothing overly abnormal it would have been easily fixed with proper postnatal care. Have you had a foal before? There's nothing in your records to show that but I can't think of how else it would have been caused." She had the same warm tone as before. New emotions began to overtake the cream-colored mare replacing the feeling of hopelessness. Panic and Shame. She always knew this was something that might come up but she had hoped to avoid it. She had to lie to the doctor. She could never admit her mistake to anypony else. "Please don't try to lie about it. I just need to be sure I understand the situation correctly." The unicorn was firm but her kindness never faltered. She could see the unease her question brought the mare across from her. "I..." Bon Bon began before breaking off, she could feel tears wanting to form. She had to lie but if she let out her tears they would give her away. She closed her eyes hoping to send them away, a disastrous attempt. When she opened her eyes again it was like a dam had burst tears flooded out. "Yes. I gave birth to a beautiful little filly several years ago but a lovely family adopted her and have raised her as their own." A moment of relative silence followed the confession. Only the sounds of Bon Bon's light weeping filled the air. "And the lack of records?" The unicorn asked sweetly when her patient had seemingly calmed down enough to handle the question. "I was young and stupid. I didn't want anypony to know about it. My best friend acted as a midwife and helped with the delivery. Not long afterward I found her a good home and we all agreed to keep everything very private." Bon Bon recanted the version of the truth she came up with while she wept. None of it was a lie exactly. It was better than saying the agreement had been a note not revealing her identity when she left the foal on their porch and ran away and the confirmation was that they had been raising the child as their own ever since. "That's just heartbreaking." The unicorn smiled hoping to offer some reassurance. "It's good you found her such a loving family. And while your actions were somewhat careless I can hardly fault a scared teenager for being a bit reckless when everypony came out safe and healthy." Bon Bon felt as if a heavy weight she had been carrying for years was suddenly lifted. It was quickly replaced with a new weight. A question that needed to be asked. "You won't tell anypony will you?" Bon Bon asked sheepishly she didn't want her secret revealed to everypony even if it had been a relief to share it with someone more serious than Lyra. "I couldn't if I wanted to deary. Doctor-patient confidentiality applies here." The unicorn smiled to reassure the earth mare. "I will need to update your records but I can list that it has been explained without having to put in the details. If it's ever an issue with a different doctor you have them call me and I will work through any and all of their questions with only medically relevant information ." She hoped her answer would relieve the mare of unnecessary worry. "Thank you that means a lot." BonBon smiled. "Getting back to the big question are there no options. Is there not some surgery or treatment to repair the damage?" The doctor had said not much they could do but there had to be something and there was no cost she wasn't willing to pay even if it meant she had to wait and save a little longer. "I'm sorry but at this time the technology and research so far are lacking for someone in your condition. Surgery would be a dangerous and needless risk to your life with no virtual chance of fixing anything. There's not a doctor worth their salt who would even consider it. There is a newer treatment that shows promise but unfortunately, it's only compatible with unicorns. It's a device worn on the horn through the entirety of the pregnancy that channels magic into an isolated spell where that's constantly working to repair the cells involved. Even it has flaws outside of being species exclusive. Because their magic is constantly being focused for them they have to go through the pregnancy without using any other forms of magic. There are also cases where the device stops working or becomes damaged and the mare isn't able to maintain the spell herself and loses the foal." Bon Bon stopped was only half listening as the unicorn explained the finer details of treatments for unicorns. It was great her doctor was so well informed and up to date on all forms of treatment but it didn't help her situation so what was the point. "Of course, adoption is always an option." The unicorn said cheerfully. Just because there was nothing medically she could offer didn't mean she wasn't willing to explore all options with her patients. "I don't think I could." Bon Bon said sounding a little defeated. "You made it this far into the treatment process and adoption agencies tend to look at a lot of the same criteria that got you here. All signs point that you would be a wonderful mother and there not nearly as strict about single parent adoptions as they once were." The doctor reassured. "I mean I don't think I could take it. Raising a foal that wasn't mine when I gave my own up. It would like some cruel joke." Bon Bon explained. She had briefly considered the option alongside this one and come to this conclusion already. "I'm sorry I didn't mean..." The unicorn started to apologize but was interrupted. "No, thank you. I appreciate you exploring my options it's just I had considered it already." Bon Bon said it was her turn to reassure the unicorn. "With everything discussed, I can only think of one other option. A surrogate." The doctor offered. "A surrogate?" Bon Bon asked, she had heard the word before but wasn't sure she knew how it worked in this context. "Well since there's nothing wrong with your eggs outside of their inability to properly develop in your own body we can transplant them into another suitable mare. Besides that extra step, the process is more or less the same as what you were seeking for yourself." The doctor explained. "I must warn it can be difficult to find a willing surrogate. You are asking her to carry a foal full term. Monetary compensation is almost always involved. The only real exceptions tend to involve a family member or very close friend acting as the surrogate. Even then it is a lot to ask anypony it takes a very generous heart to offer such a service to somepony whether bits are involved or not." "I'm not sure there's anypony I could ask." Bon Bon responded when she fully grasped the concept. The only mare in her family was her mother who was too old for such a task. As for friends, Lyra wasn't even an option she lived a lifestyle ill-suited for carrying a foal and wouldn't be open to the idea. The only other mare she felt close enough with to consider would be Mrs. Cake but that would be too much to ask since she had a business her own family with the twins to take care of asking if she would go through a pregnancy with all that on her plate would be beyond selfish. "Is there by chance any sort of system for candidates for this sort of thing." "Not locally no. They might have something in a metropolitan area if the need on both sides is high enough. Searching too far out would have further difficulties as it's recommended for the mother and surrogate to spend as much of the pregnancy together as possible somepony would need to relocate." The doctor explained. She wanted to do everything she could to help this poor mare. "It's important not to give up hope though. Consider friendly acquaintances as options as well as close friends. There's little to be lost in just asking and so much that can be gained." *** Bon Bon sat alone in the living room still pondering the idea of a surrogate. She didn't feel hopeless about her chances but still wasn't sure where she could look for somepony she could ask. She sighed and stood up. She was tired and figured it was best not to dwell on it at the moment. As she made her way through her quiet empty home something the doctor said rang through her. " It takes a very generous heart to offer such a service." "Who in Ponyville could be generous enough to help her in her endeavor?'" It was the final though she had as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.