Fiction in a Flash Challenge Week #24 – The Odds
This is Weekly “Fiction in a Flash Challenge” Week #24. Each week Suzanne Burke will be featuring an image and inviting us to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing. Maximum word count: 750 words.
Here is the week #24 Image Prompt.
The Odds
“Christmas is around the corner. My parents are hosting the family gathering this year. My mom is sending out invitations to all our extended family. It will be 58 people if they all could come,” Margaret said.
“How often do your parents host the Christmas party?” Darin asked.
“Once every five years. My mom has four siblings married with children. My dad has one sister. They live all over the country. My grandparents live close by.”
“Most of you aunts and uncles are from the same family. It sounds cozy.”
“My mom wants you to come.”
“Of course, I’ll come. We have a small family. Just my parents, three sets of aunts and uncle, my grandparents, and me. I should spend Christmas morning with them. I’ll come in the early afternoon. Is it okay?”
“Sure, the party will be all day long.”
“I’ll be away for a few days after Christmas.”
“Where’re you going?”
“It’s a long story. Well, I have to tell you, eventually. My parents shared something with me a year ago. My dad said he couldn’t give children to my mom. He suggested having sperm donation at a fertility clinic. My mom agreed. In fact, he went with my mom for the insemination. My dad waited for my mom’s procedure. I felt awkward that my dad is not my dad. I mean, I don’t have his genes. It doesn’t matter now. He’s my only dad. They said that having children through using donated eggs, sperm or embryos are common alternatives for couples who have infertility problem to have their biological children.”
“Oh, thank you for telling me. I got something to tell you. But tell me more.”
“My dad suggested I had a DNA test to locate the sperm donor because it was anonymous at the time of the process. Not that he wanted me to meet him, but just didn’t want to leave it as a mystery.”
“Did you do it? What did you find out?”
“I did the DNA test. Unfortunately, I found out something shocking and wished it wasn’t true.”
“What was it?”
“The DNA pointed to a doctor who used his own sperm to help around 600 women conceived. Someone started a website calling people to do DNA test to find out if this doctor was their sperm donor. The guy of the website says these 600 people were literally half-siblings. The purpose of the identification was that people who have this doctor as the sperm donor won’t end up getting married. The risk that two of the offspring may meet unknowingly and start a family of their own, which could cause serious genetic problems in their children.”
“Oh, no.”
“What’s the problem? What’s wrong?”
“My mom told me when I turned 18, that she had me from a sperm donor. She also asked me to take a DNA test to identify the donor.”
“Oh gosh, what were the odds we met?”
“Why will you be away after Christmas?”
“Among the people responded, five of them, two men and three women, who live in the neighboring states would like to meet. After all, they are… we are half-siblings. We just want to meet and talk. Did you find out the name of the donor?”
“Yes, the last name is Vardags. He was an Oxford law student at that time, and he only made one donation. What’s the name of your donor?”
“It was Dr. Bertold Wiesner. Oh, gosh, I’m so relieved. I don’t want to call you my sister. I want you to be my wife.”
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Fiction in a Flash Challenge Week #24 – The Odds
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The Showers of Blessings 
This was a horrible news story. I suppose it was in actuality no worse than a random donor, but the fact that it wasn’t random is in itself upsetting.
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The news said he used his sperm 20 times a year for 30? years.
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What an interesting and tangled web! Very good story. Not sure about the doctors ethics!!
Dwight
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I know, Dwight. I don’t think he even thought of ethics. News in 2016 reported that one person is selling sperm pot on Facebook and claimed to be a new father every week.
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Wow! That is a really narrow gene pool!
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It was sad news!
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I was worried they were going to be siblings! I loved it that the end went in a whole new direction. A Happy Ending, Miriam. 😀
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Thank you for reading, Diana!! I checked the ending in the last minute!! Thank you for reading!
We just heard the news that OR, WA and CA had a joint travel advise, travel only if it’s neccasary. Anyone arriving OR and WA must have self quarantine for 14 days. We didn’t plan to stay for 14 days. So we have to cancel our trip to Portalnd to have Thanksgiving with my daughter’s family. We’ll stay home. 🙂
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I’m so sorry you had to cancel your plans, Miriam. Oregon virus cases are going wild, our first wave and so scary. I’m staying home too. It’s worth it. We just have to hang in there a little longer. This will end. ❤
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Cases in California just hit 1 million. We just have to be careful for a little longer. Hope is on the way. ❤
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What a fun twist at the end! I’ve heard how a doctor did this – and spread his “genes” far and wide this way. In your story, it all turns out well. Three cheers – I enjoyed!
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Yes, this doctor is one of the few who did this. I like happy endings. Thank you for reading, Pam.
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Oh, my! The odds, indeed, Miriam! In this strange world anything is possible 🙂 🙂
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Exactly, Jo. It could happen! 🙂
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It makes a person wonder how often this happens and goes undetected. Great story, Miriam.
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Great story Miriam. It could be a huge problem in the future with the trend for multiple partners.
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This story could certainly have gone a completely different way. Wow! Good one, Miriam!
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Yes, it could have been a heartbreaking story. Thank you, Jan.
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Thanks so much, Miriam. Not so many years ago this would have been labeled science fiction, but not in our world of 2020. It’s a timely and thought-provoking post, and I’ve just had the pleasure of sharing it. ❤
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It surely provoke thoughts and feelings. Thank you for sharing, Soooz! ❤
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I remember reading about that story…so shocking. Well done, Miriam.
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I know, it was horrible and unethical, Jill. I don’t know what that doctor was thinking. He studies biology. He should have known better.
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You and I both wrote about unethical medicine this week, Miriam. How odd that this picture provoked such thoughts. I really enjoyed your story and it’s clever idea.
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The little part about the doctor is true, Robbie. I researched about that for several years. There’s a lot more to it.
Your story could be true also.
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Very scary, Miriam. I had a feeling this was based on truth. Mine is actually not for once.
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I like the way you do research to write a historical fiction, Robbie. I would like to do more.
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It is very interesting and entertaining.
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Whew! Big sigh of relief at the end of your story.
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I had no heart for a sad ending, Liz.
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Great story!
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Thank you, Bette!
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Wow what a unique story! I held my breath towards the end 🙂
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Thank you. You never know what it could be in a life situation. ☺️
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That doctor was real.
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I remember when the story broke. It was very shocking.
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It was. Liz. How horrible it was. Still, doctors could use the same person’s sperm from the sperm bank for many women. YouTube has plenty of them.
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