“I mean that you may share biological relatives.”
I looked at Emily.
She looked at me.
We both laughed nervously because the alternative seemed impossible.
“Doctor, we’ve known each other since we were children,” I said. “We grew up together. Our families knew each other.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” he replied gently.
He turned toward me.
“Sarah, your mother passed away when you were six, correct?”
I nodded.
“And Emily, you were adopted?”
“Yes.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“Then I need to ask something more personal. Do either of you know anything about your biological family history beyond what you’ve already told us?”
Emily shook her head.
“Not really.”
The doctor explained that the preliminary findings suggested a possible maternal relationship between us.
He wanted additional testing before drawing any conclusions.
“But what does this mean for our babies?” I asked.
“At this stage, we haven’t identified a serious problem. Being biologically related does not automatically mean your children will have a genetic disorder. We need to establish exactly what the relationship is and evaluate the relevant risks.”
