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Fraudulent Fertilisation

Episode 5

Ricardo Ludovico Gulminelli

Global Fiction

First publication: May 2002

http://badosa.com/n145-06

Without paying attention to his irony, Alicia asked Álvez,

“Tell me please, you want me to somehow obtain the ‘sample’ that this ill lady wants so much? Have you thought how I should do it?”

“Elementary, my dear child,” said Álvez, “you’ll simply have to go to bed with Burán, ask him to use a condom and keep it after making love to him. Isn’t it simple?”

Scandalised, Alicia exclaimed, “It’s horrible! How can you talk like that? I’m not going to do it.”

“Little girl, I have no doubt that very few women have all the conditions that you have, you’ll obtain your objective without effort. For you it’ll be as easy as stealing apples from an orchard, I know men like Burán, he’ll fall into your arms like a schoolboy in love. It can’t be any other way, that fifty year-old man loves beautiful women. Don’t feel bad, it’ll be a humanitarian act. Besides, let’s be honest, I don’t think you’re that bothered... You lost your virginity a long time ago, didn’t you?”

“Yes doctor, that’s right, but going to bed with a stranger is another matter, difficult to assimilate. To make matters worse, it’s a man twice my age. Old men turn me right off. It’s true that I’ve had several love affairs, but believe me, they always happened because I felt it deeply. I wouldn’t say I was always in love, but I was in the grips of passion, or at least felt affectionate attraction. But now, you ask me to coldly go to bed with an older man, someone I don’t know, someone I might even find repugnant. I will have to trick him, to pretend in a most despicable manner.”

“But listen to me woman, don’t look at it in that way, think positive, it won’t be difficult if you simplify it. Besides, believe me, this man is not at all repugnant. He’s an outstanding intellectual, quite nice physically, you’ll be enriched by your contact with him, which will only be ephemeral. I’m not asking you to prostitute yourself, nor to fall in love. You won’t be after some kind of personal benefit, you’ll be working selflessly. That should calm you down. I won’t be making any money out of this either. I’m just doing it out of affection for an old friend, I want to please her, I’ve got my reasons. All you should be worrying about is bringing the crisis to an end... What I ask of you will do no harm to anyone, think of yourself as a volunteer for a scientific experiment. A kind of guinea pig if you prefer to look at it that way. But no one will be able to say that you’re behaving badly. It’s not a question of morality, tomorrow nobody will be able to show that you’ve gained financially from the situation. Your attitude is justified, it’s even praiseworthy. It’s true that I could do you the favour without asking for anything, but do you think that’s fair? As you can see, I don’t want anything for myself. I know that if I asked you to commit any act, no matter how low, you’d do it, wouldn’t you?”

Alicia lowered her eyes...

Álvez smiled and continued.

“However, knowing that you’re a good person, I’m giving you an opportunity. You’ll pay for my services by helping your fellow man. Even though you’ll be tricking Burán, at the same time you’ll be satisfying the last wish of a dying woman. Without hurting anybody. What’s wrong with that?”

“I don’t know doctor, I’m confused. What am I going to do to get the semen sample? It will be very difficult.”

“Don’t you worry about that, leave the matter in my hands, I’ll set up the first meeting. You just follow my instructions.”

She was defenceless, absolutely vulnerable. She had no way out. It was terrible to do what he asked, but she couldn’t abandon Mabel. She would face any sacrifice, it was necessary.

“Doctor, what if I fail to seduce Mr Burán? What will happen?”

He looked at her and smiled, patting her on the left cheek.

“In that case, forget the abortion,” he said, “I’m sorry, those are the rules of the game. Only that way can I be sure that you’re going to do your best to fulfil your mission properly.”

Alicia dried two big tears that were running down her face. She looked like a defeated woman, with the weight of the world on her shoulders. The story that the doctor had told seemed strange to her. She believed it because she had no choice, because she wanted to convince herself. After all, why shouldn’t it be real? Looking at it like that, what he had asked wasn’t so serious. Of course she would do it.

Satisfied to see her favourable response, Álvez said to her,

“Well gorgeous, I’ll expect you tomorrow afternoon at the practice. Meanwhile, put your little sister’s mind at rest, tell her she’ll have a solution in a few days... free of charge. Take a stroll over here at five o’clock in the afternoon, we’ll polish up the details, we’ll know what my friend thinks. Perhaps she’s no longer interested in obtaining Burán’s sperm. In any case, the most important thing is that your sister gets out of her predicament. Afterwards I’m going to fit her a coil, compliments of the house.”

Álvez said all of this practising his best smile. He was completely satisfied. Alicia was the ideal woman, she would seduce Roberto Burán. It wasn’t easy to get close to him, he had a very demanding personality, a tendency to shut himself away within himself. he didn’t fall in love easily, nor did he let himself be led astray by appearances. He scorned superficiality, had respect for intelligence and admired will power. But Burán was not a pure intellectual, he felt a healthy nostalgia for lost youth, feminine beauty drew him like a magnet. After receiving the inheritance that his father left him, his opportunities to mix with beautiful young women multiplied. But he demanded a considerable quota of affection, humanity. He needed a special woman, particularly seductive. That’s why Álvez was sure; the tender Alicia was the right person.

Translation: Peter Miller (© 2002)