Kate sees the familiar nameplate on Dr. Williams’ office door and feels a knot in her stomach. She doesn’t know why, after all this time, it still affects her like this—she should be used to it by now. But every time she walks through his door she’s filled with hope, and every time she walks back out, she feels utter despair and sadness, unable to believe that fate could be so cruel.

As if he knows what she’s thinking, Matt grabs hold of her hand as they sit in the clinic’s waiting room. Squeezing it, as if he is somehow able to transfer his boundless optimism onto her.

He kisses her head as she leans into him. “I think this might be the one,” he says, over-enthusiastically, as if believing it hard enough will prove him right.

“It’s certainly the last one,” she says wearily.

“Let’s see,” says Matt with forced joviality.

“Kate!” exclaims Dr. Williams as he opens his door.

She should call him Ben, as he’s requested a hundred times. But using his first name means she knows him well, and if she knows him well, it would be admitting how long this has been going on for.

“Doctor,” she says, as she stands up and walks toward him with an outstretched arm.

“Good to see you,” says Dr. Williams. “Matt, how are you?”