A NEW BEGINNING

It had been a few weeks since Victor and Milo had returned from their honeymoon, and life had settled into a warm routine. They had enjoyed each other's company, and their bond had only deepened with time. While their love for each other was evident to anyone who saw them together, there was still something that Milo had longed for—a family of their own.

Victor had known this for a while. He saw the way Milo would look at families with children or talk about the possibility of having a child of their own someday. And Victor, who had always been so focused on their life together, finally realized that this was the next step they could take. But it wasn't an easy step to make. It wasn't as simple as just deciding to have a child. They had to find a way that worked for them.

One evening, as they sat in their living room, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging in the air, Victor finally spoke up.

"Milo," Victor said, his voice gentle but full of determination, "We have to go to the hospital tomorrow."

Milo turned toward him, his brow furrowing with confusion. "Hospital? Why?"

Victor stood up, walking over to Milo and gently pulling him into his arms. His strong arms wrapped around Milo's waist, holding him close. For a moment, they simply stood there, enjoying the warmth of each other's embrace.

Victor rested his chin on Milo's shoulder and whispered, "We can have a baby, Milo."

Milo stiffened. He pulled away just enough to look at Victor in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Victor smiled softly, his eyes filled with warmth and love. "I spoke to a doctor a couple of days ago. There's a method called lab-created reciprocal IVF—a method that allows us to have a baby of our own."

Milo blinked in disbelief, his thoughts swirling. "How can that be possible? We're both men..."

Victor's eyes softened as he took a step back to look Milo in the eyes. "Yes, I know. But this method involves taking both our sperm samples and creating an embryo. A woman will carry the child—someone selected by the clinic, a donor who is willing to help. She will be the surrogate for us. We'll both contribute to the child's creation. It's a way for both of us to be fathers."

Milo stood there in shock, his emotions running wild. "Wait... this is really possible?" His voice trembled slightly, the tears welling up in his eyes.

Victor nodded, his heart swelling with emotion as he saw the wonder in Milo's eyes. "Yes, it's possible. And I want this with you. I want us to have a family, Milo. I've already spoken to the doctor, and they've given us the green light. Tomorrow, we go for our consultation."

Milo didn't know how to react. This was a dream he had thought would never come true. The idea of raising a child with Victor, a child that would carry both of their genes—he couldn't fathom it. It felt too surreal, too beautiful to be true. But it was. It was real.

A single tear slipped down his cheek, and Victor's thumb gently wiped it away. "We'll do this together, Milo. We'll create a family of our own."

The next morning, Victor and Milo arrived at the hospital for their consultation. As they walked through the sterile white corridors, Milo's heart pounded in his chest. He wasn't nervous, but this was a big step, and he wanted everything to go smoothly.

The doctor, a kind and knowledgeable woman named Dr. Thompson, greeted them warmly. She explained the entire process, putting both of them at ease with her calm demeanor.

"The method we're going to use is called lab-created reciprocal IVF," Dr. Thompson explained. "This involves using both of your sperm samples to create embryos. We will then select a woman who has volunteered to be a surrogate for your child. She will carry the embryo, and once the pregnancy is confirmed, she will give birth to the baby. Both of you will be the fathers."

Milo's mind was racing as he processed the information. The idea of another woman carrying their child felt strange, but he knew it was the only way for them to have a family. He glanced at Victor, who was calm and focused. Victor gave him a reassuring smile, squeezing his hand.

"The first step will be to collect sperm samples from both of you," Dr. Thompson continued. "We'll fertilize the eggs using both your samples, and then we'll monitor the process carefully. Once we have healthy embryos, we'll proceed with the transfer to the surrogate."

Milo nodded, still taking it all in. The idea of a child growing inside another woman's body was hard to fathom, but the thought of becoming fathers was enough to make him push past the strange feeling.

"Are you both ready for this?" Dr. Thompson asked, looking at both of them with a compassionate smile.

Victor squeezed Milo's hand tighter. "Yes, we are. We're ready."

Milo smiled softly at Victor, his heart full. "Yes, we're ready."

Over the next few days, Milo and Victor went through the initial steps of the IVF process. They provided their sperm samples and underwent a series of tests to ensure that everything was in order. While they waited for the fertilization and embryo creation process to progress, they spent their time with each other, talking about the future and what it would be like to become fathers.

One evening, as they sat on the balcony of their apartment, Milo turned to Victor, his thoughts once again running wild. "Victor, do you think we're doing the right thing?"

Victor looked at him, his eyes filled with tenderness. "Milo, we're doing this because we love each other, and we both want to create a family together. There's no one else I'd rather go through this with."

Milo smiled, the weight lifting from his shoulders. "I'm scared, Victor. What if something goes wrong?"

Victor took his hand in his, squeezing it tightly. "I understand your fears. But we're doing this together. No matter what happens, we have each other. That's all that matters."

Milo nodded, feeling a surge of warmth in his chest. "Thank you, Victor."

Weeks passed, and the IVF process progressed. They were both anxious, yet hopeful, as the embryos began to grow. Finally, they received the call they had been waiting for—the embryos were ready, and it was time to choose a surrogate.

Milo and Victor were given the opportunity to meet with potential surrogates, women who were willing to carry their child for them. After careful consideration and much discussion, they chose the right woman who they felt comfortable with. The journey to parenthood was no longer just a dream—it was becoming a reality.

As the months passed, they watched as the surrogate's belly grew, and with every ultrasound, their hearts swelled with anticipation. The day of the baby's birth arrived, and Milo and Victor stood side by side, their hearts racing as they waited to meet their child. When the baby was finally placed in their arms, they both looked down at the tiny, fragile life they had created together.

Victor squeezed Milo's hand, his voice full of emotion. "We did it, Milo. We have our family."

Milo nodded, tears streaming down his face. "We really did it."

Their baby, a beautiful little boy, cooed in their arms as they looked at each other, beyond happy. They had created a life together, and now, they would raise this child as a family.

And as they stood there, holding their son, they both knew that this was just the beginning of the most beautiful journey of their lives. The road ahead wouldn't always be easy, but as long as they had each other, they would be ready for whatever came next.