Chapter 13: The DNA expert
1006 Words
The hospital felt colder than expected.
⸻
Amara stood just outside the glass doors, her fingers curled tightly around the strap of her bag. Beside her, Khalid adjusted his sleeve, his expression unreadable.
Neither of them spoke.
Not on the drive.
Not now.
⸻
This wasn’t just another visit.
This wasn’t routine.
⸻
This—
Was the moment everything could change.
⸻
“You’re sure about this?” Khalid asked suddenly, his voice low.
Amara turned to him.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
⸻
He held her gaze for a second.
Then nodded once.
⸻
“Let’s go.”
⸻
Inside, the hospital buzzed with quiet activity—nurses walking briskly, patients waiting, distant voices echoing through the halls.
But to Amara—
Everything felt distant.
Muted.
⸻
Her focus was fixed on one thing.
One person.
⸻
Dr. Ibrahim Kareem.
⸻
They were led into his office shortly after.
The room was simple but organized—files neatly arranged, certificates framed on the walls, a calm presence that immediately set a different tone.
⸻
A man in his early fifties stood as they entered.
“Amara,” he said with a polite nod.
“Doctor,” she replied.
⸻
His eyes shifted to Khalid.
“And you must be Khalid.”
⸻
Khalid nodded slightly.
⸻
Dr. Kareem gestured for them to sit.
“Thank you both for coming. I know this situation isn’t easy.”
⸻
Silence settled as they took their seats.
⸻
Then—
The doctor leaned forward slightly.
⸻
“I’ll be direct,” he said. “What you’re suggesting—chimerism—is rare. Very rare. But it is medically documented.”
⸻
Khalid’s jaw tightened slightly.
Amara remained still.
Listening.
⸻
Dr. Kareem continued.
⸻
“In simple terms, chimerism occurs when two embryos—twins—merge in the womb. Instead of developing separately, one absorbs the other. The result is a single individual with two distinct sets of DNA.”
⸻
Khalid frowned.
“So… one body. Two DNA types?”
⸻
“Exactly,” the doctor replied.
⸻
Amara felt her heart begin to race.
This was it.
⸻
“The complication,” Dr. Kareem continued, “is that standard DNA tests usually sample from one source—typically blood or saliva.”
⸻
He paused.
Letting it sink in.
⸻
“If the DNA sample is taken from a part of the body that carries one genetic line, it may not match the child—even if the person is biologically the parent.”
⸻
Silence filled the room.
⸻
Khalid leaned back slightly.
His expression had changed.
⸻
Not disbelief.
⸻
Something else.
⸻
Processing.
⸻
“So you’re saying…” he began slowly, “that I could be his father… but the test showed I’m not?”
⸻
Dr. Kareem nodded.
“It is possible.”
⸻
Amara’s fingers tightened in her lap.
⸻
Possible.
⸻
The word felt stronger now.
Real.
⸻
Khalid looked down briefly.
Then back up.
⸻
“How do we prove it?”
⸻
The question came faster than Amara expected.
⸻
But she didn’t speak.
She let the doctor answer.
⸻
“We conduct a more advanced series of tests,” Dr. Kareem said. “Multiple samples. Blood, skin, hair follicles—possibly even tissue samples.”
⸻
Khalid’s brows furrowed.
“That sounds… extensive.”
⸻
“It is,” the doctor replied calmly. “But necessary.”
⸻
Amara leaned forward slightly.
“And Zayn?”
⸻
“We’ll need samples from him as well,” Dr. Kareem said. “To compare across different markers.”
⸻
Khalid exhaled slowly.
⸻
This was real now.
No longer just theory.
⸻
“What are the chances?” he asked quietly.
⸻
Dr. Kareem met his gaze.
⸻
“Low,” he admitted.
“But not zero.”
⸻
Silence followed.
⸻
Heavy.
Uncertain.
⸻
Then—
Khalid nodded.
⸻
“Let’s do it.”
⸻
Amara’s breath caught.
⸻
No hesitation this time.
No resistance.
⸻
Just decision.
⸻
Dr. Kareem gave a small nod.
“Good. We’ll begin today.”
⸻
⸻
The testing process took longer than expected.
⸻
Sample after sample.
Careful documentation.
Precise handling.
⸻
Amara watched everything.
Every movement.
Every step.
⸻
As if the truth might reveal itself at any moment.
⸻
Zayn was calm through it all.
Unaware of the weight behind the situation.
Unaware that his identity—
His place—
His truth—
Was being questioned.
⸻
At one point, Khalid stood a few feet away, watching as a nurse carefully collected a sample from Zayn.
⸻
His expression softened.
Just slightly.
⸻
Then hardened again.
⸻
Conflicted.
⸻
⸻
Hours later, it was done.
⸻
“All samples will be analyzed thoroughly,” Dr. Kareem said as they stood to leave.
“It may take a few days.”
⸻
A few days.
⸻
It sounded simple.
⸻
But it wasn’t.
⸻
Because waiting—
Was the hardest part.
⸻
“Whatever the result,” the doctor added, “it will be the truth.”
⸻
Amara nodded.
“That’s all I want.”
⸻
Khalid didn’t speak.
⸻
But his silence—
Said enough.
⸻
⸻
Outside the hospital, the air felt different.
Heavier.
⸻
They stood side by side.
But not together.
Not yet.
⸻
“Now we wait,” Amara said softly.
⸻
Khalid nodded.
⸻
But his mind was elsewhere.
⸻
On the resemblance.
On his mother’s words.
On the possibility that everything he believed—
Could be wrong.
⸻
He glanced at Amara briefly.
⸻
For the first time—
Not with anger.
Not with blame.
⸻
But with something unfamiliar.
⸻
Uncertainty.
⸻
And maybe—
Just maybe—
Regret.
⸻
As they went their separate ways—
One truth lingered between them.
⸻
Soon—
There would be no more doubt.
⸻
No more questions.
⸻
Only answers.
⸻
And those answers would change everything.
- Writer
