“Larisa,” he finally said gently, “I need you to listen to me very carefully.”
Her heart started racing.
“You are not pregnant.”
The words hit her like a shockwave.
“What…? That’s not possible,” she whispered. “My stomach… it’s been growing… I felt movement…”
“I understand why you believed that,” the doctor replied calmly. “But what we’re seeing here is something else entirely.”
He turned the monitor slightly toward her.
“There is a large mass in your abdomen. It’s pressing against your organs—that’s what caused the swelling and those sensations.”
Larisa stared at the screen, not fully understanding.
“A… mass?” she repeated.
“Yes,” he said. “It appears to be a tumor. And judging by its size, it’s been growing for quite some time.”
The room seemed to spin.
“All this time…” she murmured. “I thought… I thought it was a child…”
The doctor’s voice softened. “You’re not alone in this. In rare cases, certain conditions can mimic pregnancy symptoms—abdominal growth, pressure, even sensations that feel like movement. It can be very convincing.”
Tears welled up in Larisa’s eyes.
“What happens now?” she asked quietly.
“We act quickly,” he said. “We’ll run more tests to understand exactly what we’re dealing with, and then we’ll plan the appropriate treatment. The important thing is—you came in today.”
Hours later, sitting in the hospital corridor, Larisa clutched the small bag she had brought with her.
Inside were the tiny socks she had knitted.
She looked at them for a long time before gently placing them back.
That day didn’t bring the miracle she had imagined.
But it gave her something just as important—
The chance to face the truth… and the opportunity to fight for her health before it was too late.