Em Gessen

She lost so much blood that she had to stay in the hospital for two weeks.

And then Priscilla miscarried again.

This time she was hospitalized for a month.

She'd been five months pregnant.

Priscilla was determined to have another baby.

She could think of nothing else.

Talking about it, she used the words desperate and obsession.

Alan stayed by her side through this ordeal.

He offered comfort, and more than that, he offered a solution.

They could find a surrogate in Russia to carry their child.

So they moved to Moscow.

Alan rented a huge, beautiful apartment in the center of the city.

Their landlord was a famous art dealer, and the apartment itself had been featured in various magazines.

From Moscow, Priscilla continued running her businesses, a restaurant and an event space in Harare.

After a few attempts, a surrogate was pregnant.

But Priscilla and Alan's relationship was still Priscilla and Alan's relationship.

And now the original red flag was flying higher than all of them.

My Aunt Lena was living in Moscow too.

She was always around, she was always very clear about what she wanted, and she always got what she wanted.

Especially from Alan.