4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days 2008

In the sweltering summer of 1987, two university students, Otilia Mihărtescu (character) and Gabriela “Găbița” Drăguț, navigated the mundane routines of dormitory life in an unnamed Romanian town. When Găbița’s pregnancy became a pressing concern, the pair hatched a plan to meet with Mr. Bebe at a discreet hotel, where he would perform an illegal abortion. As they prepared for their clandestine meeting, Otilia went about her daily routine, buying soap and cigarettes from the dorm shop and then visiting her boyfriend Adi, from whom she borrowed money. Adi’s invitation to visit his family that night, in celebration of his mother’s birthday, was initially met with hesitation by Otilia, but eventually yielded to Adi’s persuasive efforts.

Meanwhile, Găbița anxiously awaited the meeting at Unirea hotel, only to be rebuffed by an unfriendly receptionist, who informed her that there was no reservation under her name. Undeterred, Otilia made her way to a different hotel, Tineretului, where she eventually secured a room after much haggling and begging. After speaking with Găbița on the phone, Otilia arrived at a designated rendezvous point to meet Mr. Bebe, although he had requested that Găbița join him personally. Bebe’s ire was palpable when he discovered that Găbița was nowhere to be found.

As Otilia waited at Tineretului, she began to sense the gravity of their situation. When Bebe finally arrived, he revealed that Găbița had lied about the duration of her pregnancy, which had reached at least four months. This new information significantly altered the procedure’s risks and costs, leaving both women reeling. Bebe’s demands for sexual favors in exchange for his services further strained their already fragile situation. As the night wore on, Otilia was forced to confront Găbița’s deception and her own desperation, leading her to reluctantly participate in a transaction that would forever alter the trajectory of their lives.

Throughout this tumultuous evening, Otilia found herself torn between her loyalty to her roommate and her growing unease with the unfolding events. Despite her misgivings, she continued to care for Găbița, even as the reality of their situation began to sink in – a reality that would soon confront them with the devastating consequences of their choices.

As Otilia bid farewell to Găbița at the Tineretului, she ventured forth to attend Adi’s mother’s milestone birthday celebration. Though her mind was still reeling from the tumultuous events, she managed to compose herself and join the gathering of friends - a coterie of physicians - for an evening of conviviality. The conversation meandered through trivial topics, with Otilia and Adi maintaining a stoic silence amidst the chatter. However, when one of the guests waxed poetic about the erosion of values and the importance of respecting elders, Otilia’s composure began to fray. It was in this charged atmosphere that she accepted a cigarette from an unknown source, prompting Adi and her to retreat to his room for some much-needed respite.

There, surrounded by the quiet intimacy of Adi’s chamber, Otilia confided in him about Găbița’s recent secret: the termination of her pregnancy. As they delved into a heated debate about the morality of abortion, with Adi firmly opposing it, their discussion was marked by passionate intensity. Eventually, Otilia excused herself to take a call from Găbița, only to be met with silence on the other end. Feeling drained and disoriented, she decided to return to the hotel.

Upon her arrival, she found Găbița slumbering fitfully on the bed. The revelation that the fetus had been expelled and lay in the bathroom was like a cold slap of reality. With a sense of detachment, Otilia wrapped the tiny lifeless form in towels and placed it in a bag, as if trying to contain its very existence. Găbița’s request to bury the remains only served to heighten Otilia’s emotional disconnection.

As she walked outside into the night air, the weight of her actions seemed to bear down upon her like an insurmountable burden. With a sense of desperation, she scaled the heights of a nearby building, as if seeking solace in the promise Mr. Bebe had made - to find release from the turmoil that churned within her. And so, with a heavy heart, she dropped the bag into the trash chute below, releasing herself from the burden.

Her journey ultimately led her back to the Tineretului, where Găbița sat quietly in the restaurant. As Otilia took her seat beside her friend, she delivered a solemn pronouncement: they would never speak of this episode again. And so, with an air of resignation and emotional numbness, Otilia gazed blankly at Găbița, her eyes devoid of expression or compassion.