Authors: Cassandra Cole
“Are you there yet?”
was what it said
.
“I am”
“How is it going?”
“
Not bad at all
”, Michelle answered “
The doctor hasn’t taken a look down town yet”
She then placed the phone aside and decided to focus on what lay ahead without any distractions. She thought back to how she ended up in the room and could still not believe what she was doing in the hospital. She remembered placing a call to Oliver after a week of deep thought and consideration and as promised had placed the call in the middle of the night.
“Hello”, he had picked her call immediately after the first ring and his voice sounded clear as day.
“Hi”, she answered “Michelle here”
“I knew you would call”
“How did you know I would call?”
“I had this feeling that you would”, Oliver replied cheekily.
“So does that mean you know the reason behind this phone call?” Michelle asked.
“I hope I do”
“Before we go into that can I just ask what you are still doing up?”
“I was getting some work done”
“Boy am I glad I am not married to you”
“How so?” Oliver asked confused.
“I would be competing with your work”, Michelle answered “Instead of you coming over to bed and giving me the much needed much deserved loving you would be wasting it all away at the front of a computer screen”
Oliver roared out with laughter but did not tell Michelle that he was cyber stalking her and was actually going through her face book page as they talked.
“I might actually make a very good husband you know? You do not know me all that well yet”
“And yet I want to carry your baby”
A silence befell them as Michelle said these words and Oliver could not help but acknowledge the warm feeling that had all of a sudden overwhelmed him.
“Are you sure about it?”
“Yes I am”, Michelle answered “Other than the fact that I need the money, I think it will be a thrilling experience”
The doctor walked into the room and brought Michelle’s thoughts back to earth.
“Michelle Evans”, she announced as she walked into the room with a wide smile on her face.
“Morning Doctor”
“Good morning my dear”, she answered as she moved closer to her “Aren’t you a pretty one, Oliver knows how to pick them”
From the doctor’s statement Michelle immediately concluded they were quiet close with Oliver.
“I take it the two of you know each other very well?”
“I have been Oliver’s doctor for the past ten years”, she announced ant took a seat opposite Michelle who was on the examination table “I at some point thought he was gay”
“Why would you think that?”
“That man works too much, hardly dates and his social life is almost always with his clients”
Michelle chuckled slightly as she saw the sense in the doctor’s words.
“I am Doctor Jane by the way”, she cut in “But you can call me Jane because from what I am told we would be dealing with each other a lot”
Michelle all of a sudden looked uncomfortable and gave the good doctor a brave smile.
“It is ok to be scared you know”, she said “I know this is not an easy thing to do”
I don’t know if I am doing the right thing”, Michelle said “Or for the right reasons”
“What does your gut tell you?”
“That I am on the right truck”
“Then follow your gut”, Dr. Jane answered.
She then leaned closer to her and took out a clipboard before looking up at her.
“I am going to ask you a few questions regarding your health; I will take a few blood samples and will call you with the results in a few weeks”
“Ok”
She took out a form and handed it to her before saying “The first part is basic information, name, age, gender sex, I would like you to fill that for me”
“Ok”, she answered and did as she had been instructed. The doctor had made her feel comfortable and all her doubts seemed to have sublimed into thin air.
“So now”, Dr. Jane started “We go to the most interesting part”
“Which is?”
“The sex of course”
“That is quite interesting” Michelle said with a slight giggle
“I would like to first know about the date of your menstrual cycle and if you were using any contraceptive in the past few months”
Michelle fidgeted with her sweaty palms as she looked up at Dr. Jane who waited for her to answer patiently.
“Ok I will be honest with you”, she started “I just broke up with my boyfriend of five years and I was suing the pill as a method of contraceptive”
“Ok” Dr. Jane nodded “How long ago was that?”
“About four months ago”
“Ok”.
She went on to scribble a few things on her notepad before looking up at Michelle
“Do you have any history of cancer or any other genetic diseases in your family?”
Michelle simmered on the question as she ran through her family tree and said “Actually my grandmother was diabetic”
“Ok”, Dr. Jane said and scribbled other things on the clip board. “Unless you have any questions for me, I will send you to the lab to draw out some blood”
“I actually do have a lot of questions”
“Shoot”
“How does this work?”
“You mean the surrogacy?”
“Yes”, Michelle answered “How does it work?”
“It usually happens to couples who cannot conceive on their own”, Dr. Jane started to explain “So they either choose a sperm donor and a woman who will donate her eggs and we place an embryo in the surrogates body to develop”
“So basically the surrogates provide a conducive environment for the embryo to grow?”
“Yes”, Dr. Jane answered.
“So how is it going to be in our case?”
“In your case, we will need a sperm donor”, she started to explain “Because we are going to use Oliver’s sperm”
“Ok”
“What we will do, we will get you artificially inseminated with the sperm when you are at the peak of ovulation in your cycle”
“Artificially inseminated Doc”, Michelle interrupted “You make me feel like healthy dairy cow”
Dr. Jane let out a giggle before nodding in Michelle’s direction.
“I know right?” She said “Tell me something though”
“Yes doc”
“Why don’t you do it the old fashion way?”
Michelle did not see the question coming and immediately her eyes landed on the floor while blushing at the same time.
“I will not lie to you”, Michelle answered “I have thought about it a couple of times. As a matter of fact I wanted to ask him that question because he just texted me a few minutes ago”
“So why didn’t you ask him?”
Michelle paused for a minute and thought of the question before looking at an expectant DR. Jane.
“I don’t know”, she started to explain “Oliver looks and sounds too serious with life, I don’t k now if you know what I mean, you may have gotten that vibe from him”
“I think I know what you mean?” Dr. Jane answered “But Oliver is like an onion he has been like that ever since I met him. Which brings me to my other pressing question?”
“Yes doc”
“What are the terms of your agreement with him?” She asked “Will you have any contact with the baby once the baby is born or you just happen to be the baby carrier?”
“Well”, Michelle replied and tilted her head slightly “From what I know, I am only going to fulfill the end of my contract and after that I will walk”
“So you will not have any contact with the baby, no communication of any kind?”
“No I will not”
“Won’t that bother you? Won’t you be at the very least curious?”
“I don’t know”, Michelle answered “But whatever the situation, I know I can walk away if I want to”
Dr. Jane looked at Michelle curiously before looking at her chart and deciding to reserve her comments.
“Ok, I have one more question for you”, she said without looking up from her chart “Have you ever been pregnant before?”
“I have only had pregnancy scares”, Michelle answered.
“So you are entering a totally green unknown zone?”
“Yes I am”, Michelle said with confidence in her voice.
“Ok”, Dr. Jane said and walked over to her computer that was on and typed a few things on it “I will now send you to the lab where you will leave a few samples and I will see you next week”
Dr. Jane started to walk out of the room but Michelle stopped her on her way out.
“Doctor”
“Yes Michelle”
“What about my concerns who is going to address that?”
“I am sorry Michelle; I am a bit confused by your question”
“I came here to get a clean bill of health before I get to carry Oliver’s baby” Michelle explained “What about my concerns about Oliver and his clean bill of health don’t I at the very least have the right to know about that?”
Dr. Jane did not see that question coming her way and was clearly impressed by it.
“That is a talk the two of you should have”, Dr. Jane said as she gave her all her attention “But from what you have just told me, if you are intending to walk after the contract time has lapsed then you shouldn’t worry much about his health”
Michelle watched as Doctor Jane walked out of the room and the truth in her words echoed in her mind. She looked around the room again and wondered if she was doing the right thing. She knew there was still time for her to back out and change her mind and decided to push the thought completely off her mind. A call came through for her that distracted her thoughts.
“Hey”, she said.
“How did it go at the doctor’s? What did Doctor Jane say?”
“I still need to get a few tests done”, Michelle answered “So please Oliver take a chill pill”
“I am sorry I am nervous”
“It’s ok”
“Do you maybe want to meet up later and talk?” Oliver suggested “Maybe meet my father?”
“That would be really nice”, Michelle said.
“Ok, I will send a car for you”, Oliver said before hanging up “Take good care of yourself in the meantime. Eat healthy, no drinking or abusing any other drug”
“Got you”
Michelle got to her feet and made her way to the lab with Oliver’s words ringing in her head. Doctor Jane was right, her gut was giving her the go ahead on this and she had a feeling it would take her on the wildest ride of her life.
*****
The grand hall was empty as Oliver walked along it and straight to his father’s office. The soft thud of his footsteps marched with his heart beat as he walked along the carpet. He got to the office door and knocked gently on it and waited for the invitation to go in.
“Come in son”
He walked in with caution and gauged the look on his face to try and know the mood that he was in before he took the seat opposite him.
“To what do I owe the pleasure son?”
“And good evening to you too”, Oliver answered as he crossed his leg on top of the other and wore a cheeky smile.
“I know there is something you want” his father pointed out before leaning closer to him and feeding him a stern look “You always grace me with your presence any time you want something”
James Andrews, Oliver’s father was a tall man with broad shoulders who commanded attention in every room he walked in. He was a wealthy man who was not in any way affectionate and had an answer to everything.
“You are right”, Oliver said “I want something”
“What?”
“I want you to join me for dinner today?”
“What is the occasion?”
“I invited a girl over”
James had clearly not expected his son to tell him that and he looked at him curiously. He leaned closer to him and looked him straight in the eye.
“What is the occasion?” he asked “You have never bothered to introduce me to any of your broads”
“This is not a simple broad”, Oliver corrected “This is the woman who will carry my baby”
“What do you mean carry your baby?” James asked shocked “How long have you known this woman? Are you planning on marrying her?”
“I am not planning on marrying her and I have not known her for so long”, Oliver answered “Funny story actually, I met her at the playground”
“Oliver you know I do not like pranks”
“I know that all too well”, Oliver answered as his mind thought back on when he was once a teenager and had tried playing a prank on his father during Halloween.
“So kindly explain to me what is the meaning of all this?”
“I first needed to let you and all the other members of the clan know that I have been listening to the many obvious hints you have thrown my way and I am making an effort to make everyone happy”