DETECTIVE SANDERS' SURROGATE

CHAPTER 4

WILLIAM'S POV

"Sir." I called out immediately after picking up the call from my superior.

"It's a good thing your mother reached out to me, Officer Sanders. You should have let us know about the current situation at hand." He reprimanded.

"I'm sorry, Chief. I thought my leave period was gonna be enough to sort out my issues."

"Little did you know it was only going to get worse." He sighed deeply at the other end of the line. "Why?" He asked, making me confused.

"Why what?"

"Why don't you let me be of help like I want to?" He replied, and I couldn't help the long sigh that escaped me. The man was always like this.

"Sir....." I was still talking when he cut me off.

"Officer Sanders, from this moment, I am not talking with you as your superior, but as your uncle. So William, what is the problem between us? It was never this way."

"I know....I know. I just.... I just didn't want it to seem like I was getting so much favours because my uncle is in charge. If you weren't there, I would have definitely managed my way through it all." I muttered. The man honestly didn't know how much I missed him, but ever since.... ever since that accident, a lot had changed about me. It had to.

"But I'm here. I'm here William." He insisted. "Before your father died, I had promised to always be there for you and that hasn't changed. I have an obligation to ensure you are safe, family or not. I know the incident surrounding your father's death has changed your life forever, but don't let it affect you negatively."

"How else could it possibly affect me? How else? He was the only reason I had....." I paused my statement, feeling too sad to recall such a painful incident. "Let's just forget about it, uncle. Why did you call? Because I'm quite sure you didn't call to relieve these ugly memories with me."

"Of course not." He said, kissing his teeth. "I called because I needed to let you know that you would be off duty until you are well again to return...." He trailed off, making me realize he had more things he probably wanted to say.

"And....?" I urged, making him chuckle at the other end of the line.

"And to know if I can come visit. It's been a while." There was an uncomfortable silence between us for a moment, after which I broke it.

"Fine."

"Oh, wonderful!" I could tell he was grinning. "You should see me in a few minutes." He informed, making me suprised.

"A few minutes...." I was still talking when he hung up the call. If he said a few minutes, then..... Did that mean he was already close by? It wasn't up to 3 minutes I asked myself that question, and the door to my room opened, revealing none other than uncle George. "Uncle George!" I called. In all honesty, that was all I could manage as I had no idea on how or where to start up a conversation.

Taking a closer look at the man, I realized I had missed him so much even if it was just a year we had been apart. Sadly, that was my own making. We both looked at each other in silence, as my ever bold uncle looked down at his feet as he shuffled them in what seemed like anxiety. uncle George was anxious? Well, that's a first.

"I was already at the hospital when I called. I hoped you would allow me see you if I asked." He finally spoke, still looking down at his shoes. I was quite surprised to know he was already in the hospital even before he called. I didn't know why, but it made me feel good.

"You should sit down." I suggested, pointing my hand to the pair of seats just by my bedside. Slowly, he made his way to the seat and sat down as another bout of silence ensued. After a long while, he spoke eventually.

"So what's the current situation of things? What does the doctor say?"

"You're asking like mom hasn't filled you in on all the details already."

"Actually, we both haven't spoken so much in a while, as well." He muttered, and I suddenly felt so sad. It wasn't his fault in any way, but we had all kept our distance from him. "She was quite vague when we talked. Said your illness had gotten much worse. William, what exactly is wrong with you?" He asked in all seriousness. I debated within myself, if I should let him know the actual situation at hand, or not. I was tired of keeping the man away and worse still, he was my favorite person. I finally decided it was right to let him know the truth.

"Uncle George, I'm.... I was diagnosed with cancer 8 months ago." I finally let out, blowing out the hot air from my mouth as well.

I gauged the man's reaction and he was far from looking alright. He seemed like he was going to pass out any moment from now, making me quickly give him the details to put his heart at rest. "It's not so serious, it's just...."

"It's not so serious?!" He cut in aggressively, as he stood from where he was seated and began pacing about the length of the room. "I can't believe you and Ashley could keep something as grave as this away from me! I have done nothing wrong but try to be there for you both at all times, and the best you can do is keep away the fact that you're dying?"

"I'm not dying!" I yelled in frustration, with my hand on my forehead. "I'm not dying." I repeated much calmly. He also seemed to be calmer as he slowly made his way back to the seat and sat down.

"Your sisters had been the only ones who had remained in touch with me but still, none of them said a word about this to me."

"And that's because they had, and still have no idea." I said, and he quickly looked up at me in shock. "Even mom had no idea either, she only found out some weeks back."

"William...." He let out in a shaky voice. "What have you turned into? Here I was, thinking you had pushed me away. Little did I know that it wasn't just me, but your entire family."

"Uncle, you're overreacting." I started, but he was quick to interject.

"I'm not overreacting! I'm not. Nothing can justify the reason behind your silence. Don't you think about us as well? Do you think we'll be all smiles losing you just after we had lost Connor?"

"Dad didn't die from cancer, he wasn't even ill to start with." I countered. "And stop it already... You sound just like mom when she found out."

"I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who finds your behavior wrong."

"Fine." I sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry. I really am. But you have to calm down, I'm not dying anytime soon."

"I wouldn't even let you." He gritted, making me let out a small smile.

"The situation isn't as serious as it sounds."

"That wasn't what your mother had said." He countered, making me smile yet again. How could I really have had the heart to keep this dotting man away, all these while? I loved how he had made me smile so much in the past ten minutes, more than I had done in the past ten days.

"There is actually a remedy." I informed, instantly grabbing his attention. "You see, what I'm suffering from is prostate cancer. Once a procedure is carried out and my entire prostate gland is removed, I would be back as new."

"William!" He exclaimed in complete horror. "Do you know the gravity of what you have just said to me?"

"Of course, I do. I know I may not be able to have a child of my own."

"That's not all of it my boy. Didn't your doctor give a detailed breakdown of these things?" He asked in exasperation. "Look, you'll probably be able to resume s****l activity after recuperating from surgery. After simple prostatectomy, you can still have an orgasm during s*x, but you'll ejaculate very little or no semen. You talk so lightly concerning your probability of having a child, and it disturbs me so much. Also, you should know that after radical prostatectomy, full recovery of erectile function may take as long as 18 months for some men. It means...." He paused giving me that look.

"I can certainly manage without s*x for as long as it requires or takes for me to recover, that's not a problem. And of course, I'm worried. I definitely want to have a child of my own, and I have made plans for that already. Why do you think I haven't carried out the surgical procedure already?"

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, that's because I've been searching for a surrogate."

"A surrogate?!"

"Yes, a surrogate. You know quite well that I'm not married and I'm far from being. How exactly can I have a child if I don't have a partner yet? I can't risk not having a child at all. I know how difficult it would be to convince a lady to marry me, especially if she finds out I may have difficulties in reproducing, or I might even be impotent. For the past month, we have been searching for a surrogate mother to carry a child for me."

"Ohhh.... I see" He flicked his beards gently, as he looked deep in thoughts. "By searching, you mean you still haven't found one?" He asked, and I nodded frantically.

"No, don't be anxious now." He softly encouraged. "Surrogates are not so hard to find these days, so what's the challenge?"

"We actually came across quite a number of surrogates, but the conditions of the services we need them to offer are not so favorable." I replied, scratching my jaw.

"By conditions, you mean?"

"You know I don't just need a woman to carry my child right?"

"What else do you possibly need?" He asked in confusion.

"I need her eggs as well."

"Ohhhh...." He trailed off, as understanding came upon him. "I see." He nodded agreeably. "But they could still be someone who could bend the rules a little, you know?"

"Uncle, I'm very sure you've heard of surrogates who find it difficult to let go of a child after birthing it, talk more about a surrogate who has to sell her biological child to a random man? Uncle, that's crazy." I let out a nervous chuckle. It was quite funny and not funny at the same time. What was I actually gonna do if I didn't find a surrogate that would agree to my terms?

"Then you should just get married, William." Uncle George suggested, and I couldn't help the look I had on my face. "That's the only logical option left!" He shrugged in defense. Actually, that was. But it just wasn't for me. I wasn't .... I couldn't even think of marriage at this point in time, my life was a mess all round.

"William!" I jolted when he called my name so loudly. "We are in the middle of a serious discussion and you're fazing out?"

"Uncle George..." I paused. "Strike out marriage from the options. It can't be me."

"Why can't it be you? Because you think you're too messed up to get married right now?" Ohhh, this man understood me really well.

"Exactly!"

"Then if you think you aren't ready for marriage, you should also know you aren't ready for parenting. You can't even stand the thought of having another adult in your space, and you think you can comfortably take care of a child? That's very funny."

"No, it's not! I just don't have a choice."

"Same way getting married isn't an option. It's your ONLY option. Which woman do you think would be okay giving her child away to you, and for what amount of money?"

"There are people with hardened hearts out there. They'd do whatever for money." I shrugged.

"And that's the kind of mother you want for your child? Someone with such character traits? I'm sure you know that this person isn't just an incubator for your child, her genes would tell on your child as well." Ahhh! The man just had to be so smart. I wondered how I hadn't thought about this all the while. This was probably the case when someone found themselves in a dreary situation. They lacked sense of reasoning.

"Fine, you're right." I surrendered. "But what do I do now? Marriage is honestly not an option for me."

"You're right. It's not an option, it's the ONLY option." At hearing those words again, my head fell in defeat. I knew I had no choice and I really hated the situation I found myself. If at all I was gonna heed his advice, who would I marry? I had no ex, as I had never been in any relationship, because I was living my life, fully dedicated to pleasing a man who died on me without even looking back. I thought of Serena but she would turn me down without batting a lash. Who else?.........

"Candice." Uncle George said. "What about Candice?"

"You can't possibly be serious." I glared. I couldn't help it. The man was practically asking me to marry the girl whom my late father had wanted me to marry at all cost. I guess that was the only thing my father had ever asked of me, that I hadn't done, making us have quite a rift before he passed away.

"I know how you feel about her but....." He was still talking when I cut him off.

"But I can't marry her. If I didn't marry her when Dad was alive, what makes you think I would now?"

"Because she's practically the only woman you know, who would kill to have you." He stated matter of factly.

"Well, I wouldn't kill to have her, and I don't want her. I can't live the rest of my life tied down to a woman I don't love because I need a child. I still believe there is hope, and a miracle would arrive soon." I really did hope I was right. Uncle George sighed, and was about speaking when the door creaked open and mom walked in.

"Mom? You didn't tell me you were coming." I said to my mother who had her attention fixed on someone else.

"George?" Mom called out, looking quite suprised to see he was here.

"'Good morning Ashley. We have a lot to discuss, but for now, welcome." He threw a glare at mom who snickered as she walked towards me. They were always like that, never saw eye to eye on things, but still loved each other nonetheless.

"I came because I have news for you." She beamed.

"What is it, mom?" I let my curiosity take over, as I sat up on my bed.

"Dr. Presley called this morning. It seems to be that he had been trying to find a solution to our problem the past 3 weeks."

"How do you mean?" I asked, noticing from my peripheral view, how uncle George adjusted his position on his seat.

"So, he actually found a lady who could be a surrogate for us. It's quite complicated because she was really reluctant at first, after realizing part of the agreement was for her to donate her eggs, which would make the child biologically hers."

"So what changed?" Uncle George asked.

"I'm getting there!" Mom scoffed in annoyance, making me chuckle lightly. "It turns out she has a little sister who was also admitted into this hospital. Her sister suffers from cancer and she has no money to pay for her chemotherapy courses. The summary is that she has finally agreed to do it. She has agreed to be your surrogate and donate her eggs as well." Mom jumped in joy. I looked at her in pure shock as what she said was hard for me to believe.

"Mom are you being serious right now?!"

"Never have I been more serious." She grinned, making me almost jump in joy, if not for the dull pain at my lower back that made me lay back just immediately.

"Heyyyy.... easy there." Uncle George quickly made for me, as he softly chastised.

"I'm okay." I gave a tight smile that definitely showed that I wasn't.

"Ashley, this is great news." He grinned at mom. "So when do we get to meet the lady?"

"Yes, it's great news indeed, though I feel a little sad for the girl. She doesn't have a choice because she is willing to do anything to save her sister's life. Dr. Presley really felt sad convincing her into doing this."

"Well," I started. "Let's see this as killing two birds with one stone. The money we are going to pay her would be more than enough to help foot her sister's medical bills and still serve them for a while. On the other hand, I would have a child of mine without the stress of searching for a wife." I said the last part, giving my uncle a pointed look. "Meanwhile mom, just like uncle George asked, when do we get to meet the lady in question?"

"Oh?" She turned to me. "Dr. Presley had told me she was in the hospital when I called. That was part of the reasons I rushed down here as soon as I could. I would just put a call across to him." She nodded, opening her handbag and searching through it for her phone. She quickly fished it out and called him. After informing him she was around, she hung up and we waited patiently for him to come.

Not up to 10 minutes later, a knock came on the door and mom hurriedly went to get it. After opening the door, she turned and made her way back to me, as Dr. Presley and someone else made their way in. I looked at the lady and she seemed to have cried a river some moments ago. Her eyes were so swollen and her nose was red, but then, she was beautiful. I just couldn't ignore that fact. Did I already feel sad for allegedly persuading this lady into do something she clearly wasn't fine with? Yes. But on a brighter side, my unborn child was going to be a great beauty.

"Good morning." Dr. Presley greeted with a sombre look, making that feeling of sympathy pass through my mind again, as I spared a quick glance at the lady. Mom flashed me an excited smile, before turning to return Dr. Presley's greeting. I had been expecting a whole lot of things, but not the reaction she gave.

"You?" Mom said in a low octave, with wide eyes, which were focused on none other than the lady.