DETECTIVE SANDERS' SURROGATE

CHAPTER 5

LANA'S POV

It had been three weeks since I last visited the hospital, and I hadn't stopped feeling guilty for not going to see Maisie for such a long time. But then, I was battling with my inner self. I knew the offer was wrong on every side, but my sister was dying. I felt really hopeless and helpless, but most especially, I felt alone. Stephanie had been really unavailable these past few days, making it impossible for me to relate my thoughts and feelings to anyone. Just as I was thinking, I heard a knock on the door. I reluctantly stood up from the couch, not ready to see anyone at the moment, but still went ahead to see who it was nonetheless. On getting to the door, I opened and and was greeted my none other than my bestfriend whom I so much craved her presence.

"Stephanie." I muttered weakly, with slumped shoulders.

"Baby girl." She whispered, giving that puppy dog eyes which showed sympathy. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me my look reflected my current situation. "Baby." She called again and at that moment, I felt the tears finally falling down my cheeks. She panicked at seeing my crying state and quickly made her way in. "My love, come here." She pulled me to the nearest couch, where she assisted me in sitting, before joining and pulling me into her warm embrace. "Oh my dear, I'm so sorry I've been away. A lot is going on right now, but I should have considered you as well." At hearing her statement, I pulled away and looked at her. What did she mean when she had said a lot was going on? Did something bad happen during my absence. Oh yes, absence. I forgot to say that I got relieved from my job, for being absentminded and grumpy to the customers.

Barbara had tried her best to avoid me getting sacked, but the proprietor was having none of it. Now I was jobless, broke, and at the risk of losing my only sister and family.

"Steph? Is anything wrong? What's been happening that had kept you so busy?" I asked, and she looked up at me with a half smile. She looked nervous as well, but why? "Come on, tell me. What is it?" I urged.

"I hadn't wanted you to find out this way, but I've been working two jobs."

"But why?" I asked in confusion, and she sighed.

"Because it's needed."

"How? Why is it needed? I thought the pay from the diner was decent enough?"

"That's for someone who isn't ready to build a family yet." She muttered, avoiding eye contact. What did she just say?

"Steph, what did you just say?" I slowly asked, as my head began putting things together. If it was what I was thinking, then... "Steph! Derek proposed right?" With another heavy sigh and sad look, she nodded.

"Lana, I didn't wish for you to know about it this way, or in this period of...."

"Period of what?" I interjected. "You weren't planning on letting me know? Because you thought....." I paused, finally understanding it all. "You thought I was gonna feel sad?" I looked at her in disbelief.

"Lana, it's not as you think." She quickly denied, shaking her head. "The thing is, you are going through a lot right now, and I should share in your pain as well. I feel sad and guilty for being happy and planning a wedding, while you are running around and looking for a solution to Maisie's condition." She rushed out.

"Steph!" I whisper yelled, and I couldn't help but shake my head. "This is a good news. I would be a bad friend to not be happy for you, no matter what situation I find myself. Congratulations Stephanie." I fell into her embrace once more. "I'm happy for you." I whispered into her bosom, before pulling away. "So what are the plans like?" I enquired, and she gave a scoff.

"The plan is to know how things are going with Maisie." She let out, making me give her a pointed look. "We can always talk about Derek and I some other time. I rushed down here because I was worried about Maisie and yourself." She reasoned. "So give me the details already." She demanded.

"Fine." I nodded. "Stephanie, I stumbled upon an opportunity that could give me all the money I need to sponsor Maisie's chemotherapy and more." I let it all out, deciding to let her know about everything.

"What?!" She exclaimed in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're about to start pushing drugs, Lana!" Oh my! This really showed how much Steph and I, had in common. This was the same reaction I had given Dr. Presley when he told me about it.

"It's not that." I pouted. "You should know me better."

"I do know you, darling. I do. But this is..... this is shocking. Tell me, what opportunity is this you're talking of?"

"Dr. Presley had informed me about it, but I'm not really considering it though..." I trailed off, imagining what her reaction would be like, at hearing what I had to say.

"Just spill! I'm all ears." She insisted.

"I was offered to be a surrogate mother to the child of a man suffering from prostate cancer."

"What?!" She yelled, standing up on her feet, probably in shock. "What did you just say? A surrogate?" She asked, and I nodded slowly, making her give me a squared look. "Oh lord! Don't tell me you accepted such a ridiculous offer." I couldn't wipe the guilty look off my face and she screamed. "Oh my goodness! You did. You did, Lana." She accused.

"Well, at first, I did. But then, I changed my mind."

"What do you mean?"

"At first..." I began, releasing a tired sigh. "I had thought it was just being an incubator for the child for 9 months, so I agreed to it."

"So what changed?" She asked.

"What changed was when I found out the complete service that was requested of me. The man is unmarried and doesn't have a wife to donate her ova, so...."

"Hold it!" She put her hands up in my face, signaling me to stop talking, probably having figured out the rest. "There is no way in hell that you are selling your own child! I wouldn't let you do that." She fumed in annoyance. "I can't believe Dr. Presley actually put you up to this." She put her hand against her forehead in exasperation.

"Calm down, Steph. The man was only trying to help." I muttered.

"By having you save your sister's life at the expense of your child? Do you know the gravity of such a request? This is no usual surrogacy service girl! You practically want to give away your own child? Even though you see it as just surrogacy, you would live to regret this decision. When your child grows, he or she would definitely find out their biological mother had sold them. How would you feel living, and knowing you have a child somewhere, who doesn't know...."

"That's enough!" I cried out, with my hands blocking my ears. "Enough." I repeated as more tears flowed down my cheeks. "Who said I was going to take up the offer anyways?" I asked between sniffles, after taking my hands out of my ears.

"Well, you look to me like you were considering it." She mumbled. I went silent for some seconds, before replying her.

"I wouldn't lie if I say the offer isn't tempting. You should know that on a normal day, such offer wouldn't even be tempting. Having to undergo a lot of emotional, physical, hormonal and an actual life changing experience, isn't what I would have wanted to do just anyhow. You of all people should know how much I've dreamed and prayed to find a man who really loves me, and values me. A man who I would have no double thoughts about being pregnant with his child. I never planned it this way! Being at the mercy of a complete stranger, and having to get pregnant with his child just because I need the money. You know how much Maisie means to me, Stephanie. I can't afford to loose her. I'm in this situation they describe as being between the devil and the deep blue sea. I have two options, but both are not favourable. It is either I reject this offer, and look for another job which can only provide a meager income for me. Or, I take up this opportunity which would be so detrimental to me in future. What do I do, Steph?" I sniffled.

"Lana, I think you should just...." She was still talking when my phone buzzed, showing Dr. Presley's ID. I didn't know why, but I wasn't alarmed like I used to be, probably because I felt that he was calling for obvious reasons. The matter in which I was presently discussing with Stephanie.

"A minute please." I excused myself and answered the call. Little did I know that I was about to receive an alarming news after all. With a swift move, I stood to my feet and ran into my room, with Stephanie following behind.

"Lana! What's going on? What's the matter?" She kept yelling after me, but I couldn't find it in me to respond. After I had successfully worn my clothes, I looked up at Lana with teary eyes and let her know the current situation at hand.

"Maisie just had another breakdown. She slipped into a coma."

"No no no!" She gasped, pulling me up and leading the way out of my house. I wasn't even sure I got to securely lock the door before leaving. On getting into the hospital premises, I made my way straight to Maisie's room to see Dr. Presley and a few other doctors, trying to keep her stabilized.

"You cannot be here ma." The voice of a nurse dulled out in my head, as I lost all my senses of consciousness. I could feel some hands pulling me out of Maisie's room, as Dr. Presley continued with whatever he was administering to her. For some long minutes, I sat in the familiar office, waiting for Dr. Presley to arrive. I looked to my side and saw an equally worried Stephanie pacing up and down the length of the room. The door finally opened and he walked in.

"Doctor!" I yelled out in fear. "Please.... please how is she?" I asked, not able to hold my tears back in.

He looked at me, shaking his head slightly, and my heart did a thump in my chest.

"Wh..what is it?" Steph stuttered.

"Maisie is in a very terrible condition, Lana. At this rate...." He paused, looking at us both. He didn't have to complete the statement, we very well knew what he was talking about. "We might lose her sooner than we think." I felt cold shivers run down my spine at hearing that statement, and I didn't even know when I said the next thing I said.

"I would do it! The surrogacy. I would donate my eggs. Please, just don't let my sister die on me. She's all I have." I feel to my knees as I pleaded with him. He pulled his glasses and assisted me up to my feet.

"I'm so sorry it had to come to this, Lana. You know I would have been of assistance if I could, but I'm...."

"I understand." I cut in, raising both hands up. "I understand. Just call them already and let them know I'm ready. The earlier the better." I pleaded, with eyes aching from tears, and hands shaking in fear.

"Okay." He breathed deeply. "Excuse me for a moment." He said, and walked out of the office, leaving Stephanie and myself alone. The moment we were sure he had left, Stephanie ran to me.

"Lana! What did you just do?"

"How can you ask me such a question? Didn't you see all that had happened this past hour? Didn't you see how much pain she was going through even if she was unconscious? Didn't you see the number of machines connected to that poor girl's body?"

"I know, I did." She muttered, looking down. "But Lana..."

"I've made my decision. I would save my sister now, she still has a lot of life ahead of her. And then, I would birth a beautiful child into this world. I would worry about the consequences later." I was sure the tone of finality in my voice was more than enough for her to give it up. And she did. After some minutes, Dr. Presley returned to the office and informed us that the mother of the man was going to arrive soon, and then, we were going to see them and talk through our plans for the agreement. We waited for about 20 minutes, but it felt like a whole day. When Dr. Presley received a call, letting him know that the woman had arrived the hospital already, we all made our way to the room where they were.

Walking down the hallway to the room, my heart started to beat wildly in my chest, making me ask myself if I was really sure I wanted to go through with this. I had the opportunity to still turn my back and walk away, but at the cost of what? I took a deep breathe and with a shaky resolve, I continued my way to the room, behind Dr. Presley who led Stephanie and I. At that moment, I felt Stephanie's hand slid into mine, as she squeezed it supportively. In all honesty, that did the magic. On getting to a particular door, Dr. Presley halted in front of it, making us know that was the room we were headed. Squeezing my hand one last time, Stephanie pulled away and sat on the long waiting chair that was just outside the room, relaxing against the walls of the ward.

I looked around the ward and noticed that this was the regular kind of ward. This ward looked more polished, serene, and less congested. Looking at the wide door that we had come in through, I saw the words boldly written on it. 'VIP'. That explained it all. These people were very wealthy, and that was the only reason why they'd offer to pay me as much as they had. But then again, nothing could really equate to the life of my child.

"I would wait here for you." She said, making me shake my head slightly. "No, Lana." She shook her head as well. "You should handle this on your own. I would be right here waiting for you until you're done. I promise. I don't just want it to seem like an invasion of privacy. These people are expecting a potential surrogate, not the surrogate and a random friend."

"Fine." I sighed, before signaling Dr. Presley to go ahead. He gently knocked on the door and waited for a while. After a few seconds, the door was opened from inside. We both walked in, but weren't quick enough to see the woman who had just opened the door, because she had turned back and was headed towards the bedside. I looked at the bed to see a huge looking, but weak man laying on the bed. He slowly glanced at me and pulled his eyes away after some seconds. The woman seemed to have been communicating with him, who tilted his head slightly. Finally, she turned her face to us and I could swear that I almost yelled in shock, but she beat me to it.

"You?"