Hired as a Surrogate, Abandoned as a Single Mother

Chapter Two

"Did I miss a birthday?" I hear Mike from the kitchen later that evening.

With the money Juliette gave me, I was able to clear our rent debt for last month, put a deposit for this month and get some groceries to make dinner with.

My boyfriend, Mike and I had been surviving on takeout since he lost our life's savings in an investment gone wrong.

"No, you didn't. If you ever do, I wouldn't be cooking something delicious for you. You'd meet your load at the front door," I reply when he comes into the kitchen.

"Hey baby," he greets me, slipping his hands around my waist and kissing the back of my neck.

"How was your day? Any luck today?"

He sighs, letting me go almost as quickly as he held me.

"I got a 'come back tomorrow and we can see what we'll find' at a car wash a few blocks from here. It's not exactly what I want, but hey, at least I still get to touch cars."

"Hey, that's great," I smile at him. "I know that car wash. It's always packed full. If you play your cards right, someone could put in a good word for you and who knows? You could..."

"Nessa, it's okay," he cuts in, sounding bored. "Let's just live day-by-day for now. You're always thinking months and years in advance and that's why we're in this mess now."

"Oh, I'm the reason we're in this mess?" I scoff. "You know what? I don't even want to get upset right now. So let's just eat. I've had a long day myself."

Mike seems to agree too, because he starts bringing out plates from cabinet for me to serve the spaghetti on.

Less than ten minutes later, we're both seated on our couch in front of an old model TV that still shows images in black and white, with hot food.

"Don't turn on the TV. There's something I need to tell you," I tell him as he reaches for the remote.

"Okay?"

I inhale deeply and direct my gaze to his face. "I went to see Maureen today."

"Evercare? Is she owing you anything from last time?"

"No," I shake my head. "But she had been calling. For almost a month now. There was a client who requested me."

His brows shoot up in surprise. "Really?"

"I was surprised myself. And you can say I went there to kind of convince myself that she wasn't trying to tease me."

Mike stands with his food. "Don't tell me what it is I think you're about to tell me."

I rise too. "I met with the client and she wants me to have her baby..."

"Vanessa..."

"I'm not done talking. Calm down. I'm getting to the good part," I hold up a finger to shush him. "Five hundred thousand dollars, Mike."

Sure enough, he grows quiet for more than a minute.

"Upfront?" He finally asks.

"Of course, it will be the usual half before and then the rest later after delivery. But all of it will be mine. She's going to pay Evercare separately."

"I dunno, babe. This sounds a bit too good to be true."

"Well, it's true. She can afford it. You should have seen the lady. She looked like she was an angel. Trust me, she's got the cash. And Maureen wouldn't bring me in if she didn't think so. How do you think I got the money for dinner? I texted you when my card was declined at the store."

Mike looks down at his food and then back at me in realization.

"She gave me a thousand just for agreeing to cr see her. Because Maureen had let her know that I wasn't in the business anymore after she chose me."

"Wow," Mike finally says, blinking and moving his head slowly in astonishment.

That makes me grin because that was the reaction I was aiming for.

"I'm resigning from the diner tomorrow because she wants the insemination to be done by next week."

"Hold on, next week?" Mike blurted out, his awe replaced by confusion. "That soon? Doesn't it usually take at least a month for all the paperwork to go through?"

I shrug. "Maureen can fast track things for her, you know. She wants the baby growing before her husband's birthday. I'm guessing she's throwing like a party and his gift would probably be a photo of the ultrasound. Something like that."

My plate is burning my hand at this point, so I head to the kitchen so I can keep it on the counter. Mike follows me.

"Does that mean you have to resign? We need every penny we can get right now, Vanessa."

"And i got a thousand 'pennies' today, didn't I?" I sigh. "The last time I did this, I was so stressed that my blood pressure went above the roof. I could have died."

"Which is why I'm surprised you're doing it again. I mean, the money sounds good, but..."

"But what, Mike? I'm going to have your baby someday, won't I? Are you going to pay me for it?" I cut in, placing my hands on my hips.

I'd known the conversation with him wouldn't go down easy. But I had thought once he heard how much Juliette was paying, he'd be on board quickly.

"Really?" He scoffs.

"I could have been one and done with Evercare. But you just had to invest all the money I made from my first pay as a surrogate into an investment with your dumb brother," I continue. "Now, we're in debt. We literally had to sell our coffee table so we could have enough money to buy gas and drive to look for work. Don't forget that."

"Wow. So that's your play? You're forgetting you're the one Gary told about that investment and then you came to tell me you thought it was a good idea."

"Well, I thought he was a good financial consultant at first. Like you claimed he was! How was I supposed to know he was a freaking felon and you were too ashamed to admit it?"

Mike drops his plate of food on the counter and turns to leave.

"I'm not doing this with you tonight."

I follow him, exhaling. "Mike. Okay, I'm sorry. Just hear me out. This is the last time, okay?"

But he doesn't stop moving. He grabs his car key from where we hang it in the living room and then his jacket from the couch.

"We have dreams, Mike. I still want to go to college. I'm sorry if I thought doubling the first pay so I wouldn't have to work while in college turned out bad. But this will be different. You're going to get a job by tomorrow. I'll carry the baby and once I get paid, things would be easier and better."

"For who?" Mike asks, turning to face me. "Us? Or you? Because you only ever seem to be planning for yourself everytime. You want to go to college. You want to open a business. And you plan to do all that by renting your womb? Is this going to go on even after we get married?"

I stare into his eyes, my lips pursed. But it's itching me to reply him.

"If you were half as ambitious as I am, you would be grateful that I'm even willing to do this," I spit out.

That's the last nail in the coffin. Mike jerks backward, his eyes still on me, before turning around and walking out the front door, slamming it shut.

I sink onto the couch, my head in my hands and let out a groan. There goes my romantic dinner plans.