Hired as a Surrogate, Abandoned as a Single Mother

Chapter Four

Mike is with me at the hospital on the day of the insemination.

It's a big modern complex in the heart of town. Far beyond anything any of Evercare’s clients could ever afford.

One look at the hospital and Mike whispered to me that I needed to take Jessica's advice and charge more.

“If they can afford this kind of hospital, your increase in price will be like a drop in the bucket.”

I'm already working on it.

I had expected Juliette to also be present, but it's just Maureen. We sit in the waiting room for a long time before the doctor calls us in.

“Sorry for the long wait. The scientists took their sweet time fertilizing the egg,” the doctor tells us, while slipping on his gloves.

“Oh, so Juliette is here?” I ask, receiving the hospital gown from the nurse.

“We're using a donor egg,” Maureen answers.

I turn around in surprise. I hadn't known that. For some reason, that doesn't sit well with me.

“But the sperm…?”

“It's Mr. Rosswell. Dr. Clinton has been their fertility specialist for years now. So he has access to everything. He's the one who suggested they used a donor egg,” Maureen tells me.

I nod in understanding. It's really no concern of mine who owns what, but the fact that it isn't Juliette’s egg being used makes me edgy. I shake it off and focus on the procedure.

Three weeks later, after I wake up feeling feverish and throw up my lunch, Mike gets a stick for me to pee on.

The two lines that appear on it make me dance around my bathroom with joy before I call Maureen.

When she doesn't pick, I dial the number Juliette said I could always reach her with.

“Hello?” I hear her voice on the other end after three rings.

“Hi, Juliette. It's Vanessa. You said I could…”

“Hold on a sec,” she whispers, cutting me short.

I hear the sound of sheets rustling and movement before her voice comes on again. It's past noon. I don't imagine she could still be in bed by this hour. But then again, I guess when you're as rich as the Rosswells, you sleep and wake when you want.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything is going perfectly,” I assure her, grinning. “In fact, I wanted to give you good news. I'm pregnant.”

“Mm-hmm, okay,” she simply says.

My grin falters at her lack of enthusiasm.

“Is everything okay, Juliette?”

There's silence for a bit. And then I hear sniffles. My breath catches in my throat. I didn't expect this reaction. I thought she'd be happy the procedure was successful and in ten months, she'd be a mother.

“I know it's not your egg and I know you feel you're doing this for your husband and there's nothing in it for you,” I start to say, trying to encourage her. “But I want you to know that being a mother is very different from being a parent. I may be this baby's birth mother, but you'll be the parent. And I have no doubt you'll be the best mother in the world.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Vanessa. Sorry to turn you into a therapist,” she laughs.

“It's okay. It's the least I could do.”

“Congratulations. And thank you.”

“Oh, there's more,” I say quickly before she hangs up. “I wanted to know if I could get some of my pay. You said I was entitled to some other perks apart from my net pay.”

“Hmm,” Juliette chuckles, which makes me frown. “Maureen told me you asked to bump up your pay?”

I swallow and move to sit on my couch.

“Yes, I did. I'm sorry. I was too starstruck the day we met to negotiate properly. You know pregnancy is a lot of…”

“You don't have to explain anything, Vanessa. It's not easy, what you're doing for me. I'll pay any amount you think is fair.”

I exhale in relief.

“However, that's all I have to offer. The agency will handle your hospital visits and other things that you need. You'll get half of the one million dollars once you're six months gone and the other half upon delivery.”

Mike comes out from the room at the same time that I jump up from the couch in surprise. He sees I'm on the phone and comes closer, hands folded against his chest.

“A million?” I voice out to be sure I heard correctly.

Mike's eyes grow wide too.

“Still not suitable?” Juliette asks.

“No, that's perfect. Thank you so much.”

“Alright then. Glad that's settled and we've come to a mutual agreement. Have a nice day, Vanessa. Please take care of yourself.”

“I sure will. And you too, Juliette.”

“Oh, and Vanessa?” Juliette continues. “In the future, please direct all your calls to Maureen, okay? She'll relay whatever information you have for me to me.”

I raise my brows at that and the unsettling feeling I had in the hospital comes back again.

“Okay, I will,” I say before she hangs up.

And even as Mike and I squeal in excitement after the call ends about the huge bump in the pay, I'm still not settled.

I can't help but think that something’s about to go terribly wrong.