by Layla Silver
The table was a good storage place for now, and I promised myself that I would try again later as I picked up my phone instead. I switched on the television and set the volume low enough to allow me to concentrate on some job listings while providing just enough background noise to keep me going.
As usual, nothing on the listings was good enough. Especially for someone like me without any impressive qualifications. There were the obvious ones like waiting tables, dog walking, and housekeeping. Then a lot of temporary positions that were similar to the jobs I had now. After several more minutes of disappointment, I finally gave up and replaced my phone with the remote beside me.
"In other news, we are saying hello to more celebrity tiny tots, and it's a battle of the cutest as magazines try to get photos for their next issues," one of the presenters was saying as I raised the volume to some celebrity news show that was on.
"You are right, Rick, it is going to be an interesting week ahead of us, and we can't wait to see the first pictures of these newest celebrities in town," Rick's co-presenter added with a smile.
"Sources say Hailey Starr also welcomed twins this afternoon at a private hospital," Rick said with another smile that I was sure warmed many ladies hearts.
Just not mine because I liked my men tall, dark and lean. Not that I had vast experience in dating, but a girl could fantasize. The wavy blonde hairdo that presenter Rick had did nothing for me except to remind me of a shampoo commercial.
"Hmm, that Hailey sure likes to keep us on our toes. She was here last week and never mentioned anything about twins!"
The presenters both smiled as a picture of Hailey Starr was shown in the background.
"Sources say the babies, as well as the surrogate, are doing well. And while Hailey has been open about her struggle with IVF and her final decision to use a surrogate, her husband has refused to give any other information about the birth, or the sex of the children."
"For now," Rick added with a smirk.
"In other baby news, Layla Rose is reportedly looking into adoption from an African country..."
The presenter's voice became a distant noise as my mind wandered. Being a surrogate for a celebrity had to pay a lot, enough to get me started in med school. I could use that kind of money, and it seemed like an easy enough job. But I knew better; there was a lot involved in the process, and I wondered if I could really do something like that. It would take a physical and emotional sacrifice, the likes of which I had no experience with.
Could I really offer my body up for months like that, knowing I was carrying someone else's child?
"April!"
My dad's voice startled me, and I dropped the remote.
"Dad?"
"You should probably get started on dinner since you'll need about two or three tries."
My mouth hung open as I heard my father laughing from his room. He really was in a good mood today, even though it was at my expense. I smiled and shook my head as I made my way to the kitchen. Despite having a full fridge of ingredients, I opted to make a simple salad to go with some leftovers from the night before. I tried to avoid cooking as much as I could, and today was no exception.
My father didn't complain when he finally joined me for the simple dinner, and we ate together in comfortable silence.
"So, I've been thinking of starting a new business," dad spoke up, breaking the silence.
I remained quiet and waited for him to explain because I didn't know where this was coming from. He had never said anything about starting a business before.
My dad cleared his throat, looking a bit nervous. "I just think... I feel it is time I take control of my life again. I know I haven't been the best dad..."
"You are amazing, dad," I quickly said, hoping he heard the sincerity in my voice.
Sure, life had dealt us a bad hand when we had lost mom, but my dad was still an amazing father. Something he always had been and never stopped being for even a second.
"Well, I still need to fix a few things around here. And I have a few ideas, so I just need to get that ball rolling."
I nodded and asked, "What did you have in mind?"
"You remember my friend Julian? I think we might be able to work on something together."
The room temperature felt like it had risen by several degrees, and I resisted the urge to fan myself. There was only one Julian whom my father was friends with, and he was one of the most attractive men I had ever seen. It wasn't fair for one person to be that good looking, confident and successful. But Julian was all three, and I'd had the biggest crush on him for as long as I could remember.
Which was hopeless and pathetic since he was so much older and would never consider me even on my best day. He obviously had more sophisticated and mature women catching his attention, and would never know that I existed.
"It will be a lot of hard work, but I'm prepared to put in the necessary hours."
I shifted my focus back to my father, thinking I really needed a run to clear my head.
"You know I will always support you in whatever you decide to do, dad."
He smiled, and I took his hand in mine and squeezed it gently, trying to show him that I would always be in his corner.
"Even if I decide to rob a bank?"
I laughed and stood up to clear our empty plates.
"I doubt Julian would be into that sort of business."
That made me start thinking of the kind of business Julian might be into, and not in a PG-rated way. I really, really needed that run. My mind was all over the place, and I could blame it on stress.
"Leave that, I can do the dishes since you cooked such a complicated dinner for us."
"You are becoming really mean in your old age, dad."
He laughed, and I walked out with a smile. I'd never been one to turn down an opportunity to skip doing dishes. Right now I just wanted to be free. Get into a headspace where I didn't think of carrying a child for money because, to be honest, I would never make enough money from my current jobs. And definitely no thoughts of handsome men who were out of my league.
I felt my Wolf welcome my surrender as I shifted, feeling the hard ground beneath my feet as the wind ruffled my fur. I surrendered all my thoughts and worries as I let my Wolf finally run free.
It was as my father said, like I was born to do this.
Chapter 3 – Julian
I was in serious danger of information overload as I looked at all the open windows on my computer. Who knew there could be so much written on the simple act of making a child? It was overwhelming and at the same time, reassuring. As challenging as it was to process all of the information on having a baby by a surrogate, it was good to know that this was being done successfully all over the world and there was next to nothing to worry about. There were many specialists in the area and a thousand success stories. It was hardly alien territory, and the procedure was becoming popular as an option for many couples who couldn't have children the good, old-fashioned way. And for single parents too.
I guess I fell into that latter category as it was highly unlikely that I would find a mate anytime soon. Or ever, for that matter.
I closed the open windows in my browser and focused on the website of the surrogate agency Seth had told me about. The website was well done and easy to navigate, but I needed some form of interaction with the people answering my questions. I wanted to be able to see the place for myself and find out more from their specialists.
"Hello, sir?"
I looked up at my assistant who stood at the door and didn't make a move to come in.
"Yes?"
"Are you driving to your next meeting yourself, or do you need a driver to take you?"
I thought about it for a second. My appointment at the surrogate agency concerned a personal matter, and I wasn't sure I wanted a driver knowing where I was going. They were discreet, of course, but I still felt better doing my research on my own for now.
"Thank you, Natalie. I think I will drive."
I didn't really need anything from my office today; the only reason I had come in was to try and make some progress on my research. There was something about the office environment that made me concentrate harder than when I was at home.
"I don't think so. But if I do, I'll lock up after myself. You don't need to stay past your hours."
"Ok, sir. But if you need me..."
"Yeah, yeah; I know how to press my speed dial."
She smiled and walked away, her high heels making a soft noise against the tiled floor. Natalie was almost perfect as an assistant, and even though she swore I paid her enough, I would forever remain unconvinced.
I took the car keys from my top drawer, and my jacket from my chair as I prepared to leave. I was dressed in dark jeans and a button up shirt, which looked formal enough for an impromptu day in the office. It would do for my trip to the agency; I was a firm believer in first impressions after all. I wondered, though, whether I was supposed to impress them, or whether they were supposed to impress me.
My question was answered the moment I stepped out of my car and took in my surroundings. The agency was a half hour drive from my office, and I'd really hoped it would be worth what I considered a long drive. And my first impression of it was that it was. The place looked beautiful. I rarely used that word to describe anything other than a confident woman or a well-constructed motorcycle, but this place was just that.
The buildings were impeccable and well-maintained, and everything really seemed to be in order. I walked into the reception area, still taking in the place but not making it too obvious that I was impressed.
"Good day sir, welcome to First Class Surrogacy."
The receptionist smiled at me, and I wondered if she was genuinely happy or if it was all an act for her job. Not that it mattered, I wasn't here to be her friend.
"Good afternoon, Miss," I glanced at the gold badge she wore before adding, "Victoria."
She blushed, but her smile remained professional as she tried to assist me.
"Are you visiting us for the first time?"
"Yes, and I would like to take a look around the place and learn more about your services."
She nodded. "Certainly. Please take this and proceed to the first office on your left, it's just after the glass doors."
I took the visitor tag and put it on, proceeding to the office she had directed me to. The bold letters marking the enquiries room were hard to miss, and a young man was quick to greet me and offer his assistance.
I repeated my request to him, and he nodded, leading the way as we began our tour.
"You have come to the right place, Mr. Rollett."
"Please, just Julian is fine."
My tour guide, Elton, nodded.
"Of course sir."
I almost laughed at his serious face, but I respected that he was just doing his job, the formality being a part of it. He reminded me a bit of Natalie, who had worked for me for years but had yet to call me anything other than sir. Even when I got on her nerves and tried to make her laugh, she never wavered.
"We specialize in shifter pregnancies and use a highly selective conception process to ensure that all babies are happy and healthy."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It is very important to find ideal blood matches between the donor and future parents. Not only does this eliminate eighty-nine percent of pregnancy complications, but it also ensures that the process has a higher chance of success. We don't leave anything to chance."
"And everything is done here?"
"We have clinics that take care of the base processes, which is the harvesting of the primary biological matter, as well as routine checkups during the pregnancies. But embryos are taken care of and implanted here. We have the best team of doctors at your service."
"How long does it take to match parents and surrogates?"
"Usually anything from a week to two weeks maximum. You can rest assured that all background and medical history checks are thoroughly done, and we have never mismatched a parent and a donor."
I nodded as we got into an elevator.
"A doctor will be assigned to you, and they will work with you for the duration of the pregnancy, of course. But you are welcome to consult with any of the doctors within the facility if there are any questions you might have along the way."
The elevator climbed higher, and as we passed the fourth floor, Elton explained, "The fourth floor is mainly human resources and legal matters. All contracts are drafted and reviewed by our legal team, and you can be assured of confidentiality at all times."
We got to the fifth floor where we got out, and Elton led the way to a ward.
"This is one of our wards, and as you can see, each baby has an electric tag that shows their vitals."
I smiled at the little ones who were sleeping soundly in their little glass cribs. Their parents' names were clearly visible, together with their weights, dates of births, and genders.
"This is where the babies are until their new parents take them home with them. As soon as a baby is born, they are given a tag on their foot. It is directly linked to their crib, and if they are placed in the wrong crib, a small alarm will be set off."
My eyes widened with interest at that bit of information. "Have you ever had a case of someone being given the wrong baby?"
He laughed and shook his head before replying, "No, sir, because we have such an efficient system in place."
"That's reassuring, I suppose."
"Your case will have a unique code that you can track from beginning to end until the baby is discharged. That means at every stage of the pregnancy, you can check online what's going on, what has been done so far and what comes next. For example, what checkups have been done, which future appointments are planned and the likes, up to the birth of the child."
I liked that very much. It was reassuring to have some degree of control given back to me when most of the process was out of my hands. With their technology, I could keep up with the pregnancy every step of the way. Their level of professionalism was impressive, and it made me feel at ease with the decision I was leaning towards, as much as it surprised me.
"The surrogacy options vary, of course. We have single parents who use the donor surrogate option, as well as couples who have their biological embryo implanted in a surrogate. We also have donor matter, and you can screen either a donor mother or father if matter from the parents is not an option."
I nodded and looked at the little ones that were mostly sleeping soundly. I felt an ache deep in my chest, but I couldn't comprehend it.
"Do you have any questions?" Elton finally asked after he had shown me the place.
Everything was impeccable, really, and I didn't have any complaints.
"I think you have answered all the questions I had."
He smiled. "I am glad to be of service sir, perhaps I can take you to our pairing agents? They will be able to take you through some of our psychological screening processes and a layout of everything that comes next."
"Alright, lead the way."
I found myself in front of another door. The name plate on this one identified the owner of the office as Edna Robins. She was a nice elderly woman who explained to me how they screened potential surrogates, then gave me a few forms to fill in. I couldn't believe I was going through with this, but after all my research and finally this visit, all my questions had been answered. I was still a bit hesitant, this was a huge decision after all, but I was pretty confident this agency would do a great job.
I made sure to go over every single thing twice before I filled in and signed the form that declared my interest to use First Class Surrogacy for their services. Edna smiled at me as I handed her the completed forms.
"This is your first?"
I nodded, and she gave me another warm smile.
"I have three of my own, and I still say becoming a parent is the best thing
I ever did."
I wanted to have that feeling too, and just hearing this stranger say that calmed me further. This was not the route I thought I would take to start a family, but I was going to make it work.
"Whenever you are ready, you can get a full medical report first. Then you will need to provide your semen sample at our clinic in Westend. Can I go ahead and book an appointment for you for Wednesday next week?"
"No problem."
I waited as she entered some information into her computer before she handed me a card.
"That is your appointment card with your details and the time. Once they have your sample, any information they collect will be automatically updated to your file. But now, if you are ready, we can get the medical exam out of the way."
"Okay, thank you."
"Thank you for choosing us, we hope to make this journey as easy for you as possible."
I nodded my thanks again and left the office, my appointment card clutched in my hand. I went to the exam room that Edna directed me to, and a doctor assisted me with a checkup, checking everything from my height, weight, and family medical history to my general exercise routine.
By the time I was done, it seemed as if it had been hours since I had walked through these doors. Walking out, I saw a new face at the reception desk. She offered me the same wide smile Victoria had, and I tipped an imaginary hat at her, making her smile broaden. I smiled.
I might become a boring dad soon, but I hadn't lost my touch just yet.
Chapter 4 – April
"Oh, it's wonderful, April! Just seeing the smile on their faces afterwards is worth every single hour of studying I'm going through."
I looked at my friend's animated face and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Catherine and I had been friends for a long time, and we had bonded over our shared dream to study medicine. It had never been about the prestige for us; we genuinely wanted to help people. Now she was living the dream we had shared, while I was stuck working dead-end jobs that were never going to take me anywhere.