A Surrogate Love Affair

by Jaimie Roberts

  Roger, looking perplexed, sits back in his chair and sighs. It’s almost as if he’s trying to figure out what to say next. “Can I be personal?”

  Shrugging, I nod. “Sure.”

  “I don’t know your husband, but what I’ve heard in the last few minutes makes me very happy you’re divorcing him. You’re a great person, Alice. Everyone here speaks highly of you. You deserve better.”

  I can tell he’s being genuine. Roger is always a firm, but fair boss; however, I’ve never seen this kind side of him. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  “If you ever need time off, just let me know. You’ve dealt with a lot, what with the floods a couple months ago. Thankfully, things are dying down a little, and some new employees will be joining soon to take some of the load off. If there’s ever a time to take a holiday, it would be now.”

  I nod. “I appreciate that, too. I will think about your kind offer and get back to you. When do the new employees start?”

  “The week after next.”

  I nod. “Okay. Maybe then would be a good time, but I’ll see. Can you give me a couple days?”

  He leans forward, waving his hand. “Sure. Take as much time as you need. You don’t have to come to me straight away with an answer. It would be great to have you here to help with the training of the newcomers, but it won’t be a big issue if you’re not.”

  I think about that for a moment. I know I had a couple days off last week, but I do feel like I need more. I could train the new employees, then take my leave.

  I look at Roger. “Okay, I’ll take that into consideration. Thanks.” I bite my lip. “Was there anything else?”

  He shakes his head. “No, that will be all. Oh, well done for all your hard work. Please tell Mrs. Bellingham I said that next time she calls.” I see him almost shudder, which makes me chuckle.

  “Okay. I will definitely be sure to tell her.”

  “Thanks.” He looks at some paperwork. “Take care of yourself, Alice, and if there is anything you need...”

  “I will be sure to tell you.” Getting up, I nod and head out the door.

  Walking back to my desk, I realise it’s lunch. I quickly deal with a couple messages I received, then grab my bag to head out.

  As I pass Sally’s desk, I see she’s on the phone. I mouth, Lunch?

  Shaking her head, she places her hand over the receiver. “It’s okay. Thanks. I’ve got something in. I need to deal with this client. You go ahead.”

  Nodding, I give her a little wave before catching the lift. Just as it opens on the ground floor, I see Kyle standing in the lobby, holding a big manila envelope. I swallow hard, seeing the venomous look in his eyes as he spots me. He strides over.

  “What the fuck is this?” he whispers.

  I notice the Bradshaw and Row logo on the envelope. I motion to the doors. “Not in here. This is my place of work. Outside.”

  As we quickly walk out, he says, “Speaking of work, that’s where you sent it. How could you do that, Alice?”

  As we get outside and away from prying ears, I turn to him. “I didn’t know where you were staying. I thought it was possibly your parents, but I felt you’d definitely get the papers at work. I’m sorry I did that, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I want a divorce.”

  Kyle inhales sharply before staring at me with his stern eyes. “You’re just doing this to get back at me. Look, I’ve received your message loud and clear. I fucked up, but can’t we just forget about this now...” He holds up the envelope, “and start getting back to normal?”

  Now it was my turn to inhale sharply. “Kyle, you’re not listening to me—”

  He grabs me by the arm, interrupting me. “Look, I know I shouldn’t have punched Ethan. I know you’re the faithful, loyal one. I’m ashamed of what I did to your eye. I never meant to, Alice.” He squeezes my arm and looks pleadingly into my eyes. “I can be a better man. I promise. I will be the husband you want me to be. Just forgive me already. I can’t live without you.”

  Closing my eyes for a moment, I try to gather momentum. Kyle edges closer. When he leans in to kiss me, I push him away.

  “Kyle, no. I would never go to a solicitor just to get back at you. Only an adolescent would do something like that. I did it because I don’t want to be married to you anymore.”

  His grip tightens, panic showing in his eyes. “You don’t mean that.”

  “Kyle, you’re hurting me,” I complain, getting scared. He looks crazed.

  Suddenly, his face calms, his grip loosening. He steps back, takes a deep breath, and pushes his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. I just can’t help it. We were so good, and now...now this. I have to admit, I wanted to get back at you for abandoning me—”

  Abandoning him?! Why did I never see through this guy ages ago?

  “—but I realise that was the wrong way to go about it.”

  Taking a deep breath, I try again. “You had sex with my best friend. There’s just no way of getting back from that. No matter who my husband is, I would never stand beside someone who has cheated on me.” I point to the envelope. “Those papers are the real deal. I want a divorce. I don’t love you anymore...”

  “You don’t mean that.” He gets closer again.

  Placing my hands in front of me, I step back. “Yes. I do.” I look down at the envelope again. “I want us to be adult about this. Please, just take a look. I want everything to be fair. It’s happening, Kyle. You have to accept that this is what I want and move on.” I start moving away. I want out of here.

  “If you think you’re taking the house from me, you have another thing coming!”

  Turning, I see a much nastier Kyle than the one begging me a moment ago. “If you want half the house, you’re going to have to sell the car. The majority of the money that went into the house and your car was from my inheritance, and you know it. I’m trying to be fair by giving you half the savings and letting you keep the car. All I want is the other half of the savings account and the house. Nothing more.”

  Kyle steps forward, holding up the envelope. “Well, do you know what I think of this divorce and your fucking conditions?” He starts ripping it up into little pieces, and it’s then I see we’ve gathered quite an audience. He drops them at my feet and steps closer until he’s inches away from my face. “If you think I’m going to divorce you, you have another thing coming. You…are…my…wife. You’ll have to realise that sooner or later.” He moves away. “I’m giving you until a week from Friday, then I’m coming home. I don’t care if I have to break the door down to get in. I’ve had enough of this shit.”

  He storms off, leaving me shaken and upset. Anger brings tears to my eyes as I see the bits of paper start to blow away in the wind. Bending down, I pick up the pieces. Once I gather as much as I can, I start walking. I’m not sure to where, but anywhere away from these witnesses would be good.

  As clarity forms, I reach for my phone and dial my solicitor. Thankfully, he is in his office and I’m soon put through.

  “Hi, Mr. Row. It’s Alice Fairchild. I was wondering if I could come see you.”

  “Of course. If you’re free now, I can fit you in at two. A client just cancelled on me.”

  “That would be perfect,” I answer, looking at my watch. It’s one forty now. I’m sure I can make it to his office by two. “I’ll see you soon.”

  Stuffing the pieces of paper into my bag, I make my way to my car. I phone work and tell them I may get back a little late, but will work extra. The great thing about where I work is they’re very flexible.

  I drive to Bradshaw and Row. There is a little traffic, but I manage to get to the offices with five minutes to spare.

  The moment I’m ushered into his office and the door is closed, I grab the pieces of paper from my bag and place them on the desk in front of him. “This is what my husband thinks of the divorce papers you sent him.”

  He leans forward, playing with his black ballpoint pen. As he stares at the scraps
, he inhales, leans back, and looks up at me. “I take it that he wants to contest the divorce.”

  I nod. “Yes, but not only that. He’s told me I have until next Friday, then he’s moving back into the house. He said he doesn’t care if he has to bash down the door to do so.”

  I sit down and notice him gritting his teeth a little. This isn’t good. “I take it the house is in both your names? On both the mortgage and the deeds?”

  My heart starts to beat faster. “Unfortunately, yes.”

  He shakes his head. “That’s too bad. Legally, he has the right to gain access to his property.” My shoulders sagging, I’m close to tears. “However, he left voluntarily, so he will need a court order to move back. Also, there are the terms of your divorce. He committed adultery and has behaved unreasonably since then. The mere fact he ripped up the papers and has threatened to break down the door tells me as much.”

  I eagerly nod. “He won’t accept it. He keeps telling me I need to come to my senses. He’s acting like I belong to him. He won’t let go. I can already tell things may escalate soon.”

  “Were there any witnesses when any of this happened? What about today when he did this?” He picked up one of the pieces and placed it back down again.

  “He was waiting for me in the lobby at work. He immediately started shouting, so I took him outside. There were plenty who saw, but no one I know.”

  He leans forward, looking at my eye. “He has a history of behaving violently. It’s just a pity you didn’t call the police when that happened.” He pointed to my eye. “If he sticks to his word regarding moving back in next Friday, I’d advise you to call the police. You can mention to them that he did that to your eye.”

  I bite my lip. “But it was an accident.”

  He shakes his head, smirking. “Don’t mention that part. Your ex-husband behaved violently in your home and, as a result, you were hurt. Not only that, you’re pregnant. The law doesn’t take too kindly to people who act violently toward pregnant women.”

  “But I don’t want anyone to know that yet. Anyway, what you’re asking me to do is lie.”

  “Did he hit you in the eye or not?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “No buts. If you wish to divorce your husband and not have him move back into the marital home, I would suggest you call the police if he tries to break down your door. As I said, he can only gain access once he has a court order. In the meantime, with your permission, I will file a motion with the court for temporary exclusive possession of the home.”

  I nod. “Yes. That will be good.”

  His face softens. “You look scared. A woman seeking a divorce should be upset or even happy. Not scared. If you’re scared, that speaks volumes about your ex.”

  I take a deep breath. “I guess I’m just working myself up into a state. I just want this over already. I knew Kyle would be difficult, but I didn’t give myself time to realise just how difficult. I could tell by the look in his eyes today that he won’t let this go in a hurry.”

  “He will have to.” He sighs. “If I were you, I would start making a diary of the dates and times he’s harassed you, starting from when he attacked your friend. This will be beneficial when attending court. I had hoped we could do this amicably to avoid that, but judging by what you’ve just said, I doubt that will happen. Not unless we can make things as difficult for him as he’s making them for you.” Spotting my distress, he smiles. “Listen, if it makes you feel better, once he lawyers up, he will soon learn things won’t go completely in his favour.”

  Closing my eyes, I cross my legs. “Thanks. I do feel a little better about it now. I’m just not looking forward to the future at the moment, especially next Friday.”

  “As I said, if he becomes bothersome, call the police. Without that court order, he can’t simply move back in.”

  I offer him a gentle smile and nod. “Thank you. It helps knowing that.”

  Placing his pen down, he swivels slightly in his chair. “And it sounds as though your husband knows nothing. Once you refuse him entry, I think he will get a solicitor. Don’t worry. I’ve not failed any of my clients, and I don’t intend to start now.”

  Seeing that as my cue to leave, I stand up and offer him my hand. “Thank you. I appreciate you seeing me on such short notice.”

  He shakes it. “Not a problem. Please, don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions.”

  “Thank you.”

  As I walk to the door, he says, “Alice?” I turn to see him scribbling on a piece of paper. “This is my personal email. If you wouldn’t mind, send me one on Saturday to let me know how you got on.”

  I frown. “Surely you don’t want me bothering you on the weekend.”

  He frowns back. “Normally, I wouldn’t, but I feel you need someone in your corner. I’m sorry if this crosses a line. If I have, tell me.”

  I smile, shaking my head. “No, that’s fine. Thank you. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

  I turn to leave, saying my goodbyes as I head out.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The day after my run-in with Kyle, Mrs. Bellingham stuck to her word and brought some carrot cake for me. I never got to say thank you in person because she left it at the front desk. When I called her, she told me she didn’t want to disturb me. It was so delicious, my co-workers and I polished it off within ten minutes. Afterward, everyone came up to me, begging me to ask Mrs. Bellingham to bake another one.

  The following Friday, I decide to take the day off. I’m so nervous, I feel sick. But, then again, I’ve felt sick every day for the past few days. Morning sickness is kicking my arse. I read that ginger helps, so once I feel a little better, I decide to go out and do a bit of shopping. I like ginger biscuits and cake, so I’ll grab both to see what helps.

  As I walk around town, I pass by Mother Care and stop to look in the window at all the clothes, prams, cribs, et cetera. I bite my lip, knowing I shouldn’t go in. It’s way too soon, but I can’t resist the temptation.

  I won’t buy anything, I tell myself. There’s no harm in just looking.

  I walk in. Pretty soon, I start looking at the clothes. All the tiny onesies and booties they have for newborns… I sense a tingle in the pit of my stomach, making me smile. I pick up one of the little onesies and trace my thumb over the fabric. It feels so soft.

  “Alice, is that you?”

  Jumping, I let go of the onesie, like I’ve been caught shoplifting. My heart races when I see Ethan’s sister, Judy. She smiles as she comes closer. “What are you doing in here?”

  I start stuttering, eventually coming to my senses. “A friend of mine is expecting, so I thought I would buy her a gift.” I notice she’s on her own. “No children today?”

  She shakes her head. “They’re at school.”

  “Of course. It’s Friday. I’d forget my head if it weren’t screwed on.”

  She laughs. “That’s okay. Believe me, once you have children, your brain gets more scattered. You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I’ve nearly put the baking tray in the fridge instead of the oven.” She rolls her eyes.

  “I’ve done that once or twice, so it’s not just a nappy-brained thing.”

  She smiles, motioning her elbow towards me. “Nappy-brained… Yeah, I like that.”

  I smile back, but my heart’s still racing. Little does she know I’m carrying her niece or nephew.

  “So, how are you?” she asks. “I heard about that horrible business with your husband and that bitch.” She screws up her face in anger. “I always knew there was something about her.”

  “Well, it seems your instincts were correct. Truthfully, I also had the impression you didn’t like Kyle, either.”

  She nods. “Yes, he seemed slimy and self-righteous. A cocky little shit.” She then looks shocked. “Sorry. I do hope you have left him and I’m not putting my big foot in my mouth.”

  I shake my head. “Not at all. You’re totally right in what you say. He is a slimy, self
-righteous, cocky little shit.”

  We both laugh. She places her hand on my shoulder. “I really wish I didn’t have to rush back to Plymouth. I would have loved to invite you for coffee down the street.”

  I smile. I like Judy. “I would have loved that, too.”

  She squeezes my arm. “Another time then?”

  “Definitely.”

  We put each other’s numbers into our phones before she rushes out. I release a nervous breath. I know I have to tell Ethan soon because I’ll eventually get caught and he’ll be told by a third person. That wouldn’t be fair. The sooner it’s out in the open, the better. I just don’t like the thought of how he will react once he does learn.

  Reluctantly, I leave the shop. I’m only seven weeks along. I’m going to wait until at least twelve weeks before I start buying stuff.

  I buy my much-needed ginger biscuits and cake. Along with the usual magazines, I can’t help but pick up a couple pregnancy ones, too. Once I’m finished, I check the time and see that it’s already lunch. When my stomach growls, I choose a café off the high street and order a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and an orange juice.

  I sit down and choose a gossip magazine to read. The pregnancy ones call to me, but I leave them at the bottom of the pile. I’ll be patient and wait until I get home.

  “Alice?” a familiar voice calls as I take a bite of my sandwich. Looking up, I see Ethan. Instinctively, I try to cover the magazines at the bottom.

  “Ethan,” I say with a nervous smile. “How are you?”

  He looks better today. The smile is back in his eyes, and he has more colour in his face. He seems a lot happier than when I saw him almost two weeks ago. He’s dressed casually in a pair of jeans and red V-neck jumper. The clothes suit him. From what I know of Ethan, Sarah is mad to have done what she did. Not only is he sweet and kind, but he is a handsome man. Why would she need to look elsewhere? She has the whole package, yet that still wasn’t enough.

  “Better,” he replies with a bright smile.