Sister Surrogate

by LaChelle Weaver

  While she did spend a great deal of her time during the week at the bakery, Bridgette did that to ensure her weekends would be free for her family. Occasionally, she did have to make a personal appearance for a special function, but she had a trusted and dedicated staff that was a key part of Sugar Rush’s success and she could rely on them to keep things running smoothly during her absence. Bridgette would really need to count on them more than she ever had to before if what she was planning to do actually happened.

  She knew Nick wouldn’t be happy about it, at least at first, but he loved Savannah just as much as she did and the two of them had always been close, joking around with each other and teasing one another, so Bridgette was hoping that would be enough for Nick to show empathy toward her baby sister and concede with her plan.

  Bridgette had been sitting at her desk with her usual venti-white chocolate-mocha-Frappuccino from the Starbucks around the corner and her favorite inspirational music station playing over the surround sound system. She really needed both that morning, especially since she hadn’t been able to get back to sleep after getting up so early and feeling emotionally spent about her sister. She’d been glued in front of the large screen of her iMac since arriving at Sugar Rush around seven o’clock, after dropping her boys off at before school care. The bakery didn’t open until nine, so that gave her a few hours to herself to do the things she needed to do in preparation for the day, but she hadn’t gotten much of it done. Her focus was on something far more important to her at the moment.

  “We could definitely do this if we act fast and go ahead and extract Savannah’s eggs, but I don’t know how Julius would feel about having to ejaculate into a cup,” she said, frowning and as if someone else was in the room with her. Bridgette scrolled further down the screen, engrossed in the article she’d been reading.

  “Twelve thousand dollars? Sweet Baby Jesus,” she exclaimed, shaking her head.

  No wonder celebrities are the only ones I’ve ever heard of doing this. This whole surrogacy thing is expensive. Good Lord! She thought.

  Bridgette didn’t know anyone personally who’d been through it, but she knew it was very popular with celebrity women who wanted to maintain their body images. In particular, she’d remembered Angela Bassett hiring a surrogate to carry and birth her two children, and even though Angela was one of her favorite actresses and she didn’t know her personal medical history, Bridgette also remembered thinking how vain it seemed, but as she sat staring at the computer screen, she realized what a blessing it could be, especially for someone in Savannah’s position.

  Despite the astronomical costs, the few articles she’d read about surrogacy, in particular, gestational surrogacy, which would be applicable to Savannah’s situation, had been encouraging. Physically, Bridgette felt that she was a viable candidate to carry a baby for her sister, and it filled her with an abundance of hope that she could potentially give her sister the ultimate gift that she could ever give—the gift of life.

  Chapter Ten

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  avannah felt like her tear ducts should be dried up from all of the tears she’d shed over the past few weeks. She wiped her eyes with her hands, and stared at her sister with shock and a bit of confusion. Savannah couldn’t believe the words that had come out of Bridgette’s mouth as they sat outside on her deck with the beautiful view of Lake Norman. Spring was in full effect, and despite the pollen, the weather was pleasant. It was the first time Savannah had been out of her bedroom and out of the house for that matter, and if it wasn’t for Bridgette’s nagging, that’s where she would’ve stayed. So, to shut her up, Savannah relented when she suggested they have the lunch she’d brought with her out there.

  Once again, Bridgette had come over unannounced, saying that she had something important to talk to her about. Savannah knew it must have been if she was there during a workday. And even though she still didn’t have much of an appetite, Savannah had been committing herself to eating something even if it was just a piece of fruit. She agreed that she needed to keep her strength up for her upcoming surgery. It had taken some urging from Bridgette after she’d cried on her shoulder a few days ago, but Savannah had conceded.

  It was something about her big sister comforting her that lifted Savannah’s spirit some. Bridgette had that affect sometimes. You could be annoyed with her one minute and then appreciate her the next. There was something about a sister’s love, and that was the only way Savannah could explain it. And here she was again, offering a kind of love that only a sister could give.

  “I really don’t know what to say, Bridgette. I’m at a loss for words,” said Savannah. They’d been eating salads and drinking glasses of fresh mint and ginger lemonade, one of many recipes Savannah was always trying her hand at. She had gotten it off of Pinterest. She was good at making drinks, but not so much with cooking. Bridgette was always joking that their mother would be appalled at how bad she and Ivy cooked.

  “I know this is a bit sudden, but I’ve thought long and hard about this Savannah. And, I’ve done a lot of research over the last few days. I’d really love to do this for you and Julius. You two deserve this more than anyone I know,” said Bridgette. She’d rested her fork in her container and was looking at Savannah with a serious expression.

  “I don’t know, Bridgette. As much as I want a baby, I don’t know about this. That’s such a huge sacrifice and I’m not sure how comfortable I’d be with you doing that,” said Savannah, her voiced filled with hesitation. She dabbed at her moist eyes with a napkin.

  “I know it’s a lot to consider, but think about the end result. That beautiful, chocolate bundle of joy you and Julius have been talking about since he proposed to you. I want to do it, Savannah.”

  Savannah was filled with a myriad of emotions, which had become commonplace over the past few weeks. She was happy, but apprehensive at the same time. She was sad, but now, optimistic and hopeful again. Honestly, she’d never even considered surrogacy. She didn’t know anything about it other than what she’d seen on TV and she would’ve never paid some stranger to carry her baby. She knew that there were cases where that hadn’t ended well for the intended parents, and she couldn’t imagine being that mother who placed all her hope on another woman fulfilling her dreams of motherhood, and then snatching it away because she’d had a sudden change of heart. It was unimaginable, but now here her sister was offering her a similar dream.

  Savannah had vaguely remembered her oncologist, Dr. Stein mentioning something about having her eggs frozen as an option to her impending infertility, since they intended to save her ovaries to reduce her chances of being thrown into menopause, but she’d completely shut down after he’d given her the final diagnosis. So, she hadn’t been able to hear much of anything else thereafter. She’d completely shut down and had been that way until now. Bridgette had sparked that maternal feeling in her again that she thought would be forever extinguished when doctors removed her uterus in a few weeks.

  “Are you sure about this, Bridgette? What did Nick say about this?”

  Bridgette averted her eyes momentarily and then looked back at Savannah.

  “So, you haven’t even discussed this with him?” Savannah asked.

  Bridgette shook her head in response.

  “I will, though. I just wanted to talk it over with you first. There wouldn’t be a point in saying anything to him unless you agreed. So, what do you say?”

  “Like I said, I want a baby. More than anything in this world, but it’s a lot to consider and think about. I can’t just say yes without at least thinking everything through. Plus, I’d have to talk to Julius about it first,” said Savannah, poking at a cherry tomato in her salad with her fork. “It’ll affect the both of us. And I suggest you do the same with Nick.”

  “I will, but only after you give me your decision,” said Bridgette, taking a sip of her lemonade. “I really hope that you’ll seriously consider it, Savannah. At least in the next few days since your surgery is coming up soo
n, and we’d need to go through the process of retrieving your eggs with the doctor’s consent, of course.”

  Savannah looked at her sister and couldn’t help but to shake her head in amusement. It shouldn’t have been much of a surprise to her that Bridgette would offer to do something like this. It was the hallmark of who she was. She had definitely given her that sense of hope back she’d lost when Dr. Pennington had uttered those awful two words. Even if she decided not to go through with it, she’d always be grateful to her big sister for giving her that.

  Chapter Eleven

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  avannah was happier than she had been over the past few weeks and she had her big sister to thank for that. She couldn’t wait to tell Julius about the wonderful blessing that Bridgette had offered them. It had been a few hours since Bridgette had left, and Savannah mulled over the pros and cons, especially after doing some research of her own. The whole in vitro fertilization process wouldn’t be easy, and seemed quite taxing with the hormone injections to produce multiple eggs and then, the actual egg retrieval procedure, which sounded painful enough. She couldn’t help to think if she’d be putting too much stress on her body, considering her upcoming surgery or if it would affect the cancer in any way. She didn’t want to make a bad situation worse. And then, there were the costs.

  Basically, it would be a small fortune just for one IVF cycle, and she would have to find out how much if any that her medical insurance would cover. Her surgery and treatment would already be costly even with her insurance. She and Julius wasn’t hurting for money in the least bit with his thriving law practice combined with her handsome salary, but their lavish wedding and seven-day honeymoon in Bora Bora had set them back a little financially, so Julius was more conscious about their spending habits. And there was one more thing that had popped up in her mind that she hated to keep thinking about, but it had been a nagging thought that plagued her since she learned of the cancer—her mortality.

  What if once she went through the entire process of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation the cancer came back and somewhere more vital to her life like her lungs? She could die and leave her child motherless, which was a dismal thought. All of the tests she’d undergone during her appointment with Dr. Stein hadn’t shown any signs of that right now, but they were going to remove some of her lymph nodes during her surgery to make sure, but long term, there was no guarantee. While all of those thoughts ran through her mind, it didn’t quell her maternal urge. Now that it had been sparked again, she wouldn’t be able to contain it. She had another chance at motherhood, and she couldn’t think of a more perfect person to ensure that would happen.

  Bridgette was a great mother to her nephews, and Savannah only hoped she could mirror that with her own child. Bridgette had practically raised her and Ivy being the oldest, and even though she still thought of them as her baby sisters, and was sometimes overprotective, Savannah knew it was only because she felt a certain responsibility for them. She just wished that Ivy realized that as well. She hated seeing her and Bridgette fighting with each other all the time and it disheartened her. She really missed the closeness they shared and she prayed that they could get it back. Life was such a short journey and having to face her own mortality made it a glaring reality.

  Savannah still felt uneasy about the unknown, but right now, she didn’t want to think about that. She wanted to focus on the positive, which is why she’d texted Julius earlier, after deciding that she wanted to take Bridgette up on her offer. She wanted him to meet her at one of their favorite restaurants, Morton’s Steakhouse for a nice dinner out when he left work, and fortunately he’d be able to, which she considered another blessing she’d received that day. It was what they needed since they’d been so disconnected.

  Savannah knew that lately, she hadn’t been acting like the wife he deserved, and she truly felt bad about that because he’d done nothing but be supportive, no matter how much she had tried to push him away. She wanted them to get back to being the happy newlyweds that they had been before they’d walked into Dr. Pennington’s office a few weeks ago, only to have everything they’d planned for their new married life together, take a turn for the worst. At least as much as they could be with what was looming ahead of them, but she had to give those worries to God, as her mother would often say.

  It would be their first evening out since everything transpired and Savannah was looking forward to it. She’d always enjoyed their date nights because they’d started waning with Julius working all of the time. It felt like forever since she’d gotten dressed in anything other than pajamas.

  This is going to be a great night, she thought as she gave herself a once over in the full length mirror in their bedroom, smiling at her reflection and for the first time, truly feeling like everything would be okay. She stood there for a moment studying her round face that she’d lightly applied make-up to. She knew Ivy would approve of how well she’d “beat her face”, as she liked to call it. The soft pink lipstick she’d chosen, accentuated her chocolate complexion with just the right amount of foundation. It was quite a transformation from the frumpy, disheveled look she’d been sporting.

  “I hope Julius likes this dress,” she said.

  Savannah turned at different angles, approving of how the black, floral-print maxi dress flowing down past her ankles fit her petite, but curvy frame. She ran her fingers through her soft, dark brown hair, wisps of curls falling on her shoulders and began to wonder how much she would change physically when she had to undergo treatment. Would she lose a tremendous amount of weight? Would her hair fall out in patches or would she end up completely bald? Would she turn into a shell of the woman staring back at her in the mirror’s reflection? As much as she wanted to push those thoughts out of her mind, she couldn’t, and she wasn’t a vain woman at all. It was just so scary to think about. Savannah had witnessed her father’s demise from cancer, so she couldn’t help but wonder if she would suffer the same fate.

  “Stop this,” she said, scolding herself. “This too shall pass.”

  She felt those familiar emotions that had plagued her over the past few weeks and willed herself once again to focus on the positive. She was blessed with a support system that she knew many in her situation didn’t have, so she had a lot to be grateful for. She smiled as she thought about being a mother and she felt herself begin to well up, but she refused to cry, especially since she’d taken care to put on make-up. She couldn’t help the joy she felt, and she prayed that Julius would be just as happy about Bridgette’s offer as she was because while she wanted this almost more than life itself, it wouldn’t be worth it if he wasn’t on board with it. As her husband, she had to respect whatever opinion he might have about it whether good or bad, but she was hoping for the former.

  Chapter Twelve

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  avannah could hardly contain her excitement as she and Julius ate their steak dinners and shared a bottle of red wine. She’d missed these intimate moments, and seeing how relaxed and content he was, she felt it was the right time to tell him the good news.

  “Babe, I know we’ve been dealing with a lot lately and it’s not something that either of us would’ve imagined we’d be going through, and I feel like I should apologize for that.”

  He frowned. “For what?”

  “I don’t want to be a burden. You didn’t sign up for this,” said Savannah, gazing at him.

  “I would never think that, sweetheart. This isn’t something for you to blame yourself about. It’s a setback, but we’ll overcome it. And I want you to start affirming that as well. Staying positive is half of the battle.”

  Savannah smiled. “Well, I have some news that could help with that.”

  “It has to be pretty good because your face is lit with excitement. And anything that can put that beautiful smile on my wife’s face excites me as well. I’ve missed seeing you smile,” he mused.

  Savannah felt a twinge of sadness because she knew how hard it had been for him to witness her wi
thdraw into a depression, but hopefully, this news would make up for it.

  “You know when we met with Dr. Stein and he discussed with us our possible options for fertility?”

  Julius took a sip of his cabernet sauvignon and nodded. “I do. Well, somewhat. If I’m being honest, I was more concerned with your overall health. That was all I was focused on at that moment. So, I really only heard bits and pieces.”

  Savannah knew that to be true because he’d kicked right into attorney mode, firing off questions at Dr. Stein quicker than the older man could answer them. Savannah was speechless, so she wasn’t equipped mentally to ask anything or hear any more bad news. She was on the verge of a breakdown then.

  “He mentioned freezing my eggs and having them stored to have them implanted later if it was something we wanted to consider.”

  Julius chewed a piece of his medium rare steak and washed it down with wine before he responded.

  “Now that, I remember. And I have to say; I thought it was kind of off-the-wall, considering they’d have to be implanted into someone else for obvious reasons. And there’s no way I would do something so creepy.”

  Savannah didn’t like the sound of that at all.

  “Why do you think it’s creepy?” she asked.

  “I guess seeing another woman pregnant with my child other than my wife would be jarring. I just don’t know if I could do it, especially with a total stranger.”

  Savannah didn’t want to get deterred by his words, but she was starting to feel defeated before she could even tell him. She was hoping that he’d see things differently once she did.

  “But, what if we knew the person? Someone close to us?” she asked, her eyes searching his for any sign that he’d be willing to consider it, but she saw nothing. In fact, he looked repulsed by the notion. Then, he gave her a questioning look.