I hadn’t spoken to Greta since our last appointment with Dr. Fowler. Even though I desperately wanted to see her, I wanted to give her the space she needed to process the news of the twins. I had no idea how we were possibly having twins because neither side of our families that any twins. Maybe it was a fluke. And now, we were being blessed with two babies instead of one.
We.
I frowned as I realized that there was no “we” here. Greta was my surrogate, and according to the contract, she would not have any rights to the babies. As their father, I would have sole legal rights. Greta knew this, and maybe that’s why she needed time to process things. After all, walking away from one baby was bad enough. Now, she had to walk away from two of her babies.
As I took a sip of coffee, I wondered whether it’d be possible to have her visit the babies in the future. I definitely did not want her to suffer because of the separation. I’d have to ask Garrett if it was possible to let Greta stay with me for a few months. But that was just delaying the inevitable.
Every avenue I thought of led to the same destination. Greta would be heartbroken, and I would be alone with two babies.
I heard footsteps entering the break room and turned around. Andrew approached the coffee maker.
“Isaac,” he greeted me casually.
“Andrew.”
Just as I was about to turn around and head back to my office, Andrew said, “I heard there was a little problem with the software contractor.”
“No problem,” I stated. “It was just a clarification, and it was resolved quickly and easily.”
“So you decided to stick with the original company, even though we were offered the same program at a substantial discount by another company?” Andrew muttered.
“If you were aware of this, why are you asking me?” I asked.
“I just wanted to make sure, as a member of the board. It affects and interests me.”
“Everything has been resolved,” I hissed. “The new company had stolen the code and is profiting off of someone else’s idea. I do not support thieves trying to pass someone’s product as their own.”
“You’re the boss,” he said with a snark. “But you know the owner of GrayBit, right? Greta Gray?”
“Yes, I know her,” I said calmly, “But I didn’t know that she was the owner. It was only when she showed up in my office that I knew. She’d been dealing with Charlie since the beginning, you see.”
“Well,” Andrew pretended to be relieved. “I am glad to hear that. To someone who didn’t know the story, it could look like you were giving favors to an old friend from your hometown.”
I glared at him and shook my head. “There is no favoritism whatsoever, Andrew. Ms. Gray does good work and her program makes all our lives so much easier. You of all people should know how easy TollGate’s interface is. Even you can use it.”
Andrew pursed his lips, stirred his coffee, and left the break room without another word.
I clenched my jaw but I had a strange sense of foreboding from this encounter. I had never mentioned that Greta and I were from the same hometown. How the hell did Andrew know that?
Rushing back to my office, my heart beating fast, I speed dialed Garrett’s number.
“Hey, buddy,” Garrett answered.
“I just had a brief conversation with my buddy, Andrew,” I told him as I closed the door, not wanting anyone to overhear the conversation.
“Oh, God. You didn’t threaten him again, did you? Or worse, punch him?”
“I didn’t touch him, I swear. He had heard about the counteroffer from Tamara Stark and was questioning me about Greta. I think he’s been looking into her.”
“Why would you say that?”
“He knows that we are from the same hometown. I know I’ve never mentioned it before.”
“You’re being paranoid. He knows that we grew up together. He just probably deduced that she is my sister.”
“I don’t know. The whole thing doesn’t seem right. If he knows this, what else does he know? Does he know about the surrogacy agreement with her?”
“I can assure you that the contract and all documents related to it are safely locked in my cabinet at home. I don’t keep any of those documents here at the office. There are no leaks on my side.”
I ran my fingers through my hair and nodded. “I know you won’t do that, Garrett. I’m just worried. I wouldn’t put anything past Andrew at this point. But I don’t want him to find out about this and use it against me, you, or Greta. We’ve come so far…I do not want us to lose now. I can’t let that happen. It would ruin me and Greta’s business. Everything that we have been working for the past few months – years, for that matter. I can’t let him win!”
“We won’t let him win. I promise you that. I have the law on my side, and I am always in your corner,” Garrett told me.
I sighed with relief. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I just want to be ready for whatever Andrew has up his sleeve because that bastard looks like he is up to something. I have a feeling that he’s going to try to play his hand again.”
“You just stay calm and don’t threaten him, or anyone else. Is that clear?” he ordered.
“Yes. I won’t. I have too much riding on this.”
There was a slight pause from his end, until he asked, “Have you talked to her yet?”
“No. I want her to call me. I want to give her all the time that she needs. Have you talked to her?”
“She called me last night but asked me not to tell you about it. Of course, as both your lawyers, I have to respect the privacy agreement.”
“Understandable,” I said. “Is she okay?”
“She’s still freaked out. She didn’t say that, but I could hear it in her voice. She just wanted to know her rights in the contract.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know I can’t discuss that with you.”
“But this affects me, Garrett. I am as much a part of this agreement as she is.”
“I know, but I think it would be better if she talked to you about this. That’s what I told her.”
“But she hasn’t called me yet.”
“She will because what she has to say is kind of important, for both of you. And the twins.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ll wait for her to call. But other than being freaked out, did she say anything else, anything that you can tell me?”
“She’s okay, Isaac. She felt them move again, and she’s started talking to them because they can hear her now.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Garrett. I needed to hear that. I just want to know that they’re okay.”
“They’re fine. Greta’s not the kind of person who would put anyone in harm’s way. Those twins mean a lot to her, I know that. If she felt that something was wrong, she would’ve called.”
The light of the front desk extension flashed on my desk phone and I sighed. “Garrett, I’ll have to talk to you later. I have a call waiting. But, thank you for talking me down.”
“I’m always here, buddy.”
I disconnected the call and reached for the desk phone.
“Sir, Greta Gray is on the line—”
“Put the call through,” I said hastily before she could even complete her sentence.
“Yes, sir.”
Holly let Greta’s call through. “Isaac?”
“Hey, Greta,” I said, trying to sound calm and collected.
“I’m sorry to call you at the office, but you weren’t answering your phone.”
“It’s okay. I was on a call. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, we’re fine. All three of us. Umm…I wanted to know if we could talk. The sooner the better, if that’s okay?”
“Yes, of course. How does dinner sound? Tonight, at my place?” I asked hopefully.
“That sounds great. If you could just send me your address, please.”
“I’ll be more than happy to pick you up from your place,” I offered.
“No, that�
��s okay. I’ll take a taxi. It’s fine.”
“Are you sure? I really don’t mind,” I told her.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll see you at six then, okay?” she said.
“Six it is.”
“Thanks, Isaac,” she said slowly. There was a pause on her end.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was trying to say something, and I wasn’t sure whether I should,” she mumbled. I could sense the panic and confusion in her tone. “But I’ll talk to you about it later. I’m fine.”
“Okay. If you need anything, please call me.”
“I will.”
The call ended, leaving me feeling empty and lonely. But at least she had called me and agreed to have dinner with me.
My mind went into overdrive as I thought about all the possible things that I could cook for her. I scoured the web for recipes that I knew I could pull off. I left the office early to do a bit of shopping and get a head start on the cooking. I wanted to ensure that this dinner exceeded her expectations.
26
Greta
I stared down at my bump, which seemed to grow bigger every day, and frowned. My favorite pair of jeans still fit me, to my surprise. I wore them with a plain white t-shirt and a pair of flat tan boots. I felt bloated and tired, so heels and tight clothes were not an option. Anyway, I wasn’t going to get dressed up for dinner at Isaac’s place. Didn’t want to set any expectations, after all.
With each passing day, I found it harder to accept that I would have to give up my babies. I hadn’t thought that I would feel this way about them, nor that I’d talk to them as often as I did. It just made me feel a little less lonely while I tried to figure things out.
But I was ready to talk to Isaac and tell him what I was thinking. He needed to know what I wanted and how I felt about the whole surrogacy . Also, I wanted to ask him about my status after the birth of the babies and all the other things I had not considered before signing the contract. I had to admit, I had been hasty in my decision. I hadn’t thought that the pregnancy would impact me this much. But I was expecting Isaac to be fair, and if I told him what bothered me, he’d respect it. Together, we could come up with a solution.
I drew in a deep breath, tousled my hair, and called a taxi. In ten minutes, the taxi was taking me to Isaac’s home. The address was new to me, as I’d never been on that side of town before. When the driver pulled over, I glanced out the window and my jaw dropped. I could totally imagine Isaac living here. It was breathtaking!
I thanked the driver as I climbed out. Walking up the stone path, I looked in surprise at the elegant Victorian-style house with its perfectly trimmed hedges, rose bushes, and plush-green lawns. This would have definitely cost a fortune, what with San Francisco’s crazy real estate prices. The other houses in the block were equally huge and imposing, all meticulously maintained.
I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. The door opened, and honestly, I was expecting a doorman or even a butler to open the door.
“Hey,” Isaac greeted me with a smile. So, he doesn’t have a butler. That’s good.
“Wow! No butler?”
“I’ve been thinking of getting one, actually,” he chuckled, and motioned for me to enter.
I walked into the house, noticing how incredible he looked, despite being dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a comfortable shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was disheveled, how I liked it, and looked longer as well. I couldn’t help thinking back to Isaac during his college days as he looked exactly like his younger self now – the long hair, and a casual and relaxed demeanor.
His eyes sparkled as he gazed at my bump. Was he was drunk, I thought. “How are you doing?”
“Doing well. Just doing some cooking,” he replied, walking to the kitchen at the end of the hallway.
I caught whiff of a delicious aroma as I followed him into the kitchen. Just like on the outside, his house looked incredible on the inside. The decor was trendy and beautifully done with expensive furniture and artwork. But importantly, the house felt warm and lived-in, which put me at ease.
“Your house is really beautiful,” I told him.
“Thank you,” he said, turning to the stove and stirring a pot. “I started living here with Uncle Anthony in his last days, learning the business, and getting myself ready to take over from him.”
I watched him as he spoke about the house, and I had to admit, the smells were a testament to his culinary skills having improved a great deal since college. Just watching him chop herbs on the cutting board was enthralling to me. He noticed me watching him, and cocked his head.
“What?” he asked.
I walked up to the counter and stood beside him. “Nothing. I’m just impressed that you’re cooking, and haven’t lost a finger. Yet.”
“I know, right?” he joked with a chuckle.
“I’m serious. The guy I remember, who used to ravage my parents’ refrigerator after school, didn’t even know how to turn on the oven. You thought making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was real cooking. Now, look at you!”
“People change, you know,” he shrugged. “Besides, we do what we need to do to survive.”
“Right,” I said, continuing to watch him. “Can I help you with anything?”
“No, you’re my guest. Besides, I have everything under control,” he answered. “Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I muttered, but sat down on the padded stool across him.
“So, how have you been?” he asked.
“Uncomfortable, to say the least. The babies think my bladder is a trampoline and they’re taking turns to jump on it,” I explained. “Sleeping is getting uncomfortable too. But at least my favorite pair of jeans still fit me.”
“That’s good to hear. Sorry about the rest,” he frowned with sympathy.
“It’s not your fault. We didn’t exactly order two, you know,” I scoffed. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” he said as he scraped the herbs off the cutting board and into the pot with the knife.
“What did you mean when you said that ‘we do what we need to do to survive’?”
He pursed his lips into a thin smile, letting out a sad sigh. “The cooking didn’t come naturally. With Uncle Anthony’s cancer, he couldn’t do much. He’d get tired easily and spent most of his days either in bed or on the couch. I took it upon myself to cook for him, look after him. Made sure that he didn’t go hungry. You know, he looked after me after my accident, after I lost my parents, and this was the least I could do for him. And he refused to get more treatment because his body just wouldn’t respond to the chemo anymore. He was just adamant about not wanting to spend his last days confined in a hospital bed, feeling like shit. So he came home, and I took care of him.”
My eyes filled with tears and I lowered my gaze, so that he wouldn’t see it. “That must have been really difficult. I remember him as this tough and brawny guy who used to arm wrestle with my dad and helped him fix up the old Chevy in the garage. Anthony was a really sweet guy, with a deep voice and a really big heart.”
“Yeah, he was the best.”
I reached out and placed my hand over his. “I’m so sorry, Isaac. Sorry that you had to go through that by yourself. If I had known what you were going through, I would have never—”
“It’s okay. It was wrong of me to not tell you. I had no excuse.”
I smiled. “I guess we were two stupid kids who didn’t know how to handle our situations.”
“Exactly. But now we know better, right?”
“Do we?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.
“When I’m with you, I feel like that kid again. Not the kid who made all those shitty decisions, but the kid who sat with you on that balcony. Who for the first time in his entire life, felt happy and like he belonged somewhere.”
I pursed my lips in annoyance. “Don’t do that,” I warned him.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to be honest.”
“I appreciate that, more than you know. That’s actually why I wanted to see you ‘coz I have to tell you some things. Things that I’ve never had the courage to say before,” I told him. “I talked to Mad about it and—”
“You did?”
I glanced at him. “She’s my friend, and she knew that something was off with me. I can’t hide my feelings from my best friend, Isaac. Just like you can’t hide your feelings from Garrett. He knows you too well, and Mad knows me better than I know myself at times. So, I told her everything. About you, the arrangement, and the babies. She nearly burst into tears when I showed her my bump, which is very out of character for her.”
“What did she say?” he asked nervously.
“She’s not going to tell anyone, because it’s not her news to share. I trust her,” I assured him.
“Okay. So, can I ask you a question?”
“Of course,” I answered.
“Has someone named Andrew Walton contacted you recently?”
I frowned and shook my head. “No. Why?”
“Do you know if he may have contacted any of your staff?”
“I’ll have to ask them,” I answered. “Why? Who is he?”
“He’s the head of the Board of directors at the company. He’s been after my job for a long time.”
“But what does he want with me? He doesn’t know about me, or the babies, does he?” I asked.
“No, not about the babies,” he answered. “He does, however, find it a little suspicious that we’re from the same hometown. This was after I insisted that we keep our contract with GrayBit, even though we were offered a cheaper deal from Tamara.”
I nodded. “I can understand why he would think that. It makes sense because it can be seen as favoritism on your part.”
“I told him it wasn’t.”
I looked at him for a moment. His poker face was really good. “You’re a good liar,” I said.
“One of the many things I am good at,” he said, winking, before turning his attention back to cooking the food.
Twins for Brother's Best Friend Page 17