“You what?” Elizabeth’s friend, Mara screamed at her.
Elizabeth after much deliberation had told her friend about the surrogacy thing and also that she had just botched the one job she had to do to take care of her dying mother.“You can’t be serious, I mean you talked about it at the club and I just assumed it was the drink talking cause we were both drunk but actually going through with it?”“I went alright, met the man I am supposed to have his baby and even went over to his house, it was almost settled. After nine months I am to be paid $80000 and then taken care of for five years after. Do you know how wonderful that is?”“Liz! Being a surrogate is a very big decision, I can’t believe you made such decision without telling me and how do you think your mother would feel when she hears you had to get pregnant to foot her bills, she would blow the roof down. Come on, this isn’t you talking.”“Well it is not going to happen ever again because I yelled at the man in question, you know Jason the billionaire whose family is literally involved in all things that make the world running. I am not supposed to tell a soul but he’s the one, I agreed to get pregnant for.”“That’s crazy, he needs a baby? Do you think he is still accepting applications. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to have him impregnate me.” Mara squealedThe look on Elizabeth’s face was enough to quieten her down.“I am sorry, I know how much of a bad temper you have, Liz. You should have just held whatever it was in for the sake of your mother.”“You think I did not try? I just couldn’t with him sitting down there looking so smug and talking down to me like he believed I was stupid or something. Nothing in the world should make someone so condescending towards his fellow human being.”“I mean, he owns almost everything on this side of town, a little attitude should definitely be in place.”“Whose side are you on right now, Mara?”“You know I am always on your side, maybe this is God’s way of telling you that he doesn’t approve of what you had been about to do.”“If he doesn’t approve, does he think he could make my mother get well on her own so I don’t have to do preposterous things.” Elizabeth sighed slapping her palm against her forehead.How could I had been so stupid as to yell at him? now that I thought about it, he had just sat there and stared at me as I raved no doubt surprised at my sudden outburst.“I don’t know what I am going to do, I can’t keep working at the convenience store forever. The money I make there isn’t be enough to take care of me, not to talk of treatments for my mother. This surrogacy thing was like a once in a lifetime opportunity and I botched it.”“It wasn’t your fault, Liz. Blame it on the arrogant asshole who could not accord respect to the one who is going to be carrying his own baby and heir. You are not in the wrong here so stop slapping your forehead, you will get a bruise.” Mara said, patting her friend on then shoulder.She knew how much her friend needed money at this point in her life and wished that she could offer that help, they had been friends since high school and it was because Mara was always bullied and then one day Elizabeth had stood up for her. Mara could remember that day like it was yesterday, Elizabeth standing over her and waving her fists at her bullies while she sat on the ground where she had been pushed, they had become inseparable after then.“There is no use for me crying over spilt milk, I have an evening shift at the store so I will see you later. Please take care of my mother for me till Darren gets back from school or wherever he is at this moment.”“I will, just go and stop thinking about what could have been… instead focus on the future and what would be.”“Shut up, Mara. You sound stupid” Elizabeth said smiling at her friend.“I do, don’t I? It sounded so much better when I heard it on TV”They both laughed, hugged and waved each other goodbye.Elizabeth got to her workplace in high hopes, she had plans to ask her boss for a salary raise and also that more shifts be given to her so she could try to raise money for her mother’s treatment before it became too late as the doctor had said.The door to the store opened and without looking up from the book she was reading, Elizabeth answered.“Please do come in” she yelledThe person came in and stood in front of her. All Elizabeth felt was an overpowering presence and the scent of very expensive masculine spray.“What can I help…” Elizabeth sucked in her breath at the sight before her.It was Jason!But what was he doing here on this side of town and in particular store except… wait was he here for her?“You were saying?” He asked, an eyebrow raised“I’m sorry, what can I get you?” She said, trying so hard not to look at his startling blue eyes.They were like pools, you could literally drown in.“I want us to come to an agreement concerning the surrogacy and you can get me anything you think I need as a stress relaxing meal.” He said.Elizabeth’s eyes shot up to stare at him.He had to be joking right? Or she had not heard him correctly.“You look shocked.” He commented, his eyes twinkling with mirth.“No…I mean Yes, I just… why?”“Why I need the stress reliever? Well isn’t that quite obvious, I am a…”“No, you know what I am talking about, why do you still want me for the surrogacy”“Well because, Miss Elizabeth, you intrigue me and the fact that I don’t have you quite figured out like the others is driving me crazy.”Elizabeth gasped at his words and the half smile on his lips.She was in deep shit“What do you mean by you will be going away?” Darren, Elizabeth’s brother inquired as he watched her type away on her laptop. He could hardly understand why he had to be the one to take care of their mother at such young age, no offense or insult intended but he had his own life ahead of him and he could hardly imagine himself being bound by his ailing mother. To him he felt it was his sister’s job to take care of her and ever since their father had died some years ago, she had been doing that just fine without his help.“I need to go work to get money for her treatment, Darren. You just have to be with her for some months and I will be back. This is really important to me and it is literally the only thing that can get us out of this level.”“What kind of job is it? You know I am playing for the local football club and I just recently got selected to represent at the international level. I cannot botch this, coupled with the fact that I have school and a life.”“Who do you think is w
Elizabeth thought against putting on makeup, he had said dress nice but did that mean she had to look good for him. She did not want to look good for him but she still found herself applying some lips gloss, no need getting her lips chapped just so she could look gross.Her mother was still asleep when she slipped out of the house, she has been sleeping much these days, no doubt to conserve energy. She looked so fragile and this only strengthened Elizabeth’s resolve at going through with this surrogacy thing and getting her mother up and about again.Darren was also still asleep, he had come back very late at night, drunk and had called her a coward. She knew he meant nothing by it and it was only the booze talking but she could not help but think about what he had said.What if this was her own way of running away, by bearing another man’s child and claiming she was only doing it for her mother while she just wanted to escape, she thought to herselfShe arrived at the office building
CHAPTER SIX“What did you tell him? When he asked if you were a virgin, what did you say?” Mara asked, squatting in the floor beside me. They were picking beans for their dinner, Mara had plans to sleepover because Darren had practice and he was going to be spending the night at a friend’s place.Honestly Elizabeth knew that he was merely trying to get away from her for a while and their mother, seeing as she had sprung taking care of their mother for the duration of time she would be gone. She could hardly blame him for wanting to be free with the time he had left.“I panicked and I said no, now I regret it because what if he was asking because the procedure involves something going through my vagina. What am I going to do then?” Elizabeth wailed.“You have to tell him the truth, just let him know that you panicked and you are indeed a twenty four years old virgin, let’s see how well he would take you lying already. I am sure he would say ‘oh wow, that’s great. You are perfect for the
CHAPTER SEVEN“What decision have you made?” Jason asked over the phone.Elizabeth took a deep breath, she so desperately wanted to say yes, if not for anything but for the sake of her mother but she could not bring the words of her mouth.“Are you there?”“Yes, I’m sorry. I was just… forget it.”“Your answer, Elizabeth” Jason said, reminding her.“I really want to be a surrogate because of the money involved but I have thought about this so much and I don’t feel comfortable giving my egg out for your deed and I’m sorry if I have wasted your time but my answer is No.”“I see. Even if I tell you that you can keep the money and I would personally make sure your mother gets the best treatment, any doctor in the world has to offer? Would your answer still be No?”“How do you know about my mother?”“I have my sources, Elizabeth and I know she is the reason you are even considering doing the surrogacy. I understand and would like to take care of her treatment, you just have to say yes to bea
CHAPTER EIGHT“It says here that you want me to move in with you immediately the contract is signed?” Elizabeth asked in disbelief.“Yes” he answered“But I cannot do that, I need to say goodbye to my brother and my mother. I have a life I need to put on pause for the next year.”“I am well aware of your life, Elizabeth” he drawled on the word life as though she could ever call what she had a life.“Then you should understand why I cannot agree to the clause of this statement. I need a week after this to prepare myself.”“Two days”“Four days” Elizabeth argued.“Two is all I can give you, starting Monday, I want you to be ready. The doctors who will treat and check up on you from time to time will be coming over to this house. I am a very busy man and so I can only squeeze out two days.”“Fine, two days.” Elizabeth said, her face sullen.What was she expected to do in two days?“My driver will drop you after you finish eyeing that document and signing it?” Jason said breaking her inten
CHAPTER NINE“You would not believe who I just encountered.” Elizabeth was giddy with excitement. She had always had a crush on Lucien Rodrigues and this was ever since he came for a family donation to her high school some years back. He had changed a lot, because she did not recognize him until he said his name. He had offered to drive her home seeing as her clothes were ruined but she politely declined and then he had asked for her number.It was funny because seeing your crush after a long while and realizing you still have a huge crush on them tends to mess with the head. She had declined giving him her number and watched him drive away, slapping herself mentally.“What happened to your clothes, did you get in an accident?” Mara asked concerned.“It is nothing like that Mar, a driver splashed dirt of me.”“Assholes, they do not look where they are going just because they drive cars.” Mara fumed.“No, let’s make an exception to this one. You remember Lucien Rodrigues right? Younger
CHAPTER TEN“You are back.” Elizabeth said to her brother. He had been gone for two days since he claimed he was going for practice and although she had tried calling him, his number never went through. He nodded once and walked straight to him room and although it was at the tip of Elizabeth’s tongue to call him back and ask him where he had been, she didn’t.She and Darren were exactly five years apart in age and she had always been his big sister, she had always been there to defend him against bullies until he could properly take care of himself and then their father had died, leaving their mother to cater for them and now she was sick. Elizabeth could understand why he just wanted to do away with this life and his family forever.She contemplated going to talk to him about the whole surrogacy thing but decided against it,He wouldn’t understand, she thought sadly.“Aren’t you going to work?” Darren asked some hours later when his sister had not made any move to go out.“I have to
CHAPTER ELEVENElizabeth woke up with butterflies flapping incessantly in the pits of her stomach. Today was the day she was supposed to move in with Jason, she hadn’t even packed. Mara was supposed to help her with packing after her working hours and she was supposed to inform her boss at the convenience store and officially resign. Officially because she had not gone there in some days and she was sure her space had already been filled but it was important she cut all ties to avoid suspicions from them and to also give her a good credit score when she decides to apply for a job again after this whole thing was over, although she doubted she would have to work in a convenience store again after getting paid by Jason.Elizabeth walked around quietly, she did not want to wake her brother who had stayed up all night and she most definitely did not want to disturb her mother’s sleep. Her sickness was getting worse and she was always in pains anytime she wasn’t sleeping. Elizabeth had plan