Her place had been infested with ants when she moved in, but she’d managed to get that under control. The brown carpet was worn and stained with dubious looking splatters and splotches, and the ancient blinds in the windows were broken and sagged in several spots. They let in more sunlight than they kept out, she thought with a dry smile. The walls had holes punched into them, and. brown water stains adorned the ceiling above the cheap light fixtures.
It had never been her dream home, but after leaving home at sixteen and having to look after herself, Janelle couldn’t afford to be choosy. It was supposed to be a temporary measure while she got on her feet, but three years later, she found herself still there.
If she was honest with herself, all she’d ever really wanted was a roof over her head, heat during the cold Chicago winters and a place to sleep and shower. She didn’t own nice things, but that was all right with her. It didn’t matter that her couch came from a garage sale, or that she’d found her table and the two mismatched chairs thrown out beside a dumpster. It was home, and she was about to lose it.
She was four months late on her rent. With no way to pay it and zero prospects of getting a decent job, Janelle was desperate. She had no place to go if she lost her apartment. She would never go back to her mother, not that she thought of Hannah Speirs as such.
Her mother had told her repeatedly that she hadn’t been wanted in the first place. Hannah had fallen pregnant at seventeen, with the father bolting as soon as he heard the news. She hadn’t known nor bothered to learn how to raise a child, and Janelle’s childhood had been a miserable one as a result. She remembered being left alone at six years old while her mother was out drinking, drugging or partying. When Hannah was home she terrorized Janelle with her harsh words and anger. As soon as she was old enough to get a job, Janelle had quit school and moved out on her own.
Her cellphone startled her out of her thoughts, and he saw her best friend’s number flashing on the screen. It took her another second before she realized she had to answer it.
“Hello?”
“So, did you have time to look it over?” Shelly’s wild enthusiasm seemed shrill and out of place in Janelle’s ear. She winced, thankful that Shelly couldn’t see her on the other end.
“Yeah, I had a look.” Janelle kept her voice neutral, giving nothing away. Shelly had given her the brochure just the night before, but knowing her friend, Janelle was surprised that she had been able to wait almost a full day before calling.
“I think it’s a good idea! Imagine, fifty thousand dollars just for popping out a baby! I’m going to sign up. I know you have to go for an interview and a medical screening, but I don’t mind. It’s worth it. I could never make that much money working at the diner, especially on the tips those guys think they’re doing me a favor by giving. If I’m going to have my ass and tits squeezed, I would rather be paid the big bucks for it, not a dollar here and there.”
Despite her frustration, fear and anxiety, Janelle had to smile. She could just imagine Shelly making the same wild hand gestures over the phone that she always made when she talked.
“I don’t know. I mean, it’s a lot of money, but you have to go to another planet. You have to stay there at least for three months while you carry the baby, plus however long it takes before that to conceive. I don’t know that I want to be away from home, in another galaxy with people that aren’t even human. You’d have to surrender your body to them and then to their baby as it grows inside of you! Imagine that, giving birth to an alien and then being shipped back to Earth like nothing happened.” Janelle closed her eyes, the very prospect threatening to give her a migraine. She didn’t know how this crazy alien surrogacy program was even legal.
“I wouldn’t mind. Klaskians look human enough except for their skin color, but it’s supposed to be the most beautiful blue in person. I’ve also heard that they’re incredible lovers. I think giving up my body to someone that actually knows what they’re doing might be a nice change.” She giggled. “So what if you have to pop out their brat? It’s fifty grand!” Shelly’s voice reached a high pitch and Janelle cringed.
“Shelly, seriously. I know you’re kidding and you always put on a tough front. I know you would care. Just because the baby wouldn’t be human doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t get attached to it. It would still be incredibly hard to give it up.”
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