The Question

by Zena Wynn

  Gail gave in but it still rankled. In none of their discussions had compensation been mentioned and if they had, she would have never agreed to it. Once the contract was signed, they’d gone from the lawyer’s office to Dr. Hagan’s office for the first round of exams. A copy of her medical records had already been transferred. If everything checked out, the next step would be the monitoring of her body to determine her fertile period.

  Two months later, she was back in Dr. Hagan’s office with Crystal by her side, being inseminated. It was amazing how fast things could go when you had enough money to grease the wheels. Crystal was more nervous than she, gripping her hand as though Gail were in labor rather than hopefully being impregnated.

  Amazingly enough, either she was extremely fertile or Rashid’s sperm was potent, because his seed took root the first time. Two weeks later, they were having a celebratory dinner to the welcome news of nine months from now, Crystal and Rashid would be the proud parents of a brand new baby.

  * * * *

  June—two months later

  Gail awakened to the sound of raised voices. She was in the emergency room of Baptist Medical Hospital after having passed out at work. Rashid yanked back the curtain and strode to the bedside. She looked at him groggily. “Rashid, what are you doing here?”

  He came to a stop by the bed and put his hands on the rail, gripping it tightly. “Where else would I be when the safety of my child is threatened?”

  Gail grimaced and tried to sit up.

  “Be still,” he commanded and used the remote to raise the back of the bed.

  She looked at his stern features before glancing away. “It was nothing. There was no need for you to come rushing down here. I simply fainted at work and they overreacted. Before I could stop them, they called Rescue.” She worked as a paralegal for a major law firm. The last thing they wanted was to be named in a lawsuit. Gail was given no choice and had reluctantly allowed herself to be carted off to the emergency room to be checked out. If she had known they were going to call Rashid, she’d have put up more of a fight.

  “That’s not what the doctor said. Dr. Hagan says you’re dehydrated and you’re not eating enough. You’ve lost too much weight and are far weaker than you need to be.” He gazed at her steadily, daring her to deny it.

  Ratfink doctor! Of course, Dr. Hagan knew on which side his bread was buttered, since Rashid was the one paying his outrageous fees. She should have known he’d call Rashid. She glanced behind him. “Where is Crystal?”

  “Waiting for me to bring you to the house.”

  At that, her attention snapped back to his face. “I’m not going to the beach. I’m headed home to my apartment when I leave here.”

  “You either come with me so we can take care of you, or you’ll stay here in the hospital, doctor’s orders. Now which will it be?”

  Gail stared at Rashid in horror. She didn’t want to stay with them. This whole situation was awkward enough. “Why can’t I go home?” She was startled to hear a whine in her voice.

  “You can’t go home alone because according to what you told Dr. Hagan, you haven’t been eating.”

  “It’s not my fault I can’t keep anything down,” she said mulishly. “Blame this child of yours,” she continued as she placed her hand over her stomach.

  Rashid’s eyes followed the motion of her hand, staring at her stomach for a few moments before returning his gaze to her face. She was shocked to see the blatant possessiveness in his expression before he blanked it out. “I am blaming my child for this. That is why you are coming with me. I have a list of foods and beverages you should be able to tolerate, as well as your prescription for the anti-nausea medicine Dr. Hagan recommended. By the time we get to the house, Crystal will have everything prepared. We will care for you and see that you don’t overdo it. For the next two weeks, you are restricted to bed rest.”

  “Two weeks,” she echoed. “What about my job?”

  “What about it? You’re no good to them the way you are and you definitely don’t need the money. Don’t you think your welfare and the health of this child are more important than your job?” he said sternly.

  Gail knew he was right but things were changing too fast. She was trying to hold on to what was familiar with both hands; afraid if she didn’t she’d be swept away. When she’d agreed to be Crystal’s surrogate, she’d forgotten the complete disruption a pregnancy caused in a woman’s life. She was only two months along and already she was sick of all the hormonal changes this baby was taking her body through. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to pass up on the psychological counseling that had been offered by Rashid’s legal staff before she’d signed the agreement.

  “You’re right,” she finally told him. “I’m just trying to keep my life as normal as possible. Things just aren’t happening the way I imagined. Your house is fine, for now. We’ll need to stop by my place so I can pack enough clothes to tide me over. I have enough leave time to cover for the next two weeks.” Actually, she had enough leave time to take the next six months off and still get paid.

  * * * *

  Rashid gazed at Gail, silently acknowledging that normal went out the door the minute he’d received the call from the doctor an hour ago. He hadn’t known how much he wanted this child until he’d feared losing it. This call had reminded him too much of the ones he’d received concerning Crystal. He sat silently listening while Dr. Hagan came in with final instructions then left when the doctor did so that Gail could dress.

  He wanted this child. He was ashamed to admit to himself just how much he wanted it. He thought he could be satisfied with just the love of his wife, but now that his child was growing under the heart of another woman, he realized just how much he had been deceiving himself. Crystal was right. Not about being less of a woman because she couldn’t give him a child, but right when she said that he wanted a son. Someone to carry his name. He would be happy with a daughter, if that’s what God chose to bless him with, but in his deepest heart, he wanted a son.

  He looked at the woman who had made all of this possible as she stepped from behind the curtain and felt gratitude well up within his heart. She was going beyond the norms of friendship in doing this for them. For her to be willing to bear a child for them, especially knowing how devastating the loss of her own child was to her, was beyond extraordinary.

  He’d never really given much thought to his wife’s friend, Gail. At first, she had come with the territory—a kind of ‘love me, love my friend’ package that he’d accepted when he married Crystal. Then he’d met Jason and by virtue of familiarity, the men became good friends. At that point, Gail was simply Jason’s wife. As men do from time to time, they’d spoken of their wives and families and he’d known that Gail was a good wife to Jason. Jason never had anything but good to say about her as a wife and as a mother. Other than Crystal, Rashid really couldn’t have picked a better or more honorable woman to be the mother his child if he had tried.

  This had to be difficult for her. Her routine, her very life was being disrupted by this pregnancy. She was basically giving them a year of her life to make their dream come true. Money couldn’t compensate for that kind of love. He was going to do everything within his power to see that she was well taken care of.

  It was the least that he could do.

  Chapter Two

  Rashid drove Gail to her apartment so she could pack. While waiting, he checked out the contents of her refrigerator. There wasn’t much inside—some fruit and a few containers of yogurt. He knew it wasn’t from lack of money. Gail worked because she chose to do so, not because she needed the income. It was something to do with the time on her hands. Jason, while not as financially well off as he, had nevertheless been quite comfortable and made ample provision for his family in the event of his demise. Gail benefited from two separate insurance policies at the death of her husband and child, plus the proceeds from the house that she’d sold. Then there was Jason’s business, which she’d also put up fo
r sale. No, she didn’t lack for cash.

  There was no food in the house because she hadn’t been able to keep anything down. This pregnancy was affecting Gail’s appetite, which in his opinion, had never been healthy to begin with. Rashid could see that he was going to have to keep a closer eye on her. He had assumed, since she had been through this before, that she could handle things on her own with minimal assistance from him, other than the financial kind. After his talk with Dr. Hagan, he could see that this was not the case.

  He would have to speak to Crystal to make sure she understood how vital it was that they gave to Gail all the emotional support that she needed during this process. Though Gail was her friend, Crystal’s mind was focused on the end result, not the process necessary to achieve it. His wife had tunnel vision when she wanted something, and he didn’t believe she’d allowed herself to consider or even realize the magnitude of the sacrifice required of Gail to provide them with a child, when she herself was gaining nothing but potential heartache from the deal.

  He looked up as Gail walked out of her room, wheeling her suitcase behind her. From the size of it, she hadn’t packed much, but then you didn’t need a lot of clothes when you were supposed to be resting.

  “We need to go by the office and pick up my car,” she said distractedly. From the motion of her hands, she was mentally tallying the things she’d pack to make sure she had everything.

  “That won’t be necessary. I will drive you to the house.”

  At his words, her attention focused completely on him as her eyes examined him with laser-like sharpness. “I need to go by the office and pick up my car,” she slowly repeated. “You can take me or I can catch a cab. Either way, I’m not leaving my car.”

  Rashid opened his mouth then stopped, catching his words before they flew out. He had to be careful. This woman was not his wife. He had no authority over her in any capacity, even though she carried his child. Crystal would have never questioned his decision, but then, Gail wasn’t Crystal. He nodded. “As you wish.”

  She studied him for a moment more before digging into her purse for her keys. Once she had them in hand, she headed for the door, only to stop suddenly and turn back. “I need to forward my calls to my cell phone.” That task completed, she readied herself to exit only to stop as another task that needed completing popped into her mind.

  Rashid didn’t rush her. He knew this was difficult for her. Her home was her sanctuary and they were forcing her to leave it, and on such short notice. Finally, she was ready to go. He took the suitcase from her and escorted her down to his car. A short while later, she was pulling out of her employer’s parking lot with Rashid following close behind.

  He pulled out his cell phone as it began ringing. A quick glance at the caller’s ID revealed it was Crystal. “We’ll be there shortly. She wanted to stop and collect her car,” he answered, knowing what her question was going to be before she asked.

  “Oh, I was wondering what was taking so long. That’s good. Gail would hate being here without any transportation. She’s very independent.”

  “So I’m beginning to see. The only reason she agreed to stay with us is because the doctor threatened to keep her in the hospital,” he stated with a grimace.

  “I can’t wait until she gets here. This is going to be so much fun.”

  Rashid frowned. “Sweetling, she’s under doctor’s orders to stay in bed.”

  “Rashid, Gail isn’t sick. She just needs to eat. I know her. She won’t be able to stay in bed all day. I’ll make sure she gets plenty of rest and we’ll still have fun. You’ll see.”

  Rashid didn’t comment. He wasn’t pleased with his wife’s attitude. Having miscarried several times, he thought she’d be more conscious of the risks.

  At his continued silence, Crystal said, “Honey, trust me. I want this baby as much as you. I won’t let her overdo it, but she won’t be happy if we treat her like an invalid. Gail is not me. She’s strong. She knows her body and its limitations. Everything will be fine. I’ll see you when you get home.”

  “Alright.” He disconnected the call, still deeply disturbed. He’d have to monitor the situation closely. His only consolation was that Crystal’s work as an interior decorator sometimes required her putting in long hours. She would be gone for much of the day, giving Gail an opportunity to rest, and he would be home at night to ensure that she didn’t overdo it. This baby was too important to him for them to take any chances with its well being.

  * * * *

  Gail drove towards Crystal and Rashid’s home, wondering how much this was going to cost her emotionally. She was pregnant with her best friend’s child, and now she was going to be living in their home for the next two weeks. This whole situation was wrong, any way you looked at it.

  Because of this baby, she was being dragged deeper and deeper into their lives. Somehow, she’d thought she would get pregnant; she and Crystal would hang out like they’d always done, and in nine months she’d hand over a bouncing baby to the happy parents and that would be the end of it. That’s the impression she gained from the material she’d read on surrogate mothers. Of course, in none of those cases did the surrogate happen to be best friends with the couple. Still, she thought their friendship would make things easier for her. It’s wasn’t.

  She wasn’t prepared for the emotional toil this pregnancy was taking. Memories of her pregnancy with Marcus and the way Jason had pampered her rose when least expected. Add those to the hormonal fluctuations and she frequently found herself in the midst of crying jags and depression the likes of which she hadn’t experience since the early days of their deaths.

  In addition to all of that, in all the time that she’d known Crystal, the two of them had never actually spent any time living under the same roof. Somehow, she’d instinctively known that if they had ever tried to cohabitate, their friendship wouldn’t survive the process. Now their relationship was going to be put to the test, and at the worst possible time.

  Maybe she was being silly, seeing problems where there weren’t any. Still, she couldn’t help thinking about the cardinal rules her mom had taught her about girlfriends and relationships. You never vented or complained about your man to your friends when you were mad with him, because when you calmed down, they were still mad on your behalf. After too many complaints, they would take an active disliking to your man and become vocal in their encouragement for you to end the relationship. You never bragged about your man because some heifer that you thought was your friend would see the good thing you’ve got and try to steal him from you. And finally, you never, ever allowed any of your single, non-committed friends to live under the same roof with you and your man or spend a lot of time with the two of you. That was just asking for trouble.

  It was true that while Jason was alive, the two couples spent a lot of time together. Now that he was gone, Gail spent most of her time with just Crystal, never forgetting that Crystal had a husband and responsibilities. Rarely were the three of them together like the other night at her apartment. Gail cleared her mind of gloomy thoughts as she pulled into the circular drive in front of Crystal’s house. She was here now. Her only alternative was to remain at the hospital and she couldn’t see herself doing that. She pasted a smile on her face as Crystal came rushing out of the door and down the steps, a big welcoming grin on her face.

  “I hate to say ‘I told you so,’ but I did. I told you if you didn’t start eating the doctor was going to sic Rashid on you.”

  “Yes, you did. Looks like I’m your patient for the next two weeks.”

  “Patient? Spft. You’re not a patient. Get a little food in you, a little rest and you’ll be good as new. In the meantime, we can have lots of fun, starting right now. I hope you brought your suit with you because today’s a perfect day to lounge by the pool. Miguel will take your bags to your room and Carmelita’s fixing lunch. Go get changed and I’ll meet you on the patio in fifteen minutes. You’re in the main guest suite.”

  Gail
heaved a silent sigh of relief. The room she was referring to doubled as a cabana and had its own separate entrance off of the patio. It was loosely connected to the house by the kitchen and was a good distance from the master bedroom. She was close enough to be considered under their roof and keep them happy, but not so close that she intruded on their privacy.

  She followed Miguel to her room and unpacked her bathing suit, a modest one piece. With the heat index in the high 80s, today was the perfect day to lie by the pool. Maybe being off of work for the next two weeks wouldn’t be too bad. She could sure use the rest. She got sleepy at the oddest moments. She grabbed a towel, opened the door, and walked out to the poolside.

  Carmelita was already there setting up lunch. “Looks good, Carmelita, as always,” Gail said as she stooped down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

  Carmelita smiled her appreciation. “We’re going to take good care of you, Ms. Gail. You and the niño. Feed you lots of food. Ms. Crystal, she hire this nutritionalist but I tell her, Ms. Gail just need some of my cooking and she be fine.”

  Gail sat at the table and allowed Carmelita to serve her, knowing she needed to eat but her stomach already rebelling at the thought of it. In front of her, Carmelita set a glass of tea. “You drink this first. It will settle your stomach. Then you nibble on the food I give you. Si’?”

  “Okay, Carmelita. You’re the boss.” Gail picked up the tea and took a small sip. The soothing taste of peppermint filled her mouth. “It’s peppermint. Mmm.”

  “Si.’ Peppermint with honey. Very good for the stomach. Calms it so that you can eat.”

  “Thank you, I’m feeling better already.”