The Question

by Zena Wynn

Crystal and Rashid joined her in the waiting room. When the nurse called for her to come back, all three of them stood, causing the nurse’s eyebrow to rise. “Will both of you be accompanying Ms. Henderson?”

  “Yes,” Gail answered for them. “Is that a problem?”

  “No, it’s not. I was just surprised. Come this way so that I can get your vitals.”

  Crystal and Rashid stood by and watched as Gail was weighed and her blood pressure was taken. Then she had to go pee in the cup. Oh joy!

  Rashid stood outside the exam room while she undressed and put on the paper gown. Once she was sufficiently covered and situated, Crystal called him inside. It was beyond awkward, sitting there, the next thing to naked with Rashid there in the room. Actually, she wasn’t too comfortable with Crystal seeing her nude, but at least she was a girl. She had all the same equipment. Rashid was all male.

  And the father of this child, her conscious reminded her.

  Dr. Hagan came into the room and she focused her attention on him. Maybe he was aware of the tension in her body or he was just sensitive to the awkwardness of the situation, but he had Rashid sit where he could be a part of the procedure but not too up close and personal for her comfort.

  Dr. Hagan did the whole routine, including a full pelvic exam. Nothing like having a man with his whole hand up your unmentionables with spectators watching the show. “Everything looks good. How’s your appetite?” Dr. Hagan asked as he removed his glove and let down the stir-ups.

  “It’s okay. I’m eating more frequently and eating smaller meals.”

  “Good. Any nausea?

  “A little. Not that often. I’m having more heartburn than anything.”

  “Stay away from fried, greasy food. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and drink milk. It should go away.”

  “Milk gives me gas. I don’t like milk.” Gail couldn’t help the frown on her face. Baby or no baby, she was not drinking milk.

  “What about yogurt? Do you like yogurt?”

  “Yeah, it’s okay. Kind of sweet.”

  “Eat lots of it. I don’t care what kind. It’s good for your digestive system and a good source of calcium. Eat it for the baby. If you don’t get enough calcium, the baby will take it from your bones. We don’t want that to happen.”

  “No, we don’t. Okay, I’ll get some yogurt.”

  “Now, let’s check on the baby. How would you two like to see your child?” Dr. Hagan asked Crystal and Rashid.

  “Oh, could we? That would be wonderful,” Crystal answered for both of them.

  “Prepare her for an ultrasound,” Dr. Hagan said to the nurse.

  The nurse laid a towel over Gail’s hips and another one over her chest, preserving her modesty and leaving her stomach bare. Her belly was just beginning to pooch out, something only noticeable when bare like it was now. Then she squeezed goo on Gail’s belly.

  Dr. Hagan moved the ultrasound machine closer to the bed and motioned for Rashid and Crystal to move forward. Crystal stood on Gail’s right while Rashid stood behind her, near the head of the exam table.

  Dr. Hagan placed the scanner on Gail’s belly and the monitor came to life. “Well, lookie there,” he said. “What do you know? Looks like you folks are getting two for the price of one.”

  “What are you talking about?” Gail asked confused. She was still trying to make sense of the images on the monitor, which was hard to do with Dr. Hagan rolling the scanner around like he was. The picture kept moving. A glance at Crystal and Rashid showed they were trying to do the same.

  “What I’m saying is that we’ve got ourselves a set of twins.” The rest of what Dr. Hagan was saying was drowned out by the buzzing in her ears. Twins? How did this happen? She hadn’t taken any fertility drugs to increase ovulation. She and Crystal had decided to try insemination without it the first couple of times, only falling back on the drugs as a last resort. They’d been trying to prevent something like this from occurring.

  While her mind was reeling, her eyes had been tracking Dr. Hagan as he explained to the stunned parents-to-be exactly what they were seeing on the monitor. Gail tuned back just in time to hear Dr. Hagan tell Rashid it was too soon to determine the sex of the babies but that in another month or two, he should be able to tell.

  Then he put down the scanner, removed his gloves, and took the printout from out of the machine and handed it to Crystal. “Here’s your first baby picture. Take it, and you and Rashid go into my office and wait.”

  Once they were gone, he turned to Gail. “The nurse is going to help you get cleaned up. Once you are dressed, come to my office and we’ll discuss things.”

  “Alright,” Gail agreed, still partially dazed. Two babies weren’t actually a problem, she reminded herself. Rashid had covered multiple births in the contract. She just never thought that it would happen. She hoped Crystal could handle it. Being a mother to one newborn was tough enough. Now they were talking about two.

  Oh well, not her problem. At least, she couldn’t let it be her problem. That way laid disaster. She couldn’t allow herself to be concerned about the quality of care these babies received outside of the womb. Her job was to be an incubator. Incubators had no feelings. She couldn’t afford to have any either. That was one of the things the online surrogate support group she’d joined stressed.

  Gail dressed and joined the others in the office. Rashid rose from his chair, allowing her to be seated. Dr. Hagan came in behind Gail and sat behind his desk. “I’m pleased with the weight you’ve gained and the development of the babies. Actually, the extreme nausea you experienced in the beginning was a good sign. It means you had a good amount of the pregnancy hormones flooding your system. There is no danger of miscarriage.”

  Gail inwardly groaned. Sure, it’s a good thing ‘cause he wasn’t the one going through it.

  “I still want you to take it easy. Take care of yourself. A healthy mother means healthy babies. I’m releasing you to return to work. I don’t want you working more than thirty hours per week. If you feel yourself getting tired, rest.” At his words, she wanted to jump up and down with joy, but restrained herself.

  Dr. Hagan played with his pen before continuing. “Keep eating like you have been. Soon you’ll find yourself eating more as your body’s demand for calories increases. I want you to get some form of low-impact, aerobic exercise daily, preferably walking or swimming. It will help with the delivery. They have yoga classes specifically designed for expectant mothers. You may want to check it out. Does anyone have any questions for me?”

  “Is she really okay to be released on her own?” Rashid asked.

  Gail’s eyes narrowed and she glanced at Rashid in warning. His attention was totally focused on Dr Hagan and didn’t notice.

  “Yes, she should be fine. Gail has entered her second trimester. Her appetite and energy levels should increase and her system balance out. We’ll review the situation again when she enters the third. She’ll find herself tiring easier, have more difficulty getting around, and premature delivery will be more of a concern, but that’s another two to three months from now,” Dr. Hagan told him.

  Gail could tell from the expression on Rashid’s face that he was hoping for a different answer. She looked at Crystal to see what her reaction was to all of this. Her expression was surprisingly neutral.

  “Any more questions?” Dr. Hagan asked the group. When everyone responded in the negative, he told Gail, “See you back in four weeks.” He stood and excused himself from the room.

  “Well,” Crystal said, “that was certainly exciting. Now that you have your freedom back, what do you plan to do?”

  “I’m going to the spa to get the full treatment. Then, I’m going shopping. My clothing’s getting a little tight in the waist. Another couple of weeks and I won’t be able to fasten them at all.”

  At her words, Rashid went into his wallet and pulled out a black credit card with an American Express logo on it. He held it out to Gail.

  “What’s this for
?” she asked, making no attempt to take it. The Centurion Black card from American Express was so exclusive you couldn’t even apply for it. AmEx issued it by special invitation only. There was no way she was touching it.

  “You stated you have a need for more clothing. According to our agreement, we are responsible for supplying all of your pregnancy related needs.” He motioned for her to take the card.

  “I can’t use your credit card, Rashid. I’m not your wife. They’ll think I stole it.” Gail tried to push it away.

  Rashid took her hand, pried it open when she tried to resist, and placed the card inside, closing her fingers around it. “It’s not my card. I opened an account in your name to cover all of your expenses. Charge whatever you need against it—food, clothing, etc—and the bills will come to me.”

  Crystal snatched the card out of Gail’s slack hand. “You got her a Black American Express? Don’t you think that’s a bit much? I don’t even have one of these.” She flipped it right side up to reveal Gail’s name etched on the card.

  “Crystal’s right. I appreciate the sentiment, but I can’t accept it.”

  “It’s not sentiment. It’s a legal obligation and gratitude to the mother of my children,” Rashid said as he took the card from Crystal and handed it back to Gail.

  Crystal sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Rashid, I’m not the mother of your children. Crystal is. I’m just the incubator.”

  “Yes, yes,” he said dismissively. “Is this not what I mean? Regardless of how you term it, through your generosity our dream of children is being realized. It is the least that we can do.”

  Gail looked worriedly at Crystal, her concern over the card forgotten.

  “Take the card, Gail. He’s right. We are responsible for your expenses while you’re pregnant. After all, you’re giving us the use of your body and your time. The least that we can do to make sure that it doesn’t cost you anything financially.”

  “Are you sure?” Gail was hesitant. Crystal was saying all the right words but something about it didn’t ring true.

  “I’m positive.” This time, Crystal smiled. “If I didn’t have a meeting today with a new client, I would be going with you to help you spend Rashid’s money.”

  The smile is what convinced Gail. It was sincere. “Okay, if you’re really sure.”

  “I am. Are you coming back to the house tonight?” Crystal asked.

  “Maybe not tonight. I’ve been away from home for too long.”

  “Okay, call me when you get in and tell me about your day. I’ve got to go.” Crystal gave Gail a hug.

  “I will.”

  “I’ll see you at home,” Crystal told Rashid. She walked out the door, leaving Gail and Rashid to trail behind. Rashid waited while Gail set up her next appointment and input the date and time into his BlackBerry.

  He escorted Gail to her car and waited until she was settled inside. Before she could close the door, he asked, “Have you given any more thought to my request?”

  Truthfully, she hadn’t but looking in to his earnest face, she couldn’t tell him that so she made herself really think about it now. “In addition to going with me to my doctor appointments, short of living with you guys, what is the minimal amount of contact that you can accept?”

  “I will accept whatever amount of contact with us that you are comfortable in giving.”

  “Well, how about this for starters? Dr. Hagan wants me to get daily exercise. You have a pool. Why don’t I come over in the evenings to swim and let Carmelita feed me? That way you could see for yourself how I’m doing, and I won’t feel like I’m intruding on your and Crystal’s privacy.”

  “And later on, as your time draws near?”

  “Let’s just get through this. We’ll re-evaluate things when that time comes, okay?”

  “This is an acceptable compromise.”

  “Okay, now you need to go make nice with your wife.” Gail gave him serious eyes so that he knew she meant business.

  “What do you mean?” From the look on his face, the man didn’t have a clue.

  “I mean, it was rather insensitive of you to refer to me as the mother of your children when your wife has been trying to give you some for years,” Gail told him sternly.

  “Are you not the mother of these children? Is it not your eggs and your body that is giving them life?”

  “That’s not the point. Yes, if you want to be literal about it, I am the mother of your children, but…emotionally and in every way that counts, Crystal will be their mother.” And he’d better not forget it.

  “You tell me nothing that I don’t already know.”

  “You may know it but your words said otherwise. You really hurt Crystal. You need to go and make it right. Yes, I’m making it possible for you to have children but none of this would be happening if Crystal hadn’t come up with the idea and approached me with it. Maybe some of that appreciation you’ve been showering on me should be directed to your wife.”

  He appeared startled, as though the idea had never crossed his mind. “You are right. I owe my wife a huge debt of gratitude. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.”

  “You’re welcome. Now, please excuse me. Your credit card is burning a hole in my wallet, just begging to be used,” Gail said with an impish grin.

  Rashid didn’t return her grin, instead stated seriously, “I meant what I said. Charge all of your expenses today to me. You deserve the treat.”

  “Hey, it’s your dime. If that’s what you want, I’ll be more than happy to comply.” She gave him a two-finger salute and motioned for him to move back so that she could close the door. With one hand, she started the motor while with the other, she closed the door. With a quick wave, she backed out of the parking space and left Rashid standing there.

  * * * *

  Later that evening, Gail entered her apartment loaded down with shopping bags, ready to drop. She’d had a blast today and was sorry to see it ending. Because she hadn’t had the foresight to call ahead, she had to skip her trip to the spa. The day was much too precious to waste time sitting in their waiting room, hoping for an opening.

  She’s left and gone to the mall and shopped to her heart’s content, buying things she could wear now and later as her pregnancy advanced. She indulged in body sprays and scented lotion sets from her favorite store, Bath and Body Works.

  And, oh, the shoes! She loved shoes. With Marcus, her feet had grown a half size. This time, she was prepared. She purchased several pairs of shoes, a half size larger than she normally wore, to go with the outfits she purchased.

  She’d rounded of the day of shopping with dinner and a movie. All in all, it had been a great day. And the night looked even better. Tonight, she’d get to sleep in her own bed. How wonderful.

  Remembering her promise, she called Crystal.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, why are you whispering?” Gail automatically lowered her voice. In the background, she could hear the low murmur of Rashid’s voice, then a quickly stifled moan from Crystal.

  “Can’t talk now. Got to go,” Crystal said breathlessly.

  “I understand,” Gail replied with a laugh, but Crystal was already gone. Looks like Rashid took Gail’s advice and made amends. Good for him.

  Gail spent the rest of the evening catching up on mail, returning calls, and generally just reacquainting herself with her space.

  Dang, it was good to be home.

  * * * *

  The next morning, the phone rang early. “Hello?”

  “Good morning. I’m so excited. Guess what Rashid did?”

  Gail sat up in bed and smiled. “If it’s X-rated, I don’t want to know.”

  “Umm, he did that too, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Now guess.”

  “I don’t know. Tell me.” Gail knew Crystal was about to burst with her news.

  “He bought me flowers and took me out for dinner. Best of all, he wants us to go away for the weekend on a mini-vacation. He
said once the babies arrive, we wouldn’t have as much time for just the two of us. Isn’t that sweet?”

  “Yes, it is. A good idea too. He’s right. Once you’re a mommy, there will be a large demand on your time.” Gail was speaking from memory.

  “I know. We’ve talked about hiring a full-time nanny to help out, especially now that we know there are two, but I’m not sure that’s what I want. I think I want to stay home and be a full-time mom, at least while the babies are young. I can always go back to work once they are in school.”

  Gail remembered having the same conversation with Jason when she was pregnant with Marcus. “True. So, are you happy about the twins? I mean, I know it had to be a shock. I certainly was surprised.”

  “It hasn’t sunk in yet. Probably won’t until I’m holding them in my arms. What about you, Godmommy-to-be? Are you ready to have two godchildren?” Gail could hear the laughter in Crystal’s voice.

  “Sure. My job’s easy. I show up for the Christening, buy presents, babysit every now and then, and listen to them gripe about what a bad mother you are and ‘why can’t mom be cool like you’ when they’re teenagers,” Gail finished with a laugh.

  “You have to go with me when I start shopping for baby furniture. I can’t wait to get started. I’m thinking about buying white, that way it will match no matter what color scheme I use.” Gail could tell Crystal’s decorator genes were humming.

  “Well, decorating is your specialty. I’m sure your kids will have the best designed room around.”

  “You know it. I’ve got to go but when we get together, you’ve got to tell me how your day went yesterday.”

  “Will do. Bye,” Gail said as she rolled over to put the phone back into the cradle.

  “Bye, yourself. See you later.”

  Chapter Five

  Monday morning, Gail returned to work, happy to be there. So glad in fact, that she came in with an assortment of muffins and donuts for the whole office.

  Greg Richmont, one of the firm’s top divorce lawyers, came and sat on the edge of her desk. “Hey, Beautiful. It’s about time you returned to work. I missed you.”