Last Chance Baby

by Gallegos, Ashley

  “I asked about that. Apparently my eggs are viable but I have a ‘hostile environment’ in my uterus and I just can’t carry. The worst part is that I let it slip to Chris on Monday that I was thinking about having a baby and for the first time in months he has been loving, attentive Chris again. Oh my God, I’m going to lose him when I tell him.” Erin started to sob again and Hailey’s heart sank. This was her only friend and she had to do something. Erin had been there for Hailey no matter what. And that’s when inspiration struck and Hailey uttered the words that now haunted her.

  “What if I volunteered as a surrogate? We use your eggs but I carry the baby?”

  Hailey got out of Gram’s surprisingly modern bathtub and toweled off. The pizza was due any minute and if it was the same cheesy delivery guy that Corrales had back in high school, Hailey wanted to be fully dressed before dinner arrived. Gram had already left for her Sex and the City night and Hailey still couldn’t picture the old biddies watching the movie. It would be interesting to get Gram’s thoughts when she got home.

  The doorbell rang and Hailey grabbed her purse. As she made her way to the front door, she heard male voices and discovered that Chuck had already paid for the pizza and was carrying the goods back into the kitchen to meet her. The smell was making her mouth water and the baby did somersaults in response. As Chuck grabbed the plates, Hailey made her way to the fridge to grab the drinks.

  “So are you a beer or soda kind of guy, Chuck?” Hailey asked from inside the fridge. She had already claimed a root beer for herself and was surveying the contents. “Or if you’re really old-fashioned, we do have farm fresh milk.”

  “Ha! Beer works for me. Thanks!” Chuck closed the cabinet as Hailey closed the fridge and they both walked to the living room together. Chuck had already primed the TV to play the Liam Neeson movie and he hit play as they sat down to feast. The movie lived up the hype and was full of both action and intrigue. It was a mini vacation for Hailey to get lost into the movie’s plot rather than her own drama filled life for a night.

  “I think you ate almost that entire pizza yourself, little mama.” Chuck commented from his side of the couch as he reached for one more slice. Hailey looked at the box of pizza in front of her and realized she had made quite a dent into pie.

  “Nope. Wasn’t me. It was the baby. The baby ate it all.” Hailey stretched and sighed. She had really enjoyed the movie. She hadn’t seen a movie like that in a long time. She usually went for the chick flick types but she had really gotten into it. “Maybe the baby will grow up to be an actor or actress.”

  “Or maybe even a Navy SEAL.” Chuck reached over and touched her stomach. It was an intimate move and one that she wasn’t sure she approved of. But with Chuck it just felt right, natural even.

  “Oh, a Navy SEAL, huh? And what would baby’s mission be?” Hailey rolled her eyes at Chuck and wiggled her bare feet. Back in Seattle she had gotten weekly pedicures with Erin but once she got pregnant, her life and priorities had changed.

  “To protect the beautiful little mama from the demons who are chasing her.” Hailey looked at Chuck and saw that he was serious. He really wanted to protect. If only he could. “You never answered me about Christopher Dalton and the embezzlement.”

  “I didn’t know much about Chris or the business. I just liked being friends with Erin. She was nice and funny and smart.” Hailey missed her friend desperately. She had known this would likely be the outcome but she had hoped that Erin had gotten away too. Poor Erin had only wanted to be loved. Hailey saw that Chuck didn’t appear to believe her but he seemed to let it go. Or at least he didn’t say anything before Gram walked in.

  “Hey, Gram. How was girls’ night?” Hailey got up and went to greet Gram in the kitchen. She heard Chuck follow in behind her. Gram was getting down the hot chocolate mix and some mugs. The milk was already heating on the stove and Hailey took her usual perch on the stool.

  “Oh, the movie was fine. But the interesting part happened when I stopped for gas on the way back home.” Gram turned towards Hailey and Chuck and put both hands on the counter. “When I went inside to pay, a man approached me and asked if I knew Hailey Richards. He said that his name was Steven and to tell you that he’s a friend of Chris. He said he’s here to make sure you’re taking care of what you took from him. Hailey, is that the baby’s daddy, this Chris guy? Is that who you are running from?” Suddenly Hailey knew that the gig was up and it was time to get the hell out of town for the sake of Gram.

  Fourteen

  It took Hailey a minute to recover from what Gram said and when she did she realized that both Gram and Chuck were waiting for her to respond. “Actually, yeah. You could say that.” She stood up and ran her fingers through her still damp hair as she tried to figure out her next move. She paced back and forth while Gram made the hot chocolate and Chuck stood surprisingly still.

  “Well, then you can’t stay here. It’s not safe for Theresa.” Chuck moved towards Hailey. She knew Chuck was right but it still hurt to hear him say out loud that she was bringing danger into Gram’s life. Chuck moved in front of her and grabbed her shoulders to hold her still. “If Theresa can get by without us, I think the best course of action is for me to take you far away from her. My SEAL buddies can help us and John and Maggie will make sure that Theresa is taken care of.” Hailey didn’t know what to say. When Chuck said he wanted to take care of her, she thought he just had a crush or a tough guy complex. But actually leaving with her was a big deal. She couldn’t get the words to form in her mouth but Gram was still able to speak.

  “I think that’s a great idea, Chuck. Take her somewhere safe where Steven or Chris or whoever else can’t find her. I’ll be fine here. I’ve got plenty of neighbors who will be willing to pitch in. Besides, all of those ‘pick it yourself’ farms are all the rage now. It will make me seem trendy.” With her peace having been said, Gram picked up her hot chocolate and went to living room as if everything had been decided. Chuck turned to a stunned Hailey and clasped her hands.

  “Don’t worry. It’s all going to be fine. I’ll go call a buddy and he’ll help us get some identities that can get us to a safehouse. From there, we’ll talk further. We leave tomorrow night.” And then Chuck was gone too. Hailey sat down all alone at her stool and finished her hot chocolate by herself. She figured the only thing left to do was get some sleep. She had a feeling she would need her rest for tomorrow. But as soon as her head hit the pillow, it was filled with dreams and memories of Erin.

  The table was cold and revealing but Erin held her hand and couldn’t stop smiling. Erin’s excitement was contagious and it made Hailey forget that her nether regions were bare for the world to see if they just opened the door. Suddenly the doctor came back in through the door with a large file in his hands. He looked up from the file and moved his glasses up his nose.

  “Well, you’re pregnant, Ms. Richards. The implantation of the Daltons’ embryo was successful and the surrogacy is about eight weeks along. I’m going to prescribe some prenatal vitamins for you but as of right now I see no reason to suspect anything other than a healthy baby.” The doctor shook Erin’s hand and Hailey’s and left the room. Erin squealed and hugged Hailey so tight that Hailey thought she might explode.

  “Hales, I don’t know how I will ever repay you for this. How do you repay someone for a BABY? Oh my God! You’re saving my marriage and giving me a family. You have to move in with us! Please, please, please! It will be perfect. I don’t want to miss a minute of living vicariously through your pregnancy and we can be like sisters. Please say yes.” Erin looked at her expectantly, as if she might cry if Hailey didn’t agree.

  Lately Erin had been happier but still on edge. Hailey was worried if the pregnancy wasn’t successful, Erin might completely fall apart. She was having a hard time keeping up with Erin’s reports of Chris’ behavior. Chris seemed to want the baby just as much as Erin did. They would go to baby stores together and stroll hand in hand looking at cribs and onesies
. Chris would then take Erin out for elaborate dinners or helicopter rides like when they first met. Then a few days later he would ignore her phone calls and sit in dark rooms at home drinking bourbon and refusing to speak to her. Erin was convinced the baby was the key to her family’s everlasting happiness and Hailey would do anything for her friend.

  “Um, sure. My lease isn’t up yet but let me contact my landlord. I’m sure I can work something out if you’re sure that would be okay with Chris.” Hailey wasn’t sure she was ready to give up her overpriced apartment but she would walk on the moon if her friend asked. And Erin rarely asked for anything. Erin was always the one giving and taking care of her. Erin would remember the little things like the anniversary of when she left home, when Hailey would get melancholy with homesickness. Erin would show up with Mexican takeout and tequila and they would have so much fun that Hailey would forget about New Mexico and Gram and the life she left behind.

  Erin whipped out her phone and stepped into the hallway. Hailey could hear the sound of Erin’s voice followed by excited squeals of laughter. Whoever Erin was calling, Hailey was sure that Erin was getting her way. Erin came back into the room with a big smile on her face.

  “It’s all arranged! Chris bought out the rest of your lease and has movers headed to your apartment now to get your stuff. Oh my God! This is the best day of my life!” Erin laughed as she flew into hugging Hailey and Hailey couldn’t help but feel excited that she was moving into the mansion with her best friend. This was the adventure she had dreamed of when she left New Mexico just a few years ago! Her life was finally starting!

  Fifteen

  Hailey woke up and felt the pang of loss. She missed Erin as much as if Erin were her biological sister. Now she was going to have to say goodbye to Gram again too. It was as if the pain was physical at this point. Even the baby seemed to feel it and kicked extra hard. Hailey had to protect this baby. This was Erin’s baby. It was a living piece of Erin that was inside her. Unfortunately, it was also a piece of Chris but she would ignore that part.

  Luckily, Hailey hadn’t completely unpacked in the few days that she had been home so it was easy to put everything back in her duffel bag after her shower. Hailey through on her clothes and took a deep breath to resign herself to whatever Chuck had in mind for her safety. If this were just about her, she would stay and fight. But there was a baby to protect and so she would cooperate.

  “Good morning, Gram. The coffee smells amazing today. Any chance you have a pot of decaf too?” Hailey walked down the hall to the kitchen. She got to the kitchen and realized that something felt off. Everything for breakfast was still on the stove cooking but Gram wasn’t there stirring and flipping. Usually Gram was a perfectionist when it came to cooking anything and wouldn’t ever leave food unattended on the stove. “Gram, where are you?” Hailey wandered into the living room to see if Gram had stepped away for just a minute.

  She was headed back through the kitchen to check for Gram through the back door when she saw the blood, a large pool of it. It was coming from behind the counter. Hailey ran to the phone and called the casita. She was so grateful when Chuck answered.

  “This is Chuck.”

  “Chuck, it’s Hailey. I can’t find Gram and there’s a lot of blood in the kitchen.”

  “Shit. Don’t move and be very quiet. I’ll be right there.”

  Chuck hung up his end of the line and Hailey turned around to hang up hers. As she did she ran into a big chest that belonged to a very big man as she looked up.

  “Oh, you must be Steven.” It was the last thing Hailey remembered before she fainted.

  Sixteen

  Hailey opened her eyes and realized that she was on the floor of the kitchen. Her head was fuzzy and it hurt. She immediately reached down and touched her stomach. Everything seemed to be okay there. The baby was kicking but she had landed on her back so hopefully she had taken the brunt of the fall and baby would be none the wiser. She rolled her eyes slightly to the right, trying not to make sudden movements to alert Steven that she was awake. She could see Gram’s feet poking out from behind the counter in the pool of blood. She said a silent prayer that Gram would be okay but she had a feeling deep in her soul that it probably wasn’t the case. She heard footsteps coming back into the kitchen and made sure to look like she hadn’t yet woken up.

  “Yeah, Chris, I’ve got her. I had to get rid of the old lady to get to her but I can take care of that. I’ll make it look like they went on a spontaneous vacation or something. No one will come looking, I promise. She’s still pregnant so she clearly hasn’t done anything about the baby. No, I won’t hurt her. I know what the baby means. I’ll be back in Seattle with her later tonight. See you then.” Steven closed his disposable style cell phone and looked down at her with disgust. He understood why Chris needed the baby so badly but he resented the trouble that he was having to go through. But at least the girl was pretty. Maybe after the baby was born he could convince Chris to give her to him. He moved the fridge and grabbed a cold piece of pizza to eat while he waited for her to wake up. Then he would get her to pack a bag for herself and the old biddy so that his fingerprints wouldn’t be on anything in case people got suspicious.

  Hailey heard Steven move to the fridge and took the opportunity to peek at the man. He sure was huge and from the looks of Gram, he had no qualms about hurting women. As he bent into the fridge, Hailey saw a flash of movement at the back door. She looked over to see Chuck there with a finger in front of his mouth to show her that she should remain quiet and not show any sign that he was there. She had forgotten that she called Chuck and she hoped she wasn’t leading him into danger as she obviously had Gram. Steven shut the door to the fridge and Hailey shut her eyes and laid very, very still.

  Hailey heard the door swing open and then she heard the sounds of a struggle between two men. Hailey froze, deciding that pretending she was still out was her best defense in case Steven was able to best Chuck. Then she heard a gunshot go off and she simply couldn’t lay there anymore. She jumped up and ran to the living room. She turned back to assess the situation and found herself pulled into Chuck’s arms.

  “Thank God you are okay, little mama.” Chuck hugged her a little tighter, if that was possible. “Are you hurt at all? What about the baby?” Before she could respond, Chuck started the check her from head to toe, with extra care at her stomach.

  “I’m okay. I landed on my back when I fainted. But Gram?”

  Chuck shook his head. “I’m sorry, Hailey. She didn’t make it.” Then he pulled her to him as she sobbed. After she had gotten in a good cry that seemed like just the tip of the iceberg of her grief, Chuck put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “This Dalton guy is very wealthy and obviously very determined to get to you. My bag is already in the truck and I need you to grab your stuff as fast as you can. Do not go look in the kitchen, okay? That is not how Theresa would want you to remember her. In the meantime, I need to place a call to John. He’ll help take care of this and cover our tracks. We have a small head start here but it’s closing in fast so we’ve got to move. Nod your head if you understand.” Hailey nodded her head. She was suddenly grateful she had packed her stuff before coming out to breakfast.

  She made her way down to the bedroom and listened to the sound of Chuck calling John to fill him in. She realized this meant that she was leaving Maggie once again without the opportunity to say goodbye. Her list of people that she was hurting with this one reckless choice that she had made to help a friend was growing and hopefully she would live through this to make amends. Hailey grabbed her bag and made a quick stop into Gram’s room to grab a few momentos in case she didn’t make it back this way again. There wouldn’t be time to go to the funeral that John and Maggie would organize so she would have to say goodbye in her own way somehow.

  “Hailey, time to go. John is on his way to handle this and we need to be gone. Maggie said to tell you she loves you and this isn’t like last time. I don’t
know what that means but let’s move.” Chuck’s voice carried down the hall and Hailey at least took some comfort in knowing that Maggie would know this wasn’t her abandoning her friends again. She took one last look around Gram’s room and grabbed her bag. There would be time for sadness later when safety wasn’t just a pipe dream.

  “Alright, Chuck. Let’s do this.”

  Seventeen

  Hailey put her head against the truck window as Chuck raced down the road. He had been on the cell phone for the last hour checking in with John and coordinating with his SEAL buddy. The coolness of the window was a soothing reminder to her that she was still alive as she listened to all the insane conversation going on around her. It wasn’t even noon yet. How could her whole life change so much in just a few hours? Well, she shouldn’t even ask that. She already had been through so much but she thought for just a bit that she had escaped all that. But rather than escape, she had just brought it with her to New Mexico. And Gram had lost her life because of her.

  Chuck ended his call and cleared his throat. Reluctantly, Hailey moved away from the window, wondering if Chuck was going to finally clue her into where they were headed. But when she looked at Chuck, she had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

  “Hailey, do you remember when I said that I couldn’t protect you if you weren’t honest with me? Well, look at where we are. I’m not saying it’s your fault but this is serious stuff here and I need ultimate honesty here. Can you do that for me?” Chuck looked at her like he didn’t believe she was even capable of the truth. That made her sad. For whatever reason, Chuck seemed to be her only hope right now and she didn’t like the idea of him hating her. She sighed and nodded her head.