The Surrogate

Dr. Cole Mason met his wife, Joyce in college, and their relationship had its up and downs. He worked his way up the ladder as the top cardiac surgeon in Texas. He wanted to wait until his career took off before getting married but Joyce insisted they get married right away, saying she was pregnant. Like a fool, he never questioned it nor asked for proof. It was during their honeymoon that she confessed she had lied. He was angry at first, but after she begged for forgiveness he caved, forgiving her. In a way, he could understand why she did it. What woman wants to wait years to marry the man she claims to love?

Two years into their marriage he noticed a big change in her, she wasn't as loving or affectionate and they started fighting all the time. Their fights were mostly about the hours he worked and how he never took her anywhere. She couldn't understand why he was always working when he could be spending time with her and she was getting bored being alone all the time. He tried everything he could to make her happy, bought her nice things, and paid for her to go on vacation with her friends when he couldn't take time off work. As time passed he was the one most people wanted to do the surgery on them or their loved ones.

As he was in demand his career rose and soon became very wealthy, which Joyce was hoping for and didn't have a problem spending his money. Five years into their marriage they drifted further apart, their sex life ended almost two years before that. He threw himself into his work, working long hours and was hardly ever home, which she didn't seem to mind. At one point he said he wanted to start a family, hoping it would bring them closer together. The response she gave him was a shock. She said she was infertile and could never have or carry a child. He had to find another way to get their marriage on track, but she acted like she didn't want to change anything. At times it felt like all she wanted was his money, and always had an excuse not to have sex so he gave up.

He was in the hospital cafeteria having a coffee and a sandwich when his friend Abe Conner who was also a doctor came over and sat down with him.

"Hey, Cole, why are you looking so down?"

Abe was his best friend since medical school and knew the problems he was having in his marriage. "It's Joyce, we had another fight."

Abe shook his head, feeling bad for Cole. "Buddy, I don't understand why you are staying in a loveless marriage. I know you, and I know that you've tried everything you can to make it work and nothing you do has so far."

"She's my wife and I made a commitment to her when we got married."

"So what was the fight about this time?"

"I told her I wanted to have a baby, said it will bring us closer together. Then I find out she's infertile and that she'd known for years and never bothered to tell me."

"You could always hire a surrogate."

Cole's head snapped up and looked at him. "I never thought of that. I'll run it past Joyce and see what she thinks. It could be a solution to our problem and put us back on track."

"Cole, it's none of my business but do you think it's wise to bring a child into this world when your marriage is a wreck? Having a baby is not the solution, you first have to work on your relationship with Joyce. It's been five years and things have only gotten worse. Maybe it's time to give up and find someone that will make you happy. Every nurse in this hospital has the hots for you and you can have your pick. Even if it's just to get laid once in a while."

"I'm not the type to cheat on my wife."

Abe looked at his watch. "I've to go, I have to be in the operating room in twenty minutes. I suggest you think this over for a while before doing something you'll regret."

That night when Cole got home it was late and found Joyce on her phone but hung up as soon as he walked into the bedroom. "Who are you talking to this late at night?" he asked as he started removing his clothes.

"Just a girlfriend."

He got into bed and when he went to kiss her she quickly turned her head, the kiss landing on her cheek. "I'm glad you're still awake, there's something I want to talk to you about."

"It's late and I'm tired, so can it wait until morning?"

"No, I want to talk now."

"Go ahead then, but make it quick."

"I've come up with a way for us to have a baby." He was hoping this news would make her happy. He had always thought the reason why they were having so many problems was that she was hurt and feeling guilty about not being able to get pregnant.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"We can hire a surrogate to have our baby."

"But it wouldn't be our baby, it would be yours and whoever the woman is who would agree to have your sperm put inside her. Even if I agree to it I would be the one here alone raising the baby because you are never home."

He laid down on his back, putting his hands behind his head. "We could hire a nanny and I could take on fewer patients."

"I don't know, a kid would be a lot of work."

"Damn it, Joyce, I'm trying to make things work for us. We can't go on this way much longer. I can't even remember the last time we had sex. Maybe we should call it quits and go our separate ways."

"You want a divorce?"

"Well, what else can we do?"

"If you want a kid that much then okay, let's get a surrogate."

He felt a glimmer of hope and reached over, putting his arm over her. "I think this is what we need." When he got on top of her he felt her pushing him away, this was nothing new.

"Cole, not tonight, I'm tired."

He rolled off of her and when she turned her back to him he felt sad, it hurt his ego to be turned down once again. But he hoped that having a child would bring them closer and have a better marriage. Feeling horny as hell he got up and went to the bathroom and took care of his need himself. There were times he wished he could cheat, but it wasn't in him. Tomorrow he would look into finding someone to carry their baby, he knew it wouldn't be cheap, but he didn't care.

A few days later: Christy Grant, a twenty-one-year-old, with brown hair, slender was working as a waitress when the restaurant she was working at closed down, leaving her without an income. She lived in a tiny, rundown apartment and was living from paycheck to paycheck. Her ex-boyfriend of two years ran off and married her best friend. Not having a proper education it was hard for her to find a decent job, even the restaurants where she lived were not hiring. She was broke, out of food and didn't know what she was going to do. To make matters worse her rent was due and she didn't have the money to pay it.

She would soon be out on the streets so she headed over to the hospital after hearing they were hiring in the cafeteria. But she was too late, they had already hired someone. Ordering a coffee she sat down, not knowing what she was going to do. As she sat there she could hear a man and a woman arguing behind her. She didn't know what they were fighting about but when he got up and the chair scraped the floor she looked behind her. The man who was obviously a doctor was storming out, leaving the woman sitting there.

"What are you looking at?" Joyce snapped when she saw the young woman looking at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

Joyce got up and went over to Christy's table and sat down without being invited. "Do you work here?" she asked, checking out the cheap clothes she was wearing.

"No, I did come here to apply for a job, but someone beat me to it."

"So you're not working?"

"No," Christy said, trying to hold back her tears when her stomach growled loudly.

"Do you have a husband or a boyfriend?"

"No, why are you asking me that?"

"You look like a woman who needs help, perhaps we can help each other. Let me buy you lunch and then I'll tell you what I have in mind."

Before she could say another word the woman, whose name she didn't know got up and went over to the food area and brought back a sandwich and a drink, placing them in front of her.

"I figured you were hungry by the way your stomach was growling. Go on, eat while I talk. First, my name is Joyce Mason. My husband is a doctor here and we have been trying to have a baby but I'm incapable of giving him a child."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but maybe it will still happen."

"What's your name?"

"Christy Grant." She didn't know what it was about this woman, but she seem cold, unfeeling and didn't like the way she was checking her out. "What did you mean when you said we could help each other?"

"Okay, let's get right down to it. How would you feel about being a surrogate? We would pay you a great deal of money and once you give birth you can be on your way."

Christy almost choked on her sandwich when she heard what the woman had asked her. "You want me to have your baby? I don't think I'd be comfortable doing that. I'm sure there are a lot of other women who do that, but I can't."

"Christy, my husband and I are very rich and would be willing to pay you five hundred thousand dollars, plus all expenses paid, right down to the hospital bills. From the looks of you, I'd say you could use the money."

She didn't like the way Joyce was looking her nose down at her and was speechless.

"Christy, I hope you don't mind me calling you by your first name. My husband wants a baby and I can't give him one, but you can. Of course, you'll have to get checked out and meet my husband first. I know this is a lot to think about so give it some thought and if you consider it give me a call. Here is my phone number," she said, taking a pen and piece of paper from her Gucci bag wrote on it, handing it to Christy. She got up and looked down at her. "Please don't wait too long. I think you would be perfect."

When Joyce walked away Christy sat there, staring at the paper with the woman's number on it. She was still in shock that a perfect stranger asked her to be a surrogate for her. It was the amount that was offered that kept running through her mind. It was a lot of money and would solve all her problems. But could she actually do it, have someone else's baby growing inside her and then give it up.

By the time she left the hospital, it was raining and she was soaked by the time she got home. So removing her clothes she took a hot shower, then changed into her nightgown. With a cup of coffee in her hand, she sat down on the sofa and looked at the paper Joyce had given her. Maybe it was a good idea to take the offer, it would get her on her feet until she found another job. Her landlord would be around soon for the rent, which she didn't have. If only she wasn't estranged from her parents she could have gone to them for help.

But sadly when she got together with her ex they hated him and told her if she continued seeing him they would disown her. She being young and thought she was in love left their home and moved in with Peter. Everything was good in the beginning, but soon he started drinking almost every night and couldn't hold down a job. Then one day she came home from her shift at the restaurant she found a note from him saying he and her friend, Helen ran off to get married.

She should have known there was something going on between them but she ignored all the signs. Helen was always there with Peter when she got home from the late shift, both looking flush. When she asked him if something was going on between them he denied it, saying he only wanted her. Like a fool, she believed him. But in a way she was glad he was gone since his drinking and staying out every night was getting out of hand. It was then that she realized she was never in love with him.

For two days she kept looking at the number Joyce gave her and made a decision to call her and say she would do it. Picking up the phone she dialed the number and after several rings, someone finally answered it, it was Joyce.

"Mrs. Mason, I've come to a decision."