The Surrogate

She let out a gasp and sat up when she saw Cole standing there and had to wonder how long he'd been there. "Cole," she said, pulling the cover up further.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I'm sorry I woke you but dinner is getting cold. I can heat it up later if you still need to sleep."

"What time is it?"

"After six," he replied. When he saw her looking at the flowers he smiled. "I stopped on the way home to get these for you. It's to say thank you for what you went through today, for me. I'll put them in some water."

"I can't believe I've slept the whole afternoon. The flowers are beautiful, thank you. Just give me a few minutes to get dressed and I'll be right out. I'm so hungry right now."

"Okay, I'll go heat up our dinner."

When he was gone she got up and threw on her jeans and top. She still couldn't believe that she had slept so long, and she was still tired. Going to the kitchen she saw Cole dishing out their food onto plates. "Chinese, good choice," she said as she sat down.

"I'm glad and I wasn't sure what you liked so I got everything I could think of." He placed her plate in front of her and sat down with his. "I'm sorry about coming into your room, but when I knocked and didn't get an answer I got worried. I want you to know that I won't make a habit of going in there."

"It's okay, this is your home after all. Thanks again for the flowers and I'll take them to my room when I go to bed."

"You're welcome. I was going to watch a movie later and was wondering if you'd like to join me? I'll even make us some popcorn."

She was so touched by his offer. "I'd like that, but what movie were you planning on watching?"

"BraveHeart, with Mel Gibson."

"Oh, I love those types of movies."

He looked at her with admiration, most women he knew only liked steamy, romance movies. "We have that in common. I even like the old black and white movies."

"Me too," she said with a smile on her face. "They just don't make movies the way they use to. I do like some of the new ones, but there's always so much sex in them. What else do you like to do when you're not working?"

"Well, I do go bowling with a friend every now and then, I enjoy it. I also like going to art museums and cruising the outdoor flea markets. What about you?"

"I've never tried bowling but I also love going to flea markets. You never know what you can find at them. But I love cooking and baking, but you already know that. Does your wife enjoy the same things that you do?"

"Joyce, she wouldn't be caught dead at a flea market or in a pair of bowling shoes. She does enjoy going to museums and always finds something to buy. She loves to travel, which I don't nor do I have the time."

When they were done eating he made some popcorn and they went into the living room and turned on the movie. They were quiet as they watched it, every now and then dipping their hand in the bowl for some popcorn. At one point they both put their hand in, touching each other, embarrassed they pulled away.

When that movie ended they decided to watch another one, this one was more on the romantic side. Before it was over she had fallen asleep and her head rested on his shoulder. He looked at her and touched her cheek ever so gently.

Feeling something touching her face she opened her eyes and moved her head from his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, I guess I drifted off."

"That's okay, it's getting late so I'm going up to bed."

"Me too," she replied, nodding her head. "I'll just clean up this mess, goodnight Cole."

He got up, he had to get some space between them. "Yes, goodnight. I want to tell you I enjoyed watching the movie with you. It was nice having company. I'll be gone early in the morning so make sure to get some rest."

When he was gone she picked up the empty bowl and the two glasses and took them into the kitchen. She enjoyed her evening with him also, maybe a little too much. It was then that she realized it wouldn't be wise to stay living here. So tomorrow she would search the papers again and look for a cheap apartment.

The next day he got up early and left for work, he had a patient's chart to look over before the operation. His friend, Abe walked into his office and sat down in the chair across from Cole.

"So how did it go at the clinic yesterday?"

"It went well, now we just have to wait and see if it took. We should know in a couple of weeks."

"So will she call you or do you have to call her?"

"She's actually staying at my place for now. Before you ask why, I'll tell you. There was a fire in her apartment building and it's been shut down and she needed a place to stay. She had no friends or relatives to go to and no money for a hotel so I suggested she stay at my place until she can find another apartment."

"Damn, I can't see Joyce going along with that."

"She doesn't know yet, and I hope by the time she gets back from her vacation Christy will have moved into her own place."

"So what is she like?"

He couldn't stop the small smile that crept up on his face. "She's twenty-one, petite with brown hair and brown eyes. She's so sweet, has a great smile and a personality."

Abe sat back in his chair and stared at Cole. "You really like her don't you?"

"Well yeah, as I said, she's really nice."

"No, I mean you really like her, more than you should."

Cole looked back at Abe. "If you are insinuating that there is something going on between us I can assure you that there isn't."

"I know you, and I know you would never cheat on your wife. But just now when you talked about Christy you had this starstruck look on your face. Just be careful my friend, I would hate to see this young lady take advantage of you."

"She wouldn't do that. As much as I would like to sit here and talk to you I really have to get ready to operate on my patient."

Abe stood up. "I'd really like to meet her."

"Why do you want to meet her?"

"As you know I'm a very good judge of character and once I meet her I'll know if she's on the up and up, or if she's up to something."

"Maybe later, I'll see you soon"

For the next few days he left for work early and came home late. In the meantime she had checked the newspaper for apartments and found two that she wanted to go look at.

On the 5th day he came home early and Christy was waiting for him.

"Cole, do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Yes, do you want to go into the living room?"

"We could talk in the kitchen. I've already had dinner but I made a plate for you in case you hadn't eaten before coming home."

"No I haven't eaten, and thank you for thinking of me," he said as he followed her into the kitchen and sat down.

She took food out of the warmer and placed it in front of him and sat down.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I found a couple of apartments that is affordable and I'd like to go look at them. I was just wondering if you would like to go with me. But if you're too busy I can do it on my own."

"I don't have to go into work tomorrow so I could go with you then. Are they close by?"

"The one is close, but the other one is about an hour's drive from here. They're both bachelor apartments so they will be quite small. But I figure it would be good enough until later when I find a job and can afford to get something bigger."

"If this surrogate thing works out you'll have plenty of money to live in a nice place."

"That's true, but it won't last forever so I will need to find a job. So how has work been going?"

He looked up at her, he was surprised that she asked him how his day was because Joyce never wanted to know or cared to know. "It was a good day. I operated on a woman in her fifties and it was a success."

"That's wonderful, you should be so proud of yourself for the work you do. To save someone's life must make you feel so good."

"Is the best feeling in the world."

"I guess I'll go to my room now. So tomorrow morning after breakfast we can go look at the apartments?"

"Sounds good."

The next morning she made them breakfast and when they were done they headed out in his car to the first apartment.

As soon as they walked into the apartment that was closest to where he lived he shook his head. "No way, this place is a dump."

She looked around and then turned to look at him. "It's not that bad."

"Not that bad," he said, raising his voice as he looked around in disgust. "Christy, this place is infested with cockroaches."

"I don't see any cockroaches."

"No, take a look at this," he said and going over to the cupboard under the sink he opened it. "I saw one crawling in."

She let out a gasp and stepped back. "Gross, I hate cockroaches."

He took a hold of her arm and they walked out of the apartment. They were both creeped out after seeing the bugs. So then they drove to the other apartment that was just a little over an hour away from where he lived.

Though the other place did not have bugs it was so run down that there was no way he was going to let the woman who would be carrying his baby live in a place like that.

"You really have to look for something better and preferably closer to where I live so that I will be able to keep an eye on you and the baby."

"I'll start checking the papers again tomorrow."

A thought crossed his mind, since he didn't have to work today and he knew that there was a flea market going on he turned to her and smiled. "Would you like to go to a flea market with me?"

"I haven't been to one in a while and I'd love to go."

When they got to the flea market he parked the car and they walked through it. Stopping every now and then to look at things. Later they went to one of the food trucks and got a hot dog and a drink.

"So are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"

"The gender doesn't matter to me, whether it's a boy or a girl I will love him or her."

"Why have you waited so long to want to have a baby?" Maybe it was none of her business but she was curious.

"When Joyce and I got married it was because she told me she was pregnant and at first I wasn't happy and then I realized it was what I wanted. But then when I found out she wasn't I was also relieved. I was just starting my career and it really wasn't the right time. But now that I've built up my practice I figure it was time. What about you, do you want children of your own someday?"

"Yes, I love children and would like to have at least two or three. But in order for that to happen, I have to find a man who loves me and will be faithful. If there's one thing I hate it's a cheater."

"Same here, I don't understand why people get married and feel they have to cheat on their spouse. No matter how bad things get between me and Joyce I will never cheat on her."

"What do you mean by no matter how bad things get between you and her?" It sounded to her like he was saying that they didn't have a happy marriage.

"Things have been rocky between us for the last little while. But having a baby I believe that it will bring us closer."

"Cole, I hope you realize that having a baby is not a solution if you're having problems in your marriage. I have to be honest with you, if I thought this was the only reason you were wanting me to be your surrogate was to try to save your marriage then I wouldn't have done it. I'm only doing it because I thought you both were in love and wanted a baby."

He stopped eating to look at her, he could tell she was angry by the tone of her voice. "But don't you think that a baby could bring a couple closer together?"

"I suppose so, I just wish you had told me."

"If I had you wouldn't have done it would you?"

"Honestly, no I wouldn't. But it's too late now to change my mind, even if I'm not pregnant this time I'm still under contract."

"It's getting late and looks like it's going to rain, so maybe we should go home now."

The car ride home was quiet, neither one speaking to the other. She was still worried about the reason why he and his wife were wanting a baby and all she could do was hope for the best.

By the time they got home, it was pouring and they both got soaked going from the car into the house.

"I think we better get out of these wet clothes and into something dry," he said, glancing down he couldn't help but notice that her top was see-through from the rain. He quickly turned away and headed upstairs to his bedroom.