The Surrogate

A week later Gina went to meet Abe at the hospital, they were going out to have lunch. While she was waiting for him in his office Cole showed up with a file in his hand.

"Gina, hi. I was dropping off this file for Abe to look over."

"He should be back in a few minutes. How has Christy been? The last time we were together she looked a little tired."

"Her blood pressure has been a bit high."

"Is it any wonder?" she replied, scoffing.

He noticed the sarcasm. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, I guess Christy hasn't told you, maybe you should ask her."

"Gina, if there's something I should know then tell me." He became very worried, thinking something bad had happened that she was keeping from him.

"It's that damn wife of yours."

"Joyce, what about her?"

"Christy is my friend and I shouldn't betray her by telling you this when she should be the one. She has too kind of a heart to say anything that might start trouble. But I can't stand by and watch how Joyce is treating her."

"But they've been getting along and Joyce even took her shopping."

"Cole, wake up, she's only being nice when you're around. When you are not she is using Christy as her own personal maid. Getting her to run her bath, take her snacks to her room, do her laundry and God knows what else."

Cole was furious as he raced out of the room and headed outside to his car. He had to get home to find out what was going on in his home while he was away. When he arrived he looked around, Joyce was nowhere to be found so he went looking for Christy. He got to the kitchen and saw her hunched over, a mop and bucket on the floor and knew she had been washing the floor.

He rushed over to her side and got there just in time before she collapsed and caught her. Lifting her up he carried her to the living room and laid her down. "Christy, what do you think you were doing?"

Her face was drained of colour and she placed her hand over her stomach. "I'm okay, I just felt a little dizzy."

He went and got his bag and started examining her. "Thank goodness everything appears alright, but answer my question."

"The floor felt sticky so I was just washing it."

"Did my wife ask you to do it?" When she didn't answer him he gave her a stern look. "You need to tell me what's been going on around here. Gina has already told me that Joyce has you doing household chores."

"I don't want to start trouble."

"Damn it, Christy, you shouldn't be doing any cleaning in your condition, especially scrubbing floors. Now, what else has she been making you do?"

"Cleaning her room, taking her meals up to her, among other things. I don't mind helping out when June's not here. Cole, something is wrong, I'm getting a lot of cramping." She looked at him, fear raced through her body, thinking she might be losing the baby.

"I'm going to take you to the hospital," he said, picking her up he carried her out to his car and got her settled in. "Try not to worry, I'm sure it's nothing," he said, tenderly touching her cheek. As he drove he made the call to the hospital and told them he was bringing her in and to get a hold of Dr. Morris.

Cole waited in doctor Morris's office while Christy was being examined. After a short time a nurse came in and told him that she was now in a room and that he could go see her. When he got there he went right over to the bed that she was laying in and looked at the doctor.

"Is everything okay with her and the baby?"

"Miss Grant will be all right and so will the baby, but I'm going to keep her in overnight for observation."

When the doctor left he sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand in his. "This is all Joyce's fault, she never should have gotten you to do the floor."

"I tried to tell her I wasn't feeling well but she said it would do me good to get up and do something. I should have stood my ground and said no."

He sat there holding her hand, he had no intentions of letting it go. "I give you my word nothing like this will happen again. It's time for things to change. I tried so hard to make things work with Joyce, but nothing I do is ever good enough."

"Don't do anything drastic until you talk to her. I'm sure if the two of you sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk you might be able to work it out."

"I don't know," he said, letting go of her hand. "Try and get some sleep."

"I will, and you should go home."

"I think I'll stick around, in case you need something."

He went and sat in the chair while she went to sleep. He always knew that his wife was spoiled and felt entitled but to make Christy wash the kitchen floor was just plain cruel in her condition. He knew that it was time to end his marriage, he was just so sorry that Christy had been dragged into his mess. A couple of times she woke up thirsty so he went and got her something to drink.

In the morning after being checked out she was discharged so he drove her home and went in with her. He had her sit on the sofa while he went in and got her something to drink and a bagel since she hadn't eaten anything yet. He had just finished making the tea when Joyce walked in.

"Where the hell have you and Christy been all night?" she yelled at him.

He turned around to look at her. "Never mind where we've been." He walked over to her and stood right in her face, his eyes were blazing with fury. "Who the hell do you think you are getting a pregnant woman who has high blood pressure washing the floors and doing your damn laundry."

"So what's wrong with her doing a little bit of work around here? It's not like she has anything else to do."

"She's not here to be your personal maid. Just so you know we were at the hospital all night. I got home and found her damn near passed out and then she was starting to have cramps and some spotting and that's all down to you. You know she's supposed to take it easy."

"Yeah right, you were probably off at some hotel with her fucking her all night."

He grabbed her chin in his hand, what he really wanted to do was strangle her. "I've had it with you, you're nothing but an evil witch and I want a divorce. So get your goddamn stuff and get out of my home."

"Are you forgetting it's my home too?"

"Sorry, but your name isn't on the deed. I want you out and I want you to go now before I throw you out myself."

"You will pay dearly for this," she said and stormed out of the room.

Christy was still in the living room but she could hear them yelling and screaming at each other. It felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She didn't know what to do when Joyce appeared in the living room.

"There you are, you just had to go crying to my husband didn't you?"

"Joyce, I had no choice but to tell him."

"You know what I think? I think that when you met my husband you decided you wanted him for yourself."

"That's not true."

"The poor girl like you meeting a rich and handsome doctor, of course you want him. I've seen the way you look at him. Well you got your wish sweetheart, he's all yours."

"But what about the baby you wanted with Cole?"

"So I see you're back to calling him by his first name. As far as the brat goes, I never wanted a God damn baby. But if it was a girl I would have tried to manage, but a boy. No thank you, I don't need a mini Cole running around the house."

Christy didn't know what to say when she heard that, to know that Joyce never wanted a baby in the first place was so hard to digest."

Cole walked in just as Joyce was leaving with the tray in his hands. He placed it down on the coffee table. "Christy, I'm so sorry you had to hear all of that."

"I don't know what to say, are you really going to divorce her?"

"Yes, I just can't take living in a loveless and sexless marriage any longer. I'm so sorry you've been dragged into my mess."

"What about the baby, what happens now?"

He sat down and ran his fingers through his hair, it was all a mess and he wasn't sure what he was going to do. After a few minutes he looked up at her. "I still want my baby, that hasn't changed."

"How are you going to take care of a child on your own?"

"I'll work something out so please don't worry. Our agreement still stands and you'll still get paid."

"I don't care about the money, all I care is about the welfare of this baby that I'm carrying for you. I now just found out that she never wanted a baby in the first place. How could I have been so blind as to how cold and evil your wife is?"

When he saw that she was close to collapsing he rushed over, placed his hands on her shoulders and made her sit down. "All this stress is not good for you or the baby. You must drink your tea and eat something to keep up your strength."

She couldn't stop the tears from falling and felt his arm going around her shoulder. "What have I done? I never should have agreed to do this. What kind of life is this poor baby going to have now?"

"I'll make sure he has a great life with lots of love and all of my attention."

"With your busy schedule how are you going to be able to spend much time with him?"

"I'll cut down on my hours, and I'll hire a nanny to take care of him when I do have to work. I don't want you to worry."

"Well, well, don't you two look so cozy? I'll just leave you two alone to do whatever it was you were about to. I'll send for the rest of my things when I get settled." She looked at Christy. "He's all yours, you fucking homewrecker."

Cole got to his feet. "She has nothing to do with us breaking up and there was never anything between us. This is all down to you, now get out of my sight before I do something we'll both regret."

They looked at each other when they heard Joyce slamming the door behind her.

"She's really angry." She had to wonder what Joyce meant when she said that she would make him pay. "What's going to happen now?"

"I'll call my lawyer in the morning and start the divorce proceedings." He walked over to the cabinet and took out a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a shot, swallowing it in one gulp he poured himself another one. "Everyone told me that I should have left her years ago. I should have listened to them, and my biggest regret is her hurting you."

She walked over to him and took the glass from his hand and placed it back on the cabinet. "Getting drunk isn't going to do any good. You have to stop worrying about me, I'm not as weak as I may appear."

He placed the palm of his hand against her cheek. "Why couldn't I have met you five years ago instead of her? I think we would have been good together."

"If that were to have happened I think you would have been in a lot of trouble," she said with a smile on her face.

"Why do you say that?"

"Five years ago I would only have just turned sixteen and you would have been almost twenty-five."

"You have away with always making me feel better. You have no idea how amazing and beautiful you are."

With his hand still on the side of her face he placed his other hand on her other cheek and lowered his mouth onto hers. But she stopped him from going any further.

"We can't do this, it isn't right."

He backed away from her. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have done that but I couldn't help myself. I have to be honest with you, I am falling for you. I have a feeling that you feel the same way about me. But until I am a free man I will not let this go any further."

Her eyes stared into his, yes she was falling for him to. "I think I'll go lay down in my room."

"Yes, you do need a couple of days bed rest. Now that Joyce is gone you won't be as stressed out and you definitely will not be lifting a finger."

As she was leaving she stopped when he called her name and turned to look at him to hear what he had to say.

"I'm pretty sure I know the answer but I still have to ask you. Are my feelings one-sided or do you feel the same way?"

"I shouldn't, but yes I do. I tried to fight it, I tried to tell myself that I was just grateful to you for being so kind to me." She didn't have the chance to say anything else when he rushed towards her and pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. She didn't stop him, instead she put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

"That's all I wanted to know. I will wait until my divorce is final and once it is I am going to make you mine. Now go, get some rest and I'll come check up on you later."