The Surrogate

When Gloria saw her son she ran over and threw her arms around him. "I take it from the look on your face that everything worked out in your favour."

He hugged her back and smiled. "Thanks to you and Steven it did. But why didn't you call and let me know you were coming?" He knew his mother well, knew she was a bit of a drama queen who liked to make a grand entrance.

"I tried but it went to your voice mail. So Steven and I jumped on his helicopter and he flew us here as soon as we got the file from his friend. Well, once up in the air it was impossible to get through to you. I'm just glad we got here in time."

"So am I, mom. Wait, since when does Steven own a helicopter and know how to fly one?"

"He's always had his licence to fly and bought one a couple of years ago. You would have known that if you had taken the time to get to know him."

Cole felt so guilty for the way he had treated Steven when he got together with his mother. He never once tried to get to know the man his mother had fallen in love with years after the death of his father.

"You're right, mom, and I'm going to change that." He turned to Steven and walked over to him where he was still sitting. "I'm sorry I never gave you a chance or got to know you. But I want to change that, I want us all to be close. I also want to thank you for making my mother happy after she had grieved for so long after my father passed away."

"I would love that too, Cole. It's like I always say, better late than never."

Gloria had tears in her eyes. She had hoped for the day when the two men in her life that she loved with all of her heart would become close.

"So Cole, what all did the judge have to say?"

He smiled back at his mother. "Oh, he had quite a lot to say to Joyce, all bad. You should have seen the look on her face when the judge granted the divorce in my favour, it was priceless. When he said she wasn't going to get anything she started screaming that it wasn't fair, so the judge decided she deserved something after all."

"Oh please tell me he didn't grant her too much."

Cole chuckled. "He gave her one dollar for every year we were married."

Both Gloria and Steven laughed.

"That's more than she deserved," Gloria managed to say when she stopped laughing. "No wonder she was so angry when she came out and started yelling at us for butting in. I feel sorry for that baby she's carrying."

Cole's eyes went wide when he heard those words come out of his mother's mouth. "Baby, what baby?"

Gloria could have slapped herself for letting that information slip out of her mouth. "Oh son, I was going to tell you later. But Joyce is four weeks pregnant with her lover's baby."

"I don't believe this, she told me that she was infertile. That was why we decided to hire a surrogate, one who would use her own eggs to give us a baby. So obviously it's not that she didn't want to have a baby, she just didn't want to have mine."

"Cole, yes she lied to you about not being able to get pregnant, but I honestly believe that she never ever wanted to have a baby. The only way she could get her lover to divorce his wife and marry her was to get pregnant with his baby. His wife was never able to give him a child and now that he's in his late 50s he wants children. So Joyce deliberately got pregnant. I can guarantee that poor child will be raised by nannies and Joyce will never give him or her a second thought."

"It's a good thing we didn't have children together, it would have been a disaster."

Gloria's heart went out to him, knowing what he had put up with over the years. "Hey, let's forget all about her and focus on this girl that you have fallen in love with. Steven and I are dying to meet her."

"Mom, I know you are going to love her. She is so sweet and kind. She has this beautiful, long wavy brown hair and the most beautiful brown eyes I have ever seen on a woman."

"Then why are we still standing here? Let's go to your place and meet this fabulous woman that has captured my son's heart."

"You and Steven can stay with us as long as you want. I assume that you came in a rental car and your luggage is inside of it."

"Yes, we'll follow behind you," Steven said as a started walking out of the building.

When they got to Cole's place and walked inside June was just coming out of one of the rooms.

"Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, what a pleasant surprise."

Gloria gave June a hug, she had always liked the woman. "I'm sorry to show up so unexpectedly."

"Not at all, it's been way too long since you came for a visit. If I had known you were coming I would have freshened up one of the guest bedrooms. Oh, you are staying I hope."

"Yes dear, but I don't want you to go to any trouble. Steven and I can stay in the downstairs bedroom."

"Mom, why don't you and Steven get settled into your room and that will give me a chance to let Christy know that you're here."

"Dr. Mason, she's not upstairs."

"But I told you she needed to stay in bed and rest, where is she?"

"I tried to get her to stay in bed but the poor thing was so bored so I helped her downstairs and she's laying on the couch watching TV. She can be very stubborn you know."

He had to chuckle. "Yes that she can, especially with her hormones all over the place. Okay I'll go see her and let her know that we're having company for a while."

Christy was laying on the couch watching a program on TV when she saw Cole walking in. He was smiling so she knew right away that things must have went pretty good at court.

He walked over to where she was and kneeled down next to her. "Didn't I tell you to stay in bed?"

"Why does it matter where I lay down as long as I'm laying down and resting? Never mind me, tell me what happened today."

"Well, something unexpected happened. My mother and stepfather had hired a private investigator to investigate Joyce. It turns out that she has been a very naughty girl and has been cheating all this time with a married man."

"You're kidding, how horrible."

"There's so much more. Her rich boyfriend paid for everything so the money I had given her for all the trips and pocket money she kept. I should have questioned her when she always asked me to write her a cheque instead of letting me pay with my card."

A smile crossed her lips. "So from the smile on your face I'm assuming you didn't sign everything over to her."

"No I did not. I was sitting at the table with the pen in my hand and was getting to sign when someone burst into the room holding a file with information on to Joyce's activities over the last few years. And this is the best part. When the judge looked over the file he granted the divorce in my favour. Joyce totally freaked out when the judge awarded her nothing."

"Oh wow, that must have been some information he was given to make him turn around and award her nothing."

"Oh it sure was, but then he did decide to give her something."

"Please tell me it wasn't this beautiful home."

He couldn't stop laughing and grabbed her hand and kissed it. "No my love, she was given one dollar for each year we were married. There is so much more to tell you but that can wait until later."

"Okay, but just tell me who it was that burst into the room to give you that information."

"My mother and Steven."

She sat up. "That's wonderful, and thank God they got there just in time to stop you from signing those papers."

"You can say that again, and they are dying to meet you."

"I can't wait to meet them too. So when are they coming?"

"Sweetheart, they're here now and are getting settled in the downstairs guest room. I asked them to give me a few moments to let you know that they're here and are waiting to meet you."

She released her hand from his and got to her feet. "Oh my God they're here? I can't meet them like this, look at me, I look terrible."

"No you don't, you look absolutely gorgeous."

"Oh, Cole, you would say that. I'm wearing a nightgown and my hair is a mess. I can't let them see me like this. You have to stall them while I go upstairs and change."

"There's no need to do that, they aren't going to care what you're wearing."

"I will not meet my future in-laws looking like this."

"Look you're not supposed to become stressed out."

"Then let me go take a shower and put something on and it will be less stressful than if I were to meet them looking like this."

He cupped her cheeks in the palms of his hands and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Okay, I will allow you to prepare as long as you promise that you will go slow and stop worrying about what they will think of you. I promise you that they are going to love you."

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I promise and thank you. Now just stall them for about an hour."

June showed Gloria and Steven to the bedroom they would be staying in. "If there's anything you need just let me know."

Gloria gave her a warm smile. "Thank you and I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Christy? I know that you had time to spend with her and I'm just wondering if she is as wonderful as Cole says she is."

"Mrs. Brooks, Miss Grant is a good person and let me tell you that she is deeply in love with your son. I have never seen him this happy in all the time I've worked for him. She cooks for him, greets him when he comes home after a long day at work and always ask how everything went. She takes interest in his work and what ever he has to say. I know you are going to like her, she is so genuine."

"Thank you, that's what I was hoping to hear."

"Before I leave for the day I'll stick a pot roast in the oven along with the little potatoes and vegetables that I know you all like."

While she was busy in the kitchen preparing the supper for them Cole walked into the bedroom where his parents were.

"Sweetheart, can we meet Christy now?"

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"Mom, this was kind of a surprise visit that she wasn't expecting."

"Oh dear, does she not want to see us? Maybe Steven and I should have booked into a hotel instead of coming here."

"No she wants to meet you both, it's just that she's not prepared. She's very shy and wants me to stall you until she's had time to shower and get dressed."

"Oh is that all? She really didn't have to fuss so much, we don't care how she looks."

"I know Mom, but let's just humour her. Let's go into the living room and I'll pour you both a drink. I know after today I could sure use one."

When they were seated he proceeded to tell them how he was planning on asking Christy to marry him now that in a few days he would be a single man.

"I do hope you're not rushing into anything. I know how much you love her and even June has said how much in love you both are."

"I've wasted too many years on a woman that I didn't love and who didn't love me. I have no doubt in my mind that with Christy things are going to be so different. She is the love of my life and I don't want to wait to marry her."

"Steven and I are so happy that you found true love. Have you thought that maybe this time you should get a prenup?"

"Absolutely not, no way do I want a prenup with Christy. She actually brought it up and suggested that we have one but I refused and we had a bit of an argument over it. I trust her and I know that she would never screw me over the way Joyce did."

"With that young lady telling you there should be a prenup says a lot about her character. It also shows me that it is not your money or your statue that she's interested in. Yes, you better marry that girl as soon as possible," Steven said, looking at Cole.

"I plan to. Now if you will excuse me I will go upstairs and see if Christy is almost ready to come down.

"Well it looks like we're going to have a wedding in the very near future. Now that we're going to be grandparents maybe we should consider moving back here. Steven, is that something you would consider doing?"

"If moving back to Texas will make you happy my love, then I'm all for it. It's not like we have any real ties or family where we live now. And it would be nice to see our grandchild growing up. I say we look for a home close. It would also be a good chance for me and Cole to get to know each other."

Gloria went over and gave him a kiss on the lips. "You are such a wonderful man and you have made me so happy. I love you so much."

"I love you too sweetheart and I always will."