The Surrogate

Back to how things began

It's dark when she's woken up by someone gently tapping on the bedroom door. She flings an arm out, her hand flapping around as she looks for the switch on the lamp which she finds just as the door opens and a woman steps in, Hayley.

Hayley is stunningly beautiful, no make that sickeningly beautiful, with wavy blonde hair that stops just above her shoulders. Even in the low light from the lamp, she's got flawless, creamy skin with a perfect nose, full lips and blue eyes that match the depth and intensity of Seb's. And with her figure having curves in all the right places, Holly feels like a hippo compared to his ex girlfriend.

"Thought I'd check to see how you are but also to introduce myself," Hayley says, standing near the door while Holly sits herself up fully and swings her legs over the edge of the bed.

"I know who you are," Holly rubs her tummy as the baby decides to burst in to spontaneous flutters of movement, "Seb's told me about you."

"I'm no threat," she steps a bit closer, "he needed a friend and I was happy to help."

Holly nods and then shrugs her shoulders, she's got nothing to say to that. Her and Seb aren't together anymore, it doesn't matter if Hayley is a threat or not, Holly knows she's lost the right say anything about it.

"You must be hungry, Seb was getting worried that you've not eaten all day."

"Where is he?" she asks, lifting her head at the mention of him.

"He's in the basement, watching football on tv with a can of beer and some snacks, he's ok," Hayley tucks her hair behind one ear, she daren't go any closer to Holly because she's not sure how welcome she is in this room.

She runs her hands back through her hair, easing out a few knots in the ends as she miserably says, "he hates me, doesn't he."

"No, of course he doesn't," Hayley's sincere in her answer and decides to come and sit on the bed next to Holly, "he's hurt and I won't lie, he's still angry but he doesn't hate you, how can he hate the woman who's having his baby?"

"Has he told you why he finished with me?"

"Yeah, he did."

Looking around the room Holly suddenly realises that her bag and case isn't up here. Luckily there's a black scrunchie on the vanity unit and she gets up to go and get it and begin tying her hair up, "I expect you think I'm a selfish cow," she mutters as her hair ends up in a messy bun with strands of hair all over that didn't get caught.

"I'll be honest, I do think that you shouldn't have entered in to a relationship with him if you knew that you couldn't commit," Hayley bravely speaks up, defending the man who still holds a special place in her heart, "especially with a baby on the way. He deserves more, he deserves better."

"We tried to fight it, we both tried," she feels the emotion rising again and part of her wants to tell Hayley to leave but she knows she needs to eat, if she doesn't eat then Seb's baby doesn't eat either.

"He's a very loving man, when he falls for someone he falls hard....."

"I don't need a lecture!" Holly snaps, cutting Hayley off, "I feel like shit enough as it is!" she stomps towards the door and adds an annoyed, "now leave me alone!" as she leaves the room. She makes her way down the stairs, what little appetite she had has now disappeared so she's got no idea of what to eat as the last thing she really wants is food. Her conscience, that little voice in her head, is telling her there's only thing or person that she really wants now and that's Seb. She stops at the bottom of the stairs, her hand on the bannister, and pictures him sitting in his basement, drowning his sorrow in cans of beer, all on his own. If she wasn't such a massive failure at motherhood, if she wasn't so scared and didn't feel so undeserving and knew she wouldn't throw it all away again with her own stupid, selfish actions then she'd commit to him in a heartbeat. She doesn't deserve an honour like motherhood and she definitely doesn't deserve such a sweet, kind and humble man like Sebastian.