The Surrogate

Epilogue

Thursday 14th December 2023. London.

"Ok, if I can have your signatures on the paperwork please," Michael Schafer, the lawyer who has worked for Seb many times and helped with the formalities of Seb's surrogacy process, swivels the sheets of paper around with his fingertips and then slides it across the desk towards Holly, who has Seb by her side, and Alison and Trevor - Imogen's foster parents. Also with them and overseeing proceedings is a rather strict looking, older woman called Lorraine, from Social Services.

Today is a day that Alison and Trevor have, in a small way, dreamed of but only for Imogen's sake. For themselves, it's a day that they knew could eventually arrive at some point during their years bringing Immy up; it's a day they've dreaded but one that was always bound to happen. It's a part of being foster parents; you take a child or children in to your care, give them stability and a loving home while all the time you're not always really sure how long they will be with you.

It's a day that's filled with heartbreak yet happiness knowing that Imogen will be officially reunited with her birth mother, yet it's also filled with regret that they never acted sooner to try and officially adopt the teenager themselves.

Trevor scans over the paperwork first, his eyes quickly skimming over the part that details, in legal jargon, how they're signing over the girl, who they view as their own, to her mother's care and finding the section on the third page where visiting arrangements have been agreed. Part of him wishes they'd been able to put up a fight to keep Immy with them but as foster parents it's not so straightforward and this is what Immy wants - to live with her biological mum.

Holly looks anxiously at Seb, seeking reassurance. The room is quiet and she finds this silence tense and awkward and the way Trevor is looking at the paperwork has her thinking that something is about to go wrong.

Seb only has to take hold of her hand and mouth the words, "it's fine," to her and she starts to relax. Of course it'll be fine, this is merely a formality after all the details have been discussed and finalised over the past five months.

Trevor puts his signature down, as does his wife. They hold hands tightly now the sheets of paper are in front of Holly and Seb, who'll be starting the process to become Imogen's legal guardian very soon.

Holly doesn't hesitate in signing in the spaces indicated to her by small, sticky, bright pink paper dots and she can't help but smile proudly as she watches Seb do the same thing, his signature elegant as it flows along the dotted line. One of the many things she's noticed and loves about him is his beautiful handwriting; she's never met a man like him, whose writing perfectly portrays his intelligence. Now, not only does he have a seventeen month old daughter, now he's also gained a fifteen year old daughter who will turn sixteen straight after the New Year. Plans are already in progress for her birthday parties - one smaller, more intimate gathering in Switzerland and then a big party to be held in Hull, in February, so that all of Immy's friends can attend as well as Alison and Trevor.

Half an hour later and they step outside into the cold, crisp air. Holly exhales, letting a small cloud of steam evaporate into the winter sunshine as it starts to sink in. A mother of two. She's now officially a mother of two.

Two years ago, when she'd fallen pregnant with Seb's child, she'd never dreamed that she'd be in this position now. Back then Seb had been another client, another hopeful parent-to-be wishing for a child via surrogacy and Emilia was the fulfilment of his dream for a family of his own. That should have been the end of her time with him, the end of her contract. Becoming a mother had felt like her worst nightmare because she hadn't felt like she was worthy or good enough to be a parent. She'd felt like a failure, having fallen pregnant at such a young age and then having had her first child taken away.