THE SURROGATE: A LUKE BROOKS FAN FICTION

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

I got out of the car, and slammed my door hard. What the hell have I gotten myself into? What on earth possessed me? I wasn't strong enough to handle something like this! Fuck! 

I didn't bother to go inside just yet; I wasn't ready to face anyone. I just sat there on the bench in the yard, and allowed the wind to sweep past my face as I thought about everything that had happened today. I was sitting with my elbows on my knees, and my hands folded; in a sort of praying position. My head was buried in my hands when I heard the door opening. I prayed that it wasn't Luke; he was my best friend and all, but I just did not have it in me to face him, to have to pretend that everything was hunky dory. I looked up when I felt an arm around my shoulders; it was Darcy.

"How was it?" she asked me, squeezing me a bit. In that instance, I threw my arms around her, in desperate need of a hug. "It was so fucking awful!" I said, squeezing her tighter. "Why? Didn't meet anyone suitable?" she asked, and I could hear that she was concerned. "That's just it..." I answered, refusing to let her go until I was absolutely ready; Darcy's grip around me tightened as I cried on her chest. "The people I met were amazing! You'd think that with all these people I met today, at least 2 or 3 of them I wouldn't like; but Darcy each and every single couple deserved a baby! The fact that I have to choose one out of all these couples, rips me to shreds" I buried my face in her chest. "Oh my poor friend" she said, sounding as sad as I felt, "surely there must be at least one couple that stood out from the rest?" she asked hopefully. I broke the hug and sniffed as I tugged some hair behind my ear, "there were 2 couples that stood out" I spoke, feeling the lump in my throat becoming smaller. I sniffed one more time before telling her about the Carlton's. "Oh my Gosh that's terrible!" she said, clutching at her heart, "and what about the other couple?" she asked. I inhaled deeply before answering, "The Freemans? Don't get me wrong, every couple was friendly, but they were by far the friendliest people I have ever met, and I could tell that they weren't putting on a show; I could see it in their eyes. They have hearts of pure gold. They've been married for 15 years, and after many heartbreaks and failed attempts, having a surrogate is their final option! Every other method of having a baby just didn't sit right with them." I paused and sniffed again. "So what makes them so special?" Darcy asked, handing me a tissue. I blue my nose and looked up as I said, "if I have to be honest, they seem like they can provide this baby with everything he or she might need" I admitted, quickly adding, "not that the Carltons won't be able to either! Its just that, I don't know" I broke off, staring at the tissue that I was playing with in my hands. Darcy was silent for a while, no doubt waiting to see if I was finished speaking. "What do they do for a living?" Darcy asked. I had no idea what the relevance of the question was, but I answered anyway; maybe she had a point to all this. "Uhm, Mr. Carlton is an attorney, his wife is an interior designers slash real estate agent. Then Mr. Freeman is an ex-marine who stays at home and runs his own business from there, his wife is a nurse" I answered. "That is tough..." she started, "But if I have to be completely honest, it sounds to me like you've pretty much made up your mind already" she said, I  looked right at her. "It sounds like you have your heart set on the Freemans, but you don't want to say no to the Carltons either because you don't want to disappoint them and crush their dreams." Darcy answered, I looked down. She was absolutely right! Sometimes I hated it that she knew me as well as she did; but then most times I'm incredibly grateful. "Listen, I've never been in your situation, but at the end of the day you've got to go with your gut feeling. Forget about pity, do what you feel is right. That's the best advice I can give you" she hugged me again. I sat up straight and started to fix myself up, "Thanks Darcy" I said as I stood up and walked towards the door, "I needed that! But lets not speak about this anymore..." I said and I opened the door, putting a smile on my face.

As soon as I walked in, I was literally stampeded by hugs. First came Luke, then Beau, then Jai, then Daniel and then James, and we all ended up falling on the floor! "I have so many questions!" I said as they finally broke the hug, and each one started getting off me; Luke was the one who had helped me up. "First of all-" I started as I was dusting myself off, "Why the hell is Daniel naked?" that was the one question I REALLY wanted answered. "It's a LONG story! Pun intended!" winked Daniel as he placed emphasis on the word LONG and he looked over at Darcy, who immediately started blushing. "Now we have a question for you..." said James putting his arm around my shoulder and leading me into the kitchen and handing me a beer; I looked at the beer, tempted. "Where have you been? Looking all fine and sexy?" he asked. I smiled at his compliment, but could feel my heart racing as I became hesitant. Was I really going to tell them now? I was planning to tell them on my own time, but they were all here, together and waiting. What was the point in delaying? The end result is still the same; they'll find out anyway. "Well, actually, she just went-" started Luke, trying to cover up for me, but I stopped him. "Luke its okay, I think its time that they knew" I said, taking a deep breath. 

"Well this might be hard for you guys to-" "Oh my God you're dying aren't you!?" screamed Beau, jumping up from the couch that he was sitting on, and sounding very serious. "Why the hell would I be this dressed up if I was dying?" I asked him confused and rolling my eyes. "I don't know... maybe you want to leave a pretty corpse?" he said matter-of-factly and shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes in a way that imitated my eye-roll. "You think I'm pretty?" I asked teasingly to which Beau replied, "I believe I said that your corpse was pretty" "You don't have to be shy.." I said, reaching out for his hand, "I know what you secretly mean" I whispered. "Pssshh" was his response and I remembered that I was in the middle of saying something. "Well, before I was rudely interrupted, I am NOT dying!" I emphasized on the word "NOT" "I'm actually... not yet, but... I'm going to be... pregnant" I came out with it nd there was silence all around the room. 

"My boy got in!!" said Daniel, breaking the awkward silence, and making a motion to high five Luke, "I told you to use protection! But you got it in any way!" He said with a smile, still holding up his hand. "Its not me!" said Luke flatly, and to be honest, it sounded to me like he still hasn't accepted my decision to be a surrogate. And there was another awkward silence. "*sigh* guys, I'm going to be a surrogate! I went to meet potential parents today. That's why I'm all dressed up!" I said, putting my hands on my hips. Suddenly all eyes went on Luke -and I have no idea why- "What are you looking at me for?" he asked, and he got up and stomped up the stairs and as he reached the top and was presumably in his bedroom, we heard a door slamming hard. "Come on guys, don't just stand there and say nothing!?" I said, desperate for someone to say something. "I guess... congratulations are in order!" said Jai, finally breaking the awkward silence, and all of them started smiling, but I could see that their smiles were fake; at least hey were trying.

"What did your parents say about this?" Jai asked, and once again it was all eyes on me. "Well I haven't exactly told them yet... I'm actually going to do it today..." I said looking down at the ground, lying. "Do you need me to be with you when you call them?" offered Beau, taking me by the hand. "You wouldn't mind?" I asked, my eyes were lighting up. He nodded his head, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket... "OKAY, SO ALL YOU FUCKERS OUT!" Beau yelled as I dialed the number, and it began to ring. With each ring, I could feel my heart rate increase, I was actually going to do this! 

"Hello??" I heard the voice of my mother on the other line, Oh my Lord can the earth just swallow me in already; hearing my mom's voice, caused me to lose mine momentarily. "Hi mom... yeah... its good to speak to you too... I actually have something to tell you" I said as I scratched my head, "What is it baby?" she asked me. Wow! Fine choice of words mother! "Well, it's funny you should mention the word baby.." and I looked up at Beau, who looked back at me, and nodded his head. "Well, I've decided to carry a baby for another couple ! So your I'm going to be a surrogate!" I said, and the line on the other end went silent. "Hello??" I said, but I got no reply... oh shit! What Have I done? "Your dad and I will be there first thing tomorrow!" she said, and before I could object, she hung up. What the actual fuck have I done!!??