There's No Way

Business Trips & Blood Tests

[Shawn's POV]

- Three Months Later -

"I don't want you to go..." she whined as she clutched onto my bicep, attempting to pull me back into bed with her.

"I know, baby, I know." I sat down on the edge of the bed and ran my fingers through her hair. "It's only three days. It'll fly by, I promise!"

"No it won't," she huffed. She was right. Time seemed to slow down exponentially whenever I wasn't with Camila. I knew business trips would be a necessary part of my new job, but I didn't think about how much it would suck to leave my wife at home. I also didn't realize that these business trips were often super last-minute. Camila and I had plans to meet with the two potential surrogates that we had narrowed our search down to so we could finally make a decision, but with this trip I wouldn't be able to make it.

"I know you're tired of waiting to get this process started, baby. You don't have to reschedule the meetings. I trust your judgement. Meet with both of the girls and we'll talk it over and pick one when I get home, okay?" She smiled sadly and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan. You'll call me every day, right?" she asked.

"Really babe?" I laughed. "I think it's cute that you think I only plan on calling you once a day." She smiled and sat up in bed, burying her head into my chest as she hugged my torso tightly.

"Please be safe," she sighed against my chest. I hooked my finger underneath her chin and pulled her face up to mine, connecting our lips in a slow and lengthy kiss.

"Try not to miss me too much," I breathlessly cooed as I pulled away from her lips.

"I make no promises." I looked over at the clock and saw that it was already 4:30 AM.

"Shit, I've gotta leave now if I'm going to catch my flight." I cupped her face and pulled her in for another kiss, this one much more fervid than the last. "I love you more than you could ever know. I'll see you in a few days, okay?" She nodded.

"I love you too, so much," she sighed. I squeezed her tightly in my arms one last time before grabbing my suitcase and heading for the airport.

----

[Camila's POV]

I'd be lying if I said I didn't just lay in bed and cry for a while after Shawn left. Part of me felt like a baby considering he was only going to be gone for three days, but the majority of me figured it was probably a good thing that we hated to be away from each other—even if it wasn't going to be for an extended period of time. Eventually, I fell back asleep until about 9:00 AM.

Shawn and I had narrowed our surrogate search down to two women: Gwen and Abi. Originally, Shawn and I were planning on meeting with each of them together, but we were both way to eager to finally start our family that we didn't want to reschedule the meetings for when he was back in town, so we decided that I would meet them on my own. Today I would meet with Gwen, and tomorrow I would meet with Abi.

Around 3:00 PM, I got ready and headed over to Bellow's to meet with Gwen. She was very nice. She was tall and slender with long, black hair cascading down her back. She was the kind of person that could intimidate you if you only looked at their appearance, but the second you actually began talking to her she made you feel extremely comfortable and at ease. I was curious as to why someone would want to be a surrogate, so I asked her what her reason was. She said she never planned on becoming a surrogate, but that when her sister had trouble conceiving she offered to carry the baby for them.