SURROGATE : Conception (+18) BOOK 1 (COMPLETE)

| 20 | A Second Opinion ||

 "Hey punk. Did you get my deposit?"

Her brother's soft laughter made her smile. "Yeah, sis, thanks. Listen, when all of this is over. I'm going to make it up to you, you know that?"

"Mhm. You know how you're going to do that?"

There was a small silence. "I'm going back to school."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm."

"For what?"

"Some sort of trade I think. Haven't settled on which one quite yet. I was talking to Fat Baby Ray--"

"Fat Baby who?"

He laughed. "Fat Baby Ray is a real cool older cat who's been in for a long while. Prolly would have two degrees if he ever gets out."

"Mhm, and what exactly are you picking up from Mr. Fat Baby Ray?"

He laughed again. "I can hear your condescension."

"Oooo, nice word choice little brother. See you tapping into that big ass brain of yours." She laughed this time.

"You'll see Pen. I'm going to make you proud. This was just a set back."

She smiled and rolled onto her back. "I know Phil. I know. Look, I got something to run by you."

"Aight. Shoot."

The more research she did about starting her clothes business the more she realized she didn't actually know what the hell she was doing. No surprise there. There was someone she just so happened to be living under the same roof with that might have a clue or two. Would he be willing to help her, was the thing. The bigger question she had was whether or not asking for his help was even appropriate. What the hell was appropriate in her case? No idea. So she was looking for a second opinion.

"I have this potential contact for business stuff. Someone who could give me a really good start on getting all my legal stuff set up."

"Okay, so what's the problem?"

She swallowed trying to figure out how to say this without actually telling him. "I'm not really sure if it's okay to ask for help from them. They might laugh me off."

"So. Fuck them if that's what they do. Listen, I'm getting rushed off the phone. All you can do is ask and the worst they can do is say no. Okay, gotta go. Love you sis."

"Love you too stay safe." She hung up the phone feeling the usual frustration that accompanied the end of their calls. She hated the restriction, the limitation on her conversations with her brother. They spent so much time together growing up, had so many talks and now this. She wished she could make things different for him. She didn't temper the tears or will them back into her eyes. She let the sadness flow over her and the tears spill down her face and onto the pillow behind her.

She knew Phil was a man and proud just like their father. He didn't get to spend a lot of time with their father, but she remembered him clearly. She remembered his smile and that he smelled like chewing tobacco. Maybe she was coddling her brother, maybe she was making things worse for him by helping him like she was, but he was all she had. She was all he had. She refused, to leave him, refused to abandon him, refused to give up on him. He had a kind heart, and he was a beautiful person, she knew that without a doubt.

Penelope's attention went to her phone when it buzzed alerting her of a message. She opened Frida's text: When you have a minute, I want to speak to you.

Penelope wiped her tears, took a couple of clean breaths and set up in the bed before she typed: I have some time now. Where are you? I'll come to you.