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

| 22 | Enter the Vortex ||

"Frida? The driver just pulled up. I'll take your bags out."

"Okay, I'm coming down in a minute." Frida sang at the top of the stairs as Liam picked up two of his wife's bags and the driver grabbed the other three.

Penelope was standing behind the island counter with the perfect vantage point to watch the chaos ensure. She had a bowl of peanut butter puff cereal and a slight smile on her face. The past couple hours Frida had been bossing Liam around, having him hall bags down the stairs. He complied with the woman's thankless commands without a word of opposition.

Penelope added more nut milk to her bowl and took a mouth full as Frida flounced down the stairs with yet another bag.

"Liam?" Frida said as he took the hand bag from her.

"Yes, darling?" He sounded exhausted. From what Penelope gathered, he had an early morning call with his client overseas after getting in late from some meeting in northern California. A new client if her eavesdropping ears picked up on it correctly.

"I told you about the engine light being on in my car right?"

"You did. By the time you return, I'll have had the mechanic look at it."

"Good, and your traveling?"

He exhaled walking with her toward the door. "With the exception of the three days I told you about, I'll be here." He handed the final bag to the driver and faced his wife.

She cupped his jaw. "You look tired."

The corner of his mouth lifted. "That's because I am." He yawned. "I'll get some rest shortly, a few things still to get done."

"Don't work too much."

"Don't worry about me."

"If I don't, who will?"

He kissed her forehead and she turned her attention to Penelope. She let the spoon rest in her bowl and caught some milk from dribbling down her face as Frida made her way over to Penelope.

The two women faced each other.

Frida exhaled then took a step to close the space pulling Penelope into an embrace. They gave each other cheak air kisses and Frida cupped Penelope's jaw. "You're so brave."

Penelope just smiled. She didn't know what to do or say to that. She didn't feel brave. She felt all weird in the stomach, like her insides were locked up around itself. She tossed and turned that night before. Her mind was unable to put down the topic of the chunk of time she'd be spending with Liam. She felt like a fish out of water. "Safe travels. Get back to us in one piece."

Frida displayed a brilliant smile and headed toward the door. "Tata You two." She sang as she followed the driver out the door.

When the door closed, it was the remaining silence that made the entire thing feel like a whirlwind had passed through. Penelope's attention moved to Liam when his shoulders fell with an exhale. He pinched the bridge of his nose before he turned to face her.

"You hungry? I'll order something."

"Just had cereal, but..." She smiled and folded her arms across her chest. "I was actually planning on getting dinner started." She put her cereal bowl in the sink to tend to later.

A light buoyant energy filled her breastbone when Liam's handsome face pulled into a sincere smile. "Even better. What are we making?"

She smiled making her way to the kitchen with Liam not too far behind. "Well," she said over her shoulder. "I was thinking, baked sweet potatoes with black beans and a yellow squash, zucchini, carrot vegetable medley. Just a little salt pepper and butter on those."