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

| 30 | The Land of Unforeseen Circumstances ||

PENELOPE: Going to that crack burger place. You want something?

Penelope set the phone in her lap and pulled down the visor so she could get to the mirror. She smiled at her reflection.

Damn. She was glowing. A two hour full body massage, hot stone treatment and facial will do that to any worn down soul.

"Thank you Frida." She said flipping the mirror closed and looking at her phone that binged.

MR. ROGAN: How is that a question? Get me the works, please.

She giggled.

PENELOPE: How much grease would you like with that?

MR. ROGAN: Don't be stingy.

She laughed again, stuffing the phone in her purse when the prison shuttle pulled into the park and ride lot.

The sadness swooped in for a milli-second before her joy returned. She was in a good mood for whatever reason so she thought the perfect time to visit her brother. She thought she should get in her last few visits before she couldn't see him. She calculated the first 4 to five months she might be able to hide any pregnancy and still be able to see him.

The shuttle ride was short and the next thing she knew, she was sitting at a metal table waiting for her brother to join her. Her chest filled with buoyancy when Phillip entered the visitation room.

"Hey, sis." He frowned at her. "You look all dewy and stuff."

She laughed a little. "Been swimming. How are you? Getting muscles I see. Don't tell me when you get out of this place you're going to have huge arms and skinny little legs."

He laughed. "Nah, I do full body workouts."

"Let me guess, with your buddy Fat Baby Ray."

Phillip laughed. "Nah, he's already swole."

"Glad to see you're not all busted up this time."

He waived her off. "No need to worry about me. Remember what Grammie said? 'That boy's head is..."

"Harder than a coconut."

They laughed together.

"I'm resilient like that." He looked down telling her that something was on his mind.

"What?"

He glanced up at her from under his lashes. "I-I heard you've been sending John payments. Now don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, but how? Please tell me you're not into no shit."

She took a breath to mask the heat that filled her. Adrenaline brought her senses to a heightened state. "I-I told you about the business loan."

"Yeah, P, but for the amount I owe him?"

She hated lying, never felt right but she didn't want him in this. "Got a better job too. Don't worry, okay? You know I would never do anything illegal."

"Yeah, I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about you out there and me in here. I...uh--" He frowned and looked down at his fingers.

"You what?"

He glanced up at her from under his lashes. "I also heard you moved out of the old apartment."

She frowned, crossing her arms and leaning back in the metal chair. "You hear a lot behind these concrete walls."

"Not like I ask," he mumbled. "But they're watching you. Just be careful, okay?"

She looked at her brother when she heard the emotion in his voice. She let her head fall to the side as she gazed at him pulling out the features they shared. "Same goes for you. In a couple weeks, John will be a terrible nightmare. I'll make the last payment and we'll be free."