client was important too. Can you please
tell me what's going on with Ettie?” she asked trying out the
name.
Roy looked at his wife and took a deep breath, trying to shake off
his attitude with Melissa's indifference.
“ She's decided that she'll become our
surrogate,” he said evenly, trying to gauge her reaction.
“ That's great,” Melissa exclaimed with
forced enthusiasm. “So what's the next step?”
“ We have to go to Dr Klein's office in the
morning,” Roy explained.
“ What time do we have to be there?”
Melissa asked.
“ At nine. Ettie will meet us there,”
Roy answered.
“ Okay Good. We can ride together,”
Melissa said trying to smooth things over. “And then you and I
can get brunch and you can drop me to the office. I'll take a car
home.”
“ Sounds great,” Roy said.
Melissa walked over to him and hugged him.
“ I really am happy,” she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head.
Later as they were eating dinner, a superb baked
pheasant with root vegetables that Ellen had prepared, Roy brought up
something that had been on his mind all day.
“ Melissa I wanted to talk to you about
something,” he said suddenly.
“ What's that? she asked.
“ You know I really got to know Ettie today.
She’s an amazing person and she is doing us a really great
favor.”
“ I know,” Melissa said.
“ Mel I know we offered to pay her seventy
five thousand to be the egg donor but I was thinking her mother is
sick with cancer. Her daughter is only ten and they live in
Southgate. She drives an older model car. I think maybe she is doing
this for the money.”
“ Okay, so what are you saying?”
Melissa asked slightly confused.
“ I was thinking that what she's doing for us
is asking a lot. I know the clinic arranged the fee but I think that
we should offer her more money, it's not like we can't afford it,”
Roy reasoned.
“ I see,” Melissa said. “I don't
understand. Did she ask you for more money? Is she trying to extort
us?”
“ Of course not Melissa,” Roy said
annoyed. “She didn't even bring up the money. She seems like a
great person. This is something I was thinking on my own.”
“ I was just asking,” Melissa defended.
“It’s not like she couldn’t just look you up and
see how much you’re worth. It’s all over the internet. I
personally think the money is enough. Probably more money than she
would see at any time anyway.”
“ You don't know her or her life Melissa.
That was very uncharacteristic of you, you’re normally not such
a snob,” Roy replied.
“ I'm just trying to protect us too,”
she retorted angrily.
“ It wasn't even her idea Mel. It was mine.
Just remember she'll be carrying our child for nine months. Don't you
want her to be comfortable and safe? Have a happy pregnancy?”
“ We’re also paying all her expenses
for those nine months,” Melissa added.
Roy looked at his wife for a long moment before he finally responded.
“ There isn’t a price I’m not
willing to pay to have our family,” he said softly.
“ Oh, now I'm the horrible person?”
Melissa asked, looking down at her plate.
“ I didn't say that.”
“ If you want to give her more money, then
fine, give her more money,” Melissa said throwing her hands up.
“I’m not hungry anymore. I’m going to go do some
work in the office.”
Roy didn’t feel that hungry anymore either.
Promptly at nine
a.m., Melissa and Roy along with
their lawyer and friend Justin Richards arrived at the clinic to sign
the paperwork for their agreement with Ettie. She was accompanied by
a woman who was an older version of herself, except for the eyes. Roy
recognized her right away from Ettie’s description. He held his
hand out.
“ You must be Andrea Fraser,” he said.
“You have an amazing daughter. This is my wife Melissa and my
attorney Justin Richards.”
Ettie felt a rush of panic. She hadn't thought to bring along a
lawyer, not that she could have afforded one if she
Karin Slaughter
Margaret S. Haycraft
Laura Landon
Patti Shenberger
Elizabeth Haydon
Carlotte Ashwood
S Mazhar
Christine Brae
Mariah Dietz
authors_sort