Chapter 13:THE SURROGATE

Dr.Stone "Mr. Cleve and ma'am I hope you have made your decision concerning the surrogate"

"yes ,no", they both utter in unison

they look at each other with shocked expressions.

looking at them, it is clear they aren't on the same page.

she had seen many couples like them who came by singing one song but left on different notes.

they both look angrily at each other.

breaking the tension in the air

"Mr.Cleve,I will advice you to make up your minds as we should have already began the procedure as we need to complete the necessary screenings and paperwork for the IVF cycle to begin."

They turn to look at each other, Aina is under pressure.

clasping her hand he tries to convince her.

"Sweeet heart we had already talked about this.

Remember grandma's condition, Babe I know its not the easiest of decisions to make but for once can we put our feelings aside.

we need this my love."

pulling out the surrogates' file he flips through it.

"who would you be comfortable with. Whoever you choose my dear that is how it will be."

Aina" Really, whoever I choose?

Cleve" yes honey, whoever you choose ".

she feels like jumping with joy. Her first huddle will soon be over.

"But he continues, I will do a background check on her. If she is cleared then that is who we will settle with".

Aina finds no problem with that as far as she is concerned her mother had already taken care of that.

she flips through the applications till she gets to Miss. Rou,her eyes glitter.

"it's her". she pulls out her information.

Cleve "from the look of things seems like you are familiar with her". She is hesitant to answer him.

"swiry don't try to hide it. I too would love to work with someone who I am conversant with but my question is how well do you know her?''

"of course I know her honey, we go way back since our school days".

"Really? then she must be your very good friend".

"you can say that. She is a lovely lady from a good background".

Raising his eyebrow, "Are you that close ?If her background is as well as you make it sound why would she apply for surrogacy more so it would be her first time to carry a pregnancy."

"She just opted to help her friend out. "She shrugs her shoulders clearly not happy with how he is dragging this.

"mmh" Cleve makes it sound as though he isn't entirely convinced with her explanation.

"won't her family make an issue out of it ?"She hesitates for a while before answering.

Cleve notices the uncertainty in her eyes.

"Of course they won't .More so they helped me convince her to do the application."

Listening to her talk he feels like there is more to this than meets the eye.

"are you okay with her ?'she asks her eyes looking hopeful full of anticipation

"baby we shall see."

"so have you made a decision?" the doctor asks .

Cleve "not really can you give us like thirty minutes"

"thirty minutes it is then lets meet after lunch".

grabbing his fiancé's hand he leads her out.

"Hunie do you still have reservations concerning my friend?''

Cleve" I do, I am not going to allow just anybody to carry my baby".

Aina" its our baby not yours why are you acting all selfish or would you have loved that lady with auburn hair to be our surrogate."

Cleve "what has gotten into you Aina, what are you even talking about which lady are you referring to?"

Aina" You really don't know what I am talking about or have you gone deaf? I saw the way you were reluctant to let go of the lady with brown eyes. Do you want her for our surrogate?".

Realizing what she is referring to he chuckles.

To Aina his laughter sounds sort of a  mockery.

"Are you referring to sonia,?"

"what! Was that sonia!?"she is utterly shocked

she didn't see this coming. Her heart swells with bitterness.

Bitterness of how Cleve  was starring her beautiful figure, The longing look in his eyes was evident.

she could swear that at some point she had seen him stroke the picture in a gentle and loving manner.

she feels like her legs might go jelly any moment. Crutching her chest her face contorts with pain.

"Honey are you alright? with his quick reflexes he helps steady her.

"you scared the hell out of me.

What is happening, Are you okay? "she doesn't respond but weakly shakes her head

Not waiting he carries her back to the doctors room.

"what happened?"

"she chewed a black out all of a sudden and had difficulty breathing "Replies Cleve, panic written all over his face. 

After checking on her she takes her seat

"Dr.is she okay, what could possibly be wrong with her?".

'Relax Mr. Cleve.Your fiancé is fine ,she just had a panic attack'

Cleve" what ?but how?".

The Doctor "That I should be asking you".

After jogging his memory his eyes widen

"Impossible",he exclaims.

"what is not possible".

Cleve"no,nothing.Sorry I was just thinking loud".

"Anyway Mr. cleve she will have to keep away from stressful situations or encounters but generally speaking she is fine.

Just let her rest for a while."

Busying himself with work matters he tries to keep his mind pre-occupied.

His phone rings,it's his personal assistant.

"Jerry this better be good news".

"Yes sir!

Miss Rou is the youngest and only daughter of the Rou Group.

Apparently her mother is the second wife of Old Rou".

Though middle aged he was referred to old Rou as he got his bald head in his late twenties.

"what do you mean the second wife?"

"She married Mr.Rou shortly after his wife committed suicide.

They were at the verge of divorcing after being pants down in one of the city's hotels frolicking with one of her bodyguards.

shortly after she was issued with divorce but she would rather kill herself than suffer the humiliation".

"Wow!what a complicated family"Clee exclaims.

"All these happened how long ago?"

"Over twenty years ago sir."

If his calculations were right,miss Rou was around twenty three if not twenty five years old meaning she wasn't the biological child of Old Rou .

"one more thing sir.The Rou Group was at the verge of bankruptcy but was saved by the Alliance Conglomerate."

Tapping his chin he finds it exciting.The Alliance Conglomerate how interesting.It seems like things aren't as simple as it looks.

"Jerry email me all the information."

The Sudden Movement makes him cut the line.

"Aina,baby you are awake."

she tries to act all composed but with her heart thumping loudly against her chest she finds it difficult.

This is not good at all.

"Have you been awake for long?"

"no..not that long,"she stutters.

"I just woke up and i wanted to grab some water.

am sorry i didn't want to trouble you at all.You must be very busy.Is everything okay at the office?".

"of course..of course what could possibly go wrong

Everything is as good as it should be.

laughing weakly she imitates him."Ofcourse love,what could possibly go wrong".

In her heart she wants to tear that stupid Jerry to pieces.

Handing her a glass of water he pulls his chair closer.

"Sweetheart I realised that you have been stresssed of late and I would like you to take a two week fully paid vacation to the maldives".

"What!a two week vacation,fully paid.Thank you so much hunie you are the best".

on a normal day that is what she would have said but today she just had a blank expression on her face.

"baby,what is this ehh?

what are you trying to do?she is getting agitated and this isn't good for her health

are you sending me off so that you can get sonia to be the surrogate?"

Violently she pulls the iv drip from her hand trying to climb down.

Things are getting out of her control.

"Aina what are you doing?"

shocked by her actions he tries to restrain her to the bed as he rings the bell.

"what am i doing?cleve i should be asking you that question.

what has come over you?

one momemt you are sweet and the next you are as cold as ice.not long ago you slummed the door to my face hurting me in the process.You make decisions on my behalf and now you want to send me to some unknown place.

who are you?what is with the change of attitude

cleve are you tired of me,of us but you are hesistant to voice it."

by now her hand is soaked in blood.

He knows he had done her wrong by shutting the door on her face but not to the extent she mentioned.

"Am I as bad as she makes me sound?" he asks himself.

The way aina spoke its like she was referring to an entirely different person and not him

The nurse comes in and helps clean her bloody hand.

"ma"am next time go easy on yourself the body is yours to take care of."

she rolls her eyes at the nurse but chooses to keep her mouth shut

Finding his voice,"Aina i will never look at another woman the same way i look at you.

If this is about Sonia I apologize for my actions.I cannot deny the fact that i miss her,but as a friend.

I feel nothing for her other than the brotherly love i feel for my little sister."

Aina"then how do you explain her signing up to be our surrogate?"