Story of Nikki Lindsey

CHAPTER 19: BEAR MY CHILD

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Nikki placed her hand on top of her chest upon its loud thud. Why did she even run? She's gone crazy.

Slowly, Nikki made light steps back to the lounge, where Aunt Maria sat quietly on the long couch.

"Aunt Maria? Why don't you go back to the room downstairs?" She urges her to take some rest.

"Don't worry, Nikki. I am fine here. I can't sleep."

"How about coffee?" she asked.

"Sounds a wonderful idea," the woman agreed.

Nikki left the floor and went to the Coffee Shop. When she came back, six cups of coffee were in her hand.

"Caitlin, here's a mocha latte and cappuccino." Nikki places four cups on the counter.

"Thanks, Nikki!" The nurses on the night shift duty thanked her. 

"Thank you, Nikki. I just came out of Aunt Lucy's room. So far, her vitals are stable. But we have to pray she'll wake up sooner."

"Thank you, Caitlin."

Honestly, she tried to stay strong, smile, and have no room for negativity and fear right now.

Sometimes, it tempted her to post on her Instagram about her mother's condition to ask for the blood she needed. Maybe it is a good idea. This is her last hope.

Nikki took a picture of her mother lying helpless on the hospital bed from the outside. Medical devices are connected to both hands of her mother. She was hesitant to do it. But she needed to have the courage.

Finally, Nikki decided and posted it on her Instagram. Instantly, her account storms with comments of prayers and words of encouragement to stay strong and keep hope that a miracle will fall for her mother.

She felt overwhelmed by reading these thoughts. Somewhat, it truly gives her strength and hope. And she thanked everyone.

Nikki closes her eyes. She was contemplating when her phone rang. Staring at the phone screen, the number that shows is familiar. It was the annoying anonymous number!

Nikki ignores the call. She dared him earlier to show himself, but now he attempts to speak with her.

She had no plans to waste her time with this guy, so she pressed the red button.

Maybe it's better to block the guy to stop bothering her. She had never done it before, and so she studied the settings of how to do it. She was eager to hit the button when a text arrived, and she had a glimpse of what was written.

"Your mother needs me, right?"

Suddenly, her fingers tremble. What game is this man playing? She doesn't like this.

Nikki contemplates whether to reply or block him.

"Who are you? What do you want from me!"

"It was you who needed something from me. Am I right?"

"Just tell me straight away!"

"I can give you my blood. In return, I want something from you."

"How should I believe you?"

"You have my word, and I stand to what I commit."

Nikki ponders what the text message says. Could she believe in him? Truly she still has doubts about this guy. But what if he is Rh A negative blood type for real?

She will hold onto any chances she could have for her mother. But her impression of this guy annoys her. Could she give in and agree with him if he is not lying?

It looks like; she had no other choice. She was desperate. And what could a person have done once she was on the verge of no other hope?

She felt hopeless because she didn't want to trust this stranger. What does he want from her in return? What if it is impossible to pay him back?

"How much do you want?"

She asked after pondering for a long time.

"I don't need it, but I could purchase you instead."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"I have my wealth. I don't need any reward."

"Then what do you want!?"

Shit! She lost her patience. She has to bear her annoyance to this guy if truly he could help her. It looks like; she needs to step down her pride right there.

"How could I even trust you?"

"But that's what you need to do… to trust me."

"Then tell me how I should pay you back. Do you know how much blood my mother needed?"

She thinks about how much this guy knows about her and how much information he digs in to stalk her.

"Your mother needed a blood transfusion as part of her monthly treatment."

It surprised her. He truly knows this. Could it be possible that she knows him? But who could it be?

No. It is impossible. She's been looking for blood for a long time already, but this guy shows up now.

"Then, you know that she needs it each month.

"Yes. That's why you needed me for the whole procedure of your mother's treatment."

Nikki is tempted to ask how he knew this all. As he mentions he has wealth anyway, why is he wasting his precious time with her?

"Why are you doing this?"

"I have my reason, as you have yours."

She doesn't understand much until now. A lot of possibilities ran inside her head. And she doesn't want to presume.

"Then tell me how I could return the help you'll give me?"

"Bear, my child."

"What!?"

"You did read, right?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Do we need to joke around when your mother is fighting for her life?"

Nikki presses her lips. Somehow, he is right. This is no time to play around with such ideas.

"But what are you telling me is crazy!"

"You want your mother to live?"

Nikki wants to protest and curse this guy. It is a matter of; accepting the offer or jumping off. This is now a threat instead of genuine help. It was what she could picture. She was even pushed to the edge of a building.

This guy gave her no choice.

"What do you mean about bearing your child? I should undergo artificial insemination?"

Nikki is biting her fingernails while typing her reply. If this is the case, then maybe not so bad. The thing is, she has to explain to her mother this once her belly is noticeable.

"Is it necessary to be me? I mean, to bear the child?"

She inhaled. Her face is burning, and she guesses that she was blushing at anyone who would see it. She won't be comfortable talking about this stuff when she doesn't have a boyfriend. Besides, could she even have the courage to speak about this with her boyfriend? Especially when she is uncertain if she wants to marry him. The reason she is single. If she doesn't love the guy enough, why will she hope for her love?

That's why she turned down all that courted her in the past. She was just honest with them, though. So she explains in the beginning. Some of them insisted that maybe she would fall for them halfway through their getting-to-know-each-other stage. Dating: going out for a movie, dinner, lunch, and some offering her to travel together within and out of the country. For that, she quickly ended the courtship. In which a few are persistent guys.

"Yes, it has to be you."

Nikki did not answer. So this is not a joke. Still lost in her thoughts, Nikki just stared at her phone. Is she even prepared?

"And I have to clarify myself, first. I don't want artificial insemination. Do you want me to tell my child that I shove my sperm into her mother's womb using a needle?"

Is that a joke?

She still cannot grip herself, but his words play in her head. And what could she tell her child when the day comes for confrontation?

If someone else will bear her child, how should she explain when the truth came out? That she only sold her eggs to her/his father to place in someone else womb?

Nikki placed different scenarios inside her head to convince herself. Now, she doesn't understand what this guy wants to happen.

Until, slowly, her brain began processing his words.

"Wait a minute. What do you mean that it's not through artificial insemination? Are you saying that we—"

She can't say it. This conversation seems going intense on her part. Her mind and heart could not take it all when she had other concerns to think about. 

Is she even prepared to be a mother? Not to mention, it's just like a game for this man.

But does she even have another choice? Could she find someone to donate their blood other than this guy?

She was even placed in another difficult decision.