His Surrogate For Hire

Chapter 8

Clay had been on the road for the past few weeks. It had been almost a month since their vacation weekend. They still had not had the conversation about where the two of them stood with each other or where they wanted it to go.

This morning, she was just praying that the insemination process would result in a positive pregnancy. She had her fingers crossed the entire week, in anticipation of the appointment. She lay back on the examination table, ready for the doctor to get started with the exam.

“Ms. Baker, so good to see you again.”

“Thanks Dr. Carroll. Good to see you.”

The doctor stood there with a smile holding the clipboard. “I’ve got good news for you.”

Diana looked at the doctor curiously. “Okay. Let’s here it.”

“You are pregnant.”

She heard the words coming from the doctor’s mouth, but she did not understand what she said exactly.

“Can you say that again?”

“Yes, you are pregnant.”

“Wait. I came in today for the insemination.”

Dr. Carroll nodded. “You did. But we always run a screening first to detect any possible pregnancy. And you are indeed pregnant. We need to just do a little more and see how far along you are.”

Diana held her hand up. “I just need a second.”

Dr. Carroll gently rubbed her on the arm. “I know it was not expected. But isn’t it the result you intended?”

The doctor paused. “Does Mr. Marshall know?”

Diana knew exactly what it was the doctor was asking her. “He does not just yet. I think he will be happy to know it.”

“Why don’t we go ahead with the exam and I will get you some pictures on the sonogram to take back with you.”

Diana watched on the screen until the tiny baby showed up. Her heart filled with love, a feeling of fulfillment that she had never experienced before. She stared at the screen which became blurry when tears filled her eyes. Diana used the edge of her gown to wipe her tears away.

She listened as the doctor told her all about how far along she was and gave her some tips on diet, sleep, and exercise.

“So did you not notice you were pregnant?” Dr. Carroll asked as she ripped the sonogram pictures off and passed them to Diana.

“I really didn’t. But then again, I’ve never been pregnant before so I would not know what signs to look for.”

“You may have some nausea from morning sickness in the first trimester. Eat, but keep track of your weight. I know most people like to carry on that they are eating for two, but truthfully, you should pay attention to your weight to avoid gestational diabetes. I’ll give you some literature.”

Diana stared at the sonogram picture, trying to take it all in.

“Diana, you will be just fine. We will see you every four weeks for your visits.”

Dr. Carroll left her there to let the information sink in. Diana ran her fingers over the edge of the sonogram. Just as she was starting to get attached, she remembered she was in this as a surrogate. But she wondered if things would change due to the circumstances under which the baby was conceived.

*****

Diana was not yet ready to tell Charlotte or Clay for that matter. She knew Clay would not be back home for another few days so she had some time to spare. She wanted to keep a little for herself for a moment before she shared the news.

Finally, after all of the stress and the wondering, she was pregnant. That was what the entire journey was all about. Getting pregnant and having the baby for the billionaire playboy. And while waiting for the baby to arrive, the agreement was she would live in luxury and have all of her needs taken care of. It was a good deal, one she thought she could see through when she first started. The amount of money being offered was more than she’d ever seen in her life at one time. Definitely the kind of gig that could get her back on the right track.

There were a few things she had not counted on. The immediate bond she felt with the baby as soon as the pregnancy was confirmed and falling for Clay. She had all of this planned out, using the opportunity as a stepping stone toward her future. Diana had a desire to get out of the career she was in for a while. Her plan was to use the money from Clay and take some classes while she was pregnant, get a new certification, and then go and start over again.

She had not anticipated falling for Clay and his lifestyle. When she agreed to all of this, she thought it would be simple to just detach herself from all of it and remain aloof. But that was hard to do when Clay was so charming. He showed genuine concern for her and her thoughts and feelings. She had not anticipated the conversations and the ability to get to know one another better. Her assumption was he would never be around and she would be there at the mansion on her own with Charlotte, have the baby, and then it would be back to normal.

That was not exactly how it happened. None of her plans had gone as she imagined. When she had not gotten pregnant, there was a stress, a longing to fulfill the contract she signed. Now that there was a life growing inside of her, it felt like a bit more than just a contract. At least, that was what she wanted it to be. More than just a contract.

Teresa had been trying to convince her to ask Clay what was going on between the two of them. But Diana had not been able to find the right words. Could she simply ask ‘what are we doing?’ or should it be something more like ‘am I a little more to you than just your surrogate?’ What Diana did not want to do was assume because he took her on a vacation for the weekend that meant they were something to each other that they were not. S*x and attraction was not enough to slap a label on it and call it a committed relationship.

Diana was mature enough to know that, and also smart enough to know she was under a contract for the surrogacy so of course that would be what would come before any feelings that may, or may not, have developed between the two of them.

When she woke up, she wanted to have all of her meals in her suite, but decided maybe it would be better to eat outside at the gazebo in the garden. Getting some fresh air would help her clear her mind. Diana let the chef know she would be eating outside, before going out to the garden to see what was newly blooming.