His Surrogate For Hire

 Then she would get a chance to come back to her apartment and get anything else she wanted. The first phase was to get pregnant. She would of course stay during pregnancy. After the baby was born, she would be allowed to stay at the mansion for six to eight weeks until her first post birth doctor visit.

All expenses would be paid during the time she was pregnant, up until the first post birth doctor visit. Then she would be set up with a trust she could use for the next year to get on her feet due to not working for the time during the pregnancy. She was to agree to staying healthy and to absolutely no stress during the pregnancy. The terms were agreeable and seemed rather simple.

She sat back in the car, watching as her surroundings changed. They went from the city where she lived toward the suburbs, a part of town she did not frequent much. All of her life, she lived in the city and loved the pulse of the movement and the activity. The suburbs seemed like the place you went when you had kids and a family.

The scenery became more lush and things became more and more spread apart. The houses became bigger and Diana knew they were going to a place that had been out of her frame of reference. Now she was going to get a chance to see how the other half lived.

The car pulled off down a long and winding road that seemed to lead to nowhere. Diana craned her neck to see if she could make anything out, but she couldn’t. It was almost a mile before she could see the palatial home that sat perched in the back surrounded by an ongoing wrought iron gate. Charlotte scanned her fingerprint on the identification pad which gave them access through the gate.

Diana could not believe her eyes. The sheer expanse of the home was mesmerizing. A feeling of anxiety started to settle over her. She was not sure how this entire thing would work out. Looking at the home made her feel a lot of pressure to get pregnant, because that was the only way she was going to be able to stay in that home and change her life.

“Welcome to the estate, Diana. You can call this home for the next few months. I hope you make yourself comfortable. Please follow me.”

The car stopped in the crescent shaped driveway, right at the front of the door. She was unable to take it all in.

“Thank you,” she said. Diana did not want to look like an out of place tourist so she tried her best not to gawk at her surroundings.

Charlotte led her inside with David following close behind with the bags. The marble floors were beautiful and there was gold crown molding on the ceilings. Statues and sculptures she knew were expensive, decorated the foyer and there were columns that were like roman architecture.

Charlotte’s heels clicked on the floor and she did her best to be a welcoming tour guide. “Your room is in the west wing of the house. There you will have your own suite complete with amenities. The chef will be on hand to cook you whatever you desire as well. The elevator takes you to the second floor where there is a gym. The massage therapist comes twice a week, more if needed. You will have your own kitchenette so please make a list of the things you want to fill your pantry.

“If you would like to go somewhere, please let David or myself know. We will have the car take you wherever you would like to go.”

Diana had not thought of that. “I have my own car I can bring here.”

The smile on Charlotte’s face was a pleasant one. “No. We can put that in storage for you for the meanwhile. Our car will take you anywhere you would like to be. Coffee with friends, to the mall, the doctor. Wherever.”

Charlotte turned back around to complete the tour. “The theater is also on the second floor. If you would like to relax, watch movies, that will be your sanctuary. And there is also a meditation room next to the gym where you can relax by the fountain or do yoga if you like. The gardens are especially beautiful this time of year. I suggest you make your way out there to enjoy their beauty.”

They stopped at a set of double doors. “This is your private space. Housekeeping comes daily and like I said, if you have any specific requests for your pantry, please let me know.”

Charlotte pulled open the doors to a lavishly decorated room that in fact was even more spacious than her own apartment. The floor to ceiling windows overlooked the garden area which was complete with gazebo and fountains. There was a sunken-in den space with a sectional couch, flat screen, and stereo system. Her bedroom was off to the right down a hallway. It was the size of her apartment, and included a full bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and an open shower with multiple showerheads.

“What do you think?” Charlotte asked. She directed David to put Diana’s bags in her bedroom.

“I think I will most definitely be comfortable here. Thank you.”

“Great. Why don’t you get settled in? Wander around, get to know the place and make yourself comfortable. Lunch is at noon. If you would like you can eat in the garden or wherever you would like. Clay will be here later this evening and the two of you can talk then.”

David followed Charlotte out of the room, leaving Diana alone. She wanted to do back flips and jump all over the bed like a little girl.

Suddenly, the worry she had been experiencing vanished. This was a wonderful way of starting off her day. She dialed Teresa to share the news. Diana figured if she shared the story with someone else, maybe saying it out loud would make her believe it herself.