The Question (2 page)

Rashid listened to his wife going on and on about her plans for the baby. His thoughts went back to Gail. Though she’d agreed to his wife’s request, he sensed she had as many reservations as he about the whole deal. It was nothing that he could put his finger on, just a feeling that nothing good was going to come of this.

He’d resigned himself to being childless. He loved Crystal and hated seeing how her desire to give him a child ate away at her. He was going along with this plan because he wanted to see her happy again. After the last miscarriage, she had sunk into a depression from which she’d never fully recovered. He knew she felt defective somehow, as though she was less of a woman because she couldn’t give him the children they so desired.

Watching her almost bleed out had killed any wish he had lurking in his heart for a child of his own. His wife was more important to him than any baby that she could ever deliver, but she didn’t seem to understand. Hence, this plan of hers. 

He had nothing against Gail. She was a good woman who had been through a lot.  Her husband, Jason, had been a good friend, and he still mourned his loss. Rashid made it a point to keep an eye out for Gail’s well being, just as he knew Jason would have done for him had their situation been reversed. He knew his wife well. She wasn’t the most sensitive of beings. It would be up to him to make sure that Gail didn’t get hurt and was well taken care of during this process. She’d been through enough.

* * * *

Things went rather quickly after that.  They met with the lawyer and the terms of the agreement shocked Gail so much that she almost backed out.  In addition to paying all of the legal and medical fees, which she expected, Rashid was paying all of her living and related expenses for the duration of her pregnancy and the two month recovery period after the delivery. Plus, he’d promised to invest an amount equal to her yearly salary into her stock portfolio, which his firm handled. She’d argued fiercely that it was too much and even questioned the legality of it all, but he refused to budge. Crystal pleaded with Gail to take the money.  She said it was the least that they could do for Gail in recompense for what she was willing to do for them, and it wasn’t like they couldn’t afford it.

Gail gave in but it still rankled. In none of their discussions had compensation been mentioned and if they had, she would have never agreed to it. Once the contract was signed, they’d gone from the lawyer’s office to Dr. Hagan’s office for the first round of exams. A copy of her medical records had already been transferred. If everything checked out, the next step would be the monitoring of her body to determine her fertile period. 

Two months later, she was back in Dr. Hagan’s office with Crystal by her side, being inseminated. It was amazing how fast things could go when you had enough money to grease the wheels. Crystal was more nervous than she, gripping her hand as though Gail were in labor rather than hopefully being impregnated. 

Amazingly enough, either she was extremely fertile or Rashid’s sperm was potent, because his seed took root the first time.  Two weeks later, they were having a celebratory dinner to the welcome news of nine months from now, Crystal and Rashid would be the proud parents of a brand new baby.

* * * *

June—two months later

Gail awakened to the sound of raised voices.  She was in the emergency room of Baptist Medical Hospital after having passed out at work.  Rashid yanked back the curtain and strode to the bedside.  She looked at him groggily.  “Rashid, what are you doing here?”

He came to a stop by the bed and put his hands on the rail, gripping it tightly.  “Where else would I be when the safety of my child is threatened?”

Gail grimaced and tried to sit up. 

“Be still,” he commanded and used the remote to raise the back of the bed. 

She looked at his stern features before glancing away. “It was nothing.  There was no need for you to come rushing down here. I simply fainted at work and they overreacted. Before I could stop them, they called Rescue.”  She worked as a paralegal for a major law firm. The last thing they wanted was to be named in a lawsuit. Gail was given no choice and had reluctantly allowed herself to be carted off to the emergency room to be checked out. If she had known they were going to call Rashid, she’d have put up more of a fight.

“That’s not what the doctor said. Dr. Hagan says you’re dehydrated and you’re not eating enough. You’ve lost too much weight and are far weaker than you need to be.”  He gazed at her steadily, daring her to deny it.

Ratfink doctor! Of course, Dr. Hagan knew on which side his bread was buttered, since Rashid was the one paying his outrageous fees. She should have known he’d call Rashid.  She glanced behind him.  “Where is Crystal?”

“Waiting for me to bring you to the house.”

At that, her attention snapped back to his face. “I’m not going to the beach. I’m headed home to my apartment when I leave here.”

“You either come with me so we can take care of you, or you’ll stay here in the hospital, doctor’s orders. Now which will it be?”

Gail stared at Rashid in horror. She didn’t want to stay with them. This whole situation was awkward enough.  “Why can’t I go home?” She was startled to hear a whine in her voice.

“You can’t go home alone because according to what you told Dr. Hagan, you haven’t been eating.” 

“It’s not my fault I can’t keep anything down,” she said mulishly.  “Blame this child of yours,” she continued as she placed her hand over her stomach.

Rashid’s eyes followed the motion of her hand, staring at her stomach for a few moments before returning his gaze to her face. She was shocked to see the blatant possessiveness in his expression before he blanked it out. “I am blaming my child for this. That is why you are coming with me. I have a list of foods and beverages you should be able to tolerate, as well as your prescription for the anti-nausea medicine Dr. Hagan recommended.  By the time we get to the house, Crystal will have everything prepared. We will care for you and see that you don’t overdo it. For the next two weeks, you are restricted to bed rest.”

“Two weeks,” she echoed.  “What about my job?”

“What about it?  You’re no good to them the way you are and you definitely don’t need the money.  Don’t you think your welfare and the health of this child are more important than your job?” he said sternly.

Gail knew he was right but things were changing too fast. She was trying to hold on to what was familiar with both hands; afraid if she didn’t she’d be swept away. When she’d agreed to be Crystal’s surrogate, she’d forgotten the complete disruption a pregnancy caused in a woman’s life. She was only two months along and already she was sick of all the hormonal changes this baby was taking her body through. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to pass up on the psychological counseling that had been offered by Rashid’s legal staff before she’d signed the agreement.

“You’re right,” she finally told him. “I’m just trying to keep my life as normal as possible. Things just aren’t happening the way I imagined. Your house is fine, for now. We’ll need to stop by my place so I can pack enough clothes to tide me over. I have enough leave time to cover for the next two weeks.”  Actually, she had enough leave time to take the next six months off and still get paid.

* * * *

Rashid gazed at Gail, silently acknowledging that normal went out the door the minute he’d received the call from the doctor an hour ago. He hadn’t known how much he wanted this child until he’d feared losing it. This call had reminded him too much of the ones he’d received concerning Crystal. He sat silently listening while Dr. Hagan came in with final instructions then left when the doctor did so that Gail could dress. 

He wanted this child. He was ashamed to admit to himself just how much he wanted it. He thought he could be satisfied with just the love of his wife, but now that his child was growing under the heart of another woman, he realized just how much he had been deceiving himself. Crystal was right. Not about being less of a woman because she couldn’t give him a child, but right when she said that he wanted a son. Someone to carry his name. He would be happy with a daughter, if that’s what God chose to bless him with, but in his deepest heart, he wanted a son.

He looked at the woman who had made all of this possible as she stepped from behind the curtain and felt gratitude well up within his heart. She was going beyond the norms of friendship in doing this for them. For her to be willing to bear a child for them, especially knowing how devastating the loss of her own child was to her, was beyond extraordinary.

He’d never really given much thought to his wife’s friend, Gail. At first, she had come with the territory—a kind of ‘love me, love my friend’ package that he’d accepted when he married Crystal.  Then he’d met Jason and by virtue of familiarity, the men became good friends.  At that point, Gail was simply Jason’s wife.  As men do from time to time, they’d spoken of their wives and families and he’d known that Gail was a good wife to Jason. Jason never had anything but good to say about her as a wife and as a mother. Other than Crystal, Rashid really couldn’t have picked a better or more honorable woman to be the mother his child if he had tried.

This had to be difficult for her. Her routine, her very life was being disrupted by this pregnancy.  She was basically giving them a year of her life to make their dream come true. Money couldn’t compensate for that kind of love. He was going to do everything within his power to see that she was well taken care of.

It was the least that he could do.