The Surrogate: A Novella by Jessica Pots

Author:Jessica Pots [Pots, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, Medical
Publisher: Jessica's Book Corner
Published: 2018-02-12T00:00:00+00:00

Angelica

EDEN SITS ACROSS FROM me, leaning this way and that under the umbrella because of the sun that beats down on our table. We decided to dine today at a restaurant called Blue Water Terrace along the boardwalk. The place is filled with tourists and locals, a few of which are enjoying cocktails around the bar a few feet away while a cricket game blares from the flat screens on the walls.

“Do you want to go inside?” I ask Eden.

She huffs. “No.”

“We can go inside. I don’t mind.”

She snatches up my straw hat and puts it on her head.

“You look good in it.”

“Thanks,” she says softly as her voice catches with the salty breeze that washes over where we’re sitting just on the edge of the harbor. Usually when I finish work even if it is early (whenever that is), I go straight home. It feels good to sit out in the sun, beneath the birds which fly overhead in the sky and to stare at all the boats in the harbor.

Eden exhales. “This is so relaxing.”

I laugh. “It is.”

“I could do this every day. I would do this every day.” Her green eyes flash then the excitement is gone quickly. “I’m allergic to the sun,” she admits.

I burst out laughing. “No, you’re not. You just need to wear sunblock.”

Eden frowns. “They don’t make sunblock for people my tone. Sunblock for me is simply staying inside and out of the sun altogether.” She jumps and places a hand on her belly. It’s really more a yelp.

I sit forward, concerned.

She giggles. “Sorry, sometimes it just surprises me. The kicks and punches are getting harder.”

“That’s good. It means the baby is getting strong. You’re going to have a healthy baby boy who’ll come right out kickboxing. Victoria and Paul should be over the moon!” I snatch up my glass of punch and put it to my lips, taking a long sip.

Eden’s happy expression collapses.

She exhales and snatches up her fork. “I wish you hadn’t mentioned them.”

I twist my mouth. “Why not?”

She eats a bit more, savoring the fish on the end of her fork. I ignore the chatter around us and the sound of Etta James’ At Last that rains down from the speakers around us.

“Peter suggested I tell you everything,” she grumbles.

I roll my eyes and give Eden a long intense look. “What happened?”

She drags her fingers through her gorgeous red locks that fall over her shoulders. “It’s all fucked up!”

The two women eating next to us jump at her profanity. My insides spiral waiting for her to say more.

She snatches up her apple juice angrily and takes a sip keeping her eyes on me. She places the glass down and shifts in her chair. “Paul left.”

“What do you mean left?”

“I mean he left and Victoria is sick—real sick.”

“Sick?”

“Yeah,” she says breathlessly. “Sick.”

I purse my lips. “Wow. I always knew something was up with those two. I’m not sure if I thought that was it though.” I clear my throat and think about the strange occurrences over the past few weeks.

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