That's crazy, so it's a yes almost no.

When I got home I was cold to the bone, even though I was wearing Anthony's jacket I was still freezing to death, the rain hadn't stopped for a second and when I saw that it was eight o'clock at night I decided that I had to face it. 

I only stopped tapping my chin when I got home, took a shower, put on a sweatshirt and wrapped myself in a blanket on the couch. Even though a cup of coffee and cake wasn't enough for a "dinner", amazingly enough I wasn't hungry today, thinking and rethinking Anthony's proposal drove any other thought out of my head.

I sighed for the third time in less than five minutes and stared at the phosphorescent lamp on the ceiling of my living room wishing that Helena and Miguel were here, why is it that just when a crazy person appears out of nowhere and makes me an offer like this that they find time to visit her parents in the countryside?

Helena and Miguel were my neighbors and best friends, he was still my brother, brother of consideration, but he was. Miguel and I had been neighbors since I was seven years old, my mother died and my father and I moved into this apartment, he and his mother lived here, and since we were almost the same age we soon became friends. Those were great years, but as all good things are short-lived, my father was involved in a car accident when I was in the last year of school, and it was fatal, I was seventeen. From then on Miguel and Aunt Cassy, his mother, "adopted" me, whether it was helping me with homework or with dinner, or calming me down during a storm, they were there and I will never be grateful enough for that.

It was also in the last year that we met Helena, the brunette with curly hair and charming smile who came from the countryside to finish school and take a course in agronomy (but in the end she decided she wanted to do veterinary medicine, go figure). I have to admit that our coexistence in the beginning was terrible and only a short time ago I found out that this was due to the fact that she was jealous of me and Miguel, the two of them fell in love, for lack of a better expression, at first sight, we saw her for the first time on the first day of school, and our relationship was funny, because with the same intensity in which she wanted to please him and get closer to him she wanted me to stay as far away as possible.

At the end of the year, after a fight involving erasers, pens, and flying notebooks, she finally understood that Miguel and I were like brothers and sisters.

To think that after such a beginning we would end up like this, she and Miguel have been engaged for almost two years and living together in the apartment across the street from mine (which has always been the green-eyed brunette's) for almost one. Then, when they finally decide to set the wedding date and go off to the countryside to talk to Helena's parents, some crazy person makes me a proposal and I have to deal with it alone. Why can't cell phones have a signal in the middle of the bush?

I woke up to my alarm clock going off like crazy and when I stretched to turn it off, I discovered that I was not in my bed and fell face down on the floor.

- Great," I muttered, rubbing my nose and standing up, "I had slept on the couch and had a sore neck.

I cursed some more before finally finding my cell phone under the coffee table and turning off the alarm clock, today was still Friday, but I had no reason to wake up at seven in the morning, after all I didn't even have a job anymore.

And so with just the mention of a job, Anthony's proposal came back to my mind with everything, but this time I was too hungry to worry about it, I was going to let myself think about it later or I would go crazy.

I spent the afternoon mulling over the pros and cons of accepting or not Anthony's offer, in general the pros revolved around the money I would receive, after all it was a lot of money, and the cons revolved around that if I stopped to analyze, it was too crazy. But I had no more time, it was quarter to five and I had to have an answer for him when I got to the cafeteria.

Today I was prepared, I was wearing my red overcoat and had an umbrella, I checked my wallet more than once before closing the bag, and to my delight, even though the weather today was not the best, his jacket that I had washed this morning was already dry, I put it in a bag and left toward the cafeteria without being sure if I already had an answer to his question.

When I arrived at the cafeteria it wasn't hard to find Anthony, he was by far the most out of place figure in the place, wearing a black suit with a red tie. He gave me a discreet nod when he saw me, and I smiled at him and headed in his direction.

- I see the rain didn't get you today," he said amused and I rolled my eyes remembering the unfortunate day I had yesterday.

- Thank God no - I said and sat down in front of him, he was already drinking a cup of coffee. - Sorry I'm late," he said sighing. - I thought I would be on time.

- You're not late, I'm the one who's running ahead of you," he assured me, and I checked the time on my cell phone and it was true, it was still three to five. - I finished my meeting early and decided to wait for you here.

- Have you been here long?

- No - he assured me, but something told me it wasn't true.

- OK then," I murmured, "here, thank you very much," I thanked him, holding out the bag with the jacket.

- It was a pleasure," he said, taking the bag and placing it on the floor beside his chair, and then looked at me. - So, do you have an answer for me yet?

I sighed, staring at the table top before looking at him again.

- Yes, I do," I murmured.

- And what would that be? - he asked, looking impatient.

- I accept," he said after what seemed like several minutes. - I accept your crazy proposal.

He looked surprised for a few seconds before resuming his "I'm in charge of everything" expression.

- That's great," he assured me, "we can start tomorrow then.

- Sure... - I murmured, but interrupted myself as soon as I understood what he was talking about. - What do you mean start? Start what? And looking at it this way you didn't say how your son would end up inside me and...

- Exams," he said interrupting me, "and to answer your question, it will end up inside you with artificial insemination. I don't intend to touch you Miss Banks, you can rest assured.

For some reason his statement didn't make me calm, but disappointed, not that I was going to admit it out loud.

- I told you to call me Elisa and that's fine, if that's the case we can meet tomorrow, what time?

- At eight o'clock, give me your address so I can pick you up.

- In the morning? - I asked surprised.

- Exactly, if everything goes well we will do the first insemination attempt tomorrow.

- First? 

- Yes," he said, shrugging his shoulders. - As far as I understood, a woman hardly ever gets pregnant on the first attempt.

- OK then, tomorrow at eight o'clock, do you have a pen and paper?

He held out a pen.

- Sorry, I don't have any paper.

- That's fine," I assured him and reached into my purse until I found an old invoice, wrote my address on the back of it, and handed it to Anthony along with his pen. - So I'll see you tomorrow? - I asked nervously. I was still not sure that this was the right decision.

- See you tomorrow," he assured me and took a note out of his wallet again and put it on the table. Anthony stood up and took the bag with his jacket. - See you tomorrow, Miss Banks.

- It's Elisa," I said, narrowing my eyes at him and standing up as well, Anthony had the nerve to smile before walking out the door. I sighed before leaving too, the rain had diminished and I didn't mind walking, today it was raining less and I was totally wrapped up, walking would be good for thinking and that's what I did.

I thought and rethought what I had gotten myself into during the afternoon, it was definitely crazy, but on the other hand it was an easy way to make money, if the guy wanted a baby and I could help him, then why not? It was only going to be nine months, I would generate the baby and deliver it to him, simple as that, no fuss and no drama.

But I should have known it wouldn't be that simple, not by a long shot.

The next day I woke up to my doorbell ringing annoyingly.

- Coming! - I shouted, annoyed at being woken up and having the horrible feeling that I had forgotten something last night before going to sleep. But since I hadn't even woken up properly I didn't realize who it was at the door until I opened it, Anthony was standing at my door wearing a black suit and looking incredibly confused. - Oh my God! - I screamed, slamming the door in his face and running to my room again, I had overslept and forgot to set the damn alarm clock.

I took a shower in record time and put on the first floral blouse I found, jeans, my boots and went to make up, I wasn't particularly adept, but today I definitely needed to, I got ready as fast as I could, but it still wasn't fast enough, when I finished it was already 8:30, I got my red overcoat, a bag and went to the living room surprised to find Anthony sitting on my couch, he saw me as soon as I appeared in the hall and stood up.

- Sorry to intrude, but you left the door open and I didn't want to wait standing in the middle of the hall.

- That's fine," I assured him. - I'm the one who has to apologize, I completely forgot my alarm clock, and well... That's it, I woke up to you ringing the bell.

He gave a half smile.

- No problem," he said apparently amused, blushing for being such an idiot. - Shall we go?

- Please," I asked, and we headed for the door.

When we got out we discovered that Marco had fallen asleep leaning over the steering wheel. Anthony tapped on the glass to wake him up, and the gentleman in the hat and bow tie was startled.

- Sorry sir, I... - he left the sentence hanging because it was obvious that we had seen what he was doing.

- It's okay Marco," Anthony assured him. - We were a little late.

- It was my fault," I explained. - Sorry to keep you waiting.

- No problem Miss Banks.

- Elisa," I murmured. - Why can't anyone say my name?

I saw Anthony give a half smile before we got into the car.

- Where are we going? - I asked after a few minutes of silence.

- A clinic specialized in artificial insemination and obstetrics, I have a friend there with whom I had already talked about my idea. Yesterday I told her about our... - he hesitated for a moment - Situation, so don't worry, she knows we have no romantic involvement or anything like that.

I nodded without much enthusiasm and spent the rest of the trip reflecting on how crazy I was doing, Lena would probably kill me when she found out and Miguel would ask if I was crazy, but I couldn't change my mind, I had already decided, and it was with this thought that I accepted Marco's help to get out of the car towards the incredibly beautiful and well lit building, it had a red and white facade where it read: Vida Nova Clinic.

I followed Anthony through the lobby, there weren't many people at this time of the morning, just some employees and two couples with visibly pregnant women and another one who was alone and looked as pregnant as me, she smiled at me and I greeted her back, only then realizing that she was probably there trying to have a baby.

Anthony approached the reception desk and smiled at the girl behind the counter, she blushed and I rolled my eyes, okay he is a cat, but do you need all this?

- I would like to see Dr. Stuart - he said smiling. - I'm Anthony Whitmore, I have an appointment.

- Of course, just a moment," she said softly, checking something on her computer and then smiled back at him. - She'll see you now, come on up.

Anthony nodded to her and went towards the elevator, I followed him as I began to wonder if this was really a good idea.