The Perfect Surrogate

She had heard about Surrogacy agencies before, after all, she worked in a hospital but this was different. 

“Executive surrogate?”. Her eyes quickly scanned the short flyer. They were offering a whooping 1 million dollars to surrogates. “How!?” 

Cassie quickly looked around to be sure nobody was nearby.

She quickly pushed the flyer into her pocket and continued working. 

At the end of her shift, she settled in a corner of the changing room and went through the flyer again. 

“What are you reading?” Someone asked behind her and Cassie felt her heart skip a beat.

She jumped up quickly, hiding the flyer behind her back. She looked up to realize it was Linda behind her.

“It’s okay, I don't really want to see”. She looked amused. “I was just checking to see if you were doing alright. I am on my way home”. She explained.

Cassie saw the genuine worry in her eyes and relaxed a bit “Thank you Linda”. The lady took it as a sign not to probe further so she nodded and turned to leave the room. 

“Wait…..” Cassie called out to her. She hesitated but Linda stood watching her calmly, waiting patiently. Maybe she could share her thoughts with someone.

Linda had always been nice to her but Cassie had never made a real friend since high school. She moved alone, fought her battles alone. But this was too much.

 “Do you think I could…. you know….do you think it is a good idea to be….to be a surrogate?” She asked, stammering.

Linda was silent for a while. Her face showed no emotion but she kept her gaze on Cassie, her kind grey eyes searching her face.

 “You can forget I asked,” Cassie said quickly, hoping to end the awkward silence. 

“Is that why you are so absent minded?” She met Cassie's eyes but Cassie lowered her head. She then walked over and sat down on the long bench beside her. Cassie sat down as well and turned to her eagerly. 

“Do you want to be a surrogate?” Linda asked, lowering her voice, suddenly aware of the fact that anyone could walk in and hear their conversation.  

Cassie slowly brought out the flyer and handed it over to her. She watched quietly as Linda went through it.

 “I have seen this before….” she murmured. Her eyes narrowed and she had a strange brooding expression as she read through the flyer.

She looked up at Cassie and then up at the wall clock behind her “Are you hungry?” The question took Cassie by surprise.

 “I don't understand why….” She searched Linda's face for some kind of clue. Linda stood quickly, adjusted her dress and pulled Cassie up to join her “We can't talk here…”

*******

Zander couldn't sit still in Dr. Kim's office. He stood and paced trying to control himself. “Why is it taking so long?”

His perfect fitting suit and tie suddenly felt too tight and the room felt hotter. He turned around immediately as the door opened and Dr. Kim walked into the office.

“Hello Zee. I am sorry you had to wait a while” Zander gave her a soft smile. Only two people in the entire world called him Zee; his auntie, Dr. Kim and his mother.

“It’s alright Auntie” he replied calmly as he moved to take his seat.

Dr. Kim had that sad expression he had come to know so well but he hunched over the desk with clasped hands, looking directly in her eyes. “So…have you found one yet?”

“I am sorry Zee, we haven't found what you're looking for….yet” She reached for his hands and winced as he pulled them away.

“It is taking too long. You promised me” Zander ruffled his hair in frustration.

 “I know how much this means to you Zee but…”

 “Do you? Do you really know?” He replied, cutting her off. Her eyes clouded over with guilt and she fell back into her seat looking defeated.

He felt bad. Of all people, his auntie knew just how much this meant to him. He spoke again in a softer tone, “It means that a part of Laurie, a living and breathing part of her, can still be with me.”

 “I know Zee and believe me, I understand but finding a first time surrogate who is willing to agree to all your requirements is not an easy task” 

“I don't want anything less. My requirements are reasonable enough” He replied. She knew that look on his face too well. He wasn't going to relax his rules or adjust his criteria for a surrogate.

“This baby will be my only child with Laurie. He or she will be my light in the darkness. Everything must be perfect” He stood again with his hands in his pockets and began to pace around the room.

“You’re asking for a first time surrogate between the ages of 23-26 with no boyfriend or husband and who will agree not to have any relationship till the baby is born…” 

He kept pacing very slowly, his jaw set and his mouth pressed into a thin line. “You are telling me things I already know”

“I drafted the requirements myself”. But he listened to her anyway. 

Dr. Kim cleared her throat, adjusted her reading glasses and continued, her voice growing stronger with the frustration she felt.

“She must live in your house, must agree to exclusively breastfeed, participate in every physical activity curated specially for her while pregnant, she must be on a specific diet designed by your nutritionist…Zee, you realize I am in a tight spot here” She threw up her both hands in the air in frustration but he didn't stop pacing.

“They are perfectly fine requirements. I will be paying for everything. She will be compensated greatly” he replied calmly.

“You also want a DND and a contract never to contact you or the child ever again when everything is done” 

“Exactly” Zander replied as he continued without breaking his steps.

“I will get it done Zee…Stop pacing will you? I will get it done but it will take some time”. 

“You are so stubborn” she muttered under her breath hoping that he didn't hear them she sat up, smiling softly as she moved to change the topic 

“How is therapy going?”

“Excuse me Ma’am”

 Dr. Kim looked up at her receptionist who had suddenly walked into the office wearing a confused frown. 

“I am sorry but there's a young woman out here asking to see you even without an appointment. She says it's something about a surrogacy agency…..”

Dr. Kim didn't realize it but Zander had stopped pacing. “I do not think she is in the right place, there is no….” she tried to reply.

“Send her in” Zander responded sharply startling them.

“Zander but ..." Dr. Kim started to protest but he shook his head, refusing to listen to her excuse.

“Send her in immediately!" He commanded.