Surrogate…

The bathroom seemed to get smaller as she sat there holding the holding the e.p.t in her hand. Mascara streaked her cheeks and blood shot eyes reflected from the mirror back at her.

"GOD, what's wrong with me?" She cursed as she washed her face and swept frizzy blonde curls out of her eyes.

She couldn't think of anything she wanted more than to be a mother. To have a baby and complete her family. It seemed everyone around her had the perfect life, children, happy husbands, perfect marriages. Julia couldn't remember the last time her and Robert where that happy and now that the last in vitro session had failed she felt it slipping farther away. If they could just have a baby everything would be better and her husband would love her again.

She popped a multivitamin in her mouth and changed into sweats and one of Roberts over sized tee's n crawled into bed. She reached for her cell on her night stand and sent her best friend Roxy a text.

"Well, the test was negatve, it didn't take." Her cell chimed as she sent the message.

A few moments later she replied.

" awe, honey im so sorry, im cmn over rite away." Roxy replied.

Julia didn't text back and within ten minutes Roxy was padding up the stairs of her apartment and barging into her room.

" jeeze, you look dead are you ok babe?" Roxy bluntly stated opening the blinds and letting in obnoxious sunlight Julia was trying to avoid.

" Thank you Rox, and no I'm not fine, alive yes fine not so much." Julia replied sitting up and making room for Roxy on her side of the bed.

Today made the fourth in vitro treatment Julia Keaton and her husband Robert had tried and the fourth failed attempt. They had been trying to get pregnant pretty much since they were married three years ago. After about six months with no results they went to Julia's gynecologist who did and exam and referred them to a fertility specialist know as Dr. Shannon Riley. She preformed her own battery of test on both Julia and her husband but so far she hadn't found anything wrong with either one of them and fertility problems didn't run in either of there family's.

"I just don't get it Roxy, how many clinics and specialists do we have to go to before someone figures out why we can't get pregnant?" Julia asked sounding defeated.

"I don't know honey….I'm no doctor but you would think one of them would figure out something. They have run test on both you and Rob haven't they?" Roxy replied.

"Yes, Robert and I both have had full lab work done, plus I've been to three different gynecologists and had pelvic exams and cervical screening for each one. They even did an ultrasound on my ovaries to make sure I didn't have and cysts and everything was fine." Julia answered.

"And they all tell you the same thing, it isn't anything you are or are not doing, unfortunately these things happen." They said in mocking unison.

"Have you thought about adoption?" Roxy asked.

"Yes, we've talked about it but we wanted to try other options first." Julia answered.

"Well you have harvested eggs, done the in vitro, taken all the supplements they have suggested, what else is there?" Roxy replied.

"I know, I know. I think I am afraid honestly. What if we get an agent, pay all this money and then something happens or the women doesn't want to go through with it…."

"She would legally be obligated." Roxy interrupted.

"I know but I couldn't keep someone's child knowing that, I couldn't handle that Roxy, I Just couldn't."

"So why not try a surrogate?" Roxy asked.

"What's a surrogate?" Julia replied.

"You know, people that can't get pregnant pay some women to get pregnant with their sperm and eggs and she carries the baby to term delivers it and hands it over pretty much. I saw a thing on 20/20 about it like a month ago." Roxy replied.

Julia sat up even farther in the bed and Roxy could tell she was considering this.

"You should talk to Robert about it and see what he thinks." Roxy said standing up.

"Yeah, um I will. but hey Rob will be home soon and I need to get dinner going." Julia replied standing as well.

She gave Roxy a hug and after letting her out of the apartment, she went to the kitchen and started cooking some chicken stir-fry. She was humming to herself and adding ingredients to the pan. The aromas of steamed vegetables, chicken and teriyaki sauce filled the air and greeted Robert at the door when he arrived home.

"mmmm, something smells delicious." He said kissing her on the cheek and setting his things down on the counter.

"Hey baby, how was your day?" she asked stirring the food.

"It was ok, how was yours?" he asked grabbing a cup from the cabinet and pouring himself some iced tea.

"It wasn't the best but Roxy came over and I feel a little better after talking with her." Julia answered.

"What was the matter…. Oh wait. Oh baby no." Robert said hugging her close.

"Yeah it was negative, again. But I'm ok I think. Roxy came over and talked with me about some things I want to discuss with you." Julia replied.

"Oh, what's that?" Robert said pulling out a chair and sitting at the table.

She served two plates with the chicken stir-fry and set them on the table, got herself something to drink and joined her husband for dinner. Once she sat down she explained.

"Have you ever heard of a surrogate mother?" Julia asked taking a bite.

"What like someone you pay to have a baby?" Robert asked not sounding to thrilled.

"No, No just listen. It would be a lot cheaper than going through an adoption agency and the best part of it all Robert is that the baby would be ours, half you and half me." Julia explained.

"I don't….I don't know Julia I mean how do you even go about doing that?" Robert asked around more bites of his dinner.

"Well we would have to find a woman first, and of course we would pay her and cover all the medical expenses."

Robert nodded over another bite of chicken.

"And I guess after that we take her to our doctor and they would do the procedure and we would wait nine months." Julia said taking a bite of stir-fry.

"We would have to draw up some legal documentation for her to sign I'm sure..." Robert suggested.

"Oh for sure. I'll look up some information after dinner. Robert?" Julia said.

"Hmm?" Robert said glancing up from his plate.

"You would be willing to do this?" Julia asked pushing her plate to the side.

"Well we've tried everything else. I couldn't put you through another one of those treatments Jules, and seeing the way it kills you a little more every time we go there, I thought I lost you forever last time. You didn't speak for weeks." Robert replied.

"I know. I gave up on the thought of children after that and then we tried it one more time and I thought for sure this time is it you know. I was so afraid you would leave me that you would ask for a divorce I guess I was trying to leave you before you could leave." Julia said with tears running down her face.

"Hey, Hey don't cry." Robert said kneeling down in front of her.

He lifted his hand up to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I took an oath when I said those vows three years ago Julia, in sickness and in health. Remember?" Robert said looking into her teary, red eyes.

"Yes." She answered choking over a sob and hugged his neck.

He lifted her from the seat leaving their unfinished plates on the table and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom. He laid her on the bed and started to cover up.

"Will you stay with me?" She asked.

"I'm not going anywhere baby." He answered closing the blinds.

He crawled into the bed and wrapped his arm around her waist. She felt so good against him, her soft breathing lulling him.

"I love you Robert." Julia whispered.

"I thought you were asleep." He said kissing her neck.

"mmmm." A low moan escaped her throat as she responded to him.

His hands were exploring her body now and she arched her back in response.

Soon the clothes were off and they were intertwined in the sheets becoming not two bodies but one.

Their climax and the pitch black of the room engulfed them and as their breathing and hearts slowed sleep soon followed.