Accidental Surrogate

Ella

“All right,” the doctor says, sweeping into the room where Sinclair and I are resting together on my hospital bed, my head on my mate’s shoulder as we watch some daytime soap opera I perk up at the doctor’s entrance, eager to hear what he has to say. Sinclair gives a little groan as he sits up and puts his feet on the ground, standing next to the bed to hear the news. I know that he’s not

tired – instead, I think it’s the opposite. All of these days and hours cooped up here in this little room have made him terribly restless. I reach out and take Sinclair’s hand, thanking him, silently,

for all he’s done for me.

“Well?” Sinclair asks, tucking his other hand to his pocket. He looks levelly at the doctor, who has given me perhaps a hundred tests since I woke up a few days ago. Everything from blood work, CT scans, ultrasounds. I’ve been poked and measured and observed so much I feel like a science

experiment.

The doctor pauses before me, flipping through the pages on his clipboard, double- and triple- checking everything. I smile as I watch him do it. For all his cold bedside manner, he really has shown himself to be diligent and dedicated.

“You’ll be happy” the doctor says, letting the pages drop and tucking the clipboard away under his arm. “Everything has come back stable.” He looks seriously at me then before he continues. You’re well enough to go home, Ella, but I want to emphasize to you that you are by no means a healthy woman at this point in time. And your pregnancy is still extremely high risk. I want you‘ at home. In bed. Relaxing, until this baby is born. Is that clear?”

I nod eagerly, my heart beating faster with joy Home. Home. God, I can’t wait to be home…

now to Sinclair. “Your home was

have set our new post–war world in a very different light. “By some miracle, my personal

is born. And even then, I imagine I’ll delay as long as we can. I like Sinclair’s house – I have lots of good memories there. It

considers, pursing his lips. “No, I don’t imagine you do need company, newly mated as you are.” He takes a deep breath then and levels a glare between us. “I know that it’s awkward, but I

blunt statement and feel Sinclair go still beside me. I try not to show my disappointment – honestly, if there’s one good thing about bedrest, it’s the

never been very good at keeping our hands

it’s very delicate. Even,” he sighs, putting a hand to his forehead and pausing, figuring out how to word this I smile to see how awkward he feels delivering the news “Any disturbance

him know that I understand. “Baby comes

regular doctor for continued care. I’ve sent them my notes.” He starts to head out into the hall and Sinclair surprises me by striding after him. I cock my head, curious. What on earth

Sinclair’s voice is quiet, almost muffled with the distance, and I lean forward to hear better. “How much do you get paid

scoffs and tells Sinclair that, quite frankly, it’s

Sinclair replies. “Because whatever it is, I’ll pay you double to be Ella’s personal physician for the remainder of her pregnancy. And our children’s physician,

handshake, I smile and lean back against my pillows, pleased at this development. With this doctor and Cora on my side, I feel quite confident about my chances in this pregnancy. That is, if Sinclair and I can keep our hands

the threshold of our home, my arms wrapped around his neck. I grin up at him,

I’d be chasing you down in the moonlight, nipping

say, putting a hand over my stomach as he takes a few

the steps, carrying me upwards towards the bedroom. “How’s he doing in there,” he asks quietly, glancing down at me. “Angry

bond to my pup and receiving a little ping of happiness and contentment back. “He just says he’s angry to be missing our soaps. Wants to know what’s going on with Tatianna locked in that cell in Leonardo’s basement.”