Accidental Surrogate

Accidental Surrogate Chapter 386-The Long…Long Road

Ella

It takes me just a little over an hour to realize that…I hate road trips.

“Oh my god,” I murmur to Cora as the vibrations of the gigantic RV continue to

shake through us, making poor Rafe grumble uncomfortably. “Is it night yet?

Can we stop?”

“You’re being a baby, Ella,” my sister replies, looking up at me with a smirk,

jumping her red king over three of Roger’s black checkers and capturing them.

“It’s fun!”

“You’re only having fun because you’re kicking Roger’s ass for the third time at

that game,” I murmur, sighing as I glance out the window.

“Seriously,” Roger sighs, leaning back against the white leather of the

kitchenette’s booth. “You should quit that, Cora. For Ella’s sake – she’s trying to

enjoy herself.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, staring at the board.

“Yes,” Cora replies, laughing. “For Ella’s sake, I’ll go easy on you.”

“I just thought it would be prettier,” I sigh, looking out the window at the endless

highway miles. “Like, purple mountains majesty. Fruited plains. Etcetera.”

Instead, it’s just hour after hour of looking at cars, and asphalt, and the sad little

pine scrub that borders the highways.

“Maybe when we get further out,” Cora offers, hopeful. “Nah,” Roger replies,

making his next move on the checker’s board. “After the forest it’s all corn for

days.”

I groan, leaning my head back. “I hate corn.”

“No, you don’t,” Cora chides, instantly making her next move on the board and

capturing two more of Roger’s pieces. He gasps in protest and then slumps

back again.

“How are you doing this,” he murmurs, studying the board. “Are you a witch?”

“Maybe,” she says with a shrug.” Guess we have to ask mom.”

I smile at her then, bouncing my fussy baby in my arms. And I inhale a deep

breath, silently ordering myself to cheer up because even if I decidedly do not

like riding in the RV, I’m still excited to take this trip for my sister, to get her the

answers she so desperately wants.

Eventually Cora and I retire with the baby to the bedroom where Sinclair

movement of the RV

maps and discussing ridiculous things like terrain

they find endlessly fascinating

to it. Cora and

chatting, watching movies, and

baby between us.

in the little

with my sister,

been missing from my life since that

broke through my window.

you think it’s all really over?” I ask her in a quiet moment as the

sink to the horizon.

me what I’m talking about – she already

me honestly. “I

to have to snatch at

next challenge is always coming.

to have to fight to make that peace

always going to try to steal it

at my napping baby, trailing a little finger down

ask quietly. ” Did we choose wrong? I

our fated mates. We picked this…should we have chosen simpler

and I look

smiling and shaking

was a nanny – I

single mom, to live quietly alone with my

waving a hand at me

Yes, you were always going to be

to the side, “but…you were never going to stop

sense that you ended up being such

opens a door for you to help thousands

that was always

I say, considering what she’s saying. And I guess…well,

perhaps always the life I

sometimes that I

she adds, her voice dropping lower.

my fated mate,” she says,

going wide. ” But you’re

Ella, this thing between

feels really big. I don’t…know how to

that.”

bond

says, turning back to

out in that rainstorm – that day when we had to stop

motel.”

her, knowing what happened that day, and she blushes a little

I lean forward eagerly, wanting to know. “What

mate,” Cora replies, giving a little shrug. “But the way

I choose you

jealous. I have no hesitations

mate, and I know that what’s between us is far

with his own fated mate. But still – it’s an experience I’ll never have. “Well,”

“did you ask him about

says,

“Why not?”

idea. I don’t want him to tell me that I’m

-” I say simply, scooching forward

gasps,