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

the movement of the RV as much. The

and discussing

endlessly fascinating for some weird

to it. Cora and

watching

baby between us.

wonderful day in the little sun-soaked room at the

laughing and talking with my sister, reconnecting with her and

missing from my life since

broke through my window.

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

sink to the horizon.

doesn’t bother to ask me what I’m

me honestly. “I think…well, Ella,

going to have to

have them because the next challenge

going to have to fight to make that peace

always going to try to steal

at my napping baby,

I ask quietly. ” Did we choose wrong? I mean

our fated mates. We picked

simpler life,” Cora laughs, and I look

her smiling and shaking

” Cora, I was a nanny – I was

mom, to live

at me

always. Yes, you were always going to be a

the side, “but…you were

kind of makes sense that you ended up being such a good

He opens a door for you to help thousands when

that was always your

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

this was perhaps always the life

that I wanted a simple

dropping lower. “I’m

fated mate,” she

I ask, my eyes going wide.

says, frowning. “But… Ella, this thing

“It feels really big. I

that.”

feel a mating bond snap into place?”

don’t know,” she says, turning back to me. “But Roger said

that day when we had to stop

motel.”

grin at her, knowing what happened that day, and she

I lean forward eagerly, wanting to know.

giving a little shrug. “But the way he

I choose you as

a little jealous. I have no

that what’s between

mate. But still – it’s

“did you ask

says, shrugging

“Why not?”

“I…like the idea. I don’t want him to tell me that

-” I say simply, scooching forward

she gasps, grabbing my