Accidental Surrogate

o the baby and I grip his hand, and we both wait… But nothing.

“The baby doesn’t like the name Matthew,” I whisper, laughing a little. “Well, it was just a starter,” Roger murmurs, grinning at me again. “You try one.” “All right,” I say, leaning my head back and taking a deep breath. And then I pass a name down, trying… Oliver.

“Oliver!?” Roger bursts out in disgust and I gasp, glaring at him.

“You are biasing our son!” I accuse, sitting up to smack him. “I said nothing when you said stupid Matthew!” “Matty is a cute name “he protests, laughing and blocking my blow. “Oliver is the name of a sickly Victorian child who wants more gruel -” I growl and lay back, taking a deep breath and gathering myself. “Well, let’s see what the baby thinks,” I murmur, sending Roger another glare. And then I try again, whispering Oliver? down the bond. But nothing comes back.

“Good baby,” Roger murmurs, kissing my stomach again and making me laugh.

“Don’t let her call you that. It’s terrible.” “Okay okay,” I say, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try one more.” “I’ll pick it?” Roger asks.

“Sure,” I reply, relaxing. “But this time, pick one you really, really like. One that you’d actually want him to be called – your favorite.” “Okay,” he murmurs.

And then Roger passes another name down the bond, and I smile, because… Because I love it.

And we wait… And then both Roger and I gasp at the same time as we feel the baby respond.

Happy!

Roger snatches me to

I take his face in my hands and kiss him,

think we just

the sun came up, and then we gathered up all of our sandy clothes and the blanket and trooped back to the

tapping on the door, bringing us a basket of food so we could eat something, and Roger

on the couch for the elaborate dinner he made. Well, elaborate for Roger, who never learned to cook. But the spread of sandwiches and warmed soup and crackers he made was delicious, and

spent two more days like that, surviving on whatever the landlord brought us every day in baskets and otherwise laying in bed talking, making each other laugh, sending messages to the baby when he was awake

honestly, the baby never did much, but it made us

everything else we did, a usual part of the day as we napped, and went

wonderful. But after the second day, we knew we had to get back – because as much as we like each other, we like our lives

yes?” Roger murmurs, pulling me close outside the little bungalow after we’ve packed and locked up. “Next week?” I laugh and let him kiss me, let it sweep through me. “Maybe not next week. But soon.” He nods, giving me another little peck, before looking around. “I really like this place. Maybe the owner will let us buy it,” Roger murmurs, looking

process very much, Cora – ” “Oh, sure,” I say, laughing and rolling my eyes, shoving him away a little bit. ” You just make the babies, I’ll grow them, and carry them, and then raise them He laughs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we head for the car. ” Nah, I’m going to be a very involved dad. You’ll see. You’ll barely have to lift a finger.” “Good,” I say, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek as he opens my car door for me. “Or, we can just pass them all off on Ella,” I say, giving a

be into that?” Roger asks, loading our tiny luggage into the trunk

kids and as many nieces and nephews as we can pass over to her to raise? She’d be in heaven.” “Sounds like a deal,” he says, half serious and grinning at me as he buckles his

say, smiling down at him and stroking my belly