Mine For A Time

Chapter 7 - Pee Cups and Pap Smears

Aaron and Maria set it up but they set up the consultation here in NYC.

"I hope you don't mind but we were hoping to keep it as quiet as possible. We were hoping we could some how manage it to appear as if I still had the baby. Is that too insulting?" Maria asks me over dinner the evening of their arrival. Our initial consultation was in the morning.

"No. I get it." I smile at her. She looks so hopeful. I hope my body is capable of helping her get her dream. "This is your show, Maria. We will do whatever you want within reason."

"Within reason?" She's looking confused and I can't help but tease her a bit.

"Well, for one, I won't be sleeping with Aaron to cut costs."

Aaron literally spews wine across our table which summons three waiters to hurry to clean up the mess.

We are all three laughing extremely hard.

"Seriously, Willow. Thank you for considering this."

"I'm more than considering it. If my body is good, we will be having a a baby. I know that if the roles were reversed you would do the same for me. So get ready."

"Oh, we are."

The next morning we meet with an agency for our initial consultation. It was a three hour meeting going over options, the process as well as the legal process. Even though I was ok with signing a contract, Aaron and Maria wouldn't hear of it.

"We trust you. No contract." Ok. So no contract.

"Congratulations, you three. You have sped up the a normally lengthy process of choosing a surrogate. Now, your medical screening appointment will be on..."

3 weeks from now we have the first of many appointments hopefully.

Maria and Aaron stay a couple days and then go back to Athens. They will return for the appointment. I offered to go alone but they wouldn't hear of it.

"If Maria were pregnant, I would go with her to every appointment big or small so consider this the same." Aaron explains and I relent.

My agent threatened to kill me if I didn't get back to work soon until I explained what was going on and then she got misty eyed and said to call her for lunch the next week.

Three weeks later, I have blood drawn, I pee in a cup and get a Pap smear. Everything goes well but we are far from in the clear.

They will do a mock transfer in addition to another test to verify how clear the passages of my Fallopian tubes were. That last one made Maria cry and leave the room for a few moments.

We are given the all clear and they return to Greece. Now is the time for Maria to perform. She has to give herself a series of hormonal drugs to make her produce multiple eggs in one cycle. I get to wait until they too are ready.

Greece: 1 week later.

"Aaron. A word please." Zak calls him in the home office.

"Sure." He walks in and sit in one of he comfortable chairs.

"What in the hell is going on? You guys are here and then gone and now Maria is extremely moody. She cries if I look at her wrong. Then I see you guys have been flying to NYC. Is there something going on with Willow?" Aaron was surprised by the genuine concern in his eyes at the mention of Willow.

"Just some medical tests and such. Dr's say everything looks good actually." Aaron decides to play this up a bit.

"Actually? What does that mean? What's wrong with her?" Zak stands up with his knuckles to the desk. Hmm. Passing affair my ass, Aaron thinks to himself.

"I really wish I could talk about it but I promised I wouldn't. Don't worry though. I'm sure everything will be fine in the end. Technology is getting better everyday." It's the truth actually. He doesn't need to know the exact situation though. Maybe he will realize ow he really feels about Willow and make things work.

"You will keep me posted though? As much as you are able?" Zak asks.

"Of course."

"He didn't!"  I exclaim over the phone to Maria.

"He did. He thought it was funny. Zak thinks I'm so worried about your medical issue that's why I am crying all the time. I do really hate these shots but if it will get me a baby then I'll just get over it."

I feel bad. Zak shouldn't worry about me for nothing.

"You will have to tell him something eventually though so don't let it go on too long."

"We won't. I can't wait to see you next week."

The egg retrieval was happening next week and if they looked good they would mix Aaron's part A with Maria's part B and plug me full of a few viable eggs.

The doctors recommended between two and four eggs to be implanted and that has me a little nervous.

They assured me that rarely did all of the eggs develop into an actual baby and it was likely only one would grow.

I've never wavered on my decision until that was explained and even then it was only brief.

Maria and Aaron are beside themselves and were debating names already. I just hope it goes well for them.

"We wanted to talk to you about an idea we had."

"Ok. Go ahead." 

"Well. We were hoping that once we got past the first trimester of you would consider coming here to Greece for the remainder of the pregnancy." Hmm. I wasn't expecting that.

"Just hear me out. While it would be easier than me moving there and being away from Aaron, it's really not about that. We just were hoping you would consider it. Consider letting our baby be born in Greece. Aaron and I discussed it and we would rent or buy a house and pay for all the costs and everything. Will you consider it?"

She has an excellent point. I really have nothing besides friends holding me back here and it's temporary.

"Yes." I answer her after a brief moment.

"Thank you! Willow you are the best. Take your time and think about it. No rush. I mean, we haven't even done the procedure yet!"

"No, I mean. I'll do it. I want him or her to be born in Greece."

"Really??" She sounds disbelieving.

I laugh and say, "Yes, Maria. Really. Now get some sleep and I will see you on Monday."