THE BILLIONAIRE'S SURROGATE [RADISH]

Chapter One

"Emily, it's Elizabeth."

"Oh." I say, feeling a little relieved it's not my mom with bad news. "Oh! I totally forgot we were going to have lunch together. I'm sorry! I'm on my way," I babble as I reach for my purse.

"It's okay. I'm outside, take your time."

Elizabeth is the one and only true friend I have. We met in freshman orientation, my first friend in New York, we've been friends since then. Derek is no where to be seen, I'm guessing he's in his room, so I head out, lock the door and get in Elizabeth's car. It's a sunny afternoon but still a sweater day in New York. Being from Arizona, I didn't like the cold but it kind of grew out on me, didn't really have another choice.

People are always saying that Elizabeth and I could easily be sisters and looking at her, I can see why. We both have long, brown wavy hair, brown eyes, fair skin. I guess we are different in the way we dress. She is always dressing up compared to my jeans and blouse with a sweater. "Hey." I smile at her as she drives off the driveway.

"Everything okay?" she asks me.

"Yes." I sigh. "No."

She glances at me. "You can tell me over lunch, right now I need food."

I laugh. "Same."

We go to this restaurant on a corner that we always go to called, Patty's Diner.

"How's your dad?" Elizabeth asks me after we order.

"The same, I think. I don't know I haven't talked to mom since last week." I reach for the letter in the sweater pocket. "I got this." I say sliding it to her across the table.

She gives me a weird look then takes it. "Congratulations," she reads. "Your application to the Growing Generations Program has been accepted. You may now proceed to step two..." she reads the rest in her head before looking up at me, her eyes wide. "This isn't-?"

I nod, slowly. "I don't know what to do. I mean this is crazy, right? I've never had a baby, I've never even had sex, for god's sake!" I hiss at her.

"Okay," she says, placing her hands on her table. "This is obviously a really serious decision you have to make."

I take a sip of my coffee. "This is a good thing, right? My parents-they need the money. They really need it."

Elizabeth puts her hand on top of mine. "Emily, this is a big decision. You have to be super sure that you are ready to do this."

The idea to become a surrogate came up when I overheard a conversation I wasn't supposed to between two girls in my class. They were talking about how college students are always broke, which was a fact. One of them brought up stripping as a way to make a lot of money while the other one brought up surrogacy. Of course, I had heard about it. How it's when you grow a baby for someone else. That wasn't what brought my attention. What brought my attention is how much money the surrogate women make. From 40,000 to 50,000, my dad needed that kind of money, maybe even more. I'll probably just pop out kids for the rest of my life.

So I decided to apply, I was feeling vulnerable that day and I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing. Now, I get this letter saying that they reviewed my application to be a surrogate mom and that I was ready to move to the next step.

"My dad needs money." I blurt out.

"Yes, but Emily-you have to be physically and mentally prepared for this. You have to go through tests and then have to go to checkups after you get pregnant and then you have the baby and you will never see him or her again."

I shake my head. "I don't want a baby anyway."

She gives me a worried look. "You have to think about this. Really think about this."

The waiter comes with our food and we sit there silently, waiting for her to go away. "It's perfect timing too." I continue. "By the time the baby is born, I'll be out of school."

"You'll be pregnant for graduation." Elizabeth interrupts. "Graduation, Emily. Your graduation pictures would be ruined forever. I know you need the money but-there has to be another way."

I shake my head. "There isn't. I can't work more because I need to focus in school-"

"You're going to be pregnant, do you know how hard that is going to be?"

"Not as hard as losing my dad." I whisper.

She looks at me. "I'm sorry."

I shake my head. "It's not your fault. I know-" I sigh. "I know this isn't going to be easy but I have to do something to help my dad, my mom. I can't be this useless."

"Okay this is what we're going to do." Elizabeth says after a moment. "You are going to proceed to step two but while we wait for a response for that, we are going to look for another way to earn money quickly."

I nod, knowing we aren't going to find another way because I've literally went through everything. I though about getting a student loan but I need more than a few thousands. I thought about finding another job but I know I'll get behind in school if I did that. I don't have any friends or anyone to lend me that kind of money. It's just me and my family, no one else. No one who can help us.

My only option is to become a surrogate. I know that is the only way I have to make money quickly. Unconsciously, my hand goes to my flat stomach. I will be pregnant without having sex. I will be carrying someone else's child and then just give it away.

It's not going to be my baby, I think to myself, I'll be okay. I have to do it for dad. I have to do something.