The Surrogate Proposal

Chapter thirty-seven

Seth sat by the corner of his bed with the seventh glass of whiskey. He felt his nose running and he just wiped it with his hand, unconsciously.

He heard voices but can't make out what they were saying. He was lost.

The door opened and Liam walked in.
He stood there for some seconds looking at Seth,
"Man...I don't like what am seeing", he said and sat on the bed beside Seth. Seth poured himself another glass and Liam took it away from him.
"Enough man. What the f*ck happened down there to make you like this?",

Seth rubbed his face feeling numb all over.

"It's been almost two weeks. Did something happen? It's clear she rejected you, right? But I know you, that is not enough to bring you down like this, so talk to me",

Seth kept quiet as if Liam wasn't there.
"Okay, am done doing this! Do you even know what's going on out there? Your business is in jeopardy and you have a family to take care-",
"I lost her", he finally said,
"What?",
"I lost her..that's what happened", he said and sat up,
"Wait a minute...you lost her, like, lost her?",
"I don't know",
"Wait, i-i don't get you man. You lost her and then you don't know?".

Seth stood by the window looking at nothing in particular.
Liam stood there for awhile and left.

Someone else walked in and Seth didn't care to know who. His mind is clouded, thinking of nothing in particular, his head is just too heavy to even think or know what's happening around him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned. His aunt Maria was standing behind him. He furrowed his brow slightly.

"What the heck is going on in here. Here reeks of alcohol", she said opening the windows.
Seth kept looking at her with his folded hands as she continues opening the curtains.

"Oh! Dusty!", She said dusting off her cloths,
"What are you doing here?", He asked and Maria looked at him,
"We both know you shouldn't be asking that, right?", She said but then again, Seth is not in that mood. He went back to looking out through the window.

Maria sat on his bed for awhile.
"Has it been twenty-five years since we were like this together?", She asked not expecting a response,
"You know, my brother wouldn't have wanted you to turn out this way, so rigid and..and unhappy. You were so bright when you were little", she said with a smile,
"Am not happy about this but at least, I kinda thought you've lost it all, feelings and everything but then! You fell in love!",
She said and Seth turned to look at her,
"Sorry, but I was worried and I had to make him talk to me", she said in defence,
"See, love isn't something you leave to work out on its own. You have to do the work yourself. Maybe there's something she's waiting for you to do, you never know", she said,
"What do you know?", He asked her,
"I might not know anything but am just-",
"Leave", he said and Maria sat silently for awhile, then she got up and walked to the door,
"At least, think about the kids, they need you", she said and left.

Seth kept staring at the door, a thought forming in his head. He stepped out and went to the kitchen.
His baby is crying in Rosa's arm and Joe is rubbing his back,
"Shhhh....don't cry", Joe said.

Liam was drinking coffee, he saw Seth standing by the door, he rolled his eyes, he is fed up.

Seth went and took the baby from Rosa. He hugged him and jogged him slightly.
"Get ready, we're going somewhere", he told Rosa,
"Where are you going to?", Liam asked, but Seth left with the baby in his arms.

............

Gina stood beside the hospital window, looking out the busy street.
Her baby asleep in the cradle.