Surrogate : Complications (18+) BOOK 2 (*ON HOLD *)

| 15 | All Plans Have Hiccups ||

The previous night, when Penelope was sharing news about her victory with Liam, she didn't tell him that she eventually found her sketchbook; well, pieces of it anyway. He didn't ask the follow up question, and though she couldn't put her finger on why, she was happy the good news overshadowed that part.
She took a deep breath and focused on the challenges at hand. She looked into the reflective surface and familiar brown eyes looked back; yet, the woman standing before her in the mirror was hard to recognize. She turned slightly to the side and rubbed her hands over the protrusion of her belly.
Surreal.
She knew the reality of it, but her soul had not caught up to the fact that she was really having a baby, that someone else lived inside of her. It was also very confusing, because though all of these things were true, it was also true that she was not going to be a mother. That, the life growing inside of her, was not for her. That she would bring this life wailing into the world and then someone else would be called mother.
She took a deep breath and let the strife of all that go with the exhale. She knew what she was doing before she did it but now it was way too late to go back on the decision. She rubbed her belly again, still looking at herself in the mirror. Would she if she could? So much had happened, so many unexpected blessings. What else would she call it. A lucky break maybe. Her design career was on a fast track to something beyond what she could have ever imagined. Never in the insanity of what transpired for the past several months did she think her design dream, something she even took off the back burner years ago, now has a real chance to fruit big for her.
She looked at her stomach, suppose it wasn't free. Everything had its price. She thought she knew the price, but she truly had no idea.
Her mind wandered to the previous night that she shared with Liam... Mr. Rogan. She looked away from her reflection. She had to start calling him Mr. Rogan again. Calling him Liam was too familiar, it made their exchanges too close. Since news of her conception, he'd been distant in his own way and she was too. There was the right thing, the expectation. For some annoying reason that she couldn't put her finger on, it was hard to let go of him.  Seeing him the previous night, laughing, eating, talking as if they'd done just that everyday for decades was just... confusing to her, but the confusion only came after the feelings of calm and ease. Her mind knew, but other things seemed to be happening that was beyond what her logic was telling her was what should be happening.
Was this another hidden fee?
"Penelope?"
She jumped and turned abruptly to find Liam leaning in the doorway of the slightly opened door. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." His crystalline blue eyes gleamed as his lips pulled up in a genuine smile.
She nodded, pressing a hand to her fluttering stomach, feeling exposed for thinking of the man and then he showed up. Had he heard her thoughts? Had she said anything about him out loud? She did that sometimes. Talked out loud.
She nodded and turned toward him. "How do I look?"
He straightened up a bit and those mesmerizing eyes took her in before he met her eyes again. "You look beautiful. Are you ready to go down? Guests have started to arrive and the Mistress of Mayhem is asking for you."
Penelope choked back a laugh before taking Liam's offered arm. "Well, let's not keep our lovely hostess waiting then." She smiled when the corner of his eyes creased with the amusement that still echoed on his lips.
The twinge of anxiety floated through her as the reality of the event soaked in. She'd be paraded around like a prize winning pony infront of all of their friends, and acquaintances all in the name of celebrating the life growing inside of her.
Announcement parties?
She shook her head. Would she know anyone? Her anxiety eased when she saw a set of familiar blue eyes.
"Ah, here's a familiar face." Liam said leaning into Penelope, allowing her to smell his cologne, the one she really liked. "Mother!"
"Liam, darling. Where have you been? Your wife has been flying around like a bat out of Hades  looking for you."
He rolled his eyes. "She should know where I am, I've been off doing her bidding. Besides, if she really wanted me she could--" before he could get the word out, his phone pinged. "Well, there you go." He held up the phone. "She knows how to find me." He frowned as he read the message then he brought his attention back to his mother. "Might I leave Pennelope in your care? I've been summoned."
"Oh, of course, dear." His mother kissed him on his offered cheak and he disappeared in the growing density of guests.
The birth announcement party was held in a beautiful old oceanside yacht club's event space. It was lovely in an old money kind of way. Penelope would expect nothing less. The nautical themed interior was altered quite expertly by Frida, aka the Mistress of Mayhem, as Liam called her, and her design team. Penelope chuckled at the nickname. He could call her whatever he wanted to; the woman had an eye and the will to make her vision come to life.
"How've you been, love?" Penelope brought her attention back to Liam's mother who's eyes that were so much like her son's, assessed her with a steady ease. It was strange, the first time she met the woman she felt like she knew her. A distance relative or something?
"Oh great." The two women started walking arm in arm. Liam's mother was dressed in a playful floral sundress that went down to her ankles and showed off lovely white sandals. "You look great."
"Thank you dear." The older woman beamed. "How is your internship?"
Joy filled her chest. "Excellent! Such exciting news--"
"There she is! I was just telling Melody about the alterations you made on my black Opera dress." Patricia, Chuck, Liam's boss's wife, floated in and placed a hand at Penelope's side encouraging Penelope to turn toward her and another woman Patricia had in tow. "Melody, meet Penelope." She directed her next comment to Melody. "She is a wonder when it comes to redesigns and alterations."
Penelope shook the woman's hand with a soft smile. "Nice to meet you." Penelope turned back to Liam's mother. "This is--"
"Mrs. Rogan, of course. Darling how have you been?" Patricia hugged and shared cheek kisses with Liam's mother.
"Oh you know, well. Can't complain. I bet you're happy you finally get your husband after all these years now that he's retiring."
"Oh dear God. I don't know. The company can have him back if they ever want him." Both women laughed. And carried on small talk that Penelope lost because she saw a familiar face in the crowd. She winced and shimmied herself to be out of view of Dimetri. She hadn't talked to him since their awkward lunch where she felt like he was interrogating her. She knew she was being immature, but she wasn't ready to face him. Not now, not like this. A small panic and a small bit of vomit lodged in the back of Penelope's throat, stupid acid reflux, another lovely pregnancy thing. When Patricia noticed Demitri and started working to get his attention, the panic rose and Penelope started searching for an exit plan.
She touched Liam's mother's arm, getting the woman's attention.
"I'm going to go to the little ladies room. I'll be back."
"Yeah, okay, dear--"
Before Penelope let the entire statement find her ears she turned and weaved her way through the thickening crowd of people.
She exhaled when she found the cool surface of the bathroom countertop. She wet a towel and pressed the cool cloth to her chest. Dear God won't he come and save her? All she wanted was some loose sweats, a bucket of popcorn and a C rated horror film to talk through.
She sat on the toilet and emptied an almost already empty bladder before washing her hands and finally deciding to rejoin the festivities.
"Penelope?"
"AHHH!" Penelope screamed and her heart flew into her neck.
"I'm sorry." Demitri pushed his glasses up on his face. "I didn't mean to scare you."
She exhaled finding relief only for a moment because her mind caught up to the who and that he was on her avoid and ignore list.
"D-Demitri, I--" She hiccuped and gripped her chest as heartburn shot through her. She winced and bent over.
"Oh, goodness. I thought startling someone made hiccups go away."
Penelope hiccupped again. "I guess that only works--" another hiccup. "If the person already has hiccups."
"Excuse me." Liam's familiar voice made a sense of relief wash over her, but did not, unfortunately, make the hiccups go away.
"Liam. What's wrong?"
"Sorry to interrupt," he said hesitantly his eyes trying to assess the situation. He was frowning, his eyes searching hers perhaps to help clear the confusion. "I've been sent on an errand to retrieve Lady Penelope at Queen Frida's behest."
Penelope laughed when she found a sparkle of mischief in Liam's bright blue eyes.
She turned her attention back to Demitri. "Sorry, I have to--" hiccup. "Go."
"Of course. I'll catch the Lady later then." Demitri offered an uncertain wave.
She smiled up at Liam, who, if she wasn't mistaken, was glaring? At Dimetri. She blinked and his attention had diverted to her. She took his offered arm. Grateful that the awkward conversation that was inevitable with Demitri was at least postponed, at most she would never have to have it in her life. She hoped in that moment that she could live the rest of her surrogate days in the darkness of the basement and never meet another person.
"Are you okay?"
She hiccuped. "Oh, just dandy." Another hiccup. "Just my body attacking itself all in the name of self-imposed misery and ultimate discomfort."
He smiled a little bit. "I'll get you some water for the hiccups. That should help. I heard a good scar should set it right too."
She smiled up at him, keeping her teeth behind her lips. "That theory is why I'm in this situation--" hiccup, "To begin with."
His light laughter made her inside float. "No worries. We'll get you sorted." He held her more firmly to his side while she winced through hiccups.
She held his arm a little tighter, a sort of peace in the chaos settling in.

|:| A/N |:|
Ah, ode to avoiding awkward conversations!

I'll be sharing the next chapter in a few days and with it an announcement.

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Always my best,
Alex