Surrogacy

Chapter 3

"She left us a note that she'll think about it, Lewis!"

Two weeks had passed since Rikki's visit at the McCartneys.

Cleo and Lewis were starting to get really anxious, because there was no sign of the curly blond. She wasn't picking up her phone, she wasn't home, she wasn't staying with the girls...it was like she had vanished. Lewis even almost convinced himself that Rikki had run off because of what Cleo had said they were asking her to do. Cleo on the other hand knew Rikki well, and believed that the curly blond just needed some time to think it through.

And, unsurprisingly, she turned out to be the right one.

The other morning when the phone at Cleo and Lewis' house rang the brunette picked up while her husband was finishing something on his laptop.

"Hello?"

"Cleo, it's me."

Cleo almost dropped the phone.

"Rikki?!"

Lewis spun his head in a heartbeat staring at Cleo who grabbed his hand.

"Cleo, I need to talk to you. Are you home?"

Cleo's heart jumped.

"Yes. Yes, Lewis and I are both home, you can come over." The brunette's voice was choked.

"Ok, I'm on my way."

With that Rikki hung up.

Cleo slowly put the phone down.

"What did she say?" Lewis asked squeezing her hand.

"She said that she wanted to talk to me and asked me if I was home." Cleo sounded confused but excited too at the same time. She slowly moved her head to look at her husband.

"She's on her way here."

"That's great then. We'll finally find out her answer." Lewis said.

Cleo dropped his hand and moved to sit down on the couch.

"Cleo? Is everything alright?"

Lewis stood from his chair and sat down next to Cleo, putting his hand on her shoulders.

Cleo's eyes found his.

"What if she refuses to do it?"

"I don't know. But what I think is we must have faith."

"I'm scared, Lewis."

"I know." And he pulled her in for a hug. "I am too."

Cleo pressed her head against his chest, letting his heartbeat sooth her. He was rubbing her arm, both of them deep in thoughts.

Inside Cleo was terrified. She was terrified that Rikki might refuse, but was terrified that even if she agrees she might fail to get pregnant as well, and that thought was scaring the crap out of the brunette.

Lewis' emotions were complexed. For him even if Rikki refused it wouldn't be the end of the world, but he knew for fact that it would've been the end of Cleo's. He knew how important it was to Cleo and he knew that even if Rikki agreed, the IVF procedure might be unsuccessful again and he knew Cleo wouldn't be able to bare another disappointment. He couldn't say the same for himself though; he loved Cleo more than anything and he was more than happy to spend his entire life with her, regardless of with or without a baby.

The didn't move from their positions until they heard the doorbell ring. Cleo jumped off her seat and went to open the door. She let Rikki inside, closing the door behind her. Rikki walked in the living room followed by Cleo, who sat back down next to her husband. Rikki sat on one of the armchairs, so she could be facing both of them. The curly blond then took a deep breath.