SURROGATE : Conception (+18) BOOK 1 (COMPLETE)

| 16 | Persuasion ||

The only thing that seemed to make sense to Liam these days was work. It was always the constant in his life, always the grounding element. He was like his father in that way. Work really was the backbone of the family's security. He pulled his car into the driveway and cut the engine with a big exhale. He looked up to his home shining like a beacon in the bright morning sun.

White stucco, that was his preference, clean and pristine. It required high pressure washing periodically which reminded him that he needed to call that service. He looked up at the face of the building eying the dirt trying to make an appearance.

He enjoyed his home, quiet, peaceful. He could smell the ocean just on the other side. Hear the seagulls overhead. He got off a plane a few hours ago another trip under his belt. He was able to convince his new client that things could be handled with less trips.

He made his way to the front door and unlocked it expecting to see the view through to the ocean upon entry.

He opened the door and a frown immediately found his face. He couldn't even get the key out the lock good before he heard Frida yelling and screaming upstairs followed by something crashing against a wall.

"Woah, woah, woah woah." He said, grabbing Penelope by the shoulders before her or her luggage could make it out the door he was trying to close. "What the hell is going on? Hey, Penelope, stop, please." He said to the woman trying to get past him.

"Get the hell out of my way!" She snatched her arms free from his light hold. "I'm out of here."

"Just, please, tell me what happened. What the hell is Frida screamin' about up there?" His calm and peace had dissipated like dry ice in a pot of boiling water.

"Results made her angry." Penelope sounded disoriented, struggled holding his eyes, panic evident in her deep brown orbs.

"What results? What are you talking about?"

She wiped silent tears from her face. "I-I missed my period by a few days and she was convinced I was--" She paused to take a breath. "We took a test and it was negative. I told her sometimes my period's just off. With everything going on how could it be a shock that things would be a little haywire." She kept rambling quickly and he had to focus on her words to keep up with the train of thought. "It was just a few days!"

He exhaled and closed his eyes.

Damn it Frida. He thought, trying to figure out how to salvage the situation. "Listen," he pinched the bridge of his nose trying to decide what he could say to convince Penelope to stay at least long enough for him to check on Frida. Penelope looked hell bent and determined to walk right out that door. She must have even left some of her things upstairs because she came to them with more than one suitcase but only one was near the door. "I-I know this was a lot. S-sometimes Frida can be a lot, but please don't leave." He walked her over to the couch when she finally allowed him to touch her. "Sit, and let me go talk to her. I'll take your bags back up with me. Just give me fifteen minutes, okay?"

He skipped steps to get upstairs faster. He'd left his suitcase & briefcase somewhere by the door. Did he close the door? He couldn't remember.

"Frida, what the hell. Are you crazy!" He strolled into the disaster that was their bedroom. The bedding was removed from the bed and tossed all over, half of Frida's closet was tossed around. The intense smell of fragrances blended together as he noticed broken bottles on the floor with other things that had once lived on top of her vanity.

The woman's bloodshot eyes glared into him. "Maybe."

Upon seeing her, his frustration was replaced with empathy. She looked miserable and exhausted. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eye make-up was smeared. "I was so sure."

"Freed." He said, kneeling in front of his wife. "It will happen, I promise you that."

"How could you make that promise when you just up and go? Always gone when we need you here."

He sat on the floor next to her and pulled her into his side. She resisted at first, but eventually fell into him. "I'll be here more. I worked it out so I could be here more. I will make this happen for you, for us. I need you to help me though. We almost lost her."

"Who? Your new little sex kitten?"

"Don't you fucking dare." He pulled her away enough to glare into her eyes as rage took him for a brief moment. A moment that forced him to remind himself that she was in crisis. The tone must have gotten to her because he saw the emotion flash across her eyes before they watered up. She let her head fall.

"Blame and anger won't get us anywhere." He tried to console her as she sobbed into his shoulder.

She exhaled and wrapped her arms around his middle and laid on his chest. "I know. I don't blame Penny."

No, but she blamed him though. He would take that. He didn't want Penelope to be in Frida's cross hairs. He'd be damned if he let that happen. It wasn't fair. It was them, him and Frida that dragged her into this.

"I just never knew how much I wanted this baby." She looked up at Liam with sorrowful eyes and tears slid down her face.

"I know." He kissed her forehead then pulled her more securely into his side. They sat there for a moment before he broke the silence. "I know you're used to taking the lead on things especially those things that mean so much to you. I understand that this whole situation makes you anxious. You should see Dr. Schagermeister? You know, talk through how you're feeling with her."

"What if there isn't a way? What if we're not meant to have children." She sniffled.

His chest burned at her sorrow. "Freed. I don't believe that; do you?"

She shrugged. "Starting to. I mean everything was perfect. She was at peak ovulation time with her cycle and everything. It should have worked."

"Freed, honey, listen. It can't be like baking a loaf of bread. There's more to it than that. Has to be."

"She's on all the vitamins and hormones and whatever else to boost her fertility."

She wasn't listening and he wasn't expecting her to. She was stuck in pout mode and would be there until she was ready to get out of it.

"If you can promise me you'll go to Dr. Schagermeister, I'll schedule an appointment with our fertility doctor. Have him look things over and give us his professional opinion. Maybe there's something we missed." He pulled her close and kissed her fiery red hair. "What do you say?"

She nodded and whispered, "Okay."

Several minutes later, Frida pulled away from him, kissed his forehead and went into the bathroom. He heard the bathtub running soon after. He exhaled and let his head fall back against the wall. Now that that fire was put out, he had to go back to Penelope and make sure she was good.

He exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. How the hell was he going to approach this? He doubted Penelope would be so easily consoled. She seemed beyond ready, set, he could see it in her eyes that she'd made up her mind. What could he do to persuade her to stay?

|:|A/N|:|

This weeks temper tantrum award goes to.......

Ready for your thoughts: What could Liam do to persuade Penelope to stay?

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-Alex