THE SURROGATE

CHAPTER 1

Mrs. Parkinson was going to kill her.

Shaina glanced at her old worn out watch and grimaced. It was already one in the morning and she had promised Mrs. Parkinson she wouldn’t come home later than midnight.

Bracing herself, she opened the door as quietly as she could. Lina was a light sleeper.

Shaina closed the door, wincing when it creaked. Dammit.

“Shaina?” Mrs. Parkinson said, rubbing her eyes and sitting up on the couch.

Shaina glanced at her niece, but thankfully she didn’t seem to have woken up. She walked to their babysitter. It didn’t take long: the apartment was tiny.

Mrs. Parkinson was frowning deeply, an unhappy look on her face.

“I’m sorry,” Shaina said before she could say anything. “I’m really, really sorry. It won’t happen again, I swear. I couldn’t get back sooner. It was a slow night, and I didn’t get a lot of tips. I didn’t have enough money to pay you for this week, so I ended up staying until I did.”

Mrs. Parkinson’s lips pursed. She sighed. “Shaina. I understand your situation—it’s actually one of the reason I’m still here—but you must understand mine, as well. I have a family, too, but I spend up to fifteen hours a day here, looking after an energetic four-year-old. You don’t pay me enough for that.”

“I’ll find another job,” Shaina said quickly, trying to squash down the panic rising in her chest. “I’ll find a better job and I’ll pay you more.”

She sighed again, shaking her head. “That’s what you said last month.” She looked at the sleeping girl. “I admire your dedication, but it can’t go on like that. You’re just twenty. You deserve better. Your niece deserve better, too. Why don’t you find her a good family?”

“No,” she said, her voice hard. “She already have a family. She have me.”

“But she barely see you. She ask about you all the time. She misses you.”

Shaina looked down at her. Lina had slept curled in her favorite doll. A lump formed in her throat. “I miss her, too.” She looked at Mrs. Parkinson. “Please. I’ll find a solution. It really won’t happen again.” Fishing her wallet out of her back pack, she gave her all the money she had. “Here, take this.”

She shook her head but accepted the money. “Think about what I said, Shaina,” she said before taking her purse and leaving.

Shaina locked the door and returned to the bed.

She knelt down beside the bed, rested her chin on the mattress, and stared at her niece.

The dim light made her platinum blond hair seem almost golden. She looked like a little angel.

Shaina closed her eyes. God, she was so tired, but sleep was the last thing on her mind. She didn’t need to open the fridge to know they were out of groceries: she knew how long it took them to run out. They would have nothing to eat the day after tomorrow.

Desperation clawed up her throat. Then came resentment and anger.

Shaina shook them off. Being angry with her brother and Katherine for having numerous debts, dying and leaving them penniless was useless. She couldn’t afford to waste time. She needed money. Now.

But how? She already worked two jobs.

“Shaina?”

Shaina opened her eyes. Her niece was no longer asleep. A surge of panic coursed through her when she realized her cheeks were wet? Did she saw her crying?

“Baby?” she croaked out through the lump in her throat.

The little girl sat up slowly, and gently reached out to her, and Shaina lifted her into her arms. “Hey, princess,” she whispered, kissing her on the temple and breathing in her sweet scent.

“You’re home,” Lina said, wrapping her little hands around her neck. “Missed you.”

“Me, too,” Shaina murmured, stroking her back. I’m sorry. “Did you have fun while I was out?”

Lina nodded. “I played a lot, but the old hag didn’t let me go outside!”

“Don’t call Mrs. Parkinson that.” Though she had to suppress a smile. “Anything else?”

“A big man came after breakfast. He had a letter for you, but the old lady didn’t let me touch it.”

“A letter, huh?” Shaina got to her feet, cradling Lina to her chest, and walked to her desk. “Let’s see.”

She picked up the envelope and returned to the bedside lamp. She squinted at it and her stomach dropped when she saw who it was from.

“What is it?” Lina asked.

Shaina opened the envelope, pulled out the piece of paper inside and started to read.

“…unless paid in time…” “…the tenant do not have a choice…” “…you only have three months… to vacate the premises.”

The paper dropped from her fingers to the floor and she didn’t notice.

“Shaina? Something bad happened?”

She looked down at Lina’s wide blue eyes and forced out a smile. “No, pumpkin. Everything is fine.” She buried her face in her hair and closed her eyes.

God. Why now of all time? Where they will go??!

*******

“Something wrong?” said a familiar voice before an arm was slung around Shaina’s shoulders.

Shaina glanced at Cristy, but kept what she's been doing. They were going to open up in half an hour but everything was still in a mess. “Nothing.”

“Bullshit. Spill.” Her friend’s dark brown eyes were fixed on her curiously.

Shaina shrugged. “I’m broke. And on top of that, they’re going to kick us in our apartment if I don’t pay in three months.”

Cristy frowned. “I thought you already paid last week.”

Sighing, Shaina raked a hand through her slightly wavy hair. “Yeah. But Lina got sick so I don’t have a choice but to use the money for her hospital bills.”

Cristy grimaced. “That sucks.”

“Yep,” Shaina said miserably.

“What are you going to do?” Cristy asked.

“No idea.” Shaina made her way to the back to throw the trash. But she couldn’t help but sigh. “What should I do?”

“I wish I could help you.” Cristy dropped into a seat next to her. “But you know I’m a bit tight on the money, too.”

Shaina nodded. Christy lived at her grandmother’s and helped her as she could. Her parents worked in another country and weren’t much of a help.

“What about your aunt?” Christy said. “I thought she used to help you out when things got tough.”

Shaina paused and gave her a look. “She died last year, Chris. I told you that.”

Christy's face flushed bright red. “s**t, I’m sorry—I don’t know how I—”

Shaina shook her head. “Forget it.” It wasn’t that Christy didn’t care; she was just very sociable and had more friends than Shaina had acquaintances. No wonder it had slipped out of her mind.

“What about your cousin—Sean?” Christy smiled sheepishly. “See, I’m not completely hopeless! I remember him!”

Shaina laughed. “You are hopeless. He just recently got out of prison, and he needs to sort out his life. He doesn’t need my problems on top of his own. Anyway, I'm not asking a small amount of money. I atleast needed around a thousand dollars. There's no way I can ask someone to lend me that large amount..” Though sometimes Shaina wondered if it's okay for her to just give up, but when she saw her niece, she realized that every hardships that she's experiencing right now is all worth it.

“Actually,” Cristy said suddenly. “I’ve heard an interesting rumor around lately.”

“What rumor?”

Cristy glanced around, as though to make sure no one could hear them, before leaning in and murmuring into Shaina’s ear, “Tucker says a billionaire is searching for a woman that he can have as a surrogate. And the pay. It's 1 million dollars..”

Shaina blinked. “No way. He was just messing with you!”

“Nope, he was dead serious. I checked the website and it's legit.”

Shaina chuckled, shaking her head. “Even if it’s true, what does it have to do with me?”

Cristy gave her a pointed look.

Shaina opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Even if it's for a million dollar there's no f*****g way I will get myself pregnant."

That's right. She's not that desperate.

..........