Him, His Uncle And I!

A million dollars

Rebecca's pov

“Oh, what was that?” I heard Nurse Hilda’s voice, cautious and alert. Footsteps echoed closer to the door. I froze, still too shaken to move, let alone make an escape. A surrogate? They’d actually put a baby inside me? How was this even happening? The door opened, and Nurse Hilda stepped out, scanning the hallway until her eyes landed on me. “Oh… oh my. You’re here,” she murmured, looking surprised. “Who is it?” Dr. Jenna’s voice came from inside the office. “I didn’t have any more appointments today, did I?”

“It’s Rebecca, Doctor,” Nurse Hilda called back. She turned to me, looking a bit flustered, as if sensing my wariness. “I was looking for you. Your friend in the ED said you’d been gone a long time, so I came to check in. When I got here, Dr. Jenna explained… well, everything.”

I heard the screech of a chair from inside, followed by heavy footsteps as Dr. Jenna rushed to the door, her face stricken. “Rebecca, sweetheart, I am so sorry. I made a huge mistake.”

I stared at her, unable to mask my disbelief. “So… it’s true?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The idea of being a surrogate was too much to process. My head was spinning.

Dr. Jenna looked down, her face filled with regret. “Please, come inside. Let me explain. I thought you were a volunteer, Rebecca. I assumed that, and I shouldn’t have. It was a terrible mistake.” She reached out to help me up.

My anger surged, but then I saw the guilt in her eyes, the rawness of her panic. I hesitated, my legs shaking. Taking her hand, I allowed her to guide me inside. She helped me into a chair, and Nurse Hilda stood behind me, her eyes flickering between the two of us.

Dr. Jenna sat behind her desk, visibly frazzled. “Can I get you a glass of water?” she asked softly.

I shook my head, too overwhelmed to even think about drinking. My throat was dry, but nothing could quench the panic rising in me.

Dr. Jenna took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “Alright, let’s start from the beginning. I—" she paused, pressing her fingers to her temples. “Rebecca, I am so sorry. I didn’t check your information properly. I thought you were the patient I was looking for. It’s been chaotic, and with the pressure from the sponsor, I just made an awful mistake. I used a sperm donor to fertilize one of your eggs. We don’t even know if it will work yet, but if it does, you could be pregnant.”

I couldn’t process it. The words didn’t make sense. My body felt numb.

Nurse Hilda spoke up before I could react. “I know this is a lot, Rebecca, but there’s something you should know.” She paused, her voice careful, as if testing the waters. “If you decide to go through with it, there’s a reward. Surrogates can receive up to a million dollars for their time and effort. It could change things for you... especially if you're struggling with bills—like your friend Getty’s.”

The mention of Getty’s hospital fees was like a slap to the face. They hadn’t been paid. I had been so focused on helping her, but now I could see how desperate things were for me too. A million dollars... I could finally escape this life. A million dollars could boost my stash a lot... But the thought of carrying a child? I wasn’t ready for that. I was barely taking care of myself, how could I take care of a baby?

Nurse Hilda’s eyes softened, trying to gauge my reaction. “You could use that money for your future, Rebecca. For when you’re free from all of this.”

I felt the weight of her words, the pull of something better, something more. But my stomach churned at the thought of a child. A baby? No. This wasn’t how I imagined my life.

Dr. Jenna cut in, her voice sharp. “Hilda, stop. We can’t pressure her into something like this. This is Rebecca’s decision, and no one should be manipulating her with promises of money.”

Nurse Hilda blinked, a bit taken aback by the sharpness in Dr. Jenna’s tone, but she didn’t back down. “I’m not forcing her, Doctor. I’m just saying it’s something to consider. A way out... if she wants it.”

Dr. Jenna looked at me with deep sympathy. “Rebecca, if you want to remove it, we’ll do that. I’ll make sure everything is taken care of. You don’t have to worry about anything. But don’t let anyone pressure you into a decision you’re not ready for.” She turned to Nurse Hilda, her voice firm. “And as for Getty’s hospital bills—let them go. I’ll pay them. Take it out of my salary, whatever it takes. She doesn’t need to worry about this right now.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Dr. Jenna was offering to pay for Getty’s bills, waiving them completely. She was apologizing for what she’d done, offering to make everything right.

“I’ll schedule an appointment for later this week,” Dr. Jenna continued, her voice softening again. “You can come in, think about it, and we’ll do whatever you decide. There’s no rush.”

I stood up, my mind reeling. This was too much to process all at once. I nodded, trying to clear my head. The offer of money was tempting, but I wasn’t sure I could live with myself if I went through with this.

As I walked toward the door, the weight of the decision pressed on me, heavier than I’d ever imagined. Would I keep it? Would I remove it? What was the right choice? The hallway stretched ahead of me, but all I could hear in my mind was the sound of my own conflicted thoughts.