Chapter1
She parked her car beneath a wide-topped tree filled with leaves, offering the shadiest spot on the street. It was a warm California day an hour south of San Francisco in Silicon Valley where Jasmine Thompson lived. The cool air was scented sweetly with flowers and blooms from the multitude of natural growth around her, and it mixed with the rich smells of hot eucalyptus trees and the salty air from the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay.
Jasmine looked down at her belly and gently held her palm over it. “We’re going to go meet your daddy and talk to him for the first time today. This is only the second time I’ve met him and he’s nice, but I know he’s excited about you, and you are one lucky little baby. When you finally come into this world, you’re going to be born into a wonderful home.”
She smiled and gave her belly a little rub before releasing the seatbelt and opening the car door. She felt nervous, but she didn’t want the baby in her to know that if it was at all possible. She turned and looked at the building where she was headed.
It was a two-story structure; an older building made in the 1940s and nestled into a row of other buildings all with different façades, but all built in the same time frame. They lined the small streets of one of the older sections of Palo Alto, one that had gone through a renaissance. While the little neighborhood had been updated, the old buildings had been kept and lightly refurbished, so the vintage feel of the area was kept intact.
She liked the look and feel of the neighborhood, it was simple and sweet, and it felt to her as if she had stepped back in time, except for the newer cars and the displays in some of the windows. The pace of the hum and busyness of the street was slower than it was in other places, and in other cities even close by. It felt like time had slowed down, like no one was in a hurry, and everyone had time to stroll along, nod at other passersby, and enjoy the day. It was a welcome change for her from the fast-paced neighborhood where she lived and where she had gone to college.
Breathing in deeply, she told herself that she had made the right decision, and what she was doing would all be over in six short months, and then her life would be her own, and she could do what she had dreamed of for so long.
She looked up and down the street and thought to herself that the flower shop she was determined to open someday would look beautiful alongside the other old fashioned shops on the street, perhaps somewhere between the candy shop and the café. She could have flowers set about outside to draw people in, and she could make up a lovely window that made people stop and smile.
Jasmine let her breath out in a sigh and turned to go back to the building she had come there to begin with. She paused a moment as she passed by a big plate glass window where she saw her reflection, and she gave herself a cursory glance to be sure she looked nice.
She was taller, standing at five feet eight inches, and she had a slender frame, though her feminine curves left no doubt that she was all woman. Her soft black hair fell in bigger curls around her head like a dark halo, which she kept cut into a wedge at about ear length, with the back shorter and the curls around the front styled to frame her face well.
Her skin was the color of dark honeyed caramel and it had a healthy glow. She had dark eyes framed with thick black eyelashes just above high and delicately curved cheekbones. Her lips were full and she had a wide and bright smile loved by everyone who saw it.
Jasmine was wearing a pretty floral sundress that held closely to her curves while seeming to dance slightly around her calves; the hem lifting and billowing easily as she walked. She had strappy sandals on and her toes showed off the pedicure she’d gotten only a couple of days before. She gave herself a little smile, pleased with how she looked.
Picking up her courage, she walked inside and took the stairs to the second floor. She was impressed to see that there was an elevator installed in the building, and she wondered if she would be using that much later on in her pregnancy when her body might object to climbing up so many stairs.
She was fine just then, going up all of them and coming to a stop before a wooden door with a frosted glass window with the name Cameron Elliott on the outside of it. She opened the door and found herself in a fair-sized reception room. The furniture matched the timeless look of the building and the street. There was an older lady sitting at a wooden desk, typing something quickly on the computer before her. She looked up and smiled.
“Are you here to see Cameron?” she asked lightly. She was as friendly as the bouquet of bright spring flowers on the corner of her desk.
Jasmine nodded. “I am, thank you. I’m Jasmine Thompson.”
The lady nodded and picked up the phone near her, speaking into it for just a moment. “He’s free, you can go right in.” She indicated the wooden and frosted glass double doors opposite them, and Jasmine headed for them, her heart picking up its pace as she touched her fingers to the hardened area of her lower abdomen.
Opening the door, she stepped into a much larger room than the one she had just been in. There was a meeting area off to her left, where a big round table sat with chairs pushed up all around it. Before her was another old wooden desk, much bigger than the one in the receptionist’s room, and it was connected to another desk to make an L shaped work area.
Behind the desk sat a young-looking man who looked to be somewhere in his late twenties, but whom she knew was thirty-three. She had met him once before, this handsome man who had a boyish looking charm while still managing to look like an adult.
He had dark brown hair that had been carefully combed that morning and not touched again since, even though he had been out in the breezy California day, so he’d come away with a slightly tousled look. His eyes were dark brown, and like hers, had long, thick, dark eyelashes. He had a squared jaw and a soft, sweet smile.
“Hello!” his face brightened when she walked in the door. Standing up, he quickly walked around the desk to meet her and pulled out a chair for her. Jasmine smiled back and thanked him, taking a seat. Rather than walking back to his sea behind the desk, he sat in the other chair in front of his desk, so that he was beside her.
“I’m so glad you came in, thank you. I hope it was convenient for you.” He looked to her as if he might be a little nervous as well, just like she had been going into his building. “Can I get you anything? Water, juice, coffee, tea? Fruit or a bagel or anything?”
She laughed a little. “I’d take some water, thank you.” She was going to turn him down, but he looked so eager to offer her some kind of refreshment that she thought she’d better take him up on it.
He got a bottle of cold water from the mini fridge in the corner of the room, picking up one for himself as well, and he went to go sit next to her again. He handed it to her as he sat down and looked at her openly.
“I know it might seem kind of strange that we’re meeting so late into this pregnancy, but the doctor suggested that we wait until the first trimester was over before we met up again, to be sure that the pregnancy would take. I hope that doesn’t sound too… morbid, but I thought I’d take his advice. Anyway, I haven’t seen you since I interviewed you for this arrangement. How is it going for you?” he was focused intently on her, as if there wasn’t anything else going on in the room, and nothing else around them that might distract his attention.
She liked feeling that she was important enough that someone would give all of their attention to her. “It’s not so strange. I understand why the doctor recommended that. I know some pregnancies don’t take in the first trimester, so this makes sense.” She took a drink of her water and continued. “We’re doing really well. The baby’s growing like it should, and we are both healthy.”
“Is this a good experience for you so far? Have you been sick at all?” He asked, worrying about her and wishing he could look at her belly without feeling that it would be intrusive. The only time he had ever seen her was when they had met for her initial interview.
He had been looking for a surrogate mother to carry a child for him, and she had applied. He knew that she was a good match for what he wanted in a healthy and strong baby, so he hired her. After that it was simply a matter of him visiting the doctor on his own to give a deposit of his sperm, and then her visiting the doctor on her own to have the invitro fertilization procedure done. He was notified by the doctor that the pregnancy had taken, and the test results were positive, after that he was told he should wait until she was past her first trimester before he met with her again. It had been nerve wracking to him to wait, but he did as he was advised.
“We’re good! It’s been an easy pregnancy so far, or at least, I guess it feels that way to me. You know this is my first pregnancy, so I don’t really have anything to compare it to, but I think it’s been really easy so far. There were a few days that I didn’t feel well, but other than that it hasn’t been too big of an adjustment. I realize that’s going to change fairly soon, but we are both good for now.” She smiled at him, glad that he was so concerned, and also glad that she could reassure him that everything was fine.
“I’m so glad to hear that. I’d rather have been in touch with you all along, just in case there was anything that I could do to help you or anything that I could provide to you if you needed it.” He hesitated and looked at her with concern. “Is there anything that you need?” he asked interestedly.
Jasmine looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. “Actually, I’ve been doing some research on pregnancy and the different things that I can be doing to help the baby develop and do well while it’s still in the womb. There are things I can do to help stimulate brain activity and develop critical thinking areas in the baby’s brain.”
His eyebrows went up and he looked at her in surprise. “You’re trying to find ways to help the baby while you’re pregnant? That’s wonderful! That’s… thank you so much! Rather than just carrying it, you’re being proactive about what you can do that’s best for the baby while you’re pregnant. I’m really… wow, I’m impressed, and grateful,” he sighed happily and looked less anxious, “I’m really grateful, thank you. How can I help you with that? What can I do?”
She smiled at him. She loved seeing that he was so interested in being involved in his unborn baby’s life so early on. “Well, if I’m going to carry this tiny one, I want to be sure that it has all the best that I can give it. You know, to provide the baby with a good start. So, I read that one of the ways that I can do that is to put a machine on my belly that plays classical music. Classical music is a big help to them as they’re growing inside. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Strauss, those kinds of composers created music that really stimulates our minds, and that’s true while they are still in the womb.
There’s a sound machine that we can get that will do that, or I can use headphones and stretch them over the belly. That could be helpful.”
She knew what he was thinking before he even said it, because his expressions gave him away. “Absolutely, we’ll get one right away. I’m glad you’ve thought of that. What else can I do?”
Jasmine didn’t want to seem too aggressive with her pregnancy plan, but he was the father, and he was paying for the whole thing, so her inhibitions about asking him for too much were at bay. “I am eating only organic food, and really trying to stay away from processed food. I know it’s probably better for the baby, but it is more expensive.”
She didn’t have to say another word. He shook his head, “I’ve got this, I want you to have the best food available to you, and the best medical care. In fact, any expense that arises due to this pregnancy is mine to cover.” He reached his hand for his wallet and pulled it out, fishing a credit card out from a stack of cards. “Here you are, just use this during the whole pregnancy. You won’t hit the limit on it, so don’t worry about that. Also, I’ve arranged for my accountant to send you a five-thousand-dollar a month stipend for the duration of the pregnancy.
I’ll have her send over fifteen thousand dollars for the first three months of the pregnancy that you’ve already gone through, and then each of these remaining six months, you’ll receive five thousand a month. That’s just to help with whatever costs you have or needs… clothes, cravings, whatever. Then, as we agreed when I hired you, you’ll be paid the full one hundred thousand dollars once the baby is born, for providing the surrogacy service.”
He handed the card to her and she smiled and took it from him. “Thank you, this is good of you. I’m pleased to see that you’re so ready to take care of the baby already, and that you’re just as concerned with me too. You’re responsible and thoughtful, and I like that.”
Cameron shrugged and smiled, “Well, it’s my baby. Nothing’s too good for either of you. Put all of your expenses on that card, if you would please. Gas, food, clothes, whatever you want. I’ll look into getting the music machine for you, and if you think of anything else that might be good, just let me know.”
He looked at her curiously then. “Has the doctor said what the gender of the baby is yet?” he asked almost pointedly.
She shook her head. “No, I think he said we’ll find out when I’m about five months along. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out. Are you hoping for anything either way?”
Cameron smiled. “I’m really hoping for a boy. It’s pretty important to me, actually.”
Jasmine nodded. “I understand. I’ll let you know when I find out.”
“Thank you.” He leaned back in his chair a little way, regarding her thoughtfully. “I can see how important this pregnancy is to you, and though the baby is genetically yours, you are giving full rights to it to me, as per our contract, but I do want to say that I can see just how seriously you are taking this, just as seriously as if you were keeping the baby. I’m really impressed with that, and very thankful for it. I want you to know that.”
She was pleased that he bothered to mention it. “It is important to me, and it would be even if it wasn’t my egg we were using. Even if someone else had been the mother, it’s still a new human life, and I feel like I owe it every possible chance at a good beginning that I can give it, if that’s possible.”
He leaned forward and rested his hands on his knees. “Will you please keep me informed all the way through the pregnancy about what’s going on and how you’re doing? Come into the office here to visit with me once a month after each doctor visit, and show me the sonograms and let me know the latest developments?”
“I’d be glad to. There are big changes happening every month, so it will be a good idea to keep you in the loop and visit here to tell you about what’s going on. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow actually, so I’ll let you know how that goes when I see you next month, and I’ll be sure to make my next appointment before I see you, so that I’m meeting with you after the appointments.” She gave him a smile as she stood up and held her hand out to him. “Thank you for visiting with me, and for taking such good care of us. I’m sure it’s going to make a difference.”
He rose up and shook her hand. “I’m glad to; it’s my duty to you both.” He walked with her to the door, catching the scent of her perfume as she walked and smiling as he breathed it in. If all of the sweetest parts of spring had a scent, it would be the one that she was wearing.
“We’ll see you next month.” She told him as she smiled and passed through the door that he held open for her. He told her goodbye and she waved at the receptionist as she left.
The meeting had gone much better than she had imagined, and she felt some pride in herself as she walked from the building to her car. It had been a big decision to take on a surrogacy pregnancy, and she hadn’t been completely sure that she wanted to do it when she had taken it on, but she was confident enough that she was willing to take it on.
Now that she had spent some time talking to the father of the baby she was carrying she could see just how interested he really was with the pregnancy and the well-being of the baby, and she was glad that she had decided to do it. He would get his child, and she would have more than enough money to open up the flower shop that she wanted to own. Both of their dreams would come true.
The next day she went to the doctor’s office for her monthly check up to make sure that everything was going alright with the baby and herself. She sat in the waiting room and flipped through one of the magazines that she had found on the table there.
Another woman came into the room and she looked up at her and smiled. Jasmine noticed how lovely the woman was, and wondered by her skin and hair if she was from South America. Her hair fell to her shoulders, long and silky dark brunette, and her eyes were dark. She had full lips and high angled cheek bones. Her skin had a golden-brown hue to it, and though she was very curvy, she looked to be fit and trim.
The woman sat adjacent to her, only a few feet away, and though Jasmine had lowered her eyes and gone back to reading her magazine, the other woman decided to strike up a conversation.
“Are you here for a pregnancy?” the woman asked with a friendly smile.
Jasmine nodded. “I am, how about you?” She returned the question, thinking that she’d rather have a conversation with someone than sit there reading the trivial articles in the magazine that she was looking at.
“I’m pregnant too.” the woman grinned happily and held her hand over her belly. “Two and a half months now. How far along are you?”
“I’m at three and a half months.” Jasmine answered with a friendly smile.
“My name is Eva.” The woman leaned forward and extended her hand to Jasmine. “Eva Cruz.”
“I’m Jasmine Thompson.” Jasmine replied. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too!” Eva smiled widely at her. “Is your husband here today too?”
Jasmine shook her head. “I’m not married.”
“Oh! I’m sorry.” Eva gave her an apologetic look.
“That’s alright. This is a surrogacy pregnancy. The baby I’m carrying is for someone else.”
Eva brightened and laughed. “Is it really? Mine is too! This doctor is a fertility specialist though, so it shouldn’t surprise me to find another lady in the waiting room who is doing a surrogacy pregnancy. Is this your first?”
“Yes, and it’s going pretty well so far. How about yours?” she asked curiously.
Eva waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine. It’s my first pregnancy too. Who are the people you’re doing your surrogacy for?” she asked, stretching the conversation further.
Jasmine nearly told her, but then she thought that discretion was probably best. “Well, it’s not a couple, it’s the father. He’s a businessman here in Silicon Valley. He wants an heir, I guess, and so I’m helping him achieve that goal.”
Eva nodded and listened. “Mine is that way as well. Local man who wants a son. He’s actually pretty famous here, you might know him. He’s a billionaire. Cameron Elliot… have you heard of him?”
Jasmine stared at her and tried to remain as indifferent as she could. She was dumbfounded at the name that had come out of the woman’s mouth. It was the name that had been on the tip of Jasmine’s tongue only moments before; the name that she had withheld for discretionary purposes. The name of the father of the baby she was carrying.
Try as she might, Jasmine couldn’t get around the shock that Cameron had hired two women to simultaneously carry surrogate children for him. She remembered what he had told her just the day before about wanting a son and how important it was to him. She wondered if he was trying to increase and better his chances of having a son by having two women carry surrogate children for him, or if it was some other reason that he was bringing two children into the world at once. simultaneously.
Eva looked at her with a strange expression. “Do you know him?” She asked, studying the look in Jasmine’s eyes.
“Yes, I’ve heard of him.” Jasmine answered, feeling her stomach tighten as she said it. She didn’t like it. It wasn’t her business, she thought to herself, but she didn’t like it.
The receptionist looked over at her then. “Miss Thompson, he’s ready for you now.”
Jasmine looked over at the round woman sitting behind the wall at the open window before her. She was the only one working there. She was the only receptionist who worked in the office.
“Thank you, Jeannie.” Jasmine smiled at her and stood up. She looked over at the other woman who was watching her interestedly.
“It was nice meeting you, Eva. Good luck with your baby and your surrogacy.” Jasmine meant it, though she was still reeling in a way from learning what she had about Cameron.
Eva waved her fingers at Jasmine, her shiny red nails matching the red on her full lips. “It was very good to meet you, too. Good luck with your baby!” she smiled widely again, and Jasmine went into the examination room to see the doctor.
He came in shortly after she was ready for him, not making her wait long at all. He measured her belly and was talking to her about the baby and the pregnancy as he set up a heart monitor machine on her belly to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
“Well this little one sounds as if it’s doing well.” He grinned at her. He had short brunette hair that was gelled and carefully combed. His eyes were hazel, and his jaw chiseled. Jasmine had thought to herself the first time she had met with him that he was quite a good-looking man. She was glad that he was also thoughtful and kind.
“How are you feeling? Are you eating right and getting enough rest?” he asked, sitting on his swivel stool and looking at her pleasantly.
She nodded as much as she could while lying on the table beside him with her head on a pillow. “I am. I’m eating strictly organic foods and working out regularly still, but I’m being careful about that. I’m doing maternity yoga and getting about eight hours of sleep a night.”
He grinned. “That’s good. That’s the best report I could have gotten from you.” He looked at her curiously then and gave her a coy smile. “What about your social life… are you seeing anyone… romantically?”
She thought for a moment that he was going to talk with her about intimate relations during pregnancy and she felt her cheeks warm slightly. “No, there isn’t anyone in my life that way.”
He nodded slowly and the grin stayed on his face as he gazed at her. “That’s good to hear.” He watched her closely as he spoke. “I know that this is a surrogate pregnancy for you, so you won’t be keeping the baby, and I know it might seem like a strange time to ask you this, but… I was wondering if I could take you out for dinner sometime. That is… if it wouldn’t be too weird for you to go out on a date with your doctor.”
She blinked and stared at him in amazement. “You… you want to go out on a date with me?” She could scarcely believe that she was asking him the question, and more than that, that he had asked her out on a date.
He shrugged. “Yeah, I do. You’re a really sweet lady, you’re beautiful, you’re brave enough and kind enough to do something like this for someone else who needs the help. It says a lot about the kind of person you are, and I like that. I like you. It wouldn’t be weird for me to date you, and after you have this baby I doubt I’ll be seeing you again unless you do another surrogacy, so I thought I’d better ask now while I have you as a captive audience.” He chuckled a little and kept his eyes on her.
She laughed a little then too and sat up, looking down for a moment before she met his eyes again and answered him. “I’m not sure if this is a good time for me to start dating anyone. I’m trying to focus on the pregnancy and on a few other things, so I’m going to say not right now, but thank you for asking me. I am pretty flattered.”
He looked away with a half-smile, and then looked back at her before he walked out of the examination room. “If you change your mind, you have my number. That’s a standing offer. I’ll see you next month.”
He closed the door behind him and she dropped her face into her hands and laughed at the irony that her good-looking doctor would ask her out while she was three months pregnant. She chuckled as she picked up her keys and her purse and wondered if she ought to change her mind about it. It might be nice to date a doctor, but it just seemed to strange to do it while she was pregnant with another man’s baby, even if that doctor had helped her to become pregnant with the other man’s baby in the first place.