Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
I felt my body deflate. “I’m so sorry, guys. I had no idea.”
Evelyn reached for Denny’s hand. “We were given some options. One was adoption…and another was a surrogate.”
“A surrogate?” I asked.
Evelyn nodded. “Yes. It would be Denny’s sperm and my egg, but we would have another woman carry the child for us.”
My eyes went wide. “Wow, that’s crazy. Have you found someone willing to do this for you?” I couldn’t help but think whoever it was, they were sacrificing a lot to do this for Evelyn and Denny.
I didn’t have to wonder who it was for long.
“We did.” Denny glanced at Brystol. She was still staring at her plate of food, and I was pretty sure she hadn’t taken a single bite. “We asked Brystol. She told us in August that she’s on board.”
Turning my body fully toward her, I slowly shook my head. “Brystol?”
She looked up, and our eyes met. I wasn’t sure if Evelyn and Denny saw the fear in her eyes, but I sure as hell did.
Forcing a smile, she spoke. “I took the time to think about it, spoke to my family and some close friends, and decided I wanted to do this for Denny and Evelyn.”
A part of me winced inside at her mention of “close friends.” I knew I wasn’t one of them, but I sure as hell wanted to be.
I wanted a lot more than friendship.
I shook my head again. I wasn’t sure what to say. One part of me thought it was amazing she’d do something like this for our best friends…but the other part thought it was a mistake.
I wasn’t about to say anything in front of Evelyn and Denny. I wasn’t even sure why I thought it was a mistake.
“Wow, that wasn’t what I was expecting to hear tonight…but congratulations to you both. When will this happen?”
Evelyn and Denny both smiled. Evelyn said, “Well, after Brystol said yes, she had to go through a medical and psychological screening, and then she went through a mock cycle that followed what would happen with the embryo transfer.”
Confused, I asked, “A mock cycle?”
Brystol explained, “The mock cycle is to evaluate my uterine lining with the medications they’ll be giving, to prepare the uterus for implantation of the embryo.”
“Wow. I’m not sure what to say.”
“I started the medication in August and have been taking it for almost a month now,” Brystol added. “They’ll take one or two of the embryos and place them inside of me.”
I forced myself to smile. “And when does that happen?” I asked.
Brystol looked at Evelyn and Denny, and whispered, “Monday.”
“If it works, the embryo will begin to implant in two to three days after the transfer. They’ll do a blood test ten to fourteen days later, which will let us know if Brystol is pregnant,” Evelyn said, wiping a tear from her eye.
Brystol reached for Evelyn’s hand. “It will work, Eve.”
She nodded. “I know. I know.”
Denny looked at me. “We wanted you to know, Gavin, because, like Brystol, you’ll play a major role in our child’s life. We would love for you and Brystol to be the baby’s godparents.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I couldn’t find the words to speak.
“It would be an honor to be the baby’s godparents, wouldn’t it, Gavin?” Brystol prodded.
Nodding, I focused on Evelyn and Denny. “Yes, of course. An honor.”
I slowly turned my head and glanced at Brystol. She was staring at me…and I would have given everything I owned to know what she was thinking in that moment.
Brystol
I watched Gavin carefully as Evelyn and Denny spoke.
“We would love for you and Brystol to be the baby’s godparents.”
Gavin opened his mouth then shut it. I could see tears forming in his eyes. My heart squeezed. “It would be an honor to be the baby’s godparents, wouldn’t it, Gavin?”
He nodded, staring at Evelyn, then Denny. “Yes, of course. An honor.”
Gavin turned his attention to me, and I swore he could see into my soul and tell how freaked out I was. Okay, maybe freaked out wasn’t the right word. Nervous. I was nervous as hell.
Evelyn suddenly looked uncomfortable as she glanced between me and Gavin. “I know the two of you aren’t exactly best friends, but Denny and I were hoping throughout this process you could try and get along. I don’t want Brystol stressed while she’s pregnant.”
I laughed lightly. “Trust me, Eve, nothing Gavin says bothers me.” I could see Gavin glaring at me from the corner of my eye.
“Don’t worry, Evelyn. Everything will be fine,” he promised.
We ate in silence for a few minutes, before Gavin asked, “What happens if the embryo doesn’t implant?”
Evelyn sighed. “We try again.”
“I imagine it isn’t cheap to do this procedure,” he said, glancing at me.
“I’m not paying for it,” I said, unsure why I felt the need to clarify.