CHAPTER 1

Stepping from the master bath, towel tucked tightly under a protruding waistline, Asa Steele walked up behind his wife of 14 years, put his hands around her narrow waist, and placed a kiss on the back of her shoulder. “Happy birthday, Savannah,” he whispered close to her ear. His height stood only about an inch, maybe two, above her own 5’5” frame, so it was easy for him to snuggle her neck from behind. Cautiously, he glanced at her reflection in the mirror and braced himself for her response.

Adjusting the belt of the designer dress her husband shifted out of place with his embrace, Savannah Steele stepped away from him and sat on the bed. “I’m not seeing what’s so happy about it, Asa.” She reached down and slipped into a one inch, slingback leather pump.

Sighing, Asa removed the towel from his waist and finished drying himself off from his shower. “Thirty-five, my love,” he said. “It’s a blessing.”

“Well, I guess I see it a little differently,” Savannah retorted, putting on her second shoe. “A blessing would be thirty-five with two children down the hall getting ready for school right now,” she said. Standing, she moved to her jewelry bureau and opened the massive doors to reveal a well-lit, vast selection of jewels displayed on either side of bureau shelves; her sweetheart mirror was centered and mounted on the back. She considered what would best complement the day’s outfit: the emerald set or simple diamond studs with a tennis bracelet.

Asa, tossing his towel onto the bed, ran his hand across his receding hairline and stepped into his dressing closet. “Savannah, it will happen.”

Savannah barely heard his last statement. But it didn’t matter, it was most likely nothing more than what he says the morning of every birthday since they’d wed. Yet, still, the years ticked by with no child; all the while waiting, hoping, praying that each coming year would be the one where she and Asa would celebrate with a child of their own. But after 14 years of the same request, it was getting harder and harder to pray.

Three years ago, on her thirty-second birthday, she thought she’d hit rock bottom. Statistics showed the early thirties were the official start of conception decline, only to continue on a steady decrease with each passing year. Surely, as if she were part of the study, her thirty-third and thirty-fourth birthdays proved the theory correct. Every egg lost during a monthly menstrual cycle felt like a defeating blow to her success as a woman.

Eyes starting to sting a bit, Savannah noticed that at the angle she was standing, their wedding portrait, which hung above the master bed, was casting a reflection in the bureau’s mirror. The twenty-one year old version of herself, standing next to a thirty-one year old Asa, seemed to mock her today. To Savannah, it looked as if the young girl was laughing at the thirty-five year old who had just lived fourteen years in wasted hope and expectation. Savannah chided the younger version of herself, instead of standing there grinning, you silly girl, you should have prepared me for years of frustration and disillusionment.

Blinking quickly, she looked away from the mirror and placed diamond studs into both ears. “What, Asa? What do you want me to say that hasn’t already been said?” she said on a sad sigh. “Oh, I’ve got it,” with a snap of her fingers and mock excitement, “How about this little nugget of truth...at age thirty-five, the fertility decline actually speeds up,” Savannah turned toward Asa’s closet. “That’s new, honey,” she said, waiting for his response.

Asa could hear the scorn in her voice and knew better than to feed it with a comment of his own. Instead, he walked out of his closet dressed in slacks, black socks, and a white undershirt straining his girth, and simply embraced his wife. Feeling the sting of tears again, Savannah submitted to the embrace. Tucking her chin into her husband’s shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his neck and swallowed. “I shouldn’t have had the party this year,” she said quietly.

“You have one every year, honey,” Asa said, rubbing her back. “Our friends, my partners and employees, your sisters, they all look forward to it.” Trying to lighten her mood he added her favorite description of her birthday bash, “It’s the social event of the season, right?” He said, lowering his hands to give her hips a playful squeeze.

Smiling slightly, Savannah slapped at Asa’s shoulders and stepped out of his embrace, “Stop Asa,” she said, skirting around him, “or you’ll wrinkle my dress.”

Asa turned and watched his wife’s slim legs as she headed toward the door of their master suite. Just before she reached it, there was a knock and she glanced back at her husband.

Tearing his eyes from Savannah’s legs, “It’s just Manny. I asked him to come up.”

“I need him downstairs,” Savannah headed for the door again. “He and I have to go over the final plans for the party,” she said, reaching for the door handle and pulling it open.

“Good morning, Ms. Savannah. This exceptionally lovely day still cannot compare to how extraordinarily lovely you look within it.” Manny Reed was Asa’s personal valet and their Chief Steward (Asa hated when anyone described him as a butler). “A very happy birthday, to you, Mi’Lady,” Manny added with a smart snap of his heels and an exaggerated bow at the waist.

Looking at his bowed head, Savannah was unable to contain a smile. This kind and gentle sixty-year old man was really a quiet force with which to be reckoned. He was strong, handsome, and one of the wisest people she’d ever met. “Thank you Immanuel. I was actually hoping to catch you downstairs after breakfast,” Savannah said, one hand resting on a hip, the other on the door knob. “I need to go over the final details for the party.”

Standing straight, Manny took the hand resting on her hip, placed a kiss atop, and with a smart bow of just his head, “I am your humble servant, ma’am,” Manny said, eyes closed, the picture of pomp and circumstance. Savannah rolled her eyes and smirked, but had to admit she felt a little better. Manny raised his head, but still retained Savannah’s hand, “Please allow me the opportunity to finish dressing your husband, a task I have assumed since his youth and sadly,” glancing around Savannah to Asa standing in stocking feet with an undershirt hanging over unzipped slacks, “a task with which, regretfully, I appear to have failed miserably,” Manny said, placing another kiss on Savannah’s hand.

“Alright, alright.” Asa said from inside the room as he headed back into his dressing closet. “Ha-Ha, very funny. It’s her birthday, she’s lovely, and you’re her servant. Now get in here,” Asa said good naturedly.

Finally chuckling, Savannah pulled her hand from Manny’s. “Do what you can, Immanuel,” she said, “I’ll be in the dining room.”

With a snap of his heels, Manny inclined his head, stepped to the side at Savannah’s departure, and headed into the bedroom suite to assist Asa.

Walking into the room and closing the door behind him, “How is she this morning?” Manny asked Asa with a serious expression.

“Same as every morning on her birthday,” Asa said from the closet, choosing a light blue dress shirt hanging from the top rack of his shelf.

Noting the color shirt Asa chose, Manny entered the closet and walked toward the section of ties and picked a pattern that would match.

“The party should help,” Manny said, handing over the tie and walking out of the closet to place a call on his blackberry. “Beth,” Manny said to one of the house maids, “Mr. Steele is still in his dressing room; delay your cleaning for another 15 minutes, please.” After nodding into the phone, Manny clicked off and reattached the phone to his belt.

Stepping out of the dressing closet in shoes, with shirt tucked, tying his tie, “I’m not so sure,” Asa said to Manny’s comment about the party. “I got new stats this year.”

“Oh? What?” Manny asked, straightening to his full, slim build and height of six feet, two inches. Dressed impeccably in his usual dark pants, white dress shirt and trademark vest and tie, Manny was genuinely curious. He folded his hands in front of pressed dress slacks and waited patiently as Asa tied his tie.

“Something about the fertility decline speeding up at thirty-five,” Asa said, walking to his dressing table to choose a watch to match his belt and shoes.

On a deep, understanding sigh, “Sorry, Ace.” Manny said, moving toward Asa’s dressing closet.

Shrugging, Asa put on his watch but then snapped his fingers, turning toward the closet just as Manny emerged with the suit jacket he’d just remembered he needed.

“Thanks.” Asa stepped into the suit jacket Manny held open for him. “It’s God’s will,” Asa said, pulling his shirt cuffs down from his sleeves, “you and I both know it won’t be rushed.”

“That’s right, Asa,” Manny said, stepping back to check Asa’s appearance. He looked Asa in the eye with a hand on his shoulder. “It’s always God’s will and you have to remember that and not give up on the plan He has for you and Savannah.”

Sighing, “I know.” Asa said quietly, looking up into Manny’s knowing eyes.

Manny’s father was the long trusted valet to Asa’s father. The Steele and Reed alliance ran deep with a rich history rooted in trust and mutual respect. At fifteen, Manny was a very good student and, at six feet in his sophomore year, began to perform very well on the basketball team. With the affections of his teachers and coach, coupled with the attentions a fifteen year old boy had started to receive from seventeen year old senior girls, his father could see Manny needed something that would ground him.

So, with Asa’s parent’s permission, Manny was tasked with a part-time job to look after newborn, Asa. Caring for someone other than himself was a foreign trait to most teenagers, so, under supervision, Manny was charged with changing diapers, cleaning vomit, sterilizing toys, and bottle feeding. Ironically, not only did these humbling chores settle a rambunctious and arrogant teen, but it also formed the bond between the next generation of Steele and Reed men. Manny knew Asa better than anyone, even Savannah.

Needing to change the subject, Asa cleared his throat and adjusted his tie at the collar. “Did Robert grab my satchel from my office? I don’t have time for breakfast this morning.”

“OK,” Asa said, pausing to think about Robert. The young man, 18 now, had been a member of Asa’s household since his birth. But, when the boy was ten, his father ran off and left him and his mother, Asa’s now, head chef. At the time, she asked if he would step in and give Robert structure and a manly influence, so ever since, Asa personally invested in Robert by giving him increased responsibilities: running his personal errands, washing his car, becoming the house pool boy, and now Asa’s private driver. He turned into a fine young man and after winning one of the twenty full academic scholarships Asa’s company offered annually to underprivileged high-school boys, he was well on his way to making something of himself. Last month, he surprised Asa when he announced he would be starting school in the fall by declaring Asa’s field of study—engineering.

“I’m proud of Robert too, but you know God’s will, and quite frankly, His promise was for you and Savannah to have your own child. You told me yourself the morning of your

wedding, remember?” Chuckling, Manny folded his arms across his chest. “I remember it vividly because I believe,” Manny said with a pointed finger and sly eyes, “I was dressing you that day, too.” Asa rolled his eyes, shook his head, and took one last look at himself in the full length mirror.

“’I had a dream last night, Manny,’” Manny recounted. ‘God showed me an image of Savannah and me playing in the snow with our son. The mountains and hills stretched out in front of us for miles. Savannah was laughing and looking at our boy, but I looked up toward the bright sky and I could hear God tell me it was ours, all of it. Everything I could see and couldn’t see was ours and it was only the beginning; the start of a huge family.’” Manny concluded. Then, in all seriousness he asked Asa, “Have you given up on that?” Manny asked with sincerity.

Asa took a moment before he answered. “No,” he said, still looking at himself in the mirror. Then with a deep breath, “No, I haven’t given up. I know what I heard God say.”

Manny nodded his head in agreement and support. “You’ll have an heir, Ace. Just have faith in God and His timing.” Manny walked over to the door, opened it, and held it for Asa.

Taking another deep breath, Asa turned from the mirror and slapped Manny on the shoulder as he moved through the door. “You’re right and you’d better hustle and meet with Savannah. Not a good idea to keep her waiting, today of all days,” Asa called over his shoulder to Manny as they headed in opposite directions of the hallway; Asa down the back stairwell to meet Robert and Manny toward the main stairwell to meet with Savannah.

“You, too,” Asa called out in response as he rounded the corner and headed down the back stairs.

“THREE DAYS, IMMANUEL,” Savannah said taking a sip of her coffee. She was sitting in the family dining room and, seated in the head chair of an eight chair table setting, she looked up when she heard Manny enter from the hall. “It’s already Wednesday and Saturday is approaching quickly. We only have three days left to prepare for...”

“The social event of the season?” Manny said, completing her sentence, having a seat, and pulling out his electronic organizer.

Glancing up over the rim of her coffee cup, Savannah gave him a raised eyebrow. “I want it perfect, Immanuel,” she said, taking another sip of her coffee. Not really focusing on anything, she glanced idly at her breakfast plate pushed to the side. “This year, it has to be perfect,” Savannah barely whispered behind her cup.

“It will be, ma’am,” Manny said, remembering her state of mind. Then, checking the items on his list, “I need only to confirm the arrival of the caterers and ensure he’s hired additional staff to supplement our own.”

“I called about that yesterday. It’s complete and to your specifications.”

“That will be at 90% complete tomorrow, ma’am.” At Savannah’s worried expression, he went into more detail. “I stopped by yesterday and to my trained eye, it appeared to be, and was then confirmed, at 80% complete. They are rolling the fondant this morning and will spend the bulk of today and tomorrow dedicated to your floral design specs. Because of the multiple tiers, color scheme, and design elements, they’ve assigned their master cake decorator. He has a crew of two and will add the finishing touches here, before the big reveal.”

Checking his tablet, “except for the seating chart, which is pending your approval, those were the only few remaining details that were still open; all else is going according to schedule.”

“Alright.” Setting her cup down, sighing and standing, Savannah dabbed the corners of her mouth with her cloth napkin. “I’ll be in my office finishing up the seating chart before I leave for work.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Manny said, also standing. “I’ll get it to print as soon as you’ve finished.”

At Savannah’s departure, Hailey walked into the dining room from the kitchen. A beautiful young woman with dark mocha skin, Hailey stood 5’5” tall. Her hair, jet black locks that flowed down her back on her days off, was neatly tied into a bun at the back of her neck.

“You should have cleared Ms. Savannah’s breakfast dishes when you brought out her coffee, Hailey.”

Glancing over at him, “I brought out the coffee cart, but I forgot and then when I was going to come back, I heard you two talking and I didn’t want to interrupt,” she said, picking up Savannah’s breakfast dishes and placing them on a tray she’d brought in with her.

At Manny’s skeptical expression, “I was.” Hailey insisted. Then, glancing in the direction Savannah had just walked, Hailey lowered her voice, “Plus, Beth told me how she gets on the mornings of her birthday, so I thought I should just stay in the kitchen.”

“What you should have done, my dear,” Manny said, pushing the coffee and pastry cart into the kitchen, “was the job that I hired you for. It’s been six months and you know the routine by now. It doesn’t matter the day or the disposition,” he added.

Walking around Manny and taking the tray of dirty breakfast dishes to the dishwasher, Hailey glanced in the direction of Ms. Kyle, head chef, as she stood at the sink cleaning chicken pieces, “OK,” Hailey said. Hoping Ms. Kyle wouldn’t start a tag team with Manny over her failures like they usually do, she started rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. “She scares me.”

“Who? Mrs. Steele?” Ms. Kyle asked. She was a strong, capable forty-something (don’t ever ask her age), who had been employed by Savannah’s family since she graduated from cooking school. Savannah hired her from her mother’s house hold when she married Asa.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Ms. Kyle said, continuing to scrub her chicken. “You just have to know how to read her, when to stay out of her way, and to always give her what she wants.”

“I tried to stay out of her way this morning,” she said with a quick glance at Manny, but his raised eyebrow shut down any further attempt at back-talk. Instead, she asked Ms. Kyle, “How am I supposed to know how to read her?”

Ms. Kyle looked over her shoulder at Manny with a frown. Manny just grinned at her from across the room and poured himself a cup of coffee from the tray. He crossed his legs, cleared his throat to get Hailey’s attention, and nodded at the serving cart for her to retrieve and clear.

Ms. Kyle returned to her chicken, “It will take a lot longer than six months to be able to really read the lady; you just need to stay out of her way,” Ms. Kyle said to Hailey.

“I do stay out of her way,” Hailey said, pushing the coffee tray to the dishwasher. She picked up the sterling steel coffee urn and poured the extra coffee down the drain. “She’s barely said one word to me the entire time I’ve been here.” Hailey reached for the china on the tray. “I don’t even know if she knows I work here,” Hailey said. Story of my life, she thought. Another house that ignores me. Why am I not used to it by now?

“I said; she might not speak much because she’s gone most of the day and I asked if you remembered the first time you met her.”

“Yes.” Hailey said remembering. She looked out the kitchen window. “I remember she was walking down the stairs wearing a straight, orange dress that stopped at her ankles. The sleeves came all the way down her arms but they had like...big, soft, lacey bells on the end. She looked like royalty on an autumn day and it made me think about Thanksgiving. It looked really pretty on her because her skin is already the color of honey. She had on gold earrings, a necklace and a wide, gold, laced bracelet that looked like it was wrapped around one of her wrists. Her hair was black then, I think, not dark brown like it is now, and was up in some sort of bun with a comb or pins holding it up. When she stepped off the bottom step and walked over to me, I thought she was a model.” She said, looking over at Ms. Kyle with a smile.

“She told me to stand up straight.” Hailey remembered. The image came to an abrupt

end as if a bucket of cold water just splashed on her face. Hailey went back to her chores and finished rinsing the coffee cups.

Ms. Kyle just shook her head.

“Yes, she said that,” Manny said, rolling his eyes, “and you still slouch, but she also said

Hailey just shrugged her shoulders.

“Then, she touched your hair and said that you kept your locks very soft,” he said.

“I heard her tell you to make sure I kept it pinned up,” Hailey countered.

“Of course you have to keep it pinned up, girl,” Ms. Kyle said, seasoning her chicken. “You’re a 20 year old working woman, not some college girl at the park or going for a

Knowing that innocent comment from Ms. Kyle was only going to further discourage Hailey, Manny quickly interrupted the women. “The point I’m trying to make Hailey, is that there’s nothing to fear from Mrs. Steele. She’s not a bad person. She’s actually very generous and intelligent.”

At Hailey’s confused and incredulous expression, he continued, “What you see is her perfectionist side. That kind straightforwardness can come off,” Manny searched for a word, “abrasive,” he concluded.

“I know that’s right,” Ms. Kyle mumbled, taking the chicken over to the refrigerator to place it inside to marinate.

Manny ignored that comment, “I don’t know Mrs. Steele as well as I know Mr. Steele, but I’ve been with her since she graduated from college and married into this family.”

Manny thought for a moment, “Mrs. Steele has specific expectations for her life, the organizations she leads and is affiliated with, and, of course, her home. She’s a risk taker, almost impulsive, so when she believes in something or thinks she’s right, she steps out boldly because she wants her projects to turn out according to those expectations. Actually, all of that is an advantage when it comes to her community efforts. If not for her abrasiveness,” Manny said with emphasis directed toward Ms. Kyle, still in the refrigerator, who only fired back with a “Ha!” of her own, “how else could she get such incredible results from so many congressmen and officials?” Manny concluded, glancing at his watch. “You just do your job and you’ll be fine,” he said, standing and taking his cup to the sink. “I’ve got to go. I believe I’ve spent enough time in the company of women.”

“What?” Ms. Kyle stood with a hand on her hip. Reaching back into the refrigerator, she stood and threw a grape across the room at Manny. Catching the grape and popping it into his mouth, he laughed and walked away. “Have a good day ladies,” he said on a chuckle, walking through the kitchen door and into the gardens.

THE SEATING CHART SPREADSHEET sat idle, as one of Savannah’s minimized windows on her laptop, while she read through the list of statistics open on her screen: “The rate of Cesarean delivery is higher for women older than 35 and as women age, miscarriages start to rise slowly, but steadily, to a 43-percent probability.” Savannah let out a deep, discouraging breath and kept reading. “The remarkable difference in the ability for a woman to get pregnant in their early 30s, versus their late 30s, marks a startling decline in fertility. As it pertains to childbirth, most studies and medical consultants agree that 35 is a milestone age for women.” See, I told you so, Asa, Savannah thought, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Taking another deep breath, she continued her research.

“In the early 30s, the chance of conception is just slightly lower than in your late 20s, and the risk of a miscarriage or a baby with Down’s Syndrome is just slightly higher,” Just slightly higher? Well that’s something. “However, at 35,” Oh, no, she thought, “The decline in fertility begins to accelerate.” I knew it! Savannah sighed heavily and swallowed as she continued to read. “As the decade progresses, fertility decreases significantly. Fertility experts caution

women in their 30s to not wait too long, especially if they want to have more than one child.” Not wait too long, she repeated, snatching a tissue from the box on top of her desk. As if I’m choosing to wait, she thought, putting both elbows on her desk and squeezing the tissue between the corners of her eyes, trying desperately not to let the floodgates open.

Sitting up, Savannah was about to close the screen and get back to the seating chart when she noticed the blinking advertisement in the corner of the page. Surrogacy? She thought. Clicking on the ad, she started to read, “What is the difference between Gestational Surrogacy and Traditional Surrogacy? Gestational Surrogacy or full surrogacy is created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and allows a woman to carry an infant which was conceived using the egg of the intended mother or egg donor and the sperm from the intended father or sperm donor. That surrogate woman is considered the birth mother because she only gives birth to the resulting child, but is not genetically related since conception was not attained with her egg. I wonder if that’s an option for me? Savannah mused. For the past ten years, they’ve repeatedly diagnosis my consistent infertility and irregular ovulation as Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome, Savannah thought shaking her head, but I bet they don’t really know what’s wrong with me. Sighing deeply, just more proof that I’m coming up short and not as good as...”

Savannah shook herself before she went down that rabbit hole again and kept reading, “Traditional Surrogacy or partial surrogacy, is achieved through natural or artificial insemination.” Of course natural is never going to be an option! Savannah thought with pursed lips and continued reading, “The intended father’s sperm or a sperm donor is used to inseminate the surrogate woman who is considered the biological mother because it is her egg that is used for conception. Both she, and the intended father, would have a genetic relationship to the resulting child.” Ouch, Savannah thought on a deep breath, that’s certainly not ideal, but, she resigned sadly, nibbling on her bottom lip, it could be a lot more reliable than my own inadequate and unreliable eggs, Savannah considered, eyes stinging a bit.

Blinking quickly, she continued, “Both methods are contractual arrangements where a woman of childbearing age agrees to carry a pregnancy full term for another woman or person. Immediately at birth, the intended or contractual mother and father will become the newborn’s parent(s). Surrogacy arrangements are highly encouraged when the prospective parent(s) is medically incapable of or if it poses a significant risk to the intended mother’s health. Compensation, typically monetary, is usually offered, but other arrangements are available depending on the circumstances of each involved individual. The legality and costs...” Hmmm, Savannah trailed off absently as she stopped reading. She swiveled her chair around to look out at the gardens behind her and considered the option.

Interesting, she thought. I wonder how difficult it would be to hire another woman to carry our child? Folding her hands together over her stomach, she crossed her legs in thought, “We might be more successful going the traditional route and trusting the reliability of a different egg. Swallowing, she breathed deeply, wow, that’s a tough meatball to swallow, she thought. But, it would still be Asa’s seed, so, maybe that’s enough. The baby would have Asa’s milk chocolate skin, hopefully a little taller, but, I guess height doesn’t really matter, she shrugged, it didn’t stop Asa from becoming the majority shareholder in one of the largest development companies in the country.

What would my sorority sisters think, though? Savannah thought, not able to keep herself from going down the rabbit hole after all. Not to mention Raquel, Sophia, and Kate. Would this step finally be my admonition that I don’t quite measure up? They all have children already. Would they be happy for me? Savannah wondered what Asa would think. I know he wants a baby just as much as I do. Not just a baby, but an heir. He doesn’t think I know, but I see his expression at dinner parties with his partners when the talk moves toward their sons preparing for college already or the car they bought for their daughters. I want to offer support in those moments, but I can’t get past their wives’ sympathetic smiles as they try to shut up their husbands and change the subject for our benefit. Savannah took a deep breath. All this praying is getting us nowhere and I honestly don’t know what to pray anymore. I’m so tired of repeating the same words month after month, year after year and nothing happens. Maybe Asa didn’t hear what he thought he heard in that dream or maybe we need to take more drastic actions to help make the dream come true, Savannah thought. Resting her head on the back of the chair, she closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. It feels like life is passing me by. I have to do something; we’re running out of time.

Hearing movement behind her, Savannah opened her eyes. She swung her chair back around and saw Hailey backing into the room with a vacuum. Watching the young girl, Savannah looked at her in light of her thoughts. Hmmm...how convenient. I already have young women in my employment. She thought. Small frame, but she looks athletic, strong and very pretty. I’m not even sure where she’s from, though; Immanuel only introduced her to me a few months ago after he’d hired her.

Hailey was plugging the vacuum cleaner into an outlet near the door, when she stood, kicked it on, and turned into the room. It was then that she noticed Savannah sitting at her desk staring at her.

“Oh, ma’am!” Hailey fumbled with the foot position’s on/off button, trying to turn off the vacuum and back out of the room at the same time. “Excuse me, ma’am,” she said, “I was just going to vacuum your area rug.” Hailey pointed to the rug that lay centered in the room over the hardwood flooring. “I didn’t know you were in here.”

“It’s OK, Hailey,” Savannah said. “Actually, don’t leave. Come in for a moment, please.”

“Huh?” Hailey stuttered, “I mean...I-ah, I’m sorry?” Hailey said, looking down at the vacuum, then behind her as if Savannah were talking to someone else.

“It’s alright. Leave the vacuum and have a seat, please.” Savannah said gesturing to one of the soft white, leather bound chairs in front of her desk.

Hailey walked slowly to the chair Savannah had indicated and eased down, but sat rod straight on the edge of the seat. She clasped her fingers tightly in her lap and looked at the top of Savannah’s glass desk, trying very hard to avoid eye contact with the older woman.

“Six months. Yes, I thought that was about right.” Savannah said. “And how old are you?”

“Twenty, ma’am,” Hailey said. Oh, God, please don’t let her fire me for not clearing her breakfast dishes and making all that noise just now in her office. God, I can’t go back home.

“Ah, yes, ma’am,” she said, not used to hearing Manny referred to by his given name. God I hope I didn’t get Manny into any trouble.

“Good.” As Savannah sat and looked at the young woman. She wondered what type of compensation she could offer the girl if she presented the idea of surrogacy to her. “Twenty. So, is this your first job?”

Hailey glanced up. “It’s my, ah, first real job, ma’am. This is the first job that I really, really love.” She added in a small attempt to try to salvage her position in the house.

The silence dragged on, both women lost in their own differing thoughts: Savannah wondering if, and how, she should present such a wild idea of surrogacy to the younger girl; Hailey, wondering how she could keep her job and not end up on the streets again.

“You’ve a beautiful, dark complexion, Hailey. Where are you from?” Savannah asked, curious about the background of the young woman who may carry her child.

“My mother stays at home and my father and brothers work in a garage repairing cars.” Hailey said quietly, breathing in the soft fragrance of lilacs that wafted from somewhere in the room. Maybe it’s her perfume, she thought to herself.

“Well, my dad hopes he and my brothers can buy it...one day,” Hailey said trailing off.

“Well, my family is from Haiti, but I grew up in El Paso.” Hailey immediately got a picture in her head of her father and three older brothers. But out of the corner of her eye, she could see the elaborate furnishings in Mrs. Steele’s office: the beautiful floor to ceiling window that was just behind the massive glass table top desk at which Mrs. Steele was currently grilling her. Hailey sat in one of two solid, and most assuredly heavy, leather wing-back end chairs facing the desk. Then, of course, there was the electric fireplace she knew was several paces directly behind her on the far wall. The contemporary cabriole sofa was just to the right of the entrance door, where she had plugged in the vacuum. Across the room from the sofa was the prettiest glass sitting table, always set in preparation for afternoon tea, just in front of French doors that, of course, opened out to the garden. The image of Hailey’s own family in dirty, greasy coveralls made her slouch just a little more.

“OK. Then how is it you found yourself from El Paso, Texas to here, in Colorado Springs?”

“I, ah, left home after high school.” Hailey could see Savannah was waiting for more details, so she continued. “I packed what I needed from home and left it in my school locker with my bus ticket. The bus station wasn’t that far of a walk, so it wasn’t hard for me to leave right after graduation.”

“Your parents just let you go? Just like that? Right after your graduation ceremony?”

“Well,” Hailey said, quickly thinking she’d said something wrong, “I’d already turned eighteen, so they couldn’t stop me.”

“No, I imagine not, especially if you were of legal age already. But, didn’t you and your parents talk about what you would do after graduation? Work or go to school?”

School, Hailey thought. If only. Hailey sighed and plunged in with the truth, “My dad wanted me to marry his best friend’s son, a boy who was working in the same garage with him and my brothers, ma’am.” Hailey admitted quietly.

At Savannah’s stunned expression and raised eyebrows, Hailey rushed to clarify, “I mean, I love my mom, but it was easy to get married and have a kid. Everyone was doing it. I wanted to go to school.”

“But you couldn’t afford it?” Savannah asked, thinking she might now know how to compensate Hailey.

“I had enough money to get to Durango and I thought I could find some work there.”

“I waited tables for a while,” Hailey said quietly with a shrug. “That was OK.”

“Oh, ah, Manny, I mean, Mr. Immanuel walked into the diner where I worked one day and offered me a job.”

“He did?” Savannah said, wondering what reason Immanuel could have had for being in a diner in Durango. Curious. I’ll have to ask Asa about that, she thought. Well, enough stalling, Savannah, if you are going to do this, get on with it.

“Hailey, thank you for sharing a little of yourself with me. I understand and respect your independence. Not many women leave everything they know for an uncertain future. I think that’s very brave.”

“Ah, thank you, ma’am.” Hailey swallowed trying to prepare herself for the inevitable ‘but’ that would come with her being fired.

“And I certainly respect your decision to have a baby of your own, in your own time; every woman has that choice and must make it wisely, just as you have, but,” Savannah hesitated a moment, wondering if this was the right thing to do, “would you ever consider having a child and giving it away?”

Oh my God. Does she think I was lying and that I ran away from home or something? Or does she think I’m pregnant now?

“I’m not pregnant, ma’am,” Hailey blurted. “I wouldn’t do something like that. I wouldn’t disrespect your home. My family is Christian and...”

“Hailey,” Savannah interrupted with a raised hand, “It’s OK, I was not accusing you of being pregnant. I was only inquiring, rather poorly, I’m afraid, if you would consider having a child for someone else.”

“Oh,” Hailey relaxed slightly, “ah, well, not really ma’am,” Hailey said. “I mean, it never crossed my mind.”

“No, of course it hasn’t,” Savannah said with a smile. “And I’ve fumbled this entire conversation, so of course I’ve thrown you off guard. I apologize. Let me just put it out there,” Savannah said taking a deep breath. “I’d like to present a...” Savannah searched for the right phrase, “a job to you. A brief, additional duty that would alter your immediate future slightly, but in the end, put you and me both on a path toward our truly intended goals. In my profession, I talk to a lot of women, and I can tell that you are one of the fearless ones; how else would you have the courage to take control of your destiny and move your life in the direction you think it should go?” Savannah asked with a small smile. “Where I am in my life right now, Hailey,” Savannah confided softly, “I’m thinking that’s what I need to do, too.”

“Well, let’s start with the compensation, because the additional duty might shock you again,” Savannah said with a chuckle. “What would you say if I were to offer you an opportunity to go to college?

“I, ah,” Hailey blinked, “Yes, ma’am. I’m working on that,” Hailey said confused. “I’m saving my money and I should have enough to start one or two courses soon.”

“Yes, but I could offer you a full scholarship now. You could potentially start your full-time studies in say, a year from now.”

“Good. I’d like for you to consider carrying Mr. Steele’s and my child in exchange for a full scholarship to Colorado State upon the birth of the child or after any recovery time you would need.”

At Hailey’s blinking stare, Savannah, now lost in full, practical, project mode continued, “Of course, Mr. Steele and I would cover all of your medical expenses throughout and post-pregnancy and you would continue to live here, remaining in our employment, just as you are now. After delivery, you may continue your living arrangements as you attend school, but the baby, of course, would move into what I will convert into an upstairs nursery under my care.”

Hailey still could not form a thought, so Savannah added, “I don’t want you to make any decisions now. I could have Mr. Steele’s lawyer draw up the paperwork before the end of the week for your perusal.”

“I know I’ve thrown a lot on you for a Wednesday morning,” Savannah said. “You most certainly do not have to give me an answer right now. I haven’t even discussed it with Mr. Steele yet, so take some time and we’ll revisit this in a few days, OK?”

Hailey stood hesitantly, but before she turned away, Savannah stopped her. “Thank you for listening and considering it, Hailey.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Hailey repeated, a slight smile forming as she turned to unplug the vacuum and walk out of the room.