Paper crinkled under Sondra’s legs. Sitting on an examination table had never been her favorite. She fought a sudden urge to make a run for the door.
She glanced at Nikki, who looked as nervous as she felt. Sondra could only guess at her sister’s agitation. Her hopes for a baby were all wrapped up in someone else’s ability to carry it.
The blood work had come out perfect. Her German measles shot had been updated for a recent overseas trip, and she’d been tested for AIDS at the same time, so she didn’t have to wait for results. The plan was to implant two embryos and hope at least one would take.
There was a monitor set up in the room. Dr. Lloyd carried the thawed embryos in a petri dish. He slid them under a microscope. Sondra held her breath as she watched the moving cells.
She caught the glisten of tears in Nikki’s eyes. “Brad wanted to see them, but I thought you’d like the privacy. He’s watched our other children just like this.”
“Tell him I appreciate him thinking of me. I had no idea I’d feel this way, but they are real and living and…”
“I know. There are no words.” Nikki took a deep breath. “Not many people get to see their own children at this stage. What a miracle.”
After they watched the moving cells, the implantation took far less time than Sondra had anticipated. She looked at the doctor as he was pulling off his gloves. “Is that it?”
He nodded and smiled.
“What now?” Sondra asked.
“We wait.” He answered.
“And?”
“If the pregnancy takes, you should know it in a couple of weeks.”
“That long?”
“It’s not worth checking before then. Unless you start to cramp or have problems, we don’t do an ultrasound. You should show signs within two weeks if the embryos implant properly.”
As they left the office, Sondra turned to Nikki. “How did you stand going through this? I think the next two weeks are going to be the longest of my life. What if they don’t take?”
Tears sparkled in Nikki’s eyes. “Shhh. It does no good to stress about it. It’s going to be hard on all of us. Brad and I are praying. I know you are. I know Mom is—although Mom’s reaction wasn’t as supportive as I thought it would be.”
“You told Mom?” Sondra was horrified. “What did she say?”
“I didn’t tell her that you were the surrogate. I figured you’d want to be the one to tell her that. She’s freaked out because the babies won’t be born in the covenant. I told her we’d get sealed to them as soon as we can. Utah law isn’t really clear on surrogate mothers and embryos, but we might have to wait six months like we would if we were adopting normally. Of course, with you being an attorney, you should know all that.”
“The problem with this area is there is a lot of gray and the laws are in flux right now. I think the current legislation is addressing the issue, so I won’t have any clear answers until I see what laws are passed.” Sondra said.
Nikki nodded. “It’s the gray that’s stressing out Mom. She always hoped all of her grandbabies would be born in the covenant. You served a mission, so she never worried about you. I dated a couple of non-members before Brad and I got together. She’s thinking she had a premonition that my children wouldn’t be born in the covenant. Trying to shake Mom of her convictions isn’t easy.”
“I know what you mean. Let’s go celebrate. I feel like lunch somewhere. Do you have a preference?”
After lunch, Sondra replaced the rings she’d removed while she was with Nikki. She returned to the office and tried not to think about the babies. Whether or not they lived, at the moment she was carrying twins. She had a hard time concentrating on her work. Twins. How was she going to function as an attorney when she was as big as a house and full of babies?
* * *
Long strawberry blond ringlets fell from a sparkly clip. Sondra adjusted long earrings. The sparkles matched her flashing rings. Most of the employees at the firm had noticed or been informed of her marital status. They were probably all as anxious as Cari was to see who she had chosen.
Sondra glanced at her watch. This would be their first official date as husband and wife. And she was already pregnant. As the physician had promised, she didn’t feel any different. This was Friday. The implantation was Tuesday. The butterflies in her stomach weren’t caused by the babies.
She quickly ran a roller over her black velvet gown. Dewk had left his hair on her dress. He was in his heated doghouse in the backyard for the duration of the party.
Rhinestone-accented sandals peeked out from under her long dress. The dress was elegant in its simplicity, and it was one she’d probably never be able to wear again. She’d heard too many horror stories about body changes during pregnancy. She looked at her nonexistent tummy and felt a momentary twinge of regret.
Helping her sister. Gaining a niece or a nephew or both. Those were the things that mattered. Being able to wear a dress that hugged her thin body didn’t, but she’d enjoy it this one last time. And stretch marks? Her husband would never get to see her without them. There were layers of sacrifices she hadn’t even considered.
A careful knocking at the door interrupted her thoughts. She inhaled deeply, stilling the butterflies.
She opened the door. Shut her eyes. Opened them. The vision was still there. Zack looked better every time she saw him. He was wearing dark blue pants and a tweed jacket. Blue threads ran throughout the pattern, matching the color of his pants. The same blue in his tie pulled everything together. The silk almost shimmered in the light. To her relief, his black eye was barely visible.
“Earth to space.” He snapped his fingers under her nose. “Are you there?”
At her quick nod, he laughed and then startled her with an appreciative whistle. “Wow. Mrs. Carlson, you are absolutely stunning.”
She dropped her eyes and curtseyed. “Thank you, kind sir.” Then she met his eyes, wrinkled her nose, and laughed. “Ready?”
“To beard the lion?”
“Something like that.”
Zack helped Sondra with her coat and they walked out to his Humvee, a large forest green vehicle that looked like it was ready to drive up the side of a mountain.
“Nice, but it’s not really family-friendly, is it?” Sondra asked.
He stepped back and looked it over. “I don’t think I have to worry about that any time soon, do you?”
Of course he didn’t. Those words had popped out. On their own. With no help. Remembering his earlier behavior during their trip, she threw up her hands and quoted, “I was just making conversation. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Touché.” He opened the passenger door and helped her climb in. He observed, “I can see I’ll need to get a stepstool before I take you anywhere.”
“Are we going to make a habit of this?”
“You never know.”
Sondra sat quietly, trying to figure out what he meant by his comments. He was sending so many mixed signals, she had no idea where he was going.
For this evening, at least, they would pretend that their relationship was not just going somewhere but staying solidly where it was supposed to be. Given the fact that the reason for their wedding was already in her belly, she needed to play this game convincingly.
Mr. Wellingford and his steady wife, both white with age and well rounded with years of good food, were acting as greeters at the door. Mr. Wellingford was usually the center of attention, but Sondra was suspicious he was standing at the door to get a first glimpse of her mysterious husband. Necks all around the room craned at Mr. Wellingford’s booming voice. “So nice to finally meet the husband. Did you say he was taking on your name?”
Oh. If the floor would only open. Like right now. Sondra snuck a glance at Zack, who seemed startled by the announcement. She steered him and the Wellingfords away from the door, where the guests were beginning to back up. As she walked, she assured Mr. Wellingford, “Actually, I don’t remember us discussing anything like that, but I was planning on being Mrs. Carlson everywhere but at work.”
“And why would you keep your name there?”
“I thought it would be challenging to change the name on all my business cards, letterheads, and all the courts where I work. It is so much easier to leave my name the way it is.”
“All the paperwork isn’t that big of a deal. Doesn’t it all end up in the trash anyway? I think you can go ahead and make the change.” Mr. Wellingford’s booming voice didn’t need a microphone.
Sondra stilled a frustrated sigh. “I’m sure I could. I just want to keep my business and personal life separate.”
His double chin waggled when he nodded. “I can see the wisdom in that.” To her relief, Zack arrived with hot chocolate, steam rising from the cups. Keeping Mr. Wellingord’s mouth busy was a good move. She politely excused herself and moved toward the other side of the room where the head of the firm was mixing with guests.
Cari met Sondra and Zack in the middle of the room. “Hi, I’m Cari. I’m Sondra’s—”
“Right hand man.” Sondra interrupted. “She keeps my life running smoothly. I rely on her for everything.”
Zack shook her hand politely, and Cari looked like she was sizing him up. Her face spelled approval. “Take good care of Sondra.” She glanced at her. “Not that she can’t take care of herself.”
He chuckled. “No worries.”
Sondra slid a hand under his arm. “He served in Afghanistan. He’s very qualified.” She smiled up at him and then led him to meet Mr. Andrews.
They spent the next couple of hours shuffling through Sondra’s clients and the firm’s employees. As they settled at a table to enjoy some snacks, Sondra scooted her chair close to Zack’s. She leaned against him and promptly fell asleep, her mouth open. Zack was talking to Jake Andrews regarding software ownership law when he was interrupted by a distinctly unusual sound.
Cari, who had chosen to sit next to her boss, sat and stared for a moment. “I didn’t know Sondra snored. Does it bother you?”
Zack looked momentarily stunned. Recovering quickly, he ad-libbed. “No. It doesn’t bother me. I love everything about her.” He shifted himself and shook her gently. “Sondra, I think it’s time to go home.”
She started awake and stared around the room, trying to focus on her surroundings. “How long have I been out?”
“Just long enough to let us know you snore.” Cari laughed.
“I didn’t know I did. Why didn’t you tell me?” Sondra looked up at Zack.
“It’s just one of your quirks I love. What’s to tell?”
“Perfect answer.” Sondra whispered. This time, it was her who led the mouth exploration—in front of the whole room. When she pulled back, Zack looked like a caught deer.
“Let’s go,” Sondra stood and pulled at his elbow.
He quickly located her coat, helped her with it and headed out to his Hummer. He boosted her into the truck. When he climbed in behind the wheel, she said, “I don’t know what happened. All of a sudden, I was out.”
She was relieved he didn’t remind her about her tactical technique for distraction. The kiss had left her wobbly.
“You’ve been under a lot of stress lately.” He said.
“It’s not that. I’ve been under stress for a long time. There isn’t anything about my job that doesn’t spell stress.”
Zack stared at her a moment, the keys still in the ignition, the engine off. “Have you done anything about Nikki’s request?”
“Why do you ask?” Her brows furrowed in confusion.
“Jade is always tired the minute she gets pregnant. Like the next day.”
“Really?” Sondra had never heard of anything like that.
Zack nodded. “She’s always complaining about it.”
“Well, the embryos were implanted on Tuesday.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Zack’s voice deepened with pain.
“I didn’t know you wanted to be a part of the process.”
Zack’s hurt look stunned Sondra. She didn’t think he cared. Babies that weren’t even his? Why should he?
Zack took her left hand and touched her rings. “As long as you’re wearing these, I want to be a part of any process you’re going through. Please don’t shut me out. I want to be here for you.” He let go of her hand and gently touched her flat stomach. “And for…him? Her?”