Karen gasps, and I feel the room spinning around me. Isabel’s hand is still in mine, anchoring me to normality as I whisper, “What did you say?”
She smiles through her tears. “I’ll be your surrogate. Ever since I offered to research the subject for you, I can’t stop thinking about it. I’ve done some digging and these days it’s easy to arrange. We can have a contract drawn up and keep everything legal and above board and I’ll just be an incubator. I donate my eggs and Harry’s sperm fertilises them. But it will be your baby, Tina, yours and Harry’s. Surely that’s better than using a total stranger or adoption.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing and prepare to grab the lifeline like a mountaineer about to fall on the rocks below. Karen interrupts and says in a hard voice, “Stop and think about this properly, both of you.”
Isabel shrugs. “Well, I already have. It’s the best thing all round. Tina will make a fantastic mum. Hell, she already is one and Harry’s a good father. It’s unlikely I’m about to have my own children anytime soon, so I want to do something nice for two amazing people.”
“Nice!”
Karen jumps up and says angrily. “I can’t believe you’re even putting this out there. This isn’t like offering to help someone babysit or clean their home. It’s a bit more than ‘nice,' it’s life changing and I’m not sure you’ve thought this through properly.”
As I note the heat in her voice, I rise to Isabel’s defence. “Stop it, Karen. Don’t be so mean to Isabel. I actually think this is the most amazing offer I’ve ever had. She is so generous and kind and I don’t deserve it.”
Isabel says softly, “You deserve this more than anyone I’ve ever met. Please say you’ll think about it because I’ve thought of nothing else since the other night.”
“The other night?”
We look at Karen who is staring at us both with an expression of pure disbelief. I almost want to giggle at the fact she looks so disapproving and squeeze Isabel’s hand, saying lightly, “Yes, the other night Isabel and I had a bit too much to drink after the gym. I kind of unburdened myself to her and well, you know how emotional I get.”
Karen looks at us with a mixture of anger and worry. “Please think this through. Sleep on it and don’t make any rash decisions. This is serious and will affect so many lives. Don’t enter into anything on a whim.”
The door slams and we look up as Harry and Tom enter the room. Harry beams, “Have you had fun, girls?”
There’s an awkward silence and Karen says in a hard voice, “You could call it that.”
Tom looks at her in surprise as she jumps up. “I think we should go. Tom could you call Jack, it’s getting late and we should leave Tina and Harry to get some sleep?”
Turning to me, she says urgently. “Think about what I said. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
Isabel has grown quiet and I feel a little bad. It’s obvious that Karen’s angry with her and I don’t know why. I mean, this is such an amazing offer and if anything, she should be thanking Isabel. However, Karen doesn’t like her, it’s obvious to me and I wonder if it’s because of Tom. I didn’t miss the way that Isabel’s eyes went straight to him as they walked through the door. She devoured him with her eyes and I wonder if Karen noticed.
Tom only had eyes for his wife though which is unusual in itself. A few months ago, Tom would have ignored Karen in a room full of strangers. Now she is his first thought, and it gives me hope for Harry and I.
I know Harry used to look at me like that once and I’m pretty sure, with Isabel’s help, he will again because I already know my answer. I will jump at the chance for this baby and I just need to convince Harry to stand with me every step of the way because this is suddenly the most important thing in my life and Isabel is the one who can make it happen. If Karen doesn’t like it, she will have to deal with it because my mind’s made up already. I will take her offer with both hands and nothing will get in my way.
* * *
As soon as Karen and Tom leave, Harry looks at me sharply. “Is everything ok?”
Isabel looks a little uncomfortable and I nod, patting the seat beside me. “More than ok, darling. I think you should sit down and listen to what Isabel has suggested.”
He looks a little confused and Isabel smiles at me reassuringly. “I meant what I said, Tina. Tell Harry and see what he thinks.”
He says firmly, “Will somebody please tell me what’s going on because it’s obvious something is.”
Taking a deep breath, I say happily, “Isabel has made us the most fantastic offer, darling. She knows we are having difficulties having another child and has been researching ways we can.”
He looks at her in disbelief. “What ways?”
She smiles softly. “This may seem a little strange, Harry but I have offered to be a surrogate for your new baby.”
He shakes his head. “What are you talking about?”
Smiling at Isabel, I take his hand and say with excitement, “Isabel has offered to have a baby for us. Isn’t that amazing?”
“What?”
Harry’s voice is loud and laced with shock and disbelief. I feel a little bad about hitting him with this so forcefully but I need to start this process before Isabel has second thoughts. I know it’s selfish but my need is overwhelming my conscience at the moment.
Isabel looks a little uncomfortable. “Maybe I should go and leave you both to discuss this in private. It’s a lot to think about. Can I use your phone to call a cab, I appear to be out of charge on mine?”
Harry appears to be in shock and I feel bad and turn to him and smile. “Listen, honey. I know this is a shock. Maybe you should drop Isabel home and she can fill you in on the way. Obviously, we won’t go ahead if you’re against it but please hear her out at least.”
Isabel looks worried. “It’s ok, I can get a cab. I’m sure Harry needs to get his breath back after we knocked it out of him.”
He shakes his head slowly and as if on autopilot says, “No, Tina’s right, I’ll drop you home. I haven’t had a drink tonight, so you’ll be perfectly safe.”
Then he says in a firmer voice. “Listen, whatever you’ve been discussing, you need to stop and think. I’m not sure how these things work but I’m guessing things aren’t as straight forward as you believe.”
He turns to me and says firmly. “I’m meaning you the most in this, babe. I know you’ll do anything for a baby but I’m not sure this is the best option. Don’t go running away with this idea now that it’s planted in your mind. This is serious and I’m not going to let you drag us into something that will destroy us.”
Feeling a little angry, I stare at him with a hard look. “I hear you but you need to think about this with a clear head. Talk it through with Isabel and think about it carefully. All I ask is that you do think about it and not just reject it out of hand. This could be an amazing future for us, honey if you just look at it objectively.”
Shaking his head, Harry jumps up and says curtly, “Are you ready?”
As Isabel makes to follow him, I pull her back and hug her tightly, whispering, “Thank you.”
Just for a moment, she hugs me back, and it feels so good knowing she’s with me on this. I can’t explain it but I know this is going to happen. I know that Isabel was sent to us for this reason and despite the circumstances that brought her here, this was the reason they did.
As she pulls away, she looks at me with determination and whispers, “Everything will be ok, I promise you that.”
As I watch her follow Harry, something tells me it will be. Don’t ask me how I know, maybe it’s a sixth sense but tonight my path in life shifted and suddenly, the future looks a lot brighter.