Unspeakable Proposal (9 page)

“Thank you Madame, but that’s not necessary.”

  “Nonsense I insist.” Hope responded. “We’re fine now. Thank you.”

Hope sighed deeply and returned her focus to Quanique, who suddenly realized
the shit just got real. She had overestimated Hope and she wouldn’t do it again. There was something in Hope’s eyes that convinced her Hope was not to be fucked with.

“Okay where were we… Oh, yes! Quanique, there’s just one problem with your ingenious plan. John’s my husband and John
is in love with me and you, little girl, were nothing more than a warm wet hole for him to stick his hard dick in. Which need I remind you that I orchestrated? So, you know what, Quanique? It’s good to have dreams, In fact everybody should have at least one. Who am I to deter you from yours? Nonetheless, I must warn you you’d have better odds at winning the Powerball Lotto six straight weeks in a row than to take my husband from me. Believe me… Better women than you have tried and failed miserably. And they didn’t even have the opportunity of allowing him to fuck them in their ass, like you did!”

Quanique suddenly became insulted and indignant! “I want more money! I don’t give a damn what you have to say or do to get it, but I want more money!” Quanique demanded.

“You’re not going to get it!” Hope retorted.

“Then I’ll sue your husband for paternity and win!”

“Do that and we will sue you for guardianship and full custody! Then you won’t get a damn dime! I have a team of lawyers on standby to see to that!”

“This is not over Bitch!
You think because you have money you can just buy and sell people like they’re cattle, but you can’t! My son is not for sale!”

“Fine! Then I’ll call my attorney and have him to stop payment on your monthly support. Then I’ll make sure they tie your little paternity suit up in court until your child is ten years old. Wow, that’s a long damn time to be broke. I hope you’ve saved some of that fifty thousand dollars I gave you for sleeping with my husband
, because you’re going to need it.”

“That’s none of your damn business! Don’t worry about me.
If I were you I’d be more concerned about my own financial future.”

“Yeah, well you’re not me! And I think that’s why you despise me so badly.
Because on your best day you could never aspire to be me on my worst day!”

“Again this is not over!” Quanique barked.

“It is for now! And I hope you have cab fare, because there is no way I’m letting your skank ass get back in my car! Smelling like day old wolf pussy!” Hope laughed.

“Fuck you, Hope! How am I supposed to get back to John’s office to get my car?”

“I don’t know. Walk or fly on your broom for all I care. What you do from this point on no longer concerns me!”

“You’re going to pay for this Hope, you evil maniacal, self- centered, manipulating Bitch!” Quanique yelled as she gathered her things and stormed out.

“I already have and trust me it wasn’t worth it!” Hope laughed.

Hope settled the bill and left the staff an insane tip for their discretion.
When she arrived at her vehicle Quanique was there. “What do you want now?” She nonchalantly asked as her driver opened her door and let her in.

Quanique looked like a whipped dog with his tail between his legs. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.
And if it’s all the same to you I want us to start fresh. We made a deal and I want to honor it… That is, if you’ll let me. I guess I was all hormonal. It’s obvious John loves you. You’re right, the baby I’m carrying belongs to you and John. Please accept my apology.”

“Sure. I’m sorry
too… I’m sorry I almost stabbed you with a fork.”

“It’s okay… I deserved it for what I said.”

“Yeah that was pretty brutal… Hell, we both said some things we didn’t mean. Let’s just wipe the slate clean and forget this day ever happened.”

“Great! So, can I get a ride back to my car?” Quanique asked as she tried to get in the car behind Hope.

“No! In fact, hell no!”

“Are you serious?” Quanique asked shocked.

Hope laughed. “No, I’m just playing around. Get in.”

Naturally both of the women realized their conflicts and differences were far from resolved, but for now they needed each other. They agreed to continue with the mission as originally planned.

Surprisingly, from that day on everything went as planned. Quanique took the opportunity to embrace her role as a surrogate mother. She immersed herself into everything about pregnancy and surrogacy. After hours and hours of study and research, she decided to do her master’s thesis on the psychological ramifications of being a surrogate mother. She was finally happy and healthy and excited about her future.

You see, during the course of her research, Quanique discovered exactly how difficult it was for childless couples to find a good, emotionally stable, physically fit and spiritually grounded surrogate to carry their child. She also discovered her deal with Hope was a very lucrative one which would net her well over a quarter of a million dollars once she delivered the baby. Hope had always tried to impress upon her their relationship was strictly a business transaction and now she finally got it. Quanique planned to use her knowledge of surrogacy and her experience as being Hope’s surrogate as the foundation of her new surrogacy business. Yes, Quanique had decided to become a professional surrogate and train and employ other women to do the same.

With the support, financial backing and advice of her new mentor, Hope, Quanique drafted a business plan and incorporated her business as Project Baby Bump. She had already trained and screened five surrogates and had assigned them to five anxious couples.  It was just the beginning. Thanks to Hope’s recommendation to her adoption attorney, Quanique had a lengthy waiting list of rich new clients who desperately wanted children. And just like that, her company was an instant success.

Even with all of her success, Quanique and Hope had some unfinished business to handle. They still had not told John Quanique was carrying his child. No matter how many scenarios they invented to tell him, none of them circumvented the fact Hope manipulated and lied to him. In a way, Quanique felt sorry for Hope. All of her new couples entered into their surrogate arrangement as a couple. Both mom and dad were on board with the surrogacy arrangement from the beginning. Quanique wished she could somehow help Hope, but unfortunately the damage had already been done.

“Hope, I deliver next week. What do you plan on doing about John?” Quanique asked one day over lunch.

“I don’t have a clue. The closer and closer we come to the baby’s arrival, the more frightened I become. Quanique, I don’t know what I will do if that man leaves me.” Hope shook her head in disbelief. “God! Why didn’t I just come clean earlier?"

“Just lie. Don’t disclose the identity of the birth mother.
I’ll deliver, we’ll complete the adoption and he’ll be none the wiser.”

“I can’t do that. John needs to know this is his biological son. I can’t keep that from him.”

Quanique snickered. “You’ve been doing a damn good job of it until now!”

“This is not funny! I’m in trouble
and I don’t know what to do.”

“I wish I could help you, but you know John is not one of my biggest fans.”

Hope laughed. “Yeah! He can’t stand you! He thinks you are a psycho stalker who targeted us for money.”

“Really and what did you have to say about that?” Quanique laughed with her.

“I told him he was probably right!”

“Oh my God! Please tell me you didn’t! Hope, what the hell?”

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stand up for you. Neither of us is supposed to have anything to do with you… Absolutely no contact. I was caught in between a rock and a hard place… So I just kept my mouth shut.”

“So essentially, what you’re telling me, is you threw me under the bus and drove over me to save your own ass?”

“Yeah… I’m sorry but yes I did.”

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you if you tell one lie you have to cover it by telling a hundred more?”

“She might have. I don’t remember. My mom died when I was eight.”

“Hope, I’m sorry… I didn’t know. You never talk about your personal life, so I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. How could you know? You’re right though. I feel sick just thinking about the lies I’ve told to cover up hiring you.”

“Okay, so what’s one more? Just list me as anonymous on the adoption papers.” Quanique insisted.

Hope sighed. “I can’t. My husband is an attorney. He’s going to scrutinize and verify every damn word on those papers. He’s going to dig and probe until he finds out who you are then, there’s going to be hell to pay for both of us!”

“Seems to me like you are in
a lose/ lose situation. No matter what you say, he’s going to figure out you lied to him and set this whole thing up. Here’s a novel idea… Why don’t you try telling the truth for a change?” Quanique laughed.

“Fuck you!” Hope giggled.
“See that’s why I can’t stand your ass. Look at you! You’re due any second now and you look prettier than half the women in here, including me!”

“Wow you called that one right on time. Hope, you’re not going to believe this, but my water just broke.” Quanique said as she felt an uncontrollable scream of water run down her leg and pool around her feet.

“What? Are you serious?” Hope cried out as she saw the puddle of water on the carpet beneath Quanique’s feet. “Oh my God! You’re about to go into labor!”

Suddenly a sharp pain ripped across Quanique’s belly, around her back and shot up her asshole. She yelped with pain, holding her belly. “Check that, I’m in labor! Get me the hell out of here, this shit hurts! And bitch… Stop predicting the future!”

“Oh my God! Oh my God! Let me get Robert!” Hope exclaimed as she fumbled in her purse to find her phone. “Robert get in here! Quanique’s in labor! Help me get her to the car! Hurry!”

“Are you insane?
He can’t leave a half a million dollar car unattended to come in here to get me. Waiter! Waiter, we need help!” Quanique screamed.

“Fuck that car! We have to get you to the hospital now!” Hope snapped.

Within a split second, Robert burst into the door. “Let’s go, Miss Robinson!”

Scooping Quanique up in his arms as if she weighed less than a feather, he carried her out the restaurant and rushed her to the car. Hope grabbed the tablecloth from the table, shoved her Plum American Express Card in the manager’s hand and followed on Robert’s heels, a split second behind them.  

“I don’t know what you’re going to tell John, but this baby is coming, so you’d better figure out something quick!” Quanique managed to get out before another contraction hit her.

Robert peeled off from the restaurant at record speed, narrowly missing a car when he pulled out. Blowing the horn and flashing his hazards and high beams, he raced to the hospital. A police car immediately got behind him just as Hope called 911 for a police escort. It didn’t matter
, because Robert had no intentions of stopping until he arrived at the hospital. Seconds later another police car pulled in front of him, with sirens blasting, the two cops escorted Robert to the hospital, allowing them to blow through the Charlotte traffic with ease.

Minutes later they were at the hospital
and a medical team rushed out to get Quanique. Robert and Hope watched helplessly as they snatched her from the car and rushed her into the ER. The triage nurse had them rush her to an ER exam room while they notified OB/GYN of her arrival. Her doctor was paged and he met them in the ER.

Tears streamed down
Hope’s face as she watched them poke and probe and stick Quanique as they hooked her up to an endless number of monitors. Bursting into tears, she nervously sobbed. Robert held her tight and comforted her.

“It’s okay, Mrs. Sabin. I’ll be right here until she delivers.” He said in an effort to comfort her.

“Stop your damn balling and get in here. We’re having a baby! I hope you don’t think I’m doing this shit alone. Oh God! Oh God! This shit really hurts!” Quanique yelled as a strong contraction caused her to scream out in pain. “Damn it! Get in here Hope Sabin and help me!” She screamed.

It was at that very second Hope knew what she had to do. “Robert I need you to go to Mr. Sabin’s office
, pick him up and bring him to the hospital. Tell him our baby is on the way.”

Robert smiled a bright, toothy grin. “Right away, mam!”

“And Robert! Obey the traffic laws this time. Okay? I don’t want you to get arrested or have an accident. Okay?” Hope yelled after him.

“Yes mam!” Robert yelled back as he ran out of the ER.

Within thirty minutes Quanique was in the labor and delivery suite in active labor and John walked into the room to find Hope. Her heart stopped beating the second her eyes met his! Running towards him, she threw herself into his arms and kissed him full in the mouth. Frightened, excited and confused, he scooped her up and hugged her tight, afraid to let her go. He didn’t even notice Quanique was in the room, let alone in labor with his child.

“I got here as soon as I
could. Robert said our child was being born and you needed me here to witness the birth.”

Hope tried to get her emotions in check to explain to him what she had done, but words would not come out. Her tears and sobs choked them back every single time she tried. Not really knowing why, John burst into tears
too! He searched his wife for an explanation, but she had no answer. Staring in her eyes and deep in her soul he somehow figured out what was going on.

Looking towards the bed he saw Quanique struggling in labor. He looked back at Hope, who blurted out, “I screwed up! Please don’t leave me! Promise you won’t leave me! Promise me! Please John, promise me!”

“Is that Quanique? Quanique’s the adopted mother of our child?” He asked confused. “How the hell… Hope is that my… No! That’s not even possible!” He babbled. “Is that my…”

“Yes that’s your son! I’m sorry. I should have told you months ago, but I just didn’t know how. John, please don’t be mad at me!”

John stumbled backwards and fell into a chair. He was dazed and confused and frankly looked as if he was about to have a damn stroke. His mind raced a hundred miles per millisecond. As he looked back and forward between Quanique and Hope, Hope tried to hold him but he snatched away.

“Get the fuck off of me, Hope! I can’t believe you manipulated me like this! How could you do this to me? I trusted you! And you’ve been lying to me all of this damn time! What the fuck were you thinking?” He snapped.

“John, I can explain!”

“No the hell you can’t!”

“John, I’m so sorry!”

“When?” He snorted.

“When, what?” Hope tried to play country dumb.

John was furious and he wasn’t having it. “Woman! Don’t play with me! You know what the FUCK I’m talking about! Answer me!”

“That night in the Virgin Islands.” Hope responded in a tiny, timid voice.

“How?”

“John…”

“How?” He insisted.

“How the fuck do you think! Oh God! This shit fucking hurts! This baby is ripping me apart! Oh God help me! I can’t take it anymore!” Quanique screamed from the bed.

John's eyes narrowed on Hope. He knew there was more to the story, but his compassion for Quanique superseded his curiosity, as all of the alarms and monitors sounded all at once. “Is she okay?”

Hope looked over at Quanique who had passed out. “Quanique are you okay? Quanique! Quanique answer me!” Hope screamed as she looked at the monitor and discovered Quanique’s heart had stopped and she wasn’t breathing. “Get the doctor!” Hope screamed. Quickly taking Quanique’s carotid pulse, Hope confirmed Quanique was in fact in cardiac arrest.  Hope jumped on the bed and immediately started CPR, trying desperately to revive her.

John bolted out the room screaming hysterically, “I need a doctor! I need a doctor! Her heart has stopped!” He reached the corridor j
ust as a team of nurses, doctors and other medical personnel rushed towards the room to revive Quanique.

Tossing Hope out of the room, they took over CPR and fought to save Quanique’s life. Hope screamed and kicked and punched the male attendant who carried her out of the room. “Get off of me!” Hope screamed as she struggled against his weight. “Move damn it! That’s my friend! That’s my friend! She’s dying and she needs me! Quanique, hold on, I’m coming!” She screamed through her tears. “Get the fuck out of my way!”

John rushed over, picked her up, threw her over his shoulders and carried her away to the waiting area. “Get off me, John! I have to stay with Quanique! She’s the only friend I have! She can’t die! She just can’t!”

“Hope, it’s okay… Quanique’s going to be okay! She’s not going to die! She’s young
and she’s a fighter. She’s going to be okay, because she's carrying our baby!” John assured Hope as he held her tight enough to break her. Hope tried to believe him, but she was inconsolable. She sobbed uncontrollably, clinging to John for dear life. John was at a loss for words and held Hope as if he’d lose her if he let her go.

Minutes later the male attendant that put Hope out of the room earlier, ran to them yelling, “They got her back! She’s alive! She’s on the way to the OR! They’re going to deliver the baby by C-Section. Follow me and I’ll take you to the waiting area.”

Hope and John sprinted behind the young man as he navigated corridor after corridor. They arrived to the waiting area just in time. “John and Hope Sabin? Is John and Hope Sabin out here.” A handsome young doctor asked as he scanned the waiting area.