Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
KAIZLEIGH
Ihad checked my email so many times that morning I was starting to piss myself off.
Nothing was supposed to happen overnight.
I knew that. Nyrobi had literally just told us yes, and there were still doctors, lawyers, screenings, paperwork, and probably a hundred other things standing between that yes and an actual baby.
I didn’t give a damn, still didn't stop my ass from refreshing my inbox every five minutes.
“You know staring at that phone ain't gone make them move no faster.”
I looked up from the kitchen island.
Billion hadn't even lifted his eyes from his laptop.
“And you know minding your business is free.”
“This is my business. You sighing every thirty seconds is disturbing my peace.”
“Then go in your office.”
“I am in my house.”
“And I'm your wife.”
He finally looked up. “What that got to do with anything?”
“It means I outrank you.”
“According to who?”
“Me.”
He stared at me for a second before going right back to his laptop.
“Exactly.”
I smiled and refreshed my email again.
Nothing.
I hated waiting.
Waiting had never brought me shit but bad news.
I had waited on pregnancy tests that came back negative. Waited on bloodwork that didn't rise the way it was supposed to. Waited in cold doctor's offices with my legs shaking while somebody rolled an ultrasound wand over my stomach looking for something that wasn't there anymore.
Even after all that, here I was again.
Waiting on a baby.
Only this time, the baby wouldn't be growing inside me.
That part still fucked with my head if I sat with it too long.
I wanted this. I knew I wanted this. Hell, I was the one who pushed us to seriously consider surrogacy after everything else we'd been through, but there was something about hearing Nyrobi actually say yes that made the whole thing feel different.
Before yesterday, surrogacy was paperwork, websites, doctor consultations and profiles of women I didn't know. Yesterday gave it a face though; Nyrobi's face.
If everything went right, another woman would eventually walk around with my husband's and my baby growing inside her.
My baby would hear her heartbeat all day, voice, feel her moving, eat because she ate, sleep when she slept, and I would be standing on the outside of all of it.
“You doing it again.”
I blinked.
“Doing what?”
“Thinking yourself into some shit.”
I cut my eyes at Billion. “How you know what I'm thinking?”
“Your forehead.”
“What about my forehead?”
“It wrinkles when you start stressing.”
“My forehead does not wrinkle.”
“It definitely does.”
“Fuck you.”
“See? Now you're back.”
I threw a napkin at him.
He caught it before it hit his laptop and smiled.
“You're annoying.”
“And you need to relax.”
“Stop telling me to relax.”
“Then relax without me telling you.”
I opened my mouth to cuss him out when my phone vibrated against the counter.
Both of us looked at it.
I snatched it up.
Billion laughed. “Damn.”
“Shut up.”
It was the clinic. I opened the email so fast I almost clicked the wrong thing. My eyes moved over the first few lines before I sat up straighter.
“What?” Billion asked.
“They're ready to schedule her initial screening.”
“Okay.”
I looked at him.
“Okay?”
“What you want me to do, scream?”
“Yes! Something!”
He closed his laptop.
“Kaizleigh, we knew they were going to schedule her.”
“I know, but it's happening.”
“It was happening yesterday when she said yes.”
“No, yesterday she said she'd do it. Today they're actually starting.”
He watched me for a second.
I could feel myself smiling, and I didn't even care how stupid I probably looked.
“They have an opening Thursday morning.”
“Book it.”
“I have to ask Nyrobi first.”
“Then ask her.”
I was already pulling up her number.
Billion reached across the island and took my phone.
“Give me that damn phone ma, and relax. It's seven twenty-three in the morning.”
“So?”
“So the girl probably sleep.”
“She works mornings.”
“That don't mean she wanna wake up to you scheduling her uterus before breakfast.”
I tried not to laugh.
“Give me my phone.”
“Wait until eight.”
“Billion.”
“Kaizleigh.”
“I'm grown.”
“So is Nyrobi. Let her sleep.”
I snatched my phone back.
“I wasn't calling. I was texting.”
“That's worse.”
“How?”
“Because I know you. You gone send seventeen messages.”
“I don't send seventeen messages.”
He just looked at me.
“Whatever.”
I set the phone down.
Seven twenty-four.
Thirty-six minutes wasn't going to kill me. By seven thirty-two, I had picked it up again.
Billion didn't even look at me.
“Put it down.”
“I was checking the time.”
“The microwave got a clock.”
“Why are you watching me?”
“Because you acting like a crackhead.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don't.”
Unfortunately, I didn't.
At eight on the dot, I sent Nyrobi one message.
Good morning. The clinic has an opening Thursday morning for your initial screening. Are you available? No pressure if you need a different day.
I showed Billion.
“See? One message.”
“I'm proud of you.”
“Fuck you.”
Nyrobi responded less than a minute later.
Damn good morning to you too lol yeah what time
I laughed.
“I told you she was awake.”
He ignored me.
I sent her the time. Her response came right back.
I can do it. Do I come to work first or just meet yall there?
I told her we'd handle everything with Tiffany and she could meet us at the clinic.
Then another bubble popped up.
Are they doing anything painful because I need to mentally prepare myself
I smiled.
Bloodwork probably.
Three dots.
Oh hell naw. Tell them people I changed my mind.
I laughed loud enough for Billion to look up.
“What?”
I turned the phone around.
He read it.
“She ain't changing her mind.”
“I know.”
Another text came through before I could overthink it.
I'm playing. Thursday it is.
That little bit of fear I hadn't wanted to admit was sitting in my chest eased up.
Thursday.
We had a date.
By Thursday morning, I was at the fertility clinic before Nyrobi.
Of course I was.
Billion pulled into the parking lot behind me because he'd had an early call and met me there instead of riding together. He got out, looked at my car, then looked at me.
“How long you been here?”
“Not long.”
“What time you get here?”
“Does it matter?”
He checked his watch.
“Our appointment ain't for another twenty-five minutes.”
“Okay.”
“Kaizleigh.”
“I wanted to make sure we weren't late.”
“We?”
“Yes, we.”
“Nyrobi ain't even here.”
“She'll be here.”
“You know that how?”
“Because she said she would.”
He shook his head.
“Come on.”
We made it inside, checked in, and sat down.
The waiting room was quiet as hell. Soft music. White furniture. A coffee machine in the corner and a few other people waiting to be seen.
I hated fertility clinics. Didn't matter how pretty they made them. Didn't matter how soft the chairs were or how nice everybody smiled. I had cried in too many of them. The smell alone could take me somewhere I didn't want to go.
I looked down at my hands.
Billion reached over and grabbed one.
“You good?”
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
I nodded.
He didn't let go.
I appreciated that he didn't make me explain.
A few minutes later, the front door opened and Nyrobi walked in looking like she had gotten dressed while fighting somebody.
Black leggings, oversized T-shirt, slides, purse hanging off one shoulder, hair pulled back, and a look on her face that told me she already didn't want to be there.
She spotted us.
“Why y'all look like y'all been here since they unlocked the door?”
Billion pointed at me.
“Ask her.”
“Don't start.”
Nyrobi walked over and dropped into the chair beside me.
“I almost didn't make it.”
My stomach dropped.
“What happened?”
“Traffic.”
I stared at her.
She laughed. “Damn. Look at your face.”
“Don't do that.”
“Do what?”
“Say you almost didn't make it like you changed your mind.”
“Oh, no. If I change my mind, I'll tell you.”
Billion nodded. “Good.”
Nyrobi looked at him.
“Right,” she replied sarcastically.
I covered my mouth.
Billion leaned back in his chair.
“I see what type of morning this gone be.”
Nyrobi looked at me.
“They feeding me after this?”
“Who's they?”
“The Stylez.”
“You're asking the Stylez.”
“No, I'm asking the wife. He look stingy.”
I laughed.
“Why I look stingy?” Billion asked.
“You just do.”
“Based on what?”
“I don't know you well enough yet. Give me time.”
Even Billion laughed at that.
The door opened before he could answer.
“Nyrobi?”
She stood.
“Well. Here we go.”
I stood too.
She looked at me.
“Where you going?”
“With you.”
“To get my blood drawn?”
“If they'll let me.”
“Why?”
I paused.
Because I wanted to be there for everything. Every appointment they'd let me attend. Every ultrasound. Every test. Every step that brought us closer. But I realized how that probably sounded to her.
“I don't have to.”
Nyrobi studied me for a second.
Then she shrugged.
“Come on. But if I embarrass myself over that needle, mind your business.”
“I thought you weren't scared.”
“I never said that.”
Billion stood.
“What about me?”
Nyrobi looked at him.
“You can stay right there.”
I busted out laughing.
“Damn.”
“Too many people watching me get stabbed makes it worse.”
He sat his ass right back down.
“Good luck.”
“See? Stingy and unsupportive.”
The nurse was laughing as we followed her through the door.
The first part was simple.
Vitals. Weight. Medical history. Questions.
A lot of damn questions.
Nyrobi answered most of them without hesitation until the nurse asked about previous pregnancies.
“None.”
“Any previous miscarriages or abortions?”
“No.”
“Any history of sexually transmitted infections?”
Nyrobi looked at me.
I immediately stood.
“I can step out.”
“Girl, sit down. I don't have none.”
The nurse smiled and kept typing.
“Current sexual partner?”
“No.”
“Any possibility you could currently be pregnant?”
Nyrobi laughed.
“Unless Jesus came back for round two, no.”
I dropped my head.
The nurse tried so hard not to laugh.
“I'll put no.”
“Thank you.”