Page 7 of This Memory (Moose Village #3)

Brystol

Gavin reached over and touched my knee, causing me to jump. His touch left me feeling like I’d been prodded with a hot poker.

“Stop bouncing your knee, Brystol.”

I lifted a hand and started chewing my thumbnail instead. When he reached up and pushed my hand down, I got up and began to pace. They had called us back into a room and we were waiting on the doctor.

“What if it didn’t work?”

“Then they’ll try again.”

I closed my eyes and moaned. “Wouldn’t I feel pregnant?”

“I’m not an expert by any means, but I don’t think so this early on.”

Opening my eyes, I looked at Gavin. He was sitting in a chair reading a magazine, looking utterly calm as a cucumber. The bastard.

The pacing started again. “They only have so many eggs, and this isn’t cheap. I know Denny and Evelyn are both lawyers, but it’s still pretty expensive.”

Gavin abandoned the magazine and stared at something on the coffee table. “It will work.”

“What is that?” I asked, following his gaze.

“It’s like a puzzle piece of the anatomy of a woman’s uterus, I think.”

“What?” I asked, as I moved closer. Gavin reached out to touch it.

Grabbing his arm, I whisper-shouted, “Don’t touch that!”

“Why? It’s here for us to learn, is it not?”

Sitting back down, I leaned in, staring at the 3D model…and drew in a breath at the sight before me. A lump formed in my throat as I imagined something that size coming out of me.

“How in the hell is that thing supposed to fit through that ?” Gavin asked, pointing at the model.

I swallowed the sudden bile rising in my throat. “Do you think this is anatomically correct? The size of the baby and…vaginal opening?”

Gavin slowly looked at me. His eyes moved down my body, then back up, then to the puzzle. “Fuck, I hope not, because if it is…ouch.”

Taking hold of his arm, I started to shake him. “How is that possible? How is that head supposed to fit through there? I’m going to be ripped apart!”

A soft chuckle came from behind us, and we both jumped. Gavin must have somehow knocked into the model because it tipped over. I let out a small scream when I saw the baby falling to the floor, but Gavin caught it in time and held it up like a prize.

“I didn’t let it fall! ”

The doctor standing in the room grinned. “You’ll make a great father.”

Gavin choked. “Oh, no.” Holding up his hands, he went on, “I’m not the father.

I’m just a friend. Well, a friend who has been taken off the enemy list and put on the friends list, but only a little bit ago.

Like an hour ago, after years of being on the not-friend list. We could actually be classified as frenemies right now, not really friends. It’s a whole new thing.”

My mouth fell open as I stared at Gavin. “How do you even know that word, frenemies?” I asked.

Gavin shrugged. “I think I heard Aurora and Cadie say it, maybe?”

The doctor cleared her throat. “Dr. Thompson had to leave for a family emergency, so she asked if I would review the blood test results with you.”

Before I knew what I was doing, I reached for Gavin’s hand and squeezed it.

“Oh wow, is this a preview of childbirth, because I’m pretty sure you’re about to break my fingers.”

Gavin pressed his mouth into a tight line and motioned with his head for the doctor to go on.

She opened the file and read something before glancing at me. “Let’s see, you’re a surrogate for your best friend, it says.”

“Yes, for our best friends, Evelyn and Denny.”

Gavin nodded.

“Are you two a couple? No, no…you said you were frenemies.”

I felt my cheeks heat. “He’s a friend of mine, and we’re also best friends with the parents.”

“Will they be joining us for this? ”

Gavin spoke that time. “No, they’re both in court right now. They couldn’t get out of it. They’re lawyers, not criminals.” Gavin smiled. “In case you were wondering.”

Bouncing her gaze between us, the doctor finally nodded and shut the file. “I’m happy to let you know that the implantation worked—you’re pregnant.”

It took a few seconds for her words to fully sink in.

“It…it worked?”

She smiled. “It did. I see this was the first time, so that’s wonderful news.”

Gavin laughed again, but it wasn’t his usual laugh. More like a nervous laugh. “Looks like you’re a fertile myrtle!”

The doctor chuckled at Gavin’s joke.

My free hand went to my stomach. “I’m pregnant? You’re sure?”

“I’m positive.”

Turning to Gavin, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or cry. He grinned that megawatt smile of his…and kissed me on the forehead.

The gesture was so sweet, it broke the dam I’d built up, hoping to keep my emotions at bay—no matter the news—and I started to cry.

“Hey, hey,” he said, cupping my face in his hands. “Why are you crying? This is good. It’s really good.”

“I’m just…so…relieved it…worked!”

He smiled again and looked at the doctor. “Is there anything she needs to do?”

“She should have received all the handouts beforehand. Just make sure you review the ones for healthy eating, and you’ll want to go ahead and make an appointment with your OB.”

“OB?” Gavin asked.

“Obstetrician. I imagine you and the biological parents have agreed on an OB?”

I nodded. “Yes. Yes, I’m seeing my own. Um, the mom, the biological mom, also sees her as well.”

“Perfect then. Well, the only other thing I can offer now is congratulations.”

Gavin pulled the chair out, and I dropped onto it.

“Are you okay?” he asked, sitting opposite me. “You haven’t said a word since we left the clinic.”

Lifting my head, I met his gaze. “I’m pregnant.”

He smiled. “I know.”

I could feel the tears building once again, and I blinked rapidly. Gavin noticed because he reached across the table and took my hand. “Happy tears?”

“No, nervous tears. Did-I-do-the-right-thing tears.”

“What does your heart tell you?”

Running my finger along the circle pattern on the tablecloth, I replied, “That I’m doing the right thing.”

“But?”

Slowly, I let out a breath and met his gaze again. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just scared.”

“I would think that’s normal. I mean, take out the fact that you’re carrying someone else’s baby, I’d think it would still be scary for any woman.”

I nodded. “I suppose so.”

The waitress walked up to the table and smiled at us before she looked at me. “Can I start you off with something to drink? ”

“Water for me, please.”

When she turned to Gavin, he asked her for a Coke. After the waitress left to get our drinks, I opened the menu, then immediately lowered it.

“Can I ask you a question, and do you promise to be serious, not make a stupid joke?”

He peeked over his menu. “Excuse me, but none of my jokes are stupid.”

“Gavin.”

Setting the menu down, he leaned back. “Ask away.”

“Do you think Evelyn will be okay with seeing me carrying her baby?”

His brows drew in. “Do you mean do I think she’ll be upset or jealous?”

“Yes. How do you think she’s going to handle it?” Taking a moment to think about his answer, he slowly exhaled. “It might make her upset knowing she wasn’t able to carry the baby herself, but I think once she holds him or her in her arms, she’ll forget all about how she felt during the pregnancy.”

Chewing on my lower lip, I nodded. “I don’t know if I should talk about it. Like…do I share with her if I’m sick, or when I feel the baby move for the first time? She’ll miss all of that, and I don’t know how to make her feel like she’s a part of it.”

“Bry, she’s not going to be able to be with you a hundred percent of the time.

You’re going to experience a lot of things without her but looking at it from Denny’s point of view…

if I were the father, I’d want to know how you were feeling, what’s happening…

no matter how big or how little. I would imagine Evelyn will too. ”

I sighed. “I just don’t know how much to share without upsetting her.”

“Is there someone more knowledgeable you could talk to about it?”

The waitress came back over with our drinks and set them down. She quickly took our orders and then hurried off once again.

“To answer your question, yes. There’s a therapist I’m assigned to. I can call her anytime and talk.”

“Have you talked to her about this?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I just thought about it on the way over here. This is great news, and I know Evelyn and Denny will be happy, but if the roles were reversed, I think I’d be so upset that I was missing out on all those firsts.”

“My advice would be to talk to Evelyn about it. Ask how much she wants you to tell her.”

“I was going to keep a journal, starting with the day I found out I was pregnant, that I planned on giving to her after the baby was born.”

He smiled, and my stupid heart tripped over itself. “That’s a great idea, Bry. Though I still think you should talk to her about how much she wants you to share.”

I returned his smile. “I will.”

Leaning back in his chair, he flashed a wicked grin.

“Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“You were right. That magazine I was reading in the doctor’s office mentioned how much hornier women tend to get when they’re pregnant. Now that Roger boy is out of the picture, how will you handle that?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Roger boy?”

“Yeah, what was he, like eighteen? ”

Folding my arms over my chest, I replied, “He was the same age as me, and a successful lawyer in Lake Placid, I’ll have you know.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

Leaning in, I rested my folded arms on the table, motioned for Gavin to come closer with my index finger. When his face was inches from mine, I whispered, “I have four vibrators. I’ll be just fine.”

His mouth fell open, and I shot him a smug smile.

“Jesus, Brystol, we’re sitting in the middle of a family restaurant!”

I laughed. “You’re the one who mentioned me being hornier during pregnancy.”

He quickly looked around and shrank down in his seat. “Keep your voice down,” he hissed.

“If you don’t want an honest answer, don’t ask the question.”

“It was an honest question from some innocent reading I’d done.”