Page 40 of Geordie

I want to laugh because I know, in this instance, she’s not perfectly fine with that. “I don’t have a boyfriend either. I’m planning to start a family alone.” This still isn’t enough of an explanation to satisfy her curiosity. “There are a growing number of men who are not in a relationship but who still want to have a family. Right now, I’m in the exploration stage; it’s still early days.” Then it occurs to me she was looking at the PollenNation site. “Now you know something about me, how about you sharing? Why did you break up with your boyfriend?”

She stiffens.

“If he did something that heinous, then you don’t have to tell me.”

“It didn’t work out, we’d grown apart.”

That was a noncommittal answer. I don’t press her because the break-up is probably too fresh for her to go into details.

“Why were you on the PollenNation site the night I met you? I was alone in your office for about fifteen minutes. I accidentally bumped your laptop and that website came up.”

She takes a deep breath. “I was on the website for Molly. She and Eddie had been trying to conceive for months with no joy. She asked me to research other options of having a child. When I talked to her about my research, Molly told me she just found out she was pregnant.”

“Oh,” I say, hoping that I would get a different explanation, maybe thinking I’ve met a fellow traveler on this journey of mine. Why would she have a baby now with no partner and especially if she has her sights on running a restaurant in Catriona, she won’t have the time.

“How do you plan to start your family. Have you decided that much?”

“I’ve ruled out adoption, not really by choice. There are only a few agencies that will consider a single male. I’m looking into surrogacy.”

“Isn’t that dangerous? Aren’t you afraid of getting a female that will take advantage of you?”

I wish I could believe her concern, but maybe what I’m reading is curiosity. “I’ve been doing a lot of reading and I’ve hired an attorney to help me. Most women who offer themselves as surrogates do it because they want to help couples who are unable to conceive. Many are already married and have children. I’ve also considered finding someone to co-parent a child.”

“I saw that in my research. It seems there are dating sites for people who want to have children. I really didn’t go into it deeply since Molly is already married. What sites are you registered with?”

“I’ve posted a profile on PollenNation. It looks like they do the best job of vetting and finding matches.”

“Does that mean you’ve given up on love?” she asks.

Here I thought I was sharing information about the process. Obviously, she wants to go deeper. “I’m always open to love. It’s unfortunate Cupid’s arrow hasn’t found me yet. It doesn’t matter, it’s time to start my part of the family tree.”

She gazes at me like I’m a lost kitten. I shake my head. “I have family. My cousin Lochlan is travelling with his fiancé. Granda and my cousin Harris live in Edinburgh.”

She gives me a commiserating smile. “I understand what you’re saying. I’m an only child. My mother and her husband live in another state, but I’m lucky enough to have Harv and his wife, Marie, as my surrogate parents. I lean on them heavily for support. I wouldn’t know what to do if they weren’t in my life.” She scoots to the edge of the couch, then stands. “It’s getting late and I should leave. Let me help you to your bedroom. Let’s not banter about this, and just accept my help so I don’t have to waste another ten minutes.”

I laugh at this woman’s tenacity. “I wouldn’t dream of rejecting your offer to take me to bed. Will you also tuck me in?”

I get a slight smile and a shake of her head as she motions for me to get up. I use my arm’s strength to get to my feet. We do a slow lean, hop, step to the bedroom.

She takes my instruction to find my sleeping T-shirt. She scans the room while I change, probably wondering if there’s something else she needs to do. In a few seconds, she’ll be gone, and I’ll miss her.

I swing my legs over onto the bed as Lily comes to the bedside. She pulls back covers for me. When I’m under the blanket, she tucks me in. “All part of the service,” she says.

I nod, too stunned by her kindness to speak.

“I’ve left a crockpot of oats on. Breakfast will be ready for you in the morning.”

I dread being alone. I want to say, “Stay, be with me tonight,” but I can’t ask that.

She’s about to close the door. “Lily?”

She pauses with her hand on the light switch.

“Text me when you get home. I want to know you’ve arrived safely.”

“Alright,” she says quietly, shutting the door.

I wait in the dark for a little zip sound on the phone, for the last connection I’ll have with her today. Twenty minutes later, my phone rings. I croak out ahello?

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