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“But at the same time, having regular work would be great. And logistically, I suppose it makes sense for me to be there so Sig could be involved in the appointments. It hadn’t occurred to me that he’d want to be.”
“Then there’s the implantation,” Kate pointed out. “It makes sense for you to go to the UK for that as well. He’s going to need to give a sample. And of course, if the first one doesn’t take, we would need to try again, if that’s something you agree to. That means it could be a bit longer than nine months. So something to consider. We’re open to whatever you want. Traveling back and forth for the implantations is an option, too. And of course we’ll cover all costs.”
I took a moment to breathe. “I guess there’s a lot we still have to work out, huh?”
“Take some time to think about what you’re willing to do, Abby, before making a final decision. Again, there’s no pressure. We appreciate that you’re even considering this.”
“Okay, I’ll think about everything and get back to you soon, Kate.”
“Great.” She sighed. “One more thing.”
My heart couldn’t take much more. “Okay…”
“Sig asked that you call him.”
***
I decided it didn’t feel right to make a final decision without at least speaking to Sigmund first, so I was glad he’d encouraged that.
And a couple of days later, I was ready to make that call. It had taken me a while to mentally prepare myself. I’d also wanted to discuss the situation with my father first.
It was around 8 PM UK time when I called, on a weeknight, so I figured Sig would be home. I felt jittery as I waited for him to answer.
“Hello?” His deep voice vibrated through me.
“Hi.” I could hardly get the words out. “It’s Abby.”
“I know.”
“You have my number programmed into your phone?”
“I do.”
“You must have expected me to call, then.”
“I did.”
“I see you’re just as talkative as always.”
“And you’re just as smart-mouthed.”
Falling back into our argumentative rapport brought me some comfort. “What made you decide to move forward?” I asked. “You pretty much ghosted me before I left England. I put my money on never seeing you again.”
“Despite being busy with work, as I previously explained, I was giving you space to enjoy the last of your trip.”
“But the purpose of my trip was for you to get to know me.”
“You can’t really know someone in a week anyway.”
“So you’re still unsure about me? You didn’t answer my question. What made you say yes to this?”
“I’d made the decision to go through with this before I met you, as you know. I’ve concluded that it doesn’t matter whether I’m ready, because ultimately, I’m not doing this for me. I’m doing it for Britney and her parents. I won’t stand in the way.” He paused. “And I agree with Phil and Kate’s choice of surrogate.”
“I passed your test, then?”
“I still think you’re a bit bonkers. But you’re genuine. I’ll give you that. And you’re right… I doubt I’d ever find anyone better.”
I waited for the punch line, but it never came. Warmth flowed through my body. “That’s very kind. I sort of thought you didn’t trust me.”
