“Thanks, mate, and don’t even worry about it. You should see our bedroom at the moment, Princess has turned it into a full-blown dog playhouse,” Colt jokes, and Johnny laughs.
I hobble toward the kitchen, Colt following behind. As we walk, I point to Johnny’s shoulder.
He glances down, huffing. “I swear I’ve never known anyone to puke as much as my kid does,” he says, making me giggle.
We head into the kitchen, where Anna’s folding laundry with one hand and rocking Aston with the other. She looks up and smiles warmly when she sees us. “Hey, guys. Sorry about the chaos. We weren’t expecting visitors,” she says softly.
“Don’t even stress, Anna. Now, let me see this little cutie patootie,” I say, leaning over Aston’s rocker. He’s drifting off to sleep, his tiny fists curled tight. I gently rub my finger along his cheek, my heart aching in the best possible way.
Anna watches me closely, and sensing her concern, I glance up.
“Don’t worry, Anna. I’m feeling much better today. That’s actually why we’re here,” I say, still cooing over Aston’s perfection.
“Oh yeah? What’s going on? You both seem…happy?” Johnny says, a teasing edge in his voice.
I look at Colt and nod, silently giving him the go-ahead.
“Well, we went to the hospital today—” Colt starts.
“Oh no, is everything okay?” Anna cuts in quickly, her voice laced with concern.
“Yeah, everything’s fine, Anna. We had a meeting with a fertility specialist. We talked about the steps we need to take to start trying for a baby with Dee’s harvested eggs,” Colt explains, a proud smile lighting up his face.
Anna turns to me, throwing her arm around my shoulders. “So you’re gonna start trying soon?”
“Not immediately. Probably after the wedding,” I explain. “There’s a lot to do first, finding a surrogate and the whole medical process, but at least now we know where to start. And it’s exciting.”
She hugs me tightly, and I hug her back.
“Where do you find a surrogate?” she asks.
“Through an agency,” Colt answers. “The doctor gave us a whole stack of pamphlets. We’re gonna start looking when we get home.”
Anna frowns slightly, glancing at Johnny before speaking, “So basically… a complete stranger would carry and give birth to your baby?”
Her words catch me off guard.
“Well… yeah,” I say hesitantly.
She shakes her head and looks back at Johnny, who smiles and nods.
“Wouldn’t you rather have someone you know and trust?” Anna asks, her voice steady.
“Of course that would be better, but—”
“Let me do it,” she blurts out.
I freeze, staring at her, mouth open.
She’s smiling brightly, and Johnny is too.
When I glance at Colt, he looks as stunned as I feel.
“But you just—”
“I know, I know. I just had a baby. But if you’re willing to wait, maybe six months, I’d love to do it for you. You guys are my best friends, and if you’re going to have a child, I want to be part of it. So, let me be your surrogate.”
Her smile is blinding.
