The Billionaires Hired Baby Mother: When the wife and surrogate are two different people (15 page)

“
Is this about sex?” she demanded.

“
No, of course it’s not about sex.
Have you heard anything I’ve said? This is about us fixing
whatever the hell is going on between us.”

“
I have to go Roy,” Melissa said
softly.

“
Go,” Roy said getting up and slamming
his plate into the sink with such force that it cracked.

Melissa flinched. Roy didn’t clean it up. He turned on his
heels and retreated upstairs. Silent tears streamed down Melissa’s
face. She sat with her head in her hands for a few minutes before
wiping her face, squaring her shoulders and grabbing her car keys.
Roy stood at the window watching her drive away.

About an hour later, Ettie was in the kitchen and was throwing away
an empty container of milk when she found the broken plate. She
wondered what had happened. She was just leaving when Roy appeared.

“
Hi,” he said.

“
Hi,” she replied.

“
Ettie do you want to go with me to lunch?”
he asked.

“
I really don’t want to go to the
club,” she said.

“
We don’t have to go to the club. We
can go anywhere you want to.”

“
But your golf game,” Ettie started.

“
I’m not in the mood to play,”
he said his voice breaking. “I could use the company.”

Ettie looked in his eyes. She could tell he was hurting. She didn’t
like it.

“
Of course,” she whispered.

They went to a small deli that Roy liked and Ettie asked Roy to order
his favorite for her when she couldn’t decide. For the first
time, he broke out in a grin.

“
Wait until you taste their Reuben. I’ve
been all over the country and not even New York has them beat.”

“
I’ve never been to New York,”
Ettie replied.

“
Really?” Roy said surprised. “Well
you have to go. It’s an experience.”

“
I’ve never left Texas,” Ettie
admitted.

Roy looked at her.

“
Ettie how is it that someone as intelligent
as you, as well read, never had the opportunity to leave Texas?”
he asked incredulously.

“
Lily,” she stated simply.

“
Well we have to fix that. There’s a
whole wide world out there to explore,” Roy said.

“
I had plans once to go out west.
California. But then I got pregnant with Lily,” she said.

“
You never talk about her father.”

“
There’s nothing to tell. We were in
love, engaged even but his plans didn’t include Lily and I
wouldn’t give her up,” she said looking down.

“
His loss. She’s an amazing little
girl,” Roy replied with feeling.

Ettie looked up and smiled. The way she smiled at him confused Roy.
He blinked and looked away. They spent the rest of the time just
enjoying their food. They were both unusually quiet but the silence
was a comfortable one and Roy appreciated her company. At one point,
Ettie had thousand island dressing on her cheek and Roy smiled. It
was so cliche but he used his napkin and wiped it off. She blushed
and his hand lingered on her cheek. They exchanged a look that Roy
recognized but it wasn’t right. He dropped his hand and called
the waiter for the check. Ettie was embarrassed. What had he read in
her eyes? She spent the ride home looking out the window afraid to
look at him. When they got back, Melissa was waiting. In the foyer
there were several packed suitcases.

“
What’s going on?” Roy asked.

“
Ettie can you excuse us?” Melissa
asked.

“
Of course,” Ettie said heading
towards the guesthouse.

“
Roy we need to talk,” Melissa said
her eyes tearing up. “Let’s go the den.”

“
No. Tell me what’s going on Mel,”
he said indicating the bags.

“
Can we please just…”

“
No. Tell me,” he repeated.

“
I just can’t do this Roy. I’m
sorry. This isn’t the life that I want. I tried my hardest to
be happy. About our life. About the baby. I just can’t do it
anymore.”

“
So what are you saying Melissa?” Roy
asked on the verge of tears.

“
I’m trying to tell you that... I’m
moving out. I want a divorce,” Melissa said the tears rolling
freely now.

“
Just like that? What about the baby?”
Roy asked quietly.

“
Can you just talk to me without bringing up
the baby?” she cried.

“
Melissa where is this coming from? How can
you do this to us?” Roy sobbed.

“
Roy I tried. I’m so sorry.”

“
You do this now? With our baby due in less
than a month?”

“
It’s not my baby. It has never been.
I realize that now. Last night I touched Ettie’s belly and I
felt...nothing. This is your baby. Yours and hers.”

“
How can you say that?” he asked
crushed.

“
I’m sorry Roy.”

“
We didn’t have to do this. I told you
I could be happy without children. Melissa we can fix this,”
Roy pleaded.

“
How? You said yourself that the baby is
coming less than a month away. It’s a little too late isn’t
it?” she replied.

“
No Mel. We can figure this out. The baby
won’t change our lives. I promise. You can still work, do
whatever you want. Please.”

“
It’s not just about the baby Roy,”
she cried.

“
Then what is it? Tell me.”

“
Roy I…”

“
Tell me Melissa,” he screamed.

“
I love you Roy. God knows I do. I’m
just. I’m just not in love with you anymore.”

“
Wow,” was all he could muster.

“
Is there someone else Mel?” he
whispered.

“
No, of course not,” she said reaching
for him but seeing him recoil she dropped her hand. “Roy for a
long time we have been drifting away from one another. You know it’s
true,” she said.

“
Only because you wouldn’t let me in,”
Roy said sitting on the stairs.

“
That’s not true. I tried. I really
did. I’m just the person I was in college. I have different
dreams now.”

Roy’s head snapped up.

“
I thought you and I shared dreams.”

“
We did. But now I have to do what’s
right for me. I can’t live this lie anymore. I’ve already
spoken to Justin and I…”

“
You spoke to Justin?” Roy asked angry
now.

“
He is our lawyer Roy,” she replied
quietly.

“
So you spoke to him before me. Nice. Just
wonderful,” he said coldly.

“
I needed advice.”

Roy made a derisive laugh.

“
How long have you felt this way?” he
asked.

“
Since before…”

“
Before what?”

“
Before Ettie,” she said sadly.

“
And you went through it anyway? Why would
you do that Melissa? How could you drag Ettie into this?” he
retorted.

“
I thought it might fix us. I wanted it to
fix us. Instead it just drove us further apart. I thought I wanted
it. You wanted it so badly and I wanted it for you too. But it’s
not what I really want. All those tests and the miscarriages, it wore
me down Roy. And you didn’t see that. You didn’t see me
changing right before your eyes. All you cared about was what you
wanted,” she said her voice rising.

“
Don’t you dare put this on me. I
asked you. I said tell me what you want. As long as I had you I would
have been happy. Please Mel, I love you,” he said.

“
Do you really love me Roy? Really. For the
past few years we have been living separate lives and you were fine
with that. The only time we spent together was when we were talking
about a family. We stopped being us. We stopped traveling. We stopped
having fun. We just existed,” she said, crying again.

Roy didn’t know what to say to that. In a way she was right. He
loved her but they were just existing.

“
I have to go,” she whispered.

“
And there’s no changing your mind?”
he asked.

“
No,” she shook her head sadly.

“
I’m sorry Roy,” she said as she
opened the door. “I’ll get my things soon.”

He could only nod.

Roy couldn’t believe this. Just last week they were agreeing on
naming the baby Royston Henry and Melissa had seemed really happy.
Now she was leaving him. Left him. And RJ. Left them both. His family
was crumbling in front of him and there was nothing he could do about
it. He retreated to the den where he poured himself a sizable glass
of scotch.

Ettie didn’t know what to do. Lily was out with Andrea and Lou
so she was stuck in the guesthouse wondering what the hell was going
on. She had heard Melissa drive away. She wasn’t sure if she
should go looking for Roy or not but after a few hours she decided
that she should at least check on him.

She found him in the den, obviously inebriated and his eyes
bloodshot, she wasn’t sure if it was from the drinking or from
crying.

“
I didn’t mean to interrupt,”
Ettie biting her lip

“
No. Come in. You’re not
interrupting.”

“
Is everything okay?” she asked,
already knowing that it wasn’t but didn’t know what else
to say.

“
Melissa asked for a divorce,” he said
flatly.

“
What? Is this because of me?” she
asked suddenly worried that Melissa had guessed her feelings.

“
It wasn’t your fault,” Roy said
looking at her intently. “This was in motion long before you
got involved Ettie. I was just blind to the signs,” he said
sipping his drink.

Ettie wasn’t sure what to say or do to comfort him so she sat
in silent contemplation. RJ kicked and suddenly a bigger concern hit
her. How did she miss it?

“
Roy, what about the baby?” she asked.

“
Melissa never wanted the baby. She just
thought it could fix our marriage,” he said shaking his head.

“
What?” Ettie said angrily.

Roy looked at her for the first time then.

“
What’s wrong?” he asked.

“
What’s wrong?” she fumed. “Roy
I am due in two weeks and you tell me this now? That Melissa never
was in this a hundred percent? How could you do this to me? How could
you do this to your son?”

“
I only found out tonight Ettie. I thought
she wanted this but apparently my wife hasn’t been completely
honest with me.”

“
How can you sit there so calmly?”
Ettie said in panic. “I agreed to do this because I thought
this baby would have a great life. That he would have two loving
parents, something Lily never had. Now he’s going to be born
into a broken home too.”

“
Ettie, he is going to have a great life. I
can give him anything he needs…”

“
A baby isn’t something you can pacify
with expensive cribs and clothes. You have to be there. How are you
going to do that when you’re busy running your father’s
company?” she asked in tears now.

“
Ettie haven’t I handed over the
reigns to Mark during your pregnancy? Wasn’t I there for every
appointment? What makes me think I won’t be there for my son?”
Roy said getting angry.

“
That was for the last four months. Are you
going to let Mark run your company for the rest of RJ’s life?”

“
You work Ettie. It’s the same thing.”

“
It’s not the same thing! I work nine
to five. I’m not flying all over the country. I’m there
for Lily. I always put her first,” she said shaking.

“
Calm down Ettie. We will figure this out,”
Roy said.

“
Don’t tell me to calm down. I don’t
want my son raised by nannies. He needs a mother.”

“
Well that’s not really up to you is
it? You signed a contract. This isn’t your baby. It’s
mine.” Roy said.

Ettie slapped him and stormed out. Roy rubbed his jaw. He shouldn’t
have said that. He wanted to go after her but he wasn’t sure
she would talk to him. The whole bomb Melissa had dropped had shaken
him. But he didn’t mean to take it out on Ettie.

When she ran to her room she found a laughing Lily, Andrea and Lou in
the living room.

“
Ettie what’s wrong?” Andrea
asked seeing her tear streaked face.

“
Mom pack your things. We’re leaving?’
she cried.

“
What?” Andrea asked.

Ettie briefly explained the situation. Andrea said goodnight to Lou
and promised to call him the next day. Then she went in search of
Ettie. She was in the bedroom arguing with Lily.

“
But I don’t want to go. Roy said he
would take me to the zoo next weekend,” Lily protested.

“
Lily that man is not taking you to the
zoo,” she said as she threw clothes in the open suitcase.

“
Lily go watch TV in grandma’s room. I
need to talk to your mother,” Andrea said.

“
Mom why aren’t you packing?”
Ettie demanded.

“
Because Henrietta, you need to take a deep
breath and think about things. What are you planning to do? Run off
with this man’s child?”