Chapter 7 Phoenix

• PHOENIX
• As I stood before them, trying to steady my nerves, Rome rose from his seat, his gaze shifting between me and the elderly woman.
• " You are late again" He whispered when he was closer to me.
• " This is my mother, you can call her Mrs dante or Juliette"
• My breath caught in my throat as Rome's words confirmed what I had feared. Mrs. Dante-the same woman whose jewelry I had stolen-was here in Rome's office, and she was no ordinary visitor.
• Struggling to maintain my composure, I extended my hand, forcing a polite smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Dante" I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
• Mrs. Dante returned the gesture, her eyes studying me with a curious intensity. Panic threatened to overwhelm me as I wondered if she would recognize me, if she would expose my past indiscretions to Rome.
• But as the moments passed, Mrs. Dante's expression softened, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
• "It's lovely to meet you too," she replied, her tone genuine. "Rome has told me so much about you."
• Relief flooded through me, mingled with confusion. Rome hadn't mentioned anything about Mrs. Dante being aware of our encounter, yet her words implied otherwise. Rome doesn't even know anything about me apart from the part that I was 25 and I was a surrogate mother.
• And can you all even believe that She insisted on following us to the doctor's appointment,I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me.
• Every glance exchanged between Mrs. Thompson and me felt like a silent interrogation, a reminder of the secrets I harbored and the guilt that weighed heavily on my conscience.
• But I was so thankful to God That her phone rang and she had to go so something really important.
• But despite my fears, I couldn't shake out the fact that even though she remembered there was no proof that is was me, it might be some other girl that looks like me and as Mrs. Thompson bid us farewell, I couldn't help but wonder if she knew more than she let on.
• As the door closed behind her, Rome turned to me with a curious expression. "Is everything alright? Is the baby alright?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
• I plastered on a smile, willing myself to push aside the doubts and fears that threatened to consume me.
• "Everything's fine," I replied, though the weight of uncertainty still hung heavy in the air.
• "Welcome, Mr. and Mrs...."
• "She's just a surrogate mother, and besides, where is Doctor Phil?" Rome interrupted the doctor.
• "Oh, he had a family emergency. I'm Doctor Jeff," the doctor explained.
• "Oh," Rome acknowledged with a nod.
• "So... is this your first pregnancy?" the doctor inquired.
• "No, second," I replied, feeling a chill run down my spine at the mention of pregnancy.
• "Hmm, how many months along are you?" he asked, jotting down notes.
• "About a month," I answered, and he nodded, noting the information.
• "I think it's actually a month and three days," Rome interjected.
• "Well, your opinion wasn't needed, Mr. Know-It-All," I retorted.
• "Maybe you should do some math sometime," Rome shot back, sighing in exasperation.
• "Um, morning sickness?" the doctor redirected the conversation.
• "Yes, it's pretty rough. I feel nauseous and dizzy throughout the day," I admitted.
• "Is it healthy?" Rome interjected anxiously.
• "Yes, it's common in early pregnancy," Doctor Jeff reassured, prompting a relieved sigh from Rome.
• "So... do you have an active sex life?" the doctor suddenly asked, catching us both off guard.
• "I don't think that should be allowed, considering she is carrying my child," Rome quickly chimed in, his protective instincts kicking in.
• "Sex is very good when pregnant, it helps a lot. I would advise you to have sex more," Doctor Jeff suggested with a smile.
• Rome looked at Doctor Jeff in disbelief before turning to me. "The stress, it could harm the baby," he argued, concern evident in his eyes.
• "But, sir, it's very healthy," Doctor Jeff countered, trying to provide a medical perspective.
• "Yes, but that doesn't mean she should have sex with some random guy," Rome retorted, his tone firm as he shot a glare at Doctor Jeff. Doctor Jeff sighed and then turned to look at me, awaiting my response.
• "If I may ask, when was the last time you had sex?" he inquired, his tone gentle. Oh, Lord. I think the last time I did that was five years ago. I don't even have time for relationships, let alone sex anymore.
• "Five years ago," I admitted truthfully, feeling a bit embarrassed by the revelation.
• "Wow," Doctor Jeff said, then looked at Rome, as if silently conveying his surprise.
• "She really needs it. Maybe if you don't want her to meet other men because she is pregnant with your baby, maybe you should just do it yourself," Doctor Jeff suggested, trying to lighten the mood.
• "No," both Rome and I said firmly, almost in unison, our voices overlapping with shared determination.
• "A lowlife like her?" Rome asked, his disgust evident on his face as he glanced at me.
• "A proud guy like him," I retorted, unable to hold back my frustration. Doctor Jeff observed our exchange with a neutral expression.
• "It's not necessarily that you have to do it now. Maybe when the baby is 7 or 8 months, because it's probably tight down there now, and it would be quite difficult for her to give birth," Doctor Jeff explained, trying to provide a logical solution.
• "Well, when the time comes, it will be figured out," Rome said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. I couldn't help but feel a mixture of annoyance and amusement at his stubbornness. He was so proud, too ego-minded for my liking. Thankfully, they didn't ask me at what age I became a surrogate mother.
• "Okay, please come lay on this bed," the doctor said, gesturing towards the examination bed, and I nodded obediently. I positioned myself, lying on my back and facing the ceiling.
• "So, are you ready to see your baby?" the doctor asked Rome, who smiled immediately. There was something about this guy; he cared about his child a lot, and his affection was evident in his warm smile, even though it didn't quite match his usual demeanor.
• "Yes, very," Rome replied eagerly, moving to sit beside me. As instructed, I raised my shirt, exposing my stomach for the examination.
• Doctor Jeff retrieved a gel and slowly applied it to my abdomen. The cool sensation made me shiver slightly.
• Then, he brought out the ultrasound scanner, gently gliding it over my abdomen to locate the baby.
• "I am finding the baby," he whispered, his eyes focused on the screen. Suddenly, he stopped at a particular point.
• "Look," Doctor Jeff said, pointing at the screen. The image was fuzzy, but the outline of the tiny baby was visible.
• "So small," I heard Rome murmur, his voice filled with awe. I turned to look at him, noticing the genuine joy reflected in his wide smile.
• "You want some photos?" Doctor Jeff offered, breaking the moment.
• "Yes, sure," Rome replied eagerly, his excitement palpable. I smiled as I observed his reaction, appreciating his genuine affection for his unborn child. Despite our differences, I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him. Sometimes, a father's love truly was the best.
• I shouldn't admire both father and child. They weren't mine and would never be mine.
• "I will drop you off," Rome offered.
• "Don't worry, I have somewhere to be," I declined, but he frowned.
• "Where?" he inquired, his tone bordering on possessive.
• "Is that supposed to concern you?" I retorted, striding towards the exit of the hospital.
• "Well, yes, you are carrying my baby," he pointed out, his gaze drifting to my stomach.
• "And I am also a human being. I am supposed to have freedom," I countered.
• "Freedom? No, I suppose I already bought your freedom," he remarked, his tone laced with arrogance.
• "My freedom? That's funny. We never discussed you following me everywhere I go," I shot back, emphasizing my point.
• "I'm supposed to know where you're going... what if you run away with my baby and demand a higher ransom for my child?" he said, his voice tinged with concern. Oh. I never thought of that, but that would actually bring in more money. But noooo. I wasn't a kidnapper, although if I were, I would.
• "That's the last thing on my mind, but since you brought it up..." I teased, a playful smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
• "You'd do that to an innocent child???" he asked in disbelief, his tone serious. Seems like this guy doesn't know how to take a joke at all.
• "I'm just kidding, dumb-dumb," I said, my tone lightening, trying to ease the tension.
• "Let's just go," he said, his voice softer now, and we both walked to his car, the gravel crunching under our feet.
• By the time we were seated and he started driving, he was concentrating on the road as usual, his hands firm on the wheel. Working for him had its moments, some good, some... not so good.
• "Uh, I need money," I said, breaking the silence that had settled between us, a mischievous glint in my eyes.
• "How much?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly, his attention momentarily diverted from the road.
• "60k dollars," I said, trying to keep a straight face but failing, a grin spreading across my face.
• "Okay," he said, his tone resigned, a hint of amusement in his voice. I smiled, looking out the window, already planning how I was going to spend it.
• I was going to bill the hell out of him. Hahaha ha.
• TBC