Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
“You are back.” Elizabeth said to her brother. He had been gone for two days since he claimed he was going for practice and although she had tried calling him, his number never went through. He nodded once and walked straight to him room and although it was at the tip of Elizabeth’s tongue to call him back and ask him where he had been, she didn’t.
She and Darren were exactly five years apart in age and she had always been his big sister, she had always been there to defend him against bullies until he could properly take care of himself and then their father had died, leaving their mother to cater for them and now she was sick. Elizabeth could understand why he just wanted to do away with this life and his family forever.
She contemplated going to talk to him about the whole surrogacy thing but decided against it,
He wouldn’t understand, she thought sadly.
“Aren’t you going to work?” Darren asked some hours later when his sister had not made any move to go out.
“I have to talk to you about something.” Elizabeth started.
She could see the light leave his eyes as he stared at her, waiting for her to continue.
“I got a new job and I will be resigning, that’s why I am leaving for a year. It is a very remote kind of job and I can’t tell you the details.”
“I know what it is, Liza. I am not stupid, you are going to be a surrogate.” He said
“How did you know that? Wait… you knew all this while?”
“Yes, I overheard you and Mara talking about it. Listen Liza, I am not upset that I have to take care of mother for the duration of your surrogacy. I am hurt that I cannot do anything to help and you instead have to go down this part.”
Elizabeth heaved a sight of relief, she had indeed misinterpreted his sulking.
“It is not going to be all that bad. I was really worried that you were mad at me for wanting to ruin your chances at playing international football.”
“I was mad for a while, I admit but you have always been here doing the best for us. I don’t think I have gained the right to be mad at anything you do because I should know that it is always going to be for us.”
“Awww… I love you, baby brother”
“I love you too, Liza. So who is it? The person you are going to be a surrogate for?”
“Jason Rodrigues” Elizabeth replied, waiting for his reaction.
“You are kidding right?!… Jason the billionaire? Oh my God”
“He’s not all that Darren, stop.”
“He’s not all that? You must be crazy, Liz”
“I’m not, he’s an okay person. Extremely rude one minute and really nice the next, like there are too different individuals warring in his body.”
“I am not going to be worried about you, he will do right by you in every way.” Darren said.
“Yes, he has been quite generous. He agreed to help our mother get proper and extensive treatment and in exchange, I just have to bear him a child. I only have tomorrow to round up before I go over to his place permanently for the procedure.”
“I know this is not the right time to say this but you have to tell him about your baby brother. I am almost done with schooling and it would be really nice to work in his company.”
“I would put a word in for you.” Elizabeth said smiling.
She was happy and Mara had been right, keeping it from her brother was extremely wrong and she should not have even imagined that he was upset because of the burdens of their family, her brother was only sad he could do nothing to help them.
…
“Is everything ready for her arrival?” Jason asked his housekeeper, Agatha.
“The room is ready and properly furnished in green although I wonder at why that color.”
“It matches her eyes.” Jason muttered.
“Excuse me?” Agatha asked, she had not heard him.
“Nothing, that would be all, thank you.”
Jason wondered as to why he was feeling excited at the prospect of Elizabeth living with him for a year. She was beautiful, in an entirely babyish type of way and she had the greenest eyes on earth, she was fiery when vexed as he had seen and blushed like a virgin…
of course, she is a virgin, he thought.
He had asked her why at twenty four, she was still untouched. He could describe her as a flower waiting to be plucked and he could easily see himself as the man who would pluck her.
True, his father had put a real burden on him with the getting a baby thing but who said he could not enjoy himself while at it and Elizabeth… she looked like the type that would thoroughly please him.
“What is on your mind, dear brother” Lucien asked, interrupting his thoughts.
“It’s nothing. I am expecting the surrogate tomorrow.”
“Is she pretty?” Lucien asked.
“She is pretty and innocent and you would do well to keep your hands off her.” Jason met his brother’s amused eyes, deadpan.
“Innocent? Now isn’t that thrilling.”
“I mean it, Lucien. She is a twenty four years old virgin, keep your hands off her.”
“I presume you want to have her?”
“You presume correctly.” Jason said grinning like the devil