Proxy
Part One: The Big Decision
A seventeen year old Word Girl flew through the city and heard from her super hearing uncontrollable sobbing and a voice calming the person crying. The comforter sounded like Doctor Two-Brains.
"There, there… Beatrice…"
"Beatrice?" Word Girl breathed, "Oh!" She remembered a couple of years ago that Doc and Lady Redundant Woman tied the knot. She was part of the wedding party much to her surprise and delight. She super sped to the apartment where Two-Brains moved in with his wife.
Word Girl saw through the window a crying Lady Redundant Woman and Doc was comforting her while holding her. He also had a sad expression on his face.
"We could always try adoption." he suggested while wiping her tears.
"That would be wonderful, nice, good… But we can't!" she wailed.
The heroine felt sorry for the villainess and tapped on the window.
They turned to see her, "Word Girl?"
Doc opened the window, "What brings you by?"
"Forgive me, but I heard the cries and came straight over to see what was wrong."
"Oh, Word Girl!" tears welled in Beatrice's eyes again, "It's awful! Just terrible! Horrible, even!"
"What is?"
But the villainess burst into tears and Word Girl turned her head to Doc.
"You see…" he started explaining, "We've been trying to have a child for some time now, but when nothing seemed to be working, we went to Tubing and found out that Beatrice is incapable of having a baby."
"Oh, no… I'm so sorry…"
"It's… fine…" she sniffled.
"I was just telling her that we could adopt instead, but she thinks we can't. Why is that, honey?"
"Because we're former criminals, that's why!"
"Doc, she's right… It would be hard for you to adopt with your past prison record… Both of you. I don't think you have a chance…"
"So… that's it then, we're doomed, fated, condemned to be childless forever…"
"So it would seem…" Doc now looked more upset than before.
Word Girl thought about their dilemma; former criminals they may be, but they weren't bad people and could be good parents if they wanted to, and seeing how they really want to… she said, "Have you try getting a surrogate? Or having treatments done?"
"The treatments would be too expensive for us." pointed Doc.
"And I don't see anyone willing to help us be our surrogate." said Lady Redundant.
"Maybe not other women of the city, but what about Ms. Question? Or Leslie? I thought they were your friends."
"They are, but I don't think they can be a surrogate. You know Leslie is too busy with Mr. Big; heck, he won't give her vacation time! And Ms. Question is too happy being a free spirit; I can't trust her to carry our baby."
"I see your point…" Word Girl pondered. She looked at the couple as they were holding on to each other in sorrow. The hero thought long and hard. This was a tough situation for Doc and Lady Redundant Woman; they weren't getting any younger, so it made sense they would want a kid as soon as possible to raise it. But how could she help them any further? She already gave them ideas, but those won't seem to work unless they could find a surrogate. Then it hit her… It was risky, but there was no other option at this point. Maybe… Just maybe it could work… She turned back to face them to tell them outright.
"If it's a surrogate you need, then… you got her…"
They stood there in shock.
"Wha… What are you saying?!" gestured Beatrice.
"Yeah, what are you getting at, kid?" questioned Two-Brains.
"I… I could be your surrogate…" she said with a straight face.
Their mouths were wide open until Two-Brains shouted.
"Are you crazy?! You only fifteen years old-"
"Seventeen." she corrected him.
"Whatever, the point is you're still too young to carry a baby! And what would your friends and family say?! And how in the world are you going to stop crime?! Hmmm?"
"Huggy could take over for me; crime hasn't been the same since you two retired along with other respected villains. As for my family, they already know my secret, so they'll understand. As for my friends…" she gave an unsure look, knowing a certain genius boyfriend wasn't going to take the news lightly, "I'll have to talk to them…"
"I was going to say," motioned Doc, "what's McCallister going to think when he finds out you're pregnant?"
"It's not like I'll be pregnant with our child."
"True, but he's going to feel cheated, sulky, and resentful, that you couldn't be pregnant with his kid first."
"Not if I give him a good reason, and this is a very good one. You guys can't wait any longer for a child to show up on your own. And you have solid points as to why you can't do anything else; no one will want to volunteer to be a surrogate for you two. But because I feel it's right, then I want to be your surrogate."
"But are you sure, absolute, positive you want to do this?"
"Yeah, think before you might regret something." he said but secretly hoped that she won't back down.
"My mind is made up, but I must consult with my partner and my parents firsthand, only then will I be free to do this."
"Oh, Word Girl!" Redundant Woman flung her arms around the superhero in a tight hug, "Thank you! Thank you!"
"I gotta say, kid…" Doc had to wipe away tears, "This is the most amazing you have ever done… And for your enemies too, it's… wow…"
"Ex-enemies, considering you're not on the city's most wanted list anymore. Think of it as reward for not causing mayhem in a long time."
"You… are so wonderful…" Beatrice said in passion.
"But like I said, before I promise anything, I must talk it over first." she headed to the window.
"We understand," said Doc, "and thanks again! This means everything to us!"
They waved her off as she waved back and she disappeared into the horizon.