2.
~ Ariadne was amazed at the apartment that would be hers. The building was an architectural dream. Old world details of rich inlaid wood floors in the lobby and stunning statues of goddesses adorned the outer facade. It was a massive apartment complex that hosted a gym, dinning halls kitchens with room service, and even a small park and playground that was centered inside the building and secluded from the city.
"So, you'll stay here for a year. Even if there is a miscarriage, you'll still be able to stay." the lawyer said. He was a thin little man that Richard had hired to explain the contract to her and protect her rights. Ariadne explored the large one bedroom apartment that was still bigger and more luxurious than anything she was used to. There was even a large fire place in the sitting room.
"It's beautiful!" Ariadne cried as she rushed to the large floor to ceiling windows and looked out at the park. "I'll have my own kitchen!" she screamed as she ran her hands over the marble counter tops and then looked at the bedrooms.
"Yes, you'll have a decorating allowance, clothing allowance and..." he looked over the pages. "you'll have full access to the gym and room service that the Demeter provides. They even have a massage therapist on call, as well as a full spa." he laughed.
"So, what's the deal? Who is this couple I'm having a baby for?" Ariadne asked as she wandered through the empty apartment and relished the hard wood floors and fine detailing of each room. She hadn't really accepted she would be a surrogate mother yet, the rewards of such a thing were too good to ignore. For a year of her life, 9 months really, all her problems would be gone. She would be well off, have her degree and her life would finally begin.
Having a baby was not part of her goals, but it wouldn't be her baby, it would be the couple's baby.
"They will remain anonymous." the lawyer said.
"So, I won't meet them?" she asked. "When will I go to the clinic?" she asked him as she wondered how to decorate the apartment and if she would be allowed to take the furniture with her after the year was up.
"They will advise you on the matter. The most important part is that you have to agree to a strict set of guidelines while pregnant. No smoking, drinking, no caffeine or junk foods, no sugar. Regular work outs and weekly trips to the on sight doctor." the lawyer said. "That's strange." the lawyer added.
"How so?" Ariadne asked.
"Normally, the couple would want to at least meet you. I've heard of conditions like eating healthy being applied and even housing being provided for, but there is no name of the couple." he said.
"It's okay, isn't it?" Ariadne asked. "I mean, I'll get paid at the end? Right?"
"They already gave you a check for $5,000 in good faith money." the lawyer said.
Ariadne snatched the check away from him like a drowning woman.
"Just for saying yes." she breathed.
"The main part of this is you have to agree to sign the child over when it's born." the lawyer told her.
"Sure, I don't want a baby." she laughed and sighed the contract without reading it.
~ Arthur debated whether or not to knock on her door. It had been a week and Ariadne had moved in. Right away, Miss Lawson, a friend of the family, had come and helped her decorate and have the apartment furnished. It was the height of bad manners to meet the mother of his child in a half furnished apartment. It was important that a mother feel safe and at home before conception.
The Demeter was more than an exclusive apartment building. It housed men and women who held fast to the belief that their legacy, their children, were more sacred than most. As a result, they were more selective about their procreation practices.
Fertile women were regarded as sacred vessels. Their bodies meant only for carrying children. Some women, who had grown up in the Demeter, didn't share this ancient view and left. So did many of the young men. However, some came back into the fold. Their teachings and instincts guiding them back into a life where there were no husbands and wives, no lovers no mistresses. Only the simple and fierce love of child and parent and the obligation to continue the line.
It had always been like this and outsiders were discouraged.
The Demeter was built at the turn of the century when the group went underground and cut themselves off from a rapidly growing world. Things had changed too much and they would not accept it. So, they built the large apartment building, and sealed themselves and their practices away. Outsiders would not understand why they lived this way, their breeding habits would be seen as strange and taboo. Their children might be in danger.
Arthur took another deep breath and knocked on her door.
~ Ariadne loved her new home. She had received very little word about going to a clinic for the testing and impregnation. In fact, no one said anything about it. A pleasant woman came by last week and almost over night, her home was furnished to her style and looked like something out of a magazine. It was too perfect in color and function. Right down to the way her home smelled, it was like heaven. She would wander from room to room, taking in how lovely the leather couch, with designer pillows thrown over it looked. How comfortable it was to sink into and read. How her dinning room table was an antique with a matching buffet table.
How her bedroom was fitted with an amazing canopy bed that made her feel like a princess. The walls were repainted a lush, soothing green for the living room, a heirloom blue for the dinning room, a cheerful yellow for the kitchen, and cozy chocolate color in her bedroom.
Added to that, she received fresh flowers ever morning and the whole space seemed infused with positive energy.
Her home was so wonderful, she didn't want to leave, and didn't really have to. There was a tiny gourmet grocery in the basement of the building that catered to the residents there. Ariadne had found it by accident as she was exploring one day.
It made her a special artisan bread of walnuts and cranberry when she told them they were her favorite. In fact, they sent her food stock every morning so she didn't need to venture downstairs again.
Each morning at around 10am, a delivery man would show up. Her daily flowers in one arm, a large basket of food in the other. She had tried the almond milk, the organic tomatoes, the free range eggs, the fresh squeezed orange juice that came in funny shaped glass bottles that she couldn't bare to throw away.
Her life was so amazing, she never wanted to leave.
One thing that troubled her, although she couldn't really complain, there was no soda or coffee or sugar of any kind. She had a powerful craving for pizza her second night in her new place and when she went downstairs to go out to eat, she was told she couldn't.
"Conditions of your contract ma'am." the delivery man who guarded the doors said. "No junk food."
"It's only pizza and I'm not even..." she broke off as the Richard made an appearance out of the little office.
"Ariadne, dear." he said cheerfully. "Why don't you go up to your apartment and I'll have the kitchen make a special pizza for you? They make this one with organic cheese, spinach and mushrooms that you'll think you've died and gone to heaven."
She was about to protest, she wasn't a prisoner after all, but a security man came into the lobby and she silently stepped back on the elevator.
Less than an hour later, a large gourmet pizza arrived at her door. Richard hadn't lied, it was the best, but the fact she couldn't go out, was troubling.
~ The doorman brought her things she needed, books and magazines, She had internet access and took her classes online. She was amazed she was able to take all the classes she needed for graduation online, even more amazing they were not filled up. Richard must have pulled some strings for her.
She was looking over her syllabus when a there was a knock at the door.
'Probably the delivery man.' she thought feeling annoyed. 'Dropping off some organic veggies for me.'
When she opened the door, she almost gasped.
It wasn't the doorman or the delivery man. Not even Richard, but a tall, lean young man who was dressed superbly in a suit.
Ariadne suddenly felt out of place in her chic apartment in nothing but yoga pants, and her old high school band sweat shirt that was faded and too loose. Her hair wasn't cute today and she hadn't bothered to put on make up.
She was very aware she looked horrible in front of him.
"Can I help you?" she asked as he meet her in the eye.
She felt herself blush and he didn't say anything at first, just held out his hand for her to shake. His eyes staying on hers the whole time.
"I'm sorry to bother you with no notice." he said. His voice had a pleasing deepness to it that made her weak in the knees.
"It's okay." she said feeling like a stupid school girl in front of her crush. "I was just, reading, um a thing... um... for school." she finished.
An image of a dive turned belly flop into a pool flashed in her head as she realized how stupid that sounded in front of this handsome, professional looking man.
She should have told him:
'No, it's fine, I was just taking a break from cooking dinner and reading War and Peace. I so enjoy those kinds of novels for a bit of light reading.' but that sounded even stupider.
"My name is Arthur, I'm here about the arrangements you made for surrogacy." he told her.
"Oh!" she startled.
This was her doctor. The in house one she was told about, making a house call and getting to know her.
"Oh, come on in." she said and stood aside to allow him inside.
He nodded politely and stepped in. His large hands retreating to his pockets as he looked around the handsome rooms.
"The redecorating went well. Very cozy here." he told her.
"Isn't it wonderful? The lady who did it said I can even keep the furniture when I leave." she told him as she wished she had a bottle of wine. Like pizza and junk food, the shop in the basement didn't sell alcohol at all.
"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked. "I just got fresh orange juice this morning.
"That would be lovely." Arthur said as he looked over the rooms and sat down on the comfy leather sofa.
She raced to her kitchen as soon as he was out of sight and ran her fingers through her hair and wished she was dressed better. She wasn't even wearing a bra, just her stay at home clothes.
She poured them each a glass of the delicious organic juice and tried to act normal.
"Here we go." she said with a stupid sort of happiness as she came back into the room.
He had been looking over her school work. The text books laid on her marble top coffee table in a haphazard way.
"Architecture student." he said as he held up her book.
"Oh, yes. I've been in love with this building. It's so unlike anything in the city. It's like a gem. I can't believe it's not famous." she said.
"I need to tell you, that it's in your confidentiality agreement never to discuss the Demeter." Arthur said taking the glass from her. "Or anything that happens here." he added taking a sip.
"I won't." she told him hurriedly. "It's just, why not?" she asked him.
"It's complicated, let's leave it at that. Drink your juice." he said with a nod.
Ariadne drank a little, and Arthur seemed happy.
"It's very important to have citric acid in your system before conception. The first few months are critical." he said.
"I never thought about it." she said with a shrug. "So, you're the doctor they hired? When will I have to go to the clinic? I mean, is there anything I need to do before the insemination?" she asked feeling a hot flush tint her cheeks.
Arthur met here eyes again and she was glad she had a reason to see more of him. He would be her doctor and see her every few weeks now, how wonderful and convenient. They would be friends, maybe flirt a little.
"I'm not the doctor." he told her. We have a specialist on sight. A doctor Yuseff. He's the best baby doctor in the city and only sees 20 women a year." he told her.
"Wow." she exclaimed with a sort of disappointment. "Why so few?"
"He's on reserve for us." Arthur explained.
"Us?"
"It's complicated."
Arthur let out a sigh.
"So, if your not my doctor, are you another lawyer? Because I've met with a few already." she said. She didn't understand now what he was doing here.
"No, I'm not another lawyer." he said with a rare smile. "I'm going to be the father."