A/N: Thank you for all the favorites, follows and reviews!

Chapter Two

"Oh my goodness! Thank you for calling about the ad! My name is Hiram." Hiram rushed out excitedly.

"Hello, Hiram." Shelby said. She liked his bubbly personality.

"Would you like to meet with my husband, Leroy and I?" Hiram asked. "We'd like to as you some questions and get to know you a little bit and I'm sure you have some questions for us." He added.

"That sounds great. I just moved here and I don't know my way around just yet." Shelby said, biting her lip.

"Oh, well Leroy and I don't mind coming to you. Where do you live?" Hiram said.

"I'm staying at the Mariott Marina Bay until I find an apartment." Shelby said.

"How about you have lunch in the hotel restaurant with Leroy and I around two?" Hiram asked.

"Yes, that sounds perfect." Shelby said.

"Ok, we'll see you then. Have a good night Dove and thanks again for calling." Hiram said.

"You're welcome. I hope the two of you have a good night as well." Shelby said.

"Bye bye." Hiram said before ending the call.

Shelby's heart was pounding. Tomorrow she would meet with two men who would change her life forever. She just didn't know how much.


After Shelby ate dinner, she decided to check her Facebook and see what was going on. Her inbox had over thirty messages all asking her where she was, if she was coming back and why she left. Her best friend Cassandra July had messaged her everyday since the day she left, every message growing more worried. Shelby knew she at least owed Cassandra an explanation. Because she was the only one who had seen how bad it was between Shelby and her parents. And she was also the only one who knew how much of a scumbag Reggie was.

Shelby: Hey Cass, I just want to let you know that I'm ok. Don't worry. xo Shelbs

Shelby wasn't at all surprised when she got a message back right away.

Cassie: Don't worry?! What the hell Shelbs?! When you didn't show up to the wedding, your Mother went ballistic and my Dad had to give her a sedative. Reggie was pissed off and raved about being ditched at the altar like the spoiled little shit he is. And you worried the hell out of me Shelbs! I'm glad you're alive, but I'm so pissed you didn't tell me that you were going to run away!

Shelby: I couldn't tell you what I was planning. You know how my parents are. I ditched my cell, my car and I changed my name. Hell, I'm thinking of dying my hair.

Cassie: Sweetie, I'm so sorry. But, I'm glad you got out. Do you need money?

Shelby: No, I'm Ok for now. I have over $6,000 in cash and I have a job interview tomorrow.

Cassie: Please don't erase me from your life Shelbs. I know you need to be under the radar wherever you are but please don't ditch me.

Shelby: Never. Best Friends until death. I'm going to deactivate this page Cass, but I'll make another one and add you. I'd give you my new number but I'm really paranoid about what lengths my parents and Reggie would go through to drag me back.

Cassie: I understand Shelbs. I'm sorry that running was your only option.

Shelby: I love you Cass xo

Cassie: I love you too!

At the end of the conversation Shelby deactivated her profile. Now there was no traces of Shelby Corcoran anywhere. She walked into the bathroom and looked at the three different bottles of hair dye she had packed and picked up the blonde box of dye. She glanced at herself and then at the box again and smiled. She'd give blonde a try and see how she liked it. She read the instructions on the back of the box and got to work. Fifteen minutes later, She hardly recognized herself. "Perfect!" She said out loud. She climbed into her double bed and nestled into the soft down covers and slept peacefully for the first time in years.


The next morning Shelby ordered bacon, eggs, fruit and coffee for breakfast and watched some TV. Usually she would eat with her parents. And even though they ate together, they ate in silence and that was the same as eating alone like she was now. She sighed as she remembered one particular morning during breakfast her senior year:

"Honestly Shelby! Why on earth would you want to waste your college fund learning how to listen to people complain about their lives?" Elaine nagged her daughter.

"Because Mother, I want to help people. I want to make a difference." Shelby said.

"You'd make a difference if you got a PHD Shelby. Just humor your Mother. Hmm?" Elaine said in a tone that meant she really wasn't asking.

"Alright Mother, I'll go to medical school instead." Shelby muttered.

"What was that dear. You have to enunciate." Elaine said.

Shelby swallowed the urge to roll her eyes. "I'll go to medical school." She said crisply.

"Good." Elaine said, popping a piece of melon into her mouth.

Shelby shook away the memory and sighed. She was determined to never go back to that. And decided she might go to school and become a psychologist after all once she got more settled. She cleaned up her trash and rolled her tray outside before changing out of her pajamas and into skinny jeans a nice blouse and open toe heels. Just as she finished her make up the front desk rang letting her know Hiram and Leroy were waiting for her in the hotel restaurant.

"I'll be right down." Shelby said. She hung up, ran her fingers through her hair and headed for the elevators. She walked into the restaurant and looked around, then frowned when she realized she didn't know what Hiram or Leroy looked like.

"May I help you Miss?" The Maitre D asked.

"Yes, I'm looking for Hiram and Leroy Berry." Shelby said.

"Are you Mrs. Dove Markwell?" The Maitre D asked looking Shelby over.

"Oh, I'm not married. It's Ms. Markwell." Shelby corrected.

"Oh, right this way." The Maitre D grabbed up a menu and lead Shelby towards the more secluded part of the restaurant where two men were sitting.

When Hiram and Leroy saw Shelby coming they stood up and painted smiles on their faces. "Dove?" Leroy asked.

"Yes, Hello." Shelby said putting her hand forward to shake.

"I'm Leroy." Leroy said shaking her hand.

"And I'm Hiram. You're absolutely gorgeous!" Hiram said shaking her hand. "Please have a seat." He said gesturing to the two chairs across from them.

Shelby sat down and got comfortable. "Thank you. So, where do we start?" She asked.

"We have been very unfortunate in our quest to start a family so far." Hiram said sadly.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Shelby said.

"We just had an adoption fall through a month ago. And our last surrogate miscarried." Leroy said.

"I'm so sorry." Shelby said. She felt so bad for these men. She wanted to help them. They seemed nice and she thought with their big hearts they would make loving parents.

"Tell us about yourself Dove." Hiram said.

"I'm twenty one years old, I don't have any children or any family and I just moved here from New York." Shelby said.

"Why do you want to be our surrogate?" Leroy asked.

"Like I said, I just moved here. I could really use the money. After the baby is born I'm going to go to school and get my Master's to become a child psychologist. You seem like a nice couple and I'd love to help you complete your family." Shelby said. She was honest without giving away too much about her past.

Leroy and Hiram shared a look before turning to Shelby with huge smiles on their faces.

"Dove, we know we've only just met you, but we feel this is right. What do you say? Will you have our baby?" Hiram asked.