Still kind of scattered….but bear with me. Background is important on this one….

Chapter Three

Talk of Many Things

Unexplained infertility.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Roberts told Lily and Bug. "I know that sounds kind of like a lame excuse…"

Bug was silent a moment. "Unexplained infertility. Dr. Roberts, I'm a scientist. Everything has some sort of explanation…even a partial one. Can you be more specific with us?" Bug reached over and took Lily's hand. Lily had called Dr. Roberts and set up an appointment for more fertility tests. In conjunction, Bug had made an appointment with his urologist for further testing also on his part.

Dr. Roberts sighed. "Unexplained infertility is kind of like a catch-all phrase we use for childless couples whose infertility could be based on several factors, not just one. In your case, first of all, it's age. You're not old," he hastened to add to Lily, "but women in their twenties are more fertile than women in their thirties…at least they are more likely to get pregnant without medical help.

"Second, Lily, you've suffered from endometriosis for years. It's left scarring. You've had surgery before, but now the scars have scars…there's tubule blockage, among other things. "

"So, what are our options?" Lily asked, sniffling back her tears.

"There are several," Dr. Roberts began. "We can go back in and do more laser surgery on you….began hormone treatments…and then try to get you pregnant by normal methods or by invetro-fertilization. "

"How long will that take?" Bug asked, tightening the hold on Lily's hand.

Sighing again, Dr. Roberts continued. "I don't know. It depends on Lily's healing time, how bad the endometriosis continues to be during this process, and if the hormones help. It could be six months…it could be six years. I can't tell you for sure."

"I don't want to wait that long, Lily began. "That might put us in our late thirties having our first child. And I would like more than one."

Bug nodded, wondering just when did bringing a baby into this world become so difficult for two people that loved each other, wanted to spend that life together, and wanted children in the equation. "I agree…is there any other option, Dr. Roberts?"

"There is always adoption….public or private."

"Adoption takes so long…and private adoptions are so expensive," Lily began.

"Yeah, and we've spend a lot of money already on tests and treatments…none of this is covered by insurance," Bug added.

"There's always the consideration of a surrogate mother. Most maternity riders now handle those on your insurance, Dr. Vejay."

Lily and Bug looked at each other and sighed. "Let's give it six months," Bug finally said.

Lily nodded in agreement. "Six months isn't that long…."

"When in the hell did he get to be so uptight?" Jordan asked, storming into Nigel's office.

"Which 'he' are we talking about?" Nigel asked casually, never moving his eyes off his computer screen. "There's a lot of uptight 'he's' we could be discussing. Present company excluded of course." He turned then and gave her a toothy smile.

"Woodrow Wilson Hoyt!"

"Oh….that uptight 'he'."

"Yes, him," Jordan said, trying to contain her frustration, but still fuming. "What has happened to him? When he flew out to Maryland to see me….and even at Bug's and Lily's wedding…he seemed fine…like his old self…What happened?"

Nigel didn't know how to explain everything that had happened to Woody since she left. After Bug's and Lily's wedding, Woody's world had dove into a tail spin. First was the news that Jordan wasn't going to return to Boston for at least a year– perhaps never. Then there was the break up with Lu and all of its fall out. Add to that more trouble with Cal, and the fact that Woody's back injury had begun to give him real physical problems, and the detective had dealt with a full plate for a long time.

Now multiply that with the promotions he had received and all the new responsibilities that were on Woody's plate and the product was one uptight man.

"Woody's gone through a lot since you left, love."

Jordan gave Nigel a hard look. "Would you care to explain?"

"Uh. Some of it I can. Some of it Woody would have to tell you." Indeed. Nigel wasn't even going to go into how messy the break up with Lu was. Or Woody's now seemingly physical limitations. That was all Woody's business, even though he had told Nigel everything that same night at the Beef-n-Brew he suffered the effects of too many beers and a raging fit of guilt. But what was public record, Nigel felt was fair game.

"Cal…kind of popped in the picture again and gave him some problems….and then he has a lot of responsibilities now with his new promotions and all…" Nigel hedged. It was difficult for him to be in this position with his loyalties divided between two friends.

Jordan snorted. "And that made him so uptight?"

"He's in charge of a lot of detectives now, love. There's a lot of eyes looking up to him as well as looking over his shoulder." Nigel's curiosity got the best of him. "What did he do to piss you off so?"

"I went to give him some reports on that last autopsy I did on the Maness homicide…the one everybody and his brother was pushing me to get done? I knock on his office door and try to give him the damn paper work and he asks me if I have a freakin' appointment to see him…An appointment! To give him something he has rode my back to get for two days!" she finished in a huff.

Nigel smothered a chuckle. That sounded like Woody now. Anything not on his Daytimer or not listed on his schedule and the man went off. "Well…did you make an appointment to go back to see him?"

"Hell, no! I told him if he needed the reports that badly he could hump his ass over here to see me…that is if he made an appointment first."

This time Nigel couldn't stifle the laughter. "Dear God….you're not back six months and you're both back at each other's throats…."

"Damn skippy. Poor Lu…He's so anal now I bet he makes love in a suit and tie…."

Nigel didn't sigh then. He turned his head. He wasn't going to be the one to tell Jordan about Lu and Woody. That would have to come from the detective himself.

"And?" Lily prompted Bug.

"She's clean."

"Clean as in…."

Bug sighed. He hated snooping. Especially on his friends. It made him feel like Nigel.

"All of her medical check ups for the last ten years are clean. She's dated no one questionable…well….unless you count…"

"But she's clean…clean as in healthy?" Lily pressed.

"Clean as in perfectly healthy."

"Then she would make a good surrogate mother…."

Bug sighed. "Medically, yes. She would make an excellent choice for a surrogate mother." It was amazing what a few hours of computer hacking could bring up if you had a valid social security number.

Lily squealed. "Then it's official…"

"She could say no…." Bug warned.

Lily smiled. "Somehow I don't think she will."

"Lily…don't get your hopes up," Bug warned.

"I won't. I promise. But we're best friends. I'd do the same for her."

"Still…"

Lily smiled. "Unless you have any objections, I'm going to invite her over for dinner tonight. We can ask her then."

Bug sighed again. A defeated sigh. The sigh of a man who knows when he's whipped. "Okay. Just no alcohol. If she's going to carry our baby, she needs to start living a completely healthy lifestyle now. And lots of vegetables. And carbs. Carbs, especially pasta, make the uterus more of a feasible place for embryo implantation."