Chapter 2

The alarm on her bedside table rang thrice, startling her. Charlotte turned around on the bed and sat up reluctantly. She threw the covers off her, scratching her eyes. Pain shot up her temple and her hands immediately went to her head. She knew she needed to rest as she slept late last night but instead she got down from the bed and went into the bathroom. Her hazel eyes were still heavy from lack of enough sleep and pleading to crawl back under the covers of her small bed but Charlotte couldn't risk it. She had to scout for money to take care of her siblings and their needs.

After taking a shower, the doorbell chimed and Charlotte tensed as she walked to unbolt the front door. She wasn't expecting any visitors in her small apartment. As she reached the door, she remembered the house rent that has been long overdue. Sighing, she yanked open to the door to meet a pair of familiar eyes staring back at her with concern.

"What's up, Char?" Amy asked and walked in casually, sitting on the only couch in the room. She threw her purse across the room and pulled off the bond she used in packing her into a ponytail, letting them fall loosely on her shoulders. Charlotte closed the door behind her and slumped beside Amy on the floor.

"Hey." She replied, dolefully.

"How's the hustle going?" Amy asked again, looking expectantly at Charlotte. She nodded her reply.

"Well, I've got great news." She stated and got up, walking around the house to catch Charlotte's attention.

"You always have news, Amy." Charlotte stated indifferently shrugging her shoulders. "What difference would this one make this time around?" She sighed and turned to look at her friend.

"This one, Char. Trust me on this one. It could change your life forever." Amy pressed.

"Still the same old story, Amy." Charlotte sighed and attempted to get up from the floor. "I've got work to do."

"Wait." Amy said, pushing her friend back to the floor. "I need you to understand that this news I'm about to give you would fetch you seventy million dollars." She stated, pronouncing the last three words in bits. It had the right effect.

Charlotte's ears perked up and she placed a hand over her mouth. "Are you kidding me right now?" She half-whispered, half-screamed.

"No, I'm not. This is plain truth." Amy pressed.

"Let's hear it then." Charlotte said, urging Amy to go on.

"Well, it's simple. Ever heard about a surrogate organization?" She asked her friend.

"Umm….yeah. What has that got to do with seventy million dollars?" Charlotte asked, confusion clouding her face.

"Well there's this surrogate organization that are willing to pay seventy million dollars for whoever is interested." Amy pronounced, still spelling out the seventy million dollars.

Charlotte looked at her friend and swallowed hard, bike rising up her throat. "So…" she started, "...so I'm like selling my womb?" She asked, her eyes locking with Amy's, searching them for answers.

"Don't be daft." Amy chastised her. " You're not practically selling your womb. Your womb is yours and will forever be yours. You're just helping someone house a child. Plus you're only doing it once." Amy sighed and sat down beside her friend.

Charlotte put her hands to her face and pulled at her cheeks, ruffling her blue hair. "I don't know Amy."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Amy asked, perplexed.

"I don't know if I can do it." Charlotte stated, disappointing her friend.

"What!" Amy screamed. "Jesus Christ, Char!"

Charlotte swallowed hard again and pressed her lips into a thin firm line, looking at her friend right in the eye.

"You've gotta be kidding me." Amy continued. "I mean…we're talking about seventy million dollars here." She shouted and continued ranting. Charlotte bit her lips and shook her head in disagreement.

"Something feels off about this, Amy. I don't know, I just don't—"

"Wait!" Amy interrupted her. "This is an amount you have never made and you probably would never make if you keep doing menial jobs." Her voice dropped a pitch lower. "Those jobs would lead you nowhere, Char. This is your next big thing." She said, trying to convince Charlotte.

Charlotte's mind flew back to all she had been through. If all Amy said was true, this could definitely be her next big thing. She thought about her siblings in the hospital –Silas, Chase and Harry– she needed to pay for their bills. They were the only family she had left, she could not let anything happen to them.

But then she thought about the surrogacy. "Amy?" She called.

"Yes, Char. You've changed your mind?" She asked expectantly.

"No, I just feel bad. I wouldn't be able to call the child mine even though I would be the one to carry it. It's…absurd." She said and sighed.

"Look. You can always have another child. Children even. You need this money and that's all that matters right now. You've got this." Amy said, placing her hands on her shoulders and reassuring her.

Charlotte still felt a bit sceptical about it. How would she live carrying a pregnancy that won't belong to her. What would people call her? A slut? How would she explain to the prying eyes of people that she was just desperate? How would she tell them that it was her only choice? They wouldn't understand. Society never does.

"What will people say, Amy?" She asked her friend again.

"Oh those." Amy sighed heavily and itched the back of her neck. "Let them stay whatever they want to say, dear. It's not their life!" Her vki6had risen higher. "They don't know how much you've been struggling to feed and house, not to mention footing your siblings' bills. People don't know shit! They don't help you so why would they care about what you decide to do with yourself? It's your life, ain't it?"

Charlotte nodded her head in agreement with her. Why care what people would say? Whatever they want to think, it's their business.

"So have you made up your mind yet?" Amy asked.

Just one more problem, Charlotte thought. What about Benjamin? He definitely would not be happy once he finds out about this. They've both planned their future together and having a surrogate child was not in any way included in their plans. If she wants to go ahead with this, he should know at least.

"If you're thinking about Benjamin, stop it." Amy interrupted her thoughts. Charlotte looked up at her startled. "Have you forgotten? He doesn't care about your brothers. He wanted them to die, Char for crying out loud. Why do you still think of him?"

Charlotte's shoulders dropped and her legs sprawled out in front of them. Amy was right. She should just go on with it. When he finds out later, he should understand. He should understand that this would not only pay her siblings bills but leave them with enough money to start a good life. This was a golden opportunity as Amy said and she should grab it. She could not allow this to flop. Seventy million dollars was such a huge sum of money.

Amy waited expectantly for her to say something. She finally looked up at her friend and nodded in the affirmative.

"Is that a yes?" Amy asked hopefully.

"Yes, it's a yes." Charlotte confirmed and they both chuckled lightly.

"Hey. Don't feel bad." Amy said, wrapping her arms around her friend. "You made the best decision. You're going to bring your family out of poverty, okay?"

Charlotte nodded like a student receiving lectures.

"You're going to do this whole surrogacy thing and you're going to get the whooping seventy million dollars." Amy continued her speech.

"Seventy million dollars." Charlotte repeated to herself, quietly.

"Your life is going to change for the better. No more stressful menial jobs that pay you meager amounts." Amy ranted on, smiling.

Charlotte smiled too and looked up at her friend. " Thank you Amy"

"Come on. What are friends for?" Amy replied and they both laughed. "Are you still going to thy coffee shop?"

"Of course I have to." Charlotte answered, a bit surprised that her friend would think she would be so relaxed and not even do anything because she has a seventy million dollar coming her way.

"I still don't get why you would want to. If it were to be I, I would definitely stay indoors for the rest of the day, celebrating my lucky hit." Amy said, reclining in the couch.

"Would you like something to drink?" Charlotte asked, wanting to end the conversion already.

"I would like water. It's not like you have any other juice by the way." Amy said teasingly.

"You have the grace of being my friend or I would have taken that as an insult." Charlotte said and they both laughed again.

"Well, guess who's house is going to be stocked with juice in a few months time?" Amy said, wiggling her brows.

"I guess that's me." Charlotte said and chuckled.