Chapter 37: SURROGATE MOTHER

"Hannah doesn't have a mother" I pondered loudly, once his statement dawned on me. Retracting my steps, I turned around abruptly.

"Yes, she does. Did you think she fell from the sky or something?" Mike crossed his legs, looking at me as if I just grew an extra head.

"I'm not a child Mike. For all I know, you and Andy are her parents." There hasn't been anyone else.. The topic of her having a mother has never been discussed. Andy and Mike have been very good parents that there has never been any need for her to ask about the absence of a female presence in her life.

"You think I or Andy carried her for nine months? Then went into labor afterward?" He clicked his tongue at me, rolling his eyes.

"Of course not. But there had never been any discussions about who her birth mother might have been. Hannah had two fathers and that was enough wasn't it?" I asked him.

"I knew eventually she would want to know who her mother was. Sit" He patted the space beside him. Less than a minute ago, I was upset, heading towards the front door. Should I sit or just leave? I stand to lose nothing so I took up his request.

"When Andy decided to ask me to marry him I was so excited. Yet, something bugged me. Andy loved children, more than anything else. Neither of us can conceive but there was another way." Andy began telling a story, stopping in between to see if he had my attention.

"So, we went for a vacation. South Africa is one of the best places for tourism. Upon our arrival, we went to see a doctor, and that was when the options were introduced. There are different ways for same-sex couples to have a child. We opted for an embryo donor. Surrogacy sounded like the best option then. The hospital linked us to the woman who birthed Hannah. A contract was signed and a few months later, we returned to New York with our daughter. She has always been ours, and since she wasn't born here we didn't have to answer too many questions."

"After Andy's death, her mother came for a condolence visit. Hannah noticed the resemblance. Strangely, they look extremely alike. She went out of her way to find out more about her mother. I didn't know much but I still had her number. I guess the rest is history now."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. For some minutes I remained speechless, staring into space. Saying this wasn't news would be deceitful.

"Where was I when all this was happening?" I managed to ask, after finally finding my voice.

"I don't know. Honestly, I don't know why Hannah wouldn't tell you"

"So, years after that she went to find her mother? Was my presence really unnecessary in her life? I don't seem to understand. All that while, we lived together, did every single thing together, she was my girlfriend! Now, I realize that I barely knew anything. At least not the important details" I shot at him, resisting the urge to slam my head into the wall. Clenching my fist, I heaved heavily as raged flowed through my veins.

"Somethings are better dealt with alone -" He tried another line of defense while I stopped him halfway. The more he spoke, the more upset I became.

"Shut up Mike" This time, I tried Natasha's shutting up method.

"You can't speak to me like that!" Great, we are both angry now. How even.

"I can speak to you anyhow I like. Here you are defending your precious daughter. You know, at some point I considered myself part of this family too."

"You know we tried our best to give you a loving home. Andy and Hannah made sure I accepted you. Years have passed, we have moved on." His words stabbed my heart hurtfully. Days after, I still had his words playing in my head.

"We? Do you move on from a bond? I was forgotten! Do you have any idea how that feels? This isn't just about Hannah leaving, it isn't just her finding her mother that I had no idea she was looking for, to begin with, it isn't just you standing up for her. It is me realizing that I wasn't ever put Into consideration.".

"C'mon Jeremy, you're older than this and should act just as matured," Andy responded calmly with me on the other hand wanting to make sure he never speaks again.

"That is applicable to you too Mike. You are way older than both of us and should act accordingly. If this involves neither I nor Hannah, how would you speak? Surely not the same way." Using his words, I watched him flinch. How delightful that he is actually thinking now.

"Well, we aren't talking about two random people now, are we? I knew you shouldn't have been allowed to be so close to her."

"Excuse me?" Pondering out loud, I allowed his words to sink in for a second. The entire conversation was beyond enlightening. It was getting harder not to yell on top of my voice.

"Look at you acting all possessive."

"Possessive? I am simply being logical here! Manners don't cost a penny, your daughter should learn that"

"You used to be a better person. Hannah moved on, do the same."

"I should completely forget everything we shared? This is bigger than me and Hannah. Your family took up most of my memories, the major part of my life. You, Andy, and Hannah. Why would I put all of that away now?"

"People grow up and we grow apart. Andy is dead, Hannah is out to find her mother, I learned to move on. Do the same. Jeremy, life can't remain the same. I am sorry if this wasn't what you expected your life to become but it is."

"Because we grow up doesn't mean we have to grow apart. You're right, this isn't what I expected my life to turn out to be. She doesn't want to speak to me again and has made that clear. What you're saying makes absolutely no sense."

"I think it's best if you left Jeremy." He walked towards the door I had opened earlier and turned the knob this time. I heard him, loud and clear.

"I was planning on doing so anyway." Trying to keep my ego intact, I complied and stepped outside.

"Thank goodness."

"And my mother invites you for dinner." Remembering to tell him, the door was slammed in my face.