The Richman (Book 2) - George's Birthday

George's party fun ended, now all that's left is Ben who still doesn't talk to Leah, Aldric, Adrianna and Richard to clean up all the mess after the party is over.

Richard who looked exhausted chose to pull over and watch football on the television screen while Aldric and Adrianna were still working together to clean the garden with Ben. Inside the house there are Ben and Leah who are busy opening gifts.

"Would you mind if Leah accompanies George opening presents?" Ben asked his brother.

"Leave them alone, they love spending time together." Adrianna replied. "Besides taking care of George all day also frustrates me a bit, Leah's presence really helps. I even hope you guys stay the night." she added with the smiled.

"Or if I could leave George to you guys, Adrianna and I need some time together, just the two of us." Aldric replied.

"I think that's a good idea, but Leah is still having a hard time accepting the situation." Ben replied, turning his head into the house, where George and Leah were opening presents.

"Aunty, do you like the party?" George asked while tried to open one of the gift he had.

Leah nooded and smiled to him, "Well, the party was cool."

"Woaaa....is this a present from you?" George asked and it made Leah feel so guilty, she knew the gift was bought by Ben for George and Leah shouldn't have recognized it as her present even though Ben brought six packs of gifts at once. And all original stuff from Marvels.

"It's from Uncle Ben." Leah answered honestly.

George smiled wide, "I love them so much, thank you." George hug Leah for a while before continue opening the gifts. For a moment they are keep in silence.

"Sorry I didn't bring a gift for you." Leah said full of regret.

George stared at her for a while, "It's ok. I like you here, it's enough." He answered, then Leah give a fake smile for him, tried to hidd all the problem she faced.

"Are you sad?" George asked suddenly, his little hands holding his aunt's face.

"No, I have no reason to be sad." Leah lied to George.

"Then show me a gift that Anty brought for me, we will open the gift first than the other gifts." George said excitedly and Leah was startled by her niece's wit.

"Um . . . I haven't brought you a present yet. But I promise to deliver it tomorrow." Leah said giving other options. " For now, I have a present for you, close your eyes." Leah said and the cute boy followed what his aunt said. He closed his eyes and Leah pulled him so that George was now on his lap and Leah started to hug him, George was surprised at first but his little hands returned the hug to his aunt.

"Can you hug me until I fall a sleem?" George asked.

"Of course." Leah rubbed George's head while the child was in Leah's arms which made him feel so comfortable.

"You know I don't have much money to buy you expensive gifts, and yet Uncle has tried to give you all the gifts you could possibly want for your birthday." Whispered Leah.

"I can only gift this hug to you dear." She added, and when Leah wanted to let him go he felt George was asleep because he spent all day moving around, running, jumping on the trampoline with his friends and before he knew it he was so exhausted. Leah rubbed her back and let George sleep peacefully in her arms.

Leah got up from where she was sitting and took George to lie down in his room. Meanwhile Leah chose to lie beside the handsome and adorable handsome boy. While Leah was busy with her nephew, George, Adrianna, Aldric and Ben sat outside drinking cans of beer and chatting.

"You're not planning on finding a surrogate mother?" Asked Adrianna.

"It's too complicated legally." Ben replied curtly.

"For certain conditions, surrogate is allowed Ben." Adrianna tried to convinced Ben.

"Yes, but I have no plans to go there." Answered Ben. "I don't even plan on having kids if it's that complicated." Answered Ben.

Adrianna furrowed her brows, "Kids help parents stay connected Ben." Aldric replied. "At first I felt the same way, Adrianna and I were enough. But after George was born, I fell in love to that little baby in a different way."

Ben looked down. "I don't want to force Leah." He said, "Whatever Leah wants, I'll do, adopt or whatever but I don't know, as for surrogate, I can't think of right now." Answered Ben.

"Slow down Ben, things will settle down in time." Aldric stared at Ben and that young man nodded in agreement. In the distance Leah came up to the three of them.

"Hi." She greeted them awkward.

"Hi . . . have a seat." Adrianna greeted her happily. "Where's George?" Asked her to Leah.

Leah took a seat and answered, "It's look like he's tired, he fell asleep in my arms earlier and I took him to his room." She answered.

"Thanks Leah." Adrianna seemed so grateful for what Leah did.

"Yes..." Leah nodded.

"Um . . . I'll see George for a bit." Adrianna said goodbye, and soon Aldric also followed her with the excuse that she would clean up the mess in the house. Meanwhile, Richard, who had already been seen sleeping on the sofa, chose to move into his room. Leaving Ben and Leah alone in Adrianna's backyard that evening.

For a while they didn't speak to each other, but since this wasn't their home, it certainly didn't feel good to have to show anger towards each other. As a result, they chose to remain silent.

"That's my bad to make you feel sad." said Ben suddenly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too." Leah answered curtly.

Ben grabbed Leah's hand, "Don't talk or think about kids from now on otherwise it will only hurt each other." He said.

Leah looked into his eyes, but didn't answer, she just nodded. Charlotte's words made her calm down, wanting children so badly, in various ways it would make her household disharmonious.

She also remembered a message from one of the people she met named Lies, she is a neighbor of two houses from Adrianna's house. The woman was already over fifty years old and she came with her grandson.

"In a household there is only a husband and wife, and the presence of a child is a gift from God because of his generosity, it is not our right to demand that gift." She said and made Leah who was originally discouraged a little open her mind.

"Why did you suddenly tell me Mrs. Greek?" Leah asked her just before she said left Leah's house.

She smiled, "He also gave me the advantage to see some things from my heart." She said.

"Are you a psychic?" Leah asked and the woman burst out laughing.

"No." With a shake of her head, She called Liam the grandson and left Adrianna's house after saying goodbye to Adrianna and Aldric. Leah even had time to ask Adrianna if she knew Mrs. Greek, but Adrianna shook her head, they had just moved into the house three months ago, so they weren't very close even though they knew each other.

"Someone told me about one thing." Leah was cut off.

"What?" Asked Ben.

"Not everyone is lucky to have children in their household." Leah said.

Ben nodded, "And some agreed not to have children, they chose to have a puppy or become a certified foster parent instead of having children."

Leah sighed deeply, "I'm trying to come to terms with all of that, but I'm sorry Ben. I can't take it for granted yet."

"Everything takes time dear, everything needs a process. I'm also still learning to accept this fact." said Ben. "Adrianna said about surrogacy, but I'm not sure about that either." Answered Ben.

But that sentence actually made Leah freeze, surrogacy? Adrianna suggested her sister to do surrogacy?

"What do you think about that?" Leah asked, she really wanted to know what Ben thought about it.

"I have no ideas." Shake Ben.

"Surrogacy will involve another woman to carry our child." Leah said, that's a simple description of surrogacy even though the procedure is of course difficult.

"If you want it, maybe I'll agree." Ben replied, he didn't seem to have any inclination about this surrogacy. Slightly different story with Charlotte's husband, so maybe the results will be slightly different with Charlotte's husband. Anthony's family clearly have an open mind and will not easily support the presence of another woman in their son's life after the surrogacy procedure.

Ben took a deep breath. "We have to learn everything first, then we also have to know the legality and procedure. And the hardest part is finding the surrogacy mother." said Ben.

"Yeah, I'll try to learn it." Leah replied.

An open mind and calm when discussing sensitive matters are necessary, as it will not be easy for either Ben or Leah to begin all of these procedures.

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