Chapter 2: Surrogate

Corinne and Prince have been distant with each other for the past few weeks. Prince just about had enough of her antics and demands. He was adamant about having a baby and nothing could change his mind. He was so ready to have the family he never had. Furthermore, he threw himself into his music and that helped to numb the pain. While he was working on yet another song, he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in!" He yelled. It was Corinne. It looked like she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. He sighed deeply and decided not to be so hard on her today. It looks like she had a hard time already. He knew all this wasn't easy for her, but she pursued him. And she needed to compromise, just like he had to. Marriage was about give and take. She loved to take, but giving, not so much. He studied her features and saw a silent tear slip from her eye. He gently wiped it away and caressed her face.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" He asked softly.

"I've been thinking about what you said, and I know adoption would be your last resort. So I thought, maybe we could try surrogacy. I'm not sure my eggs are okay, so maybe you could try to impregnate someone..... "

"Baby, when I said our child, I meant it. You are my wife. I agree with the surrogacy -part, but we could hire someone to use her womb to implant our embryo. We could freeze some fertilized eggs."

"Okay"

"But...that's good news. So why are you sad?"

"Because I'm not even able to carry my own child.... I feel handicapped..." She started to sob uncontrollably. He gently consoled her, she has been through a lot too. It must be hard for her too. But maybe this experience will make her humble.

"I know it must be hard for you, but we're in this together. Never feel left out with me, okay? I'm here for you" She sniffled and for the first time in their 5 years of marriage, she let her guard down, and he saw her this vulnerable. She laid her head on his chest and he gently stroked her back.

"It'll be okay, and soon we will have our own little family."

"I'm sorry Prince"

"For what, baby?"

"For not being a good wife to you. I mean, all I have been doing is criticizing your every move, and you have been nothing but patient with me."

"I'm just keeping my vows, Corinne. For better or worse, remember?" Corinne sighed and gave him a tight hug.

"I promise, I'll try to be a better wife to you"

"Thank you, I would like that"

The next day, they went to the doctor's office to talk about the possibility of surrogacy. They wanted to know what would be the best way to do it and what the chances are of actual pregnancy with frozen embryos. After a long talk, they had two options:

- Traditional surrogacy: artificial insemination to fertilize the surrogate mother's eggs

-Gestational surrogacy: an embryo will be placed in the womb.

Also, Prince needed to talk to his lawyer about the legal process of it all. He made an appointment with his lawyer, Mike, for the next day. He wanted to do this as quick as possible, before Corinne changes her mind. He contacted a few surrogacy agencies to see if they would be able to find him a match. In the midst of all of this, he noticed Corinne not participating. She seemed aloof and he didn't know why. This was supposed to be a ray of hope for both of them. He walked up to her in their bedroom.

"Everything alright? You've been awfully distant since we left the doctor's office. What's the matter, getting cold feet?" He joked. She lowered her eyelids.

"Kinda..." He was just joking, but he didn't think it would actually be true. He took a deep breath and asked:"What do you mean?"

"I'm not happy. Not even a little bit. This is what you want, but I really don't want to have kids."

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. I'm confused." Then he lost his temper.

"YOU'RE confused??!! What about ME? Always manipulating and conniving in some sick, twisted way. I don't think you even love me, Corinne. Do you?!!"

"I don't know...."

"Great. Just great. So your highness, what do you know? How to lie? Because you had me fooled. I suggest you figure out what the hell it is that you want before all hell breaks loose up in here. And trust me, you do not want to see me angry. The reason I married you was because you said you were pregnant. But obviously that was a lie. And I never run away from my responsibilities. So you owe me a baby, because I have kept my vows through it all. Whether you like it or not, this is going to happen!" And he slammed the bedroom door on his way out. That night he stayed in his studio. He couldn't sleep. As tears streamed down his face, his thoughts were all over the place. He was tired. He had enough of this loveless marriage. It was based on seduction, manipulation and lies. Not love. He wanted out.....

But the baby?

He had to keep going if this baby was important to him.