Chapter 2 - The Contract Claire Hid
Claire refused to explain.
Evan became worse.
“We need our attorney.”
Marianne laughed.
“Now you remember the attorney?”
“This is a legal matter.”
“You just refused your newborn child.”
“Our emotional reaction does not alter parentage.”
The sentence sounded rehearsed.
Marianne noticed that.
Evan wasn't improvising anymore.
He was following a plan.
Hospital staff separated everyone.
The baby remained safely in the nursery while physicians evaluated the unexpected laboratory result.
Marianne called her own surrogacy attorney, Rebecca Sloan.
Rebecca arrived ninety minutes later carrying the executed agreement.
“What exactly happened?”
Marianne told her.
Rebecca’s expression grew more concerned with every sentence.
Especially:
“We were promised something else.”
“Did Claire say who promised?”
“No.”
“Did she specify what was wrong with the baby?”
“Birthmark. Then something about genetics.”
Rebecca flipped through the agreement.
“Your arrangement went through Halcyon Fertility?”
“Yes.”
“Embryology through them too?”
“Yes.”
“Preimplantation testing?”
“Claire said everything was normal.”
Rebecca looked up.
“Claire said?”
Marianne frowned.
The fertility clinic communicated mostly with Claire and Evan because they were the intended parents and genetic contributors.
Marianne received medical information relevant to pregnancy.
But genetic embryo-selection discussions?
Not necessarily everything.
Rebecca called Halcyon.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
Odd for a weekday.
Then Marianne remembered something.
During week twelve, Claire had canceled one appointment.
“Routine genetics meeting,” she had said.
Marianne offered to come.
Claire insisted it wasn't necessary.
At week nineteen, another meeting.
Again, Marianne excluded.
At the time, that seemed reasonable.
Now it didn't.
Then Claire’s attorney arrived.
Not the attorney Marianne remembered from the surrogacy agreement.
Different man.
Miles Brennan.
Expensive suit.
Cold demeanor.
He requested immediate transfer of the infant to Claire and Evan once medically cleared.
Rebecca asked:
“Where is Andrea Feld?”
Andrea had represented them during the original arrangement.
Miles replied:
“No longer involved.”
“Since when?”
“Several months.”
“Why?”
“Not relevant.”
Rebecca smiled slightly.
“That usually means it is.”
Miles ignored her.
Then Marianne noticed Claire standing outside the room.
Alone.
She walked toward her.
“Tell me what you expected.”
Claire shook her head.
“I can't.”
“Can't or won't?”
“You wouldn't understand.”
“Try me.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
“We chose an embryo.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
She looked toward Evan.
“We chose this embryo.”
Marianne frowned.
“Then what are you saying?”
Claire whispered:
“The embryo they transferred wasn't supposed to have that mark.”
“Birthmarks aren't listed on embryos, Claire.”
“I know.”
“Then what?”
Claire started crying harder.
“We paid to make sure something was gone.”
Marianne felt cold.
“What?”
Before Claire could answer, Evan appeared.
“Stop talking.”
Claire immediately fell silent.
Marianne stared at him.
“You're afraid of me knowing something.”
“No.”
“Then let her speak.”
Evan pulled Claire away.
Rebecca approached moments later.
Her expression had changed.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“The contract copy you signed isn't identical to the copy Halcyon filed with the parentage paperwork.”
Marianne stared.
“What do you mean?”
“One exhibit is different.”
“Which one?”
“Embryo designation.”
Marianne’s pulse accelerated.
Rebecca showed her.
Her copy:
Embryo H-14.
Filed copy:
Embryo H-17.
One number.
Three digits apart.
“Could be clerical?”
“Maybe.”
Then Rebecca enlarged the signature beneath the amended exhibit.
May you like
Marianne’s name.
Except Marianne had never signed it.
