I never challenged Ethan about it. Marlene was his mother, and I understood loyalty. But after years of sacrifice, I began to question whether we were still living our life—or hers.
Then one evening, while I was folding laundry on the couch, my husband walked in. He paused, watching me. His expression was calm—too calm—the way it gets when he’s rehearsed something in his mind.
“I was talking to Mike at work,” he said, easing into it like it was casual. “He mentioned his cousin, Sharon, was a surrogate. She made about $60,000. Just like that. She just carried the baby and gave birth. That was it.”
“Okay… and?” I asked, still folding Jacob’s tiny jeans, unsure I’d even heard him correctly.
“Mel, if you did something like that, we could finally pay off Mom’s mortgage. We’d be done! No more monthly panic. We could move, start fresh. Do it for us. Do it for Jacob.”
“Ethan,” I said, my stomach already tightening. “You’re not seriously suggesting I carry someone else’s baby, are you?”
“Why not?” he replied. “You had a healthy, easy pregnancy with Jacob. No complications at all. And think about it, Mel—it’s just nine months. One year of sacrifice, at most. It could change everything for us. And… think about that family that desperately wants a child but can’t have one.”
He always said us like it meant we. Like I was being included equally. But in that moment, something shifted. My hands paused over a pair of socks, and I looked at him.
“You mean I’d make all the sacrifice, Ethan—and we’d both enjoy the reward?”
“Don’t rush, Mel,” he said, smiling the way you do when you think you’ve already convinced someone. “Think about it. You’re doing this for us. For Jacob. And for Mom.”
I didn’t answer right away. I just stared at the folded clothes between us. Beneath the exhaustion and doubt, I still loved him.
So I said yes.
The first pregnancy felt surreal, like I was living someone else’s life. The intended parents—Brian and Lisa—were kind, respectful, and clear about boundaries. They checked in without hovering, sent thank-you cards and care packages after every appointment, and paid every bill on time.
