Chapter Thirteen


    Loney’s face lightened up in anticipation when a notification of an email popped in the corner of the


    screen of hisptop. He clicked it open instantly, when he saw that it was from Dina. His expression


    became unreadable as he nced at the pregnancy test attached. He dialed her phone number


    instantly, "which of the samples did you take?"


    "Blood sir, just as you instructed.”


    He paused for a moment and said, "Send it to her."


    Danica received an envelope, instantly understanding that it was the test result. She opened it eagerly


    to be met with disappointment. She wasn''t pregnant. "It means you will meet with the master again.


    Don''t worry, these things are unpredictable, especially when it''s not done at the right time."


    Mabel tried to console her when she noticed her disappointment. Meanwhile, Danica hadn''t understood


    Mabel’s words. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Well, negative doesn''t mean that you are not fertile. It only means that it happened at the time your


    eggs weren''t released."


    Mabel spoke casually but Danica was slightly embarrassed. She never kept track of her calender which


    made her agree that Mabel was right but also felt embarrassed to be keeping a calendar of her cycle in


    preparation for a stranger to have sex with her, which made her ashamed. She began to despise her


    decision to ept this whole thing in the first ce. She also hoped that it would be worth it in the long


    run when Danie turned over a new leaf. "I know that but how can I see him at the time that my egg is


    released? Three weeks have been wasted already which means that I need to spend another nine


    months here, making ten."


    "Come on, this ce isn''t bad, why do you want to go? and who would cook us all the delicious


    meals?" Mabel squeezed her cheeks yfully.


    Danica let out a smile, "thank you for thepliment, Mabel but I have a life too. I had a job and there


    was this guy who cared about me so much. I left without telling anyone except my best friend and I


    miss church. I miss the kids at the children''s department. I miss my work at the restaurant and also


    volunteering at the shelter. I can''t do all that here." Danica’s countenance was so saddened that Mabel


    felt sympathy for her.


    "I''m sorry. I never knew that you had such a busy life. So why did you choose to be his surrogate?"


    "I''d rather not talk about it, Mabel. It will only get me depressed."


    "It''s okay, my child. Master pays so well. I don''t think that you would need to return to your old job. You


    could start your own restaurant and would have lots of money to help people at the shelter. Of course


    you can''t make up for the time you would be away from the children but you can still contribute


    positively to their life when you return."


    Danica realized that Mabel did not only try tofort her but gave good suggestions therefore, she


    registered them on her mind."That''s a good idea. At least, all is not lost but when is the mastering


    again?"


    "I don''t know. I think Paul conveyed your message thest time which was why he came."


    "How did you know that I sent him a message?"


    "Come on, my child, I am the housekeeper and therefore, I have ears everywhere in this house. You


    can send another message through Paul. It would get delivered. Just as you said, the earlier the


    better."


    "Thank you, Mabel."


    "You are wee, my child." Mabel was moved to help Danica because she saw her as a daughter


    and besides, Danica was a good girl.


    Acting on Mabel''s advice, Danica went to see Paul. This time, not only did she want to convey a


    message but she also wanted the day and time. Paul called Loney after Danica left.


    "Loney, you surrogate wants me to pass a message to you, ” Paul said as soon as Loney answered the


    call. Since that night, Loney had never stopped thinking about Danica. Therefore, he instantly


    answered any calling through from the mansion. Even if he doesn’t receive a call, he would call to


    find out how Danica was faring.


    "What is it? Loney was impatient since it involved Danica. Paul was surprised but did not show it.


    “She said the test result was negative, which means two weeks wasted. She requests your presence at


    once."


    Loney was excited about the test result. He was marveled that he would get to have another blissful


    night with Danica. That was his reason for stating once a month in the agreement. He didn''t want


    Danica to get pregnant quickly. However, he also feared that he was falling in love with Danie again


    and would get rejected if he proposed to her. He hoped that seeing her once a month would make her


    want him as much as he wanted her. "I''m sorry but I''m very busy with work. We are at the peak of


    construction and I can''t leave now. Tell her to re-read her contract. It states once a month so I will make


    time to see her in two weeks."


    Loney didn''t want Paul to deduce from his tone just how excited he felt that Danica was calling the


    shots.


    "Okay,” Paul said and hung up the phone.


    When Paul conveyed Loney''s message to Danica, not only did her face fall in embarrassment but she


    was also gravely disappointed. She wondered what Loney must have been thinking of her and felt


    ashamed. She should have kept in mind that it was once a month.


    Meanwhile, things were just working in Loney''s favour. His n to embalm his name on Danie''s mind


    was working on Danica. He wanted her to want and need him as much as he wanted and needed her


    in their college days. He didn''t know what he wanted as the oue but having the fulfilment of being


    needed by Danie was enough. Sadly, Danica was only paying the price for her sister''s sins.


    *********


    It was sunday and Danie was dressed for church. This time, she agreed to meet Herty there. She


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    dressed in Danie''s clothes with no makeup. Her shoe was just an inch high and she began to feel


    She also got to church earlier than thest time. The opening prayer had just began. She saw Herty


    and sat close to her but her eyes lingered around, looking for Jones. She saw him walk to the pulpit to


    lead worship and that was when she realized that she didn''t even know much about him. Thest time


    they went out, Jones focussed on her and therefore, she never guessed that he was a lead singer.


    She saw him lead the worship first and then move to praises. She was amazed and followed along.


    She found herself enjoying the service so much that she was disgruntled when it ended.


    "Danica, are you ready for the kids?" Jones’ baritone voice sounded behind her just as Herty was about


    to go and wee the neers.


    Danie nodded. This time, she came with some sweets too. She had also started taking her Bible


    seriously to impress Jones. She knew that he wasn''t the kind of guy she would want to get married to


    but she also couldn''t stay away from him. He was like a ma, drawing her closer to him.


    "Sure. I got them some sweets and I learned some new moves for their choreography.”


    "That''s amazing," Jones eximed. He could feel Danie bing more of Danica.


    Danie was excited when she saw the kids. She sang and danced with them and gave them candies


    after. She also stayed back and served at the shelter. She was beginning to enjoy and appreciate her


    new life, making Herty feel out of ce. Herty was happy that Danie was being a good girl but she


    couldn''t help thinking about Danica and wondered whether Danie ever missed her sister. Also, from


    the way Danie and Jones we''re getting close, Herty was ufortable. She couldn''t bear seeing


    Danica broken-hearted after all that she sacrificed.


    Jones offered to drive Danie home which surprised her. "You have a car?"


    "Yes. Ohhh I forgot that you lost your memory. I took it for servicing and just went to pick it up. That


    reminds me. We need to polish those driving skills of yours. You haven''t practised in a while and you


    might end up failing all together when the timees for the test."


    "Me? Driving?" Danie never recalled Danica or Herty speaking about Danica learning how to drive.


    Still she was determined to learn, not just for herself but also to please Jones.


    "Yes. So what about next week tuesday? I will pick you up after work."


    "Sure."


    "One more thing. Why did you stop going to work? I see you''ve been spending a lot of time at home.


    What do you do? And how do you feed? Don''t worry, you always told me about your finances and how


    hard things were even though you never epted my help."


    Danie wasn''t expecting Jones to ask all those questions and was therefore unprepared. "I stopped


    going to work because…”