My sister and her husband used me as a surrogate mother, but when the baby was born, their exclamation, “This is not the child we were expecting!” echoed through the room.
😲😨I became my sister’s and her husband’s surrogate mother. I thought it would be the best present I could give them. However, their cry, “This is not the child we were expecting!” ripped through the room like a knife when the baby was born.
I can still hear these words in my mind.
My reflection, my other half, and my little sister had always been Rachel. We talked about everything, including suffering, secrets, and dreams. The spark in her eyes went out after three fruitless efforts to conceive. She ceased discussing the future, her family, and her kids.
Rachel smiled for the first time in a long time when I offered to be her surrogate mother. When we heard that the pregnancy had gone well, we sobbed with joy.
😵😱I thought it would be the best present I could give them. However, the birth altered everything. Their cry, “This is not the child we were expecting!” ripped through the room like a knife when the baby was born.
It took me a while to realize what was going on. Rachel had become pale, and Jason took a step back, as though something alien had appeared in front of him instead of a newborn miracle.
“What makes her… dark?” — my sister said in a whisper, avoiding my eyes.
“Because nature does not fit your expectations,” the doctor said, looking at me bewildered.
The girl was warm, little, and alive as I held her in my arms. She took a feeble hold of my finger, and I realized that while it was a mistake for them, it was a life-altering moment for me.
I muttered, “This is your daughter, Rachel,” but all she did was shake her head.
“Jason desired a son.”
“We can’t take her,” he muttered softly as he turned away.
The entire planet went cold. The only reminder that life goes on was the child’s soft breathing.
Then I understood that perhaps I was carrying a chance rather than just someone else’s child. A chance to demonstrate that parenting is a matter of heart rather than biology.
I muttered, “Don’t be afraid, little one,” while holding the infant close to my chest. I will never let you go, even if everyone else rejects you.
