My heart quickens, seeming to beat twice as fast as it did a second ago. My breathing slows down, and I’m pretty sure I can’t hear anything around me except the pulse throbbing in my neck. It’s almost like being in a slow motion scene in The Matrix. I can see people’s mouths moving, but can’t hear anything.

Fortunately, by the time we reach a small table in the back, my hearing cuts in. “Here you are,” the hostess says, leaving Parker and me standing awkwardly in front of two strangers.

“Hi!” the woman practically yells, standing. “I’m Wendy.” She holds out her hand. “This is my husband Ron.”

She’s of medium height and doesn’t look older than thirty. Her light golden hair is pulled back into a ponytail and her bangs have a slight curl. She’s very pretty and her husband is equally attractive.

Parker shakes hands with her and Ron, introducing himself, then me. “Hello,” I manage to get out, shaking her cold hand.

“Please, sit down.” She gives us a reassuring smile.

I take the inside seat, resting my knee against the wall in an attempt to keep it from bouncing.

“So, Wendy, what do you do for work?” Parker asks.

I’m glad he breaks the ice first; I’m not sure I can speak.

“I’m a nurse.”

Ron gives a proud smile.

“Wow, that’s awesome,” I say, finding my voice.

“Thanks.” She beams. “I love it.”

“How long have you been doing that?” Parker inquires.

“About six years now. I work in orthopedics. What do you two do?”

“I’m a veterinarian.”

“And I’m graduating college in a few weeks.” I feel a little awkward saying that—being twenty-four and discussing having a baby when I’m still in school.

“Starting in September, Aundrea will be working in astrophysics.”

“That’s awesome; congrats.”

“Thank you.”

Our waitress comes over and we tell her we need a minute to look over the menu, but none of us do. No one speaks. We stare awkwardly at one another, waiting for someone to make the first move.

Ron clears his throat and Wendy must take that as her cue to keep the conversation going.

“Is that how you two met? Through the clinic?” she asks.

We look at one another. Parker winks and my heart skips a beat.

“Kind of.” I laugh uncomfortably.

Parker takes my hand. “I worked with her brother-in-law, who hired her. We met a few days before she started working, but it took some convincing on my part to get her to go on a date with me.”

“The hockey game wasn’t a date.”

“Like I said, call it what you will; it was a date.”

I shake my head, but laugh internally. After all these years, you would think we’d have that cleared up.

“What a fun story! I love it.”

If she only knew.

Parker clears his throat. “What made you decide to be a surrogate?”

“I did this for my sister two years ago. She tried to have a baby and couldn’t. They really wanted their own and I offered. It was so amazing to be able to give that gift to them. I told Ron I’d love to do this for a family I didn’t know. It took until about four months ago for us to decide it was a good time to do it. I was surprised to be matched so soon, but then …”

Ron stays quiet, but takes her hand in support. I can tell how hard it was on her for the previous contract to fall through. She seems to really want to do this for a deserving couple.

“I’m sorry that fell through,” I say. Though Polly told me it was the intended parents who called it off, we’re not allowed to discuss details with Wendy per the legal contract.

“Me too, but, like you said, we’re here now. One’s loss is another’s gain,” Parker states.

Wendy smiles.

“You know, this is an amazing gift. It takes a strong, generous person to be able to do this for someone. Twice,” I say.

“Thank you. It was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done for another person. I can’t tell you how great it felt knowing I was helping my sister fulfill her dream of having a child. I would love to do that for another family. I thought I found them, but they decided they weren’t ready. Which is okay. I know firsthand how scary it is to have a child and the nerves that take over. I don’t blame them. I’m just grateful Polly found you two so quickly, and I hope it works out.”

She’s so nice and I can’t help but like her right away.

The waitress returns and we order. I don’t think any of us can handle eating much. I take a small sip of my water before asking, “How many kids do you have?”

“Two. Both girls.”

“And you look that good!” I say. She really does.

Wendy flushes at my compliment.

“How old are they?” Parker asks.

“Seven and five. My niece is two now. It was hard for my sister to watch me get pregnant with them so easily. She and my brother-in-law tried for eight years. She took every fertility drug you could think of. Nothing was working, and the doctors couldn’t explain why she wasn’t getting pregnant. A medical mystery they called it.”

“Wow,” Parker and I say. I feel awful for her sister. I can’t imagine trying that long for a baby only to be let down month after month. I also give her a lot of credit. It takes a strong woman to go through all that for so long.