Chapter 2

I woke up at seven in the morning, my mind still consumed by the desperate situation I found myself in. Hoping to release some of the pent-up energy and stress, I laced up my running shoes and went for a jog. As I ran, a strange feeling crept over me, as if someone were following my every step. The unease lingered for half a mile until the car behind me turned off, alleviating my growing concern.

Returning home, I noticed a missed call and a message on my phone. It was from a certain Rene Devereaux, the President of Loup-Garou, the non-profit organization I had applied to. Eager to gather more information, I promptly dialed the number left in the message.

“Hello, may I speak with Mr. Devereaux, please?” I inquired.

“This is Rene Devereaux speaking. Thank you for reaching out so promptly, Miss Huppert.”

“I’m grateful for your quick response. I find myself in a rather desperate situation.”

“Could you elaborate?”

“I lost my job, and despite searching for two weeks, I haven’t had any luck finding a new one. Could you please tell me the amount you’re offering for being a surrogate mother?”

“We offer two hundred thousand dollars per child, and if you have four children, there’s a one million dollar bonus.”

Two hundred thousand dollars per child. That was more than I had hoped for. And a million-dollar bonus for having four children. Did they expect me to become a breeding factory?

“Are you expecting me to have more than one child?” I asked, curious about their intentions.

“If the first child’s outcome is satisfactory, it would be beneficial for us to have more.”

“Just to clarify, you’re not involved in any illegal activities like selling children on the black market, right?” I had to make sure.

He chuckled, putting my mind at ease. “No, our purpose is solely to help couples who are unable to conceive naturally, including my own family. Before proceeding, we would need you to undergo some medical tests, at our expense, to determine your ability to bear children.”

“I have about three months before I have to declare bankruptcy and leave my home. Do I have to wait until the child is born to receive payment?”

“If your medical tests come back positive and you agree to our terms, we can cover your monthly expenses, providing you with a thousand dollars per month for groceries and gas, which will be deducted from your final payment. Additionally, we will cover all medical costs related to the pregnancy.”

“Will the pregnancy be through in vitro fertilization?” I inquired, curious about the process.

“We can discuss the details after your medical tests. It’s important for us to determine if we can proceed before deciding on the method. Are you willing to undergo the medical examination?”

“Where should I go for the examination?”

“You can use your own gynecologist if you prefer. I’ll text you a list of the necessary tests and an address where they can send the bill. We want you to feel comfortable with your own doctor rather than dealing with a stranger. If you choose to proceed, you’ll need to discontinue using birth control.”

Their answers hadn’t deterred me yet. “I’ll schedule an appointment as soon as I can get one,” I assured him.

“Thank you, Miss Huppert.” With those words, he ended the call.

I wasted no time and managed to secure an appointment for one week from now, lucking into a cancellation. Although it brought me one week closer to financial ruin, I continued my job search, not willing to put all my eggs in one basket. Shortly after the call, I received a text message with detailed instructions. Most of it pertained to the medical requirements for the doctor. They provided a Maine address for mailing the results and a separate billing address. Printing out the instructions, I prepared to take the next steps on this uncertain path.

***

“I don’t have insurance anymore since I lost my job, so please don’t bill this to my previous insurance company,” I informed the receptionist as I arrived for my appointment.

“Will that pose a payment issue, Miss Huppert?” she asked.

“I don’t think so. Someone else will be covering the costs. Here are the billing instructions.” I handed her the payment information provided by Loup-Garou.

“This is quite an unusual name,” she remarked, glancing at the instructions.

“It’s a non-profit organization. Sounds foreign, doesn’t it?”

“It’s French. It means ‘werewolf’ in French.”

“Like Lon Chaney or the werewolves in ‘Werewolf of London’ howling at the moon?”

“Exactly the same.”

“That’s certainly an interesting choice for a non-profit name. Why would they pick werewolves?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t answer that.” She dialed the number provided and after a brief conversation, she confirmed that Loup-Garou would be covering the expenses for the doctor visit.

Once in the examination room, I handed the nurse the list of items they wanted to be checked.

“It seems like you’re considering getting pregnant,” Sharlene, the doctor’s nurse, observed, reading the list.

“I’m contemplating it,” I replied. “How complicated is it to have my IUD removed?”

“Not complicated at all. It’s actually easier than the initial insertion.”

“If it seems likely that I can conceive, why don’t you remove it now?”

“I’ll discuss it with Dr. Andrews.”

I underwent various tests—pokes, prods, blood samples, urine collection, and more—before lying on the examination table while the doctor performed the necessary procedures.

“The external organs appear to be in good condition,” Dr. Andrews commented. “Are you certain you want your IUD removed?”

“Yes. I suppose I’ll rely on condoms for the time being.”

“Make sure to use latex condoms and consider using a spermicide like Nonoxyl 9. It enhances the effectiveness of the condom.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“How sexually active are you?”

“Not very. My last boyfriend was in college. I’ve had a few casual encounters since then, but nothing significant. Just a result of too much alcohol and excessive horniness, I suppose.”

“I hope you took precautions.”

“I didn’t consume much alcohol. I took precautions. I need you to send the test results to these individuals.” I handed the doctor another sheet of paper.

Dr. Andrews glanced at it. “Did you sign a HIPAA release form?”

“I did when I checked in. How long until all the test results are available?”

“Approximately a week.”

Another week closer to financial hardship. My job search hadn’t yielded any positive outcomes yet. In two weeks, I would have around two and a half months’ worth of funds left.

“That’s fine, but the sooner, the better.”

I returned to my townhome to wait for the results. Each morning, I continued my jogging routine, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. To make matters worse, I thought I caught a glimpse of a large dog running through the nearby woods during one of my runs. It scared me half to death, but it never approached me, so I did my best to ignore it.