The Question Read online

  The Question

  A novel of sensual romance by

  ZENA WYNN

  Published by Phaze Books

  Also by Zena Wynn

  The Contract

  A Matter of Trust

  Mary and the Bear

  Illicit Attraction

  This is an explicit and erotic novel

  intended for the enjoyment

  of adult readers. Please keep

  out of the hands of children.

  www.Phaze.com

  The Question

  A novel of sensual romance by

  ZENA WYNN

  The Question copyright 2009 by Zena Wynn

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  A Phaze Production

  Phaze Books

  6470A Glenway Avenue, #109

  Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222

  Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC.

  To order additional copies of this book, contact:

  [email protected]

  www.Phaze.com

  Cover art © 2008, Debi Lewis

  Edited by Shell Dowdey

  eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-174-1

  First Edition – July, 2009

  Printed in the United States of America

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Dedication

  The Bible is an awesome book full of rich, vibrant history, and real, wonderful people; a source of great inspiration. A special thanks to Bishop TD Jakes for making the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar come alive in a way that I’ll never forget.

  Chapter One

  “Will you have my baby?”

  Gail Henderson abruptly began to loudly choke on her iced tea. All around her conversations ceased as they became the center of attention. As she coughed and wheezed with tears streaming down her eyes, she squinted at her best friend Crystal who was sitting there, calm as you please, as though she hadn’t just dropped what amounted to a nuclear bomb into the conversation.

  They were seated at a table in Golden Corral, sharing lunch after a hectic morning of Christmas shopping, which was only a few weeks away. The place was packed as usual. The other diners slowly turned their attention back to their own business when Gail glared at them for being nosey.

  “I’ve given this a lot of thought. You know I can’t have children. If you had one for me, I would have the best of both worlds—a child from the man I love more than anything—and my best friend, who is more like a sister to me,” her friend continued.

  Crystal had been pregnant several times. Each one ended in miscarriage, the last almost taking her life. After that, her husband Rashid put his foot down. No more pregnancies. Crystal told Gail that he’d threatened to get a vasectomy before he’d allow her to risk her life in another pregnancy attempt, and she’d reluctantly complied with his decree. Gail thought Crystal had resigned herself to her barren state, but apparently not.

  “What do you mean, have a baby for you?” she cautiously asked as she blotted the tears from her eyes and face.

  “I want you to be my surrogate. I’ve been looking into it. Rashid would be its father and we’d use your eggs. Once the baby was born, I’d adopt it, making me its mother and as my best friend, you’d naturally be its godmother.” Crystal looked at her with a hopeful expression on her face.

  “Isn’t this kind of drastic? I thought you were considering adoption,” Gail asked a bit desperately.

  “I did, but that’s not for me. I want a child of my own. At the very least, I want a child fathered by Rashid. You know how important family is to him. Do you really think he’d be satisfied with an adopted child?”

  Rashid Al Jabbar was as Arabic as his name. Because of his heritage, family and children meant a great deal to him. “Crystal, you know that’s not fair to Rashid. He loves you. If you wanted to adopt, he would go along with it just because it made you happy.”

  A brilliant smile lit Crystal’s face. “Yes, he does love me, doesn’t he? That’s why I want this so much. I need to give him the child he so desperately desires. Hopefully, it will be a son to carry on his family name. Gail, please. You’re my best friend in the world. There’s no one else I would trust to do this for me.”

  “Crystal, look at us. We look nothing alike. Don’t you at least want someone who is similar in appearance?” Crystal was a short, curvy, natural blonde with pretty brown eyes. Gail was tall and slender with skin the color of nutmeg. Not only did they not look alike, they were from two different ethnic groups. Crystal was Caucasian while Gail was African-American.

  “Pshh. You know I don’t care about things like that. Besides, who would know? Rashid is almost as dark as you.” It was true. Rashid’s complexion was the dark, olive-brown of a man from the Middle East, though he was as American as she.

  Gail could feel herself caving. It’s not that she didn’t want to help her friend. She just had a bad feeling about this, and over the years, she’d learned to trust her instincts. She took in Crystal’s pleading expression. “Have you discussed this with Rashid?” It was a last ditch effort to avoid the inevitable. She’d never been able to say no to Crystal and Crystal knew it.

  Crystal leaned forward, determination showing in her eyes. “He’ll agree. Don’t worry. How could he not? This is a win-win situation.”

  Win-win for whom? Gail wondered. Then she sighed, knowing Crystal was right about Rashid. Crystal had him wrapped around her little pinky. “I’m not saying yes, but I’m not saying no. Let me look into it. Do a little research. This is too big of a decision to make on the spur of the moment.”

  Crystal squealed, causing other diners to turn and stare—again. She got up from her seat and ran around to hug Gail. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

  Gail returned her hug but inwardly a feeling a dread was growing. She was going to say yes. She always did but she sensed this time, the results would be disastrous.

  * * * *

  As promised, Gail spent the next few weeks researching Artificial Insemination and Surrogate Mothers. She had a much better understanding of what she’d be getting herself into if she was crazy enough to agree to Crystal’s scheme.

  The problem was she and Crystal had a long history together, going all the way back to junior high school when they’d first met in Mr. Peterson’s third period gym class. They’d clicked, despite their obvious differences. Gail was the studious one, always with a book in her hands. She’d been on the debate team and student council, and even spent time working on the student newspaper. Crystal was a social butterfly who coasted through life on her looks and charm. She’d been a cheerleader and won prom queen two years straight in high school. She’d done just enough studying to keep her grades high enough to cheer without being placed on academic suspension.

  Somehow they’d maintained their friendship, despite attending two different colleges, several hours away from each other. It was happenstance that they both ended up relocating to the same city after graduation. Crystal married first, having met Rashid in college. Gail me
t and married Jason a couple of years later. The two couples had interacted closely, mainly due to the close friendship of the two women.

  Crystal rejoiced with her when Gail discovered she was pregnant, and cried with her three years later when she’d lost both her husband and their son, Marcus, in a fatal car accident. That was two years ago. She and Crystal had supported each other through every crisis, sharing the laughter and the tears. Crystal had always been there for Gail in her time of need. How could she do any less for Crystal now?

  * * * *

  Gail traveled home to Alabama to spend Christmas with her parents, still no closer to a decision. The holidays were always rough. She couldn’t help thinking about Jason and Marcus, and what Christmas morning would have been like if they were still living. Having family around helped her get through the season without depression overwhelming her.

  Christmas day was boisterous as usual. All of her brothers managed to make it home with their wives, the last one arriving early that morning just in time to exchange gifts. Later that evening, when everyone finally left, her father, Frank, pulled her into his study. “So, you want to tell me what’s bothering you, baby girl? You’ve been mighty quiet all day.”

  She debated for all of a second the wisdom of saying anything, but her father had always been her confidant. “Crystal asked me to be a surrogate for her and Rashid, using my eggs.”

  “Well, now…” Her father settled his large, burly frame back into the recliner and stroked his chin. “That’s quite a favor to be asking. Which way you leaning?”

  Gail settled on the floor next to him and laid her head on his knee. He immediately began stroking her hair. “I don’t know. I feel for her, Dad, wanting a child so desperately, but I’m not sure this is the way. My gut tells me doing this would be a terrible mistake.”

  “But…?”

  “We’ve been friends for so long. She’s always been there for me. Can I honestly deny her?” Gail looked up at him.

  Her father brushed her bang off of her forehead. “True, you two go way back, but sometimes, you have to trust your instincts and look out for number one. You’ve already lost one child. Can you handle losing two?”

  “But this baby wouldn’t really be mine,” she protested.

  “Blood will tell. It will grow in your body and have your DNA. And what about your mother and I? You weren’t the only one affected by the loss of Marcus. He was our first, and only, grandchild. Now you’re considering giving away another.”

  She hadn’t considered that. Gail thought for a minute. “So you’re saying I shouldn’t do this?”

  “I’m saying it takes a strong woman to give away her own flesh and blood. Maybe your love for Crystal will carry you through. I don’t know, but think very carefully before committing to do this. Some decisions, once made, can’t be undone.”

  His words stayed with her a long time.

  * * * *

  The first of the year arrived and Gail knew she had to decide. It had been a month and it really wasn’t fair to Crystal to put it off any longer. So, having made her decision, she invited Crystal and Rashid over to her apartment for dinner. For food, she’d gone with the basics—steak, baked potatoes, and salad, knowing from experience that neither Rashid nor Crystal ate pork.

  When they arrived, she opened the door and invited them in. Crystal searched her face anxiously, trying to see if the answer to her question was imprinted there. Gail kept her expression as impassive as possible. Though she had made her decision, there were still questions to be asked and details to be worked out. Crystal floated past in a floral chiffon dress that emphasized her femininity. Rashid looked as debonair as ever in a pair of black dress slacks and black dress shirt.

  After a quick glance at his face, Gail looked away from him and focused her attention on Crystal. Though she’d known the man for almost ten years now, something about him still made her uncomfortable. She was considered tall for a female, standing five-nine in her stocking feet, but Rashid towered over her by a good six inches. He was starkly handsome with features that were rugged, harsh even, bringing to mind desert sheiks and tales of Arabian Nights. His hair was the blue-black of the deepest, darkest black, thick with a glossy sheen that was evident even with his short cut.

  “Come in. You want to eat first and then talk, or talk and then eat?” Gail left the choice up to them.

  “Oh, talk definitely. What you’re cooking smells heavenly, but I won’t be able to eat a bite until I know,” Crystal said decisively.

  Rashid, as usual, said nothing, willing to go along with whatever pleased his wife.

  Gail led them into the living room and sat in the recliner while motioning them to the couch. After they were all seated, she turned to Rashid. “I’ve given it a lot of thought and I have a few questions to ask before finalizing my decision.”

  Crystal sat on the edge of her seat, looking tense. Rashid was a bit more relaxed in his appearance, but was just as intent in his focus on Gail. “What would you like to know?”

  “The first thing I need to know is, are you in total agreement with this plan? Is this something you really want to do? Because once we start, there will be no going back.” She folded her hands together in her lap in an effort not to betray her nervousness.

  Rashid gave her question the seriousness it deserved. “I have reservations, naturally, but I’ve given it careful consideration, and if you two ladies are willing, I’ll go along. I know Crystal has her heart set on this course of action.”

  “You know what’s involved? All the testing that needs to be done to both of us and the legalities to be ironed out?” Gail wanted to be absolutely sure he knew what he was getting into.

  “Yes, I’ve research everything and spoken to both my lawyers and personal physician. I know what’s involved. Do you?” He continued to watch her closely.

  Gail nodded. “As much as I can without having actually gone through the experience myself. Crystal, are you sure this is what you want to do? A child is serious business. You can’t change your mind midstream and decide you made a mistake once a baby is on the way. This is going to have a tremendous impact upon all of our lives.”

  Crystal nodded emphatically. “Yes, I know what I want. I’ve given it a lot of thought and research. I won’t change my mind.”

  Gail heaved a big sigh and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. She prayed she was doing the right thing. Crystal could be flighty at times, but she seemed to genuinely have considered all of the ramifications and still wanted to proceed. “If you are sure, then I’ll do it.”

  Crystal bounded off the couch and rushed over to Gail, pulled her out of the seat, and hugged her tight. Then she began dancing around, so excited she couldn’t contain herself. “I’m gonna have a baby. I’m gonna have a baby,” she sang. She was so happy, it was contagious.

  Gail couldn’t help but smile at her antics despite her personal misgivings. She happened to glance at Rashid to see what his reaction was to all this. He was looking directly at her, not Crystal, and the expression on his face sent a frisson of nerves tingling down her spine. Feeling like a specimen under a microscope, she quickly turned her attention back to her friend.

  When Crystal calmed down, they went into the dining room to eat. The meal was a lighthearted affair with the food being well received. As they were leaving, Rashid told her he would make all the arrangements and call her when it was time to meet with the lawyer. She agreed and closed the door behind them as they left, feeling like she’d just made the biggest mistake of her life.

  * * * *

  Rashid listened to his wife going on and on about her plans for the baby. His thoughts went back to Gail. Though she’d agreed to his wife’s request, he sensed she had as many reservations as he about the whole deal. It was nothing that he could put his finger on, just a feeling that nothing good was going to come of this.

  He’d resigned himself to being childless. He loved Crystal and hated seeing how her desire to give him a child ate awa
y at her. He was going along with this plan because he wanted to see her happy again. After the last miscarriage, she had sunk into a depression from which she’d never fully recovered. He knew she felt defective somehow, as though she was less of a woman because she couldn’t give him the children they so desired.

  Watching her almost bleed out had killed any wish he had lurking in his heart for a child of his own. His wife was more important to him than any baby that she could ever deliver, but she didn’t seem to understand. Hence, this plan of hers.

  He had nothing against Gail. She was a good woman who had been through a lot. Her husband, Jason, had been a good friend, and he still mourned his loss. Rashid made it a point to keep an eye out for Gail’s well being, just as he knew Jason would have done for him had their situation been reversed. He knew his wife well. She wasn’t the most sensitive of beings. It would be up to him to make sure that Gail didn’t get hurt and was well taken care of during this process. She’d been through enough.

  * * * *

  Things went rather quickly after that. They met with the lawyer and the terms of the agreement shocked Gail so much that she almost backed out. In addition to paying all of the legal and medical fees, which she expected, Rashid was paying all of her living and related expenses for the duration of her pregnancy and the two month recovery period after the delivery. Plus, he’d promised to invest an amount equal to her yearly salary into her stock portfolio, which his firm handled. She’d argued fiercely that it was too much and even questioned the legality of it all, but he refused to budge. Crystal pleaded with Gail to take the money. She said it was the least that they could do for Gail in recompense for what she was willing to do for them, and it wasn’t like they couldn’t afford it.