Between the two of us, we cleared the table. I had baked a chocolate cake, knowing how much Merry liked it. In the kitchen, I wrapped my arms around Cairo and shuddered.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” he said.
“What if they say no?”
“I don’t think so. We get along well together.”
“They can still say no.”
“Brandt, take a deep breath, baby.”
I closed my eyes, inhaled, and let the breath out slowly. Cairo’s steady reassurances were calming, his touch a comforting coolness against the hot panic that threatened to overtake me.
“All right,” I said, my voice barely louder than a whisper. “Let’s do this.”
The phone rang just as we were picking up the plates of cake. The universe could be a cruel joker sometimes, especially with its impeccable timing. However, Cairo only smiled and nodded toward the phone.
“Go on. I’ll bring these out.”
I picked up the phone as he made his way out. “Hello.”
“Brandt? It’s Dr. Lively. How are you?”
I frowned. Dr. Lively? We didn’t have another appointment with her for two weeks. We saw her less regularly now, given the progression Cairo and I had made.
“I’m good, though I’m surprised by your call. Is something wrong?”
“No, not wrong. Just checking in with you and Cairo whether you’ll consider another surrogate partner?”
“Excuse me?”
“Your surrogates have indicated they’re calling off their service with you and Cairo, so it would be in your best interest to find another couple right away if you want to continue. It can take a while to find the right match.”
Dr. Lively was still talking, but I could barely comprehend her words, the implications of what she was saying. It felt like the floor had dropped out from beneath me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice sounding hollow. “What did you say? Jim and Merry called off our sessions?”
“I assumed they had spoken with you about their intentions.”
“No, they didn’t.” But they were sitting in our dining room, eating and laughing with us while behind our backs they’d been pulling away. Was anything between us real?
“I’m sorry. I thought they already did.”
“No, no. Dr. Lively, can I call you back? It’s an inconvenient time.”
“Of course.”
I ended the call and clutched the counter. My world was spinning, and not in a good way. “Babe, what’s taking you so long?” Cairo rushed over to me. “What happened? I was gone for, like, five minutes. Who called?”
I struggled to find the words to tell him our relationship with Merry and Jim had been a lie. That they were going to abandon us without so much as a warning. But all that came out was a strangled sound halfway between a laugh and a sob.
“Cairo,” I choked out. “They’re… they’re ending our sessions.”
“What? Who?”
“Merry and Jim. That was Dr. Lively on the phone wanting to know if we wished to choose new sex surrogates because Merry and Jim have ended their service.”
Cairo shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense. They wouldn’t do that. I’ll ask them.”