They were all seated in the sitting room waiting eagerly and quietly for him.
The attorney checked his wrist watch and announced the time, it was 11:46am and there was still no sign that he would come. They had waited for over thirty minutes. Shortly after the door flung open and there he was. He walked straight to get a seat ignoring everyone who was already seated.
You're late, the attorney told him.
Yeah, I am sorry about that, he replied. He was nervous.
His father had died and left them a will. He had three children from his only marriage with their mother. There was him, his younger brother Damon and his little sister Kim.
He has been the one controlling his father's businesses until his demise. His younger brother had just graduated a year before from the University and now works in the company but he was a big time play boy. And his sister Kim isn't done with college yet. The pressure of controlling a home and a whole lot of family businesses was going to really tell on him in a short while.
There were all present in the sitting room waiting for the attorney to read out the will their father had left behind.
Mr Maverick Hill was a very wealthy man from a wealthy family. He had maintained the family wealth he inherited from his father and had expanded the family business in different parts of the country. He was successful and now he is dead. Someone had to keep up the legacy. He had five star companies all over the country. His family has an unshakable legacy. He was a man who loved family and so he did his very best to maintain his. But fortunately his family wasn't what he wanted it to be until his demise. He wanted to see his grandchildren before his death. He wanted a house filled with little innocent souls during holidays, he wanted them running round him screaming 'grandpa' in Their little innocent voices but all these were just wishes. He had observed his two sons for the past years and none of them seemed ready to raise a family any time soon and so he devised a plan which he hoped will work even after he is gone.
Andrew and his siblings all sat quietly waiting for the Lawyer as he opened his suitcase. From the right of the attorney who was seated on the head Chair was Damon Hill, his brother. Clever and scheming, good at hatching conspiracies and finances well known by his family members to mistreat women. He has a managerial position in the conglomerate helmed by his elder brother Andrew. He is a renowned playboy in town. Next was his sister Kim, a medical student at Fordham university. She is smart, intelligent, friendly and is the most beautiful girl on campus. She had her men drooling all over. She is into runway modeling, that's her passion.
The attorney began.
They sat quietly as the attorney mentioned their names and relation to the Late Mr. Maverick Hills. Next he mentioned the list of Mr Maverick's properties and after hours of intense listening it came to the main reason they were all gathered at the moment.
" According to Late Mr. Maverick Hills, God rest his soul he said for the hundred and ninety seventh time,
"He stated here in his will" he moved his glasses as though he couldn't see exactly what was written in it. " He stated here that the property in Addison Ct.9 a four bedroom family apartment should be sold out and the profit should be given to charity. And also 60 percent of his listed companies should be willed to his first son and 40 percent should be shared between his second son and his only daughter. Andrew smiled as he heard the attorney read the will in his favor.
"But", the attorney looked at them as he continued. "There's a condition attached to that of Mr. Andrew Hills, his first son. It is stated here that within eighteen months if the name mentioned above does not produce at least a child of his own, all rights should be transferred to anyone who is married and willing to raise a home as at the set time. Andrew stood up in shock.
"What?! That can't be, Andrew said.
He didn't want to interrupt the meeting and so he sat back uneasily on his seat this time. His father had caught him right in a tight corner. He wasn't ready for all this now.
"I'm sorry sir, but you may want to see for yourselves" said the attorney. He passed the paper to Andrew who read it and passed on to Damon and to Kim and then to their uncle. The will had their father's writing, his signature and his red seal in it. No doubt this was it.
"Andrew…", the attorney looked at them. His eyes met with Andrew's and then he continued at once, "Andrew, you are a very brilliant man, smart, attractive, business minded, handsome and full of vigor but work and money is not everything that matters in life. Should consider getting yourself a wife and make a decent woman out of her, make a happy family. It would really make me happy, even though I didn't get the chance to see them. I love you my dear son and whatever I do is for your best interest.
"Damon, my dear boy, you are smart and very clever but you need to stop that philandering attitude of yours. You have a bright future right in front of you and if you're not careful you might just destroy it with your own hands. Asides being a playboy, you treat women with distaste, that ain't nice boy, you must learn to respect a woman. I want you to be very supportive to your brother in the business and everything you could help him with. I know you two haven't been the best of pals from birth but you need to learn to give him some respect. And I also need grandchildren from you, you are not too young for it anyways. Be good my boy. Daddy loves you.
To my darling Kim…, I wish I could hold you once more in my arms and kiss you head like I always do every night before you go to bed…(this made Kim cry, she controlled her tears to the level that she could).
You've always been a good girl and don't let anyone talk you out of it. Focus on your studies, build your career with all the strength you have in you. I know that in a short while you would get a good husband and bear me beautiful grandchildren. Support Andrew and respect Damon. You all must live in love as a family. I love you my Surgeon and supermodel", He stopped.
"Is that all?", Damon asked,
"Yes, that will be all for now till the next eighteen months".
The room was filled with dead silence, and Kim started sobbing. Andrew walked over to sit next to her. He rubbed his soft palm on her back and hugged her.
Damon stood up and left without hesitation.
"Would you mind staying over at my place today?"
She nodded quickly, eyes blood shed red and face pink from excessive cry.
Andrew and Kim were the last to leave the house.
What the f**k was his father thinking?!
He thought, trying to recall the last time he had seen him alive. As he drove home, the thought occupied his mind he couldn't focus on anything.
What?! Make a baby in eighteen months? Really…that's ridiculous".
If he adopts a child he would definitely lose the inheritance and he'll be ridiculed especially by his brother Damon.
After work the next day he left for the bar with his friend. Chris has been a friend since high school and now a business partner. He owned about 3 five star hotels across the country and was from a wealthy home as well.
Andrew had told him what happened, his friend sure needed a quick solution.
Mehn…your pop is something else, what you gon' do man?", Chris asked,
"Does it look like i F* king knows what to do?"
"Woah! Woah! Calm down man, don't come slamming at me like that, I'm not your pop",
Andrew sighed, sipping his drink.
" So, the inheritance is made for whoever makes a baby in eighteen months, man this is crazy, how the hell you gon' make a baby in…or you wanna have a baby mama?"
"You know that not gon' happen", Andrew said, taking another gulp from his drink.
"Then what now?",
"I really don't know men, I need that inheritance. I've been working for it all my life and now this…I need that inheritance, I really do man".
"Ok, I have a few possible solutions for you. It's either you get a baby mama, or you can adopt a child, not too good though or you could get a wife and get her pregnant...very legit or you get a surrogate mother, good and legit too, you decide",
Andrew shaking his Tumblr while he stared focused at his friend.
"Are you being serious right now?" I can't get married", he said.
"Why not?"
"You know that's not my kinda thing Chris, I don't want to be a distraction". He bluffed,
Chris Laughed, "see who needs it now",
They talked about it a little more. When he got home he couldn't take the thoughts out of his mind. He surveyed all the possible options Chris has laid out for him.
He can't possibly get married at least not now, he has never had anything to do with a woman. Well he had things to do with some but that was then, he's a changed man now. And since then he has never had anything to do with ladies nor even care who they were or what they do, he didn't even get to leave with his mum for long until she passed on a few years later. He shoved the thought aside and deliberated through the second option.
"A baby mama?", Ridiculous thought. It's a no, no…I'm definitely not going through that shit".
And then the next. A surrogate, what the hell, he's not doing it. He threw the glass of wine was holding in his hand, that's exactly how he feels, how his brain feels right now. It's gonna explode.
Why the hell would his father do this? "What was he even thinking ".
He sat on the coach in his sitting room and searched for surrogacy and the processes involved in getting one. He scrolled through the site aimlessly and then suddenly something struck his attention. He needed just three things.
First, he was only donating his sperm and he didn't have to bother or even stress himself about it.
Secondly the child would have his DNA, as compared to adoption.
And thirdly, he only has to pay the Surrogate mother a certain amount of money and take his child. That was easy enough. He quickly surfed through agencies that would be willing to link him up to a surrogate mother as quickly as possible and then he found two. One was within Binghamton and the other was in New York city. He quickly filled out their registration form and sent all required details to them.
That same night he texted Chris about his decision to find a surrogate.