(Fiction) 'Unconventional Family Planning' Chapter 1: The Agreement
Chapter 1: The Agreement
Since Annie and Ginger ran in different social circles, and pretty much only saw each other on holidays and at the annual cookout that the Henderson's held in early June, Gerry was surprised to see Brad and Ginger at his kitchen table when he got home that Thursday evening.
"Welcome home." Annie greeted him.
"How'ya doin', Sport?" Brad asked as he stood and shook his hand.
"Doing well, thanks." Gerry answered, then said to Ginger "Yo, always nice to see you..." He delivered a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Not that I mind, but, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Getting right down to business? I like that." Brad answered. "Basically, we need a favor."
"Okay, you know you guys are family? You don't need to ask, I'll do it."
Ginger smiled at Gerry's response. "It's an unusual request, hear us out before you agree."
"And before we tell you, you need to understand that this is confidential" Brad added.
"Okay, I'll listen, withhold judgement until I hear it all, and keep it to myself. Good enough?"
"Here it goes. Brad and I want a baby." Ginger started explaining.
"I'm listening..." Gerry prompted her to continue.
"It turns out that for certain reasons that...umm...we need some extra help..."
"Go on."
"Gerald, I need your... I need you to...umm...be a donor."
"I'm not sure I understand."
"My little swimmers, aren't swimming." Brad volunteered reluctantly.
"This seems difficult for you two to discuss, I empathize, I do, but, I don't understand. There are sperm banks that fertility clinics and what-not to help you, why are you asking me about this? Do you want a referral? I mean I can ask around but I really don't know of any..."
"Brad doesn't want to use a clinic, he doesn't want anyone to know that we need help." Ginger explained.
"So you have a doctor friend that will do an artificial insemination off the record?" Gerry asked.
"No doctors, no records. The reason we're even here is that your hair and eye color is close enough to mine that it'll pass and that I believe you can keep it secret." Brad added.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to ask you to be explicit. What do you want me to do?"
"Knock her up, the old fashioned way." Brad stated bluntly.
"Make a baby with me. 'Naturally inseminate' me. Make me pregnant." Ginger answered.
There was a moment where no one spoke, the request hung heavily in the air.
"Okay, that's pretty clear now, what it is that you want. You'll understand that Annie and I will have to discuss this, right?"
"We figured. Here's the 'N.D.A.' that I'll need both of you to sign. Once you're ready, I'll cover any expenses and compensate you for your time." Brad dropped a stack of papers on the table.
"If, we decide to help you, it would be a favor. We don't expect compensation, and I don't think we need a non-disclosure agreement."
"I don't like owing people, I'll pay you at whatever hourly rate you charge for personal training or whatever, and, I wouldn't get married without a pre-nup; so I won't ask for secrecy without an 'N.D.A."
Gerry thought Brad was being a dick for not trusting him.
"Well then if you've gone through the trouble of drawing up a non-disclosure agreement, draw up a contract too. I'll want a payment schedule, a release of liability, and some guarantees that I won't be named in a paternity suit in the future. I also want language that you two will be named on the birth certificate and that you'll pay child support in the case the you and Ginny split up. I guess it's fair that you want to cover your ass, I need to cover mine. By the time you have the paperwork, Annie and I will have had a chance to decide if we'll help you or not. Now, enough business for one night, let's have a drink and catch up. I haven't seen you two since Christmas."
"Gerry, I didn't know you had it in you. When did you grow a pair?" Brad asked while raising his eyebrows and his estimation of his brother-in-law.
"I've always had them, this is the first time someone has asked me to hire them out!"
Everyone laughed at Gerry's quip. He has successfully defused the tension in the room. They spent the remainder of the evening nursing cocktails and chatting about less consequential topics.
After the Hendersons had left, Annie and Gerry had a frank discussion.
"So, how long have you known?" Gerry asked.
"That they were having trouble conceiving? Months."
"No, about their plan to use me as a 'donor', or surrogate, or whatever."
"I had no idea, I'm just as surprised as you are."
"What should we do?"
"We?"
"You know what I mean, I'm not going to consider this without your input; what are your thoughts, what should I do? I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing."
"You don't want to screw Ginny?"
"What gave you the idea that I ever...that's almost besides the point. I'm worried about your feelings, I don't know how to deal with... everything, the potential jealousy, the responsibility, the strain this would potentially put on our marriage, or your relationship with your sister... In addition, I don't know if I'm okay with fathering a child and not raising it. Even more so because this child will be my niece or nephew on paper. Will I ever be able to look at their face and not feel like I should be treating them how a father treats his child?"
"Umm...One thing at a time, I'm trying to figure out my feelings." Annie tried to steer the conversation. "First, how do you feel about Ginny, and you know...doing the deed. Can you bring yourself to?"
"Annie, hypothetically, I believe I can. I mean at the physical level, however; I feel weird about it. I've never had 'casual sex', or been intimate with someone I wasn't in love with, you know I've never had sex with anyone but you. I don't know if I am capable of uncoupling my actions from my emotions regardless of who my potential bed-mate would be. I mean I..."
"I don't think I'd even entertain the idea if it was anyone but Ginny. I know I can trust you not to hurt her and I can trust the two of you not to go to a place that endangers our relationships, as spouses or as siblings."
"What are you basing that trust on? I don't know if I trust myself not to..."
"And that's why I think I'm okay. Since you don't trust yourself, I trust that you'll let me know if something goes pear-shaped and we can address it."
"Okay, that's one hurdle. I've got to wrap my brain around the rest and that'll take some time. Let's sleep on it. Once we get the contract from our dear brother-in-law, I want you to take it to work and have someone find the 'gotchas' and loopholes, and apply red lines and provisions as they deem prudent."
"Okay, but I'm not particularly sleepy now."
"Let's go to bed anyway, shall we? We don't have to sleep just yet."
"The N.D.A. doesn't have any teeth, but it's pretty straightforward. As for the contract and release docs, it's far from bulletproof, we need to add some language where the mother's husband commits to adopt the child, at the time of birth. I believe that your protection from a paternity suit and/or child support would then be covered. I'm winging it, this is some new territory." Phil Murray, one of the attorneys from the firm Annie worked at, gave his opinion of the contract and the N.D.A.
"Anything else we need to worry about?" Annie asked.
"I want to tweak some of the language in the compensation portion, an overzealous D.A. could argue that as it is, your husband is a prostitute."
"Yea, you need to fix that then." Gerry said.
"Give me a day or two and we should have something ready. Have all the signatories come to the office Thursday, book a conference room, I'll bring a notary."
"Sounds like a plan. Thanks again Phil."
"You sure that you're okay about this, honey?" Gerry asked his wife for the hundredth time.
"It would make Ginny so happy."
"Brad is such an asshole. He's so wound up in his alpha-male, privileged-ego, self-centered bullshit. So worried about his reputation, about leaving progeny. "
"Shh! here they come." Annie shushed her husband, as Brad and Ginger (and their attorney) came into the lawyer's office.
The usual round of greetings and handshakes were exchanged.
"If all the parties are in agreement, we can proceed. I've marked all the places where each of you should sign. We'll make sure you each get copies of the contracts."
It only took five minutes to formalize the agreement.
"Welcome home." Annie greeted him.
"How'ya doin', Sport?" Brad asked as he stood and shook his hand.
"Doing well, thanks." Gerry answered, then said to Ginger "Yo, always nice to see you..." He delivered a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Not that I mind, but, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Getting right down to business? I like that." Brad answered. "Basically, we need a favor."
"Okay, you know you guys are family? You don't need to ask, I'll do it."
Ginger smiled at Gerry's response. "It's an unusual request, hear us out before you agree."
"And before we tell you, you need to understand that this is confidential" Brad added.
"Okay, I'll listen, withhold judgement until I hear it all, and keep it to myself. Good enough?"
"Here it goes. Brad and I want a baby." Ginger started explaining.
"I'm listening..." Gerry prompted her to continue.
"It turns out that for certain reasons that...umm...we need some extra help..."
"Go on."
"Gerald, I need your... I need you to...umm...be a donor."
"I'm not sure I understand."
"My little swimmers, aren't swimming." Brad volunteered reluctantly.
"This seems difficult for you two to discuss, I empathize, I do, but, I don't understand. There are sperm banks that fertility clinics and what-not to help you, why are you asking me about this? Do you want a referral? I mean I can ask around but I really don't know of any..."
"Brad doesn't want to use a clinic, he doesn't want anyone to know that we need help." Ginger explained.
"So you have a doctor friend that will do an artificial insemination off the record?" Gerry asked.
"No doctors, no records. The reason we're even here is that your hair and eye color is close enough to mine that it'll pass and that I believe you can keep it secret." Brad added.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to ask you to be explicit. What do you want me to do?"
"Knock her up, the old fashioned way." Brad stated bluntly.
"Make a baby with me. 'Naturally inseminate' me. Make me pregnant." Ginger answered.
There was a moment where no one spoke, the request hung heavily in the air.
"Okay, that's pretty clear now, what it is that you want. You'll understand that Annie and I will have to discuss this, right?"
"We figured. Here's the 'N.D.A.' that I'll need both of you to sign. Once you're ready, I'll cover any expenses and compensate you for your time." Brad dropped a stack of papers on the table.
"If, we decide to help you, it would be a favor. We don't expect compensation, and I don't think we need a non-disclosure agreement."
"I don't like owing people, I'll pay you at whatever hourly rate you charge for personal training or whatever, and, I wouldn't get married without a pre-nup; so I won't ask for secrecy without an 'N.D.A."
Gerry thought Brad was being a dick for not trusting him.
"Well then if you've gone through the trouble of drawing up a non-disclosure agreement, draw up a contract too. I'll want a payment schedule, a release of liability, and some guarantees that I won't be named in a paternity suit in the future. I also want language that you two will be named on the birth certificate and that you'll pay child support in the case the you and Ginny split up. I guess it's fair that you want to cover your ass, I need to cover mine. By the time you have the paperwork, Annie and I will have had a chance to decide if we'll help you or not. Now, enough business for one night, let's have a drink and catch up. I haven't seen you two since Christmas."
"Gerry, I didn't know you had it in you. When did you grow a pair?" Brad asked while raising his eyebrows and his estimation of his brother-in-law.
"I've always had them, this is the first time someone has asked me to hire them out!"
Everyone laughed at Gerry's quip. He has successfully defused the tension in the room. They spent the remainder of the evening nursing cocktails and chatting about less consequential topics.
After the Hendersons had left, Annie and Gerry had a frank discussion.
"So, how long have you known?" Gerry asked.
"That they were having trouble conceiving? Months."
"No, about their plan to use me as a 'donor', or surrogate, or whatever."
"I had no idea, I'm just as surprised as you are."
"What should we do?"
"We?"
"You know what I mean, I'm not going to consider this without your input; what are your thoughts, what should I do? I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing."
"You don't want to screw Ginny?"
"What gave you the idea that I ever...that's almost besides the point. I'm worried about your feelings, I don't know how to deal with... everything, the potential jealousy, the responsibility, the strain this would potentially put on our marriage, or your relationship with your sister... In addition, I don't know if I'm okay with fathering a child and not raising it. Even more so because this child will be my niece or nephew on paper. Will I ever be able to look at their face and not feel like I should be treating them how a father treats his child?"
"Umm...One thing at a time, I'm trying to figure out my feelings." Annie tried to steer the conversation. "First, how do you feel about Ginny, and you know...doing the deed. Can you bring yourself to?"
"Annie, hypothetically, I believe I can. I mean at the physical level, however; I feel weird about it. I've never had 'casual sex', or been intimate with someone I wasn't in love with, you know I've never had sex with anyone but you. I don't know if I am capable of uncoupling my actions from my emotions regardless of who my potential bed-mate would be. I mean I..."
"I don't think I'd even entertain the idea if it was anyone but Ginny. I know I can trust you not to hurt her and I can trust the two of you not to go to a place that endangers our relationships, as spouses or as siblings."
"What are you basing that trust on? I don't know if I trust myself not to..."
"And that's why I think I'm okay. Since you don't trust yourself, I trust that you'll let me know if something goes pear-shaped and we can address it."
"Okay, that's one hurdle. I've got to wrap my brain around the rest and that'll take some time. Let's sleep on it. Once we get the contract from our dear brother-in-law, I want you to take it to work and have someone find the 'gotchas' and loopholes, and apply red lines and provisions as they deem prudent."
"Okay, but I'm not particularly sleepy now."
"Let's go to bed anyway, shall we? We don't have to sleep just yet."
*****
"The N.D.A. doesn't have any teeth, but it's pretty straightforward. As for the contract and release docs, it's far from bulletproof, we need to add some language where the mother's husband commits to adopt the child, at the time of birth. I believe that your protection from a paternity suit and/or child support would then be covered. I'm winging it, this is some new territory." Phil Murray, one of the attorneys from the firm Annie worked at, gave his opinion of the contract and the N.D.A.
"Anything else we need to worry about?" Annie asked.
"I want to tweak some of the language in the compensation portion, an overzealous D.A. could argue that as it is, your husband is a prostitute."
"Yea, you need to fix that then." Gerry said.
"Give me a day or two and we should have something ready. Have all the signatories come to the office Thursday, book a conference room, I'll bring a notary."
"Sounds like a plan. Thanks again Phil."
*****
"You sure that you're okay about this, honey?" Gerry asked his wife for the hundredth time.
"It would make Ginny so happy."
"Brad is such an asshole. He's so wound up in his alpha-male, privileged-ego, self-centered bullshit. So worried about his reputation, about leaving progeny. "
"Shh! here they come." Annie shushed her husband, as Brad and Ginger (and their attorney) came into the lawyer's office.
The usual round of greetings and handshakes were exchanged.
"If all the parties are in agreement, we can proceed. I've marked all the places where each of you should sign. We'll make sure you each get copies of the contracts."
It only took five minutes to formalize the agreement.
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