Face to face.

Face to face.


A week later.

I don't think I've ever been so relieved to leave the Whitbys residence. Don't get me wrong, William and Lydia are sweet nice people but they coddled me too much. And I am extremely tired of doing nothing all day but sleeping in bed.

I resume work as usual after a warning slash greeting from my boss that has me rethinking ever asking her for a leave after my maternity leave. She's kind of trying to tell me that I've used up all my sick days for the year.

Which is okay I guess. I'm very excited that I'm going back to work. Lying down on the bed all day is exhausting.
One thing I have to fight Ross with on the other hand is trying to get Guzman to come with me to work, something I find totally unnecessary and borderline excessive.

I manage to convince him that he doesn't need Guzman to be with me every twenty four hours.

Kathy and Grandma Marcella are doing such a great job with the baby shower that I don't interfere since I have a lot to catch up on in my workplace. 

I decide that after work I want to see Lucas Cassias. I know Ross might be fine handling everything but I'm also curious and I'd like to have a little chat with Carlos and see how Naomi is doing.
Ross wouldn't be able to come since he has to work late at the office.

Shortly after me sending a message to Lucas Cassias, Ross calls me and asks why I want to see him and I explain that I want to chat with Carlos privately, preferably with his girlfriend too.

I tell Ross that maybe it'll be best to put Naomi and Carlos together hidden somewhere so I can see them both.

Ross agrees.

After work, Guzman and I head down to the directions that Lucas gave us. It is so far it seems like it is on the outskirts of New York city.

But finally we get there and I meet Lucas Cassias at the steps of another old building.

"Sure you weren't tailed?" He asks Guzman and I and I nod my head.

Guzman had taken a lot of confusing twists and turns which in turn confused me. I would never be able to get the place if I tried to go alone.

"I got a call from Ross. He says he can't make it. He doesn't want you to be alone when you're talking to them so he asks that Guzman be with you."

Lucas says.

"Yes, I understand. Did Naomi agree to come?"

"She's here already. She promises to stay quiet although I had to bring her here in a blindfold. Can't have her telling anyone where Carlos is."

Guzman, Lucas and I all climb the steep stairs of the old apartment building. Halfway through the steps I'm already panting heavily and Guzman offers to carry me and I give him a look that says I'm pregnant not handicapped.

Finally, I make it to the top of the stairs where Carlos and his girlfriend are waiting.

"Sorry about the steps, the elevator doesn't work sometimes. And this is the most remote and discrete place we could safely keep them"

Lucas explains and I roll my eyes.

It was always dilapidated buildings or old abandoned buildings with him.

A coded knock on the door by Lucas and the door swings wide open.

The first thing I'm shocked by is how unbelievably young Carlos is.

He is thin and scrawny and short with a head full of curly black hair and wide set brown eyes.

He is wearing a pale blue T-shirt that has zero fitting on him and a baggy jeans that does little for his slim frame.
The way he looks down quickly when his eyes meet mine tells me that he knows exactly who I am.

His girlfriend appears at his side and holds his arm. She has a look of disgust on her face as she stares at us. She doesn't back down as she outrightly glares at me.

Her platinum blonde hair is in a messy ponytail and she has piercings and tattoos of every size and colour adorning her open arms and neck.

I stare at them for a little while before the shocking realisation hits.

They look like teenagers.

They must be around Kathy's age, or a little bit older I can't say but they look so young.

"Hi. Can we talk?"

After an uncomfortable silence and Lucas directing all of us to seat we all settle in uncomfortably except Guzman who prefers to stand and brood right next to me.

Carlos and his girlfriend Naomi stare at me weirdly while I study them.

My stomach squirms as I see the stump on Naomi's hand which should have been her third finger, she catches me staring and outrightly glares at me. I lay a hand on my belly as if to protect it from her hateful glares.

I don't know why she's mad at me, I didn't cut her finger off.

"Carlos, Do you remember me?"

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat at my words and nods his head.

"Yea, I do."

"I want to hear what happened. Can you tell me why you did it?"

I ask softly.

"He didn't do anything!" Naomi snaps and I glance at Lucas signalling him to take Naomi out of the room.

"Naomi, why don't we go outside?"

He says as he approaches her.

I can tell she's about to snarl a nasty retort when Carlos places a hand on her thigh and pleads with her.

She goes outside with Lucas, leaving Carlos, Guzman and I alone.

"A man approached me in our shop. It was hours before we went for a catering event we had in some big fancy rich people house. He said he'd give me thirty thousand dollars if I slipped something into a drink for him. I asked him what it was and he said it was a sleeping pill. He told me after I did it I had to disappear."

Carlos stops and turns uncomfortably.

"Go on Carlos"

"I didn't want to do it, I swear I didn't but we were tight on money and every month I have to send money home to Guatemala...."

His voice trembles slightly as he pauses.

He heaves a sigh before continuing.

"I asked him if the drug could kill and he said no, that it only induced sleep.
When we got to the dinner he slipped the drug in my pocket and gave me the backpack full of cash. He told me to wait for his instructions. When he called me out specifically to serve him, that's when I saw you. And he gave me the signal and I slipped in the pill. I didn't let anybody else know... I swear, I felt very bad doing it but I had to do it! I needed the money."

I remembered not paying much attention to the waiter who gave me the drink. Maybe if I had been more attentive, I wouldn't have mistaken his fear for humility. Maybe I would have noticed him trembling the way he is trembling now, eyes darting back and forth in fear.

Lucas comes back without Naomi and takes a seat in one of the worn out couches.

"Do you know what the pill looked like?"

I ask and he shrugs.

"It was a small blue pill... I don't know... It dissolved very quickly."

I remember my original diagnosis being food poisoning because my symptoms were similar to it. Although the doctor listed the possibility of it being caused by some kind of abortion pill, it wasn't confirmed but with the testimony of Carlos a connection can be established.

"After I did it, he sent me a warning. Told me that if I stayed around after or told anybody he would have me killed. My girlfriend and I moved to another apartment and found another job, we were there when Lucas found me. I knew they were going to kill me so I begged Lucas for protection when he found me. And Mr Hamilton, your husband agreed."

I didn't expect to be able to understand exactly what Carlos's motives had been but I understand it so well.

It was desperation, that made him do it, the same thing that led me into being Ross's surrogate and wife in the first place.

"It's okay. Are you willing to testify against that man?"

Carlos nods his head eagerly.

"Do you know that you might go to jail for your actions?"

Carlos nods as he sniffs and wipes away tears from his eyes. I don't know what I why I was expecting an hardened criminal but instead I find a scared young adult and it hurts. It hurts because I can relate so much and feel what he is feeling, but I know the law won't be easy on him, he's still going to serve his punishment.

A thought crosses my mind.

"Carlos? Are you undocumented?"

Lucas sighs and Carlos looks away, I can tell that the answer is yes.

He is undocumented, which can make his case a whole worse than it already is.

"I know, I might go to jail, but Mr Ross promised me that if I cooperate he'll get me a good lawyer."

I smile at the thought of Ross making promises to the boy who almost made me lose my pregnancy, I guess he feels as much for him as I do. And he understands exactly why he did it, Carlos is just a victim of circumstances.

"Yes, with a good lawyer, your chances will be better."

I turn to Lucas Cassias who is watching everything with keen eyes.

"His story checks out. He has four brothers and three sisters and a sick mother in Guatemala. He sent almost all the money he was given to them, that was why he couldn't run away, because he had no money to escape."

There's a small pause and Naomi returns to the room.

She looks calm. Better than before, but I still don't get why she's angry at me.

"I'm sorry about your finger." I apologise and she scoffs as she laughs cruelly.

"You're not sorry. You don't have to pretend to be. It's because of you that we're running!" She snarls as she takes a puff out of the cigarette in her hand.

I shift in my seat uncomfortably.
Maybe this is a bad time tell her to put out her cigarette.

Lucas notices my discomfort.

"You shouldn't smoke in front of a pregnant woman" he cautions.


She doesn't listen as she puffs the smoke closer to my face.

I look away quickly and Guzman knocks the cigarette out of her hand and steps on it.

He moves close to her and glares at her till I call him back.


I think it's time I leave.

"We're only here to help you regardless of what Carlos did. Even if he did it out of desperation it was still wrong and we're trying to protect him irrespective of the fact that he tried to harm my babies!" I raise my voice higher as I point to my belly.

"Yes, what happened to you was wrong and unforgivable, you shouldn't even be involved in all this. But it's not my fault. And we're only trying to help. Maybe you can try and be a little more cooperative so you and Carlos can get out of this mess faster."


I turn to Lucas who is standing up already, ready to lead us out and he nods his head.

"Carlos, I'll see you later. Naomi we have to go"

Naomi complies with Lucas after a quick goodbye to Carlos. She avoids my eyes as he blindfolds her and leads her out.

Lucas decided that it is best to separate both of them so they won't be caught easily.

So Naomi is probably staying at the other end of the city in one of Lucas's infamous old buildings.

"Let's go Guzman" I call out and we both walk out.

Back inside the car with Guzman, I can't help both think about Carlos and how guilty he must feel for everything he has done.

I really do wish him well.