His Human Surrogate (Monsters Love Curvy Girls #2) - Michele Mills Page 0,14

me.

“Sure. I was living alone back on New Earth. This is fine.”

“It’s just that you’re pregnant now, and this place is so big and you’re here by yourself…”

Pregnant? That’s right.

It’s super nice of her to worry. I’m not used to anyone worrying about me, besides Riley. My parents were worried, especially Dad. Dad and I were a lot alike. Mom and Lucy were always their own little duo. I always felt a little bit like I had one parent.

“I’m okay. I actually feel really good today. No pregnancy sickness or anything yet.” I pick up a box to open. “Although it’s only been one diurnal, the doctor said I shouldn’t expect symptoms until—"

And then we hear a sound out front and another huge vehicle parks in the front driveway.

“Ooh, they’re here.” Bestla says as she runs for the door.

I turn to look. “What’s here?” I cannot believe all of this. I’m used to New Earth, where nothing much happens. I lived in the same house my entire life. It wasn’t like moving ever occurred.

“The cleaning and repair bots have arrived just in time.”

“Cleaning bots?” My mouth drops open and I run to the window. “No way.” I’ve heard of these machines. Riley’s told me all about them. And I’ve seen them on vid shows. My friend thinks they’re no big deal because she’s used to them from all the rich beings she’s lived with over the last five years. But I’ve never seen these in real life.

“The new rollout?” Methone asks.

“Yep. The brand-new ones.”

“How many?”

“Five.”

“Niiiice.”

“You bought yourself five cleaning bots?” I gasp. “And they also make repairs?” I cannot believe. I don’t know anyone on New Earth who can afford such a thing.

“These are the new kind that clean and repair, and these supposedly will even do restoration.”

I look around the crumbling house. “Oh wow, you’re letting Berg borrow these for this project?”

“Not borrow, they’re his. Actually, Berg bought these. He paid for it. He told me to get some, so I did. And they’re already here. Perfect timing.”

The workers bring them inside and all of us, even Grandma Narvi, ooh and aaah over how beautiful and shiny the new bots are. Then we choose a closet to store them in. The crew sets up the charging station and lets us know it will be a while before they’re done downloading updates and ready to start.

“Well, since we’ve got to wait, let’s get back at it then,” Bestla says, pointing to the front room. “There’s still lots of work to be done so Chloe can be comfortable here tonight.”

We all follow Bestla’s directive and move back to the front of the house and get into a good rhythm of opening boxes and filling shelves. I enjoy working with these ladies, it’s nice.

Right when we’re all getting tired and hungry and about to take a meal break, Methone points out something important. “Oh look Chloe,” she says. “There’s a box that’s just for you. Your name is on it.”

“Noooo. Me? That can’t be.”

Bestla glances over. “Hmm. It’s true. That box is addressed to you, and that’s Bergelmir’s handwriting.”

“Me?” I say again, with a wide, genuine smile this time. “Berg left me something?” I grab the box and clutch it to my chest.

I haven’t spoken to or seen my friend since he took me to the med lab. Berg dropped me back off at his mom’s house afterwards so I could rest. And then he disappeared off the face of the planet. It’s been pretty weird knowing that another Hyrrokin female’s donor egg and Bergelmir’s sperm were merged together in a lab into an embryo and that embryo was transferred to me. I have his baby growing inside of me. I’m hanging around Berg’s entire family and friends—and even moving into his house and going through his stuff. I’m going to sleep on his bed and in his room tonight. And yet he’s not around.

Everywhere I turn, there’s echoes of Bergelmir. And yet no actual Bergelmir. But now there’s something he wants me to have.

“Ooh, what is it?” Bestla asks over my shoulder.

“I don’t know.”

“Open it. Open it.” Methone claps.

I smile, these two ladies are darling. “Okay. Just a sec.” I feel around the edges, but this box is particularly hard for me to open.

“Dammit, if the human had claws like the rest of us, this wouldn’t take so long,” Grandma Narvi growls.

“You want me to help…?” Bestla asks.

“No, no, I’ve got it—" It takes me a minute, but I finally get