"I'm so sorry to hear that it didn't work again, Jodie. It must be so frustrating and disappointing," Benjamin said.
Jodie seemed to deflate with a resigned exhale.
"Yeah, it sucks," she replied.
Benjamin took a sip of his beer.
"I don't know, Jodie. You think, maybe, that it's me?"
"Oh, no! Of course not, Ben!" Jodie assured, "Dr. Leighton said your sperm was ideal and very healthy. He was sure you were a perfect donor."
Benjamin shrugged. He wasn't feeling too comforted by Jodie's words. His friend had been trying for a baby for so long. He took another sip of his beer, and when he set his glass down, he noticed Jodie was waiting expectantly. That deflated look she had was gone. She held her hands together on the table, almost in an oddly polite way.
"What?" Benjamin inquired suspiciously.
"After Dr. Leighton gave me the negative results last week, he mentioned something interesting."
Jodie leaned forward, looking even more excited than before.
"He had said that artificial insemination just isn't as effective as natural insemination - for some people anyway," Jodie explained smartly.
"Okay?" Benjamin said with a furrowed brow.
"That really stuck with me. I called him again yesterday to ask about this whole natural insemination thing. He gave me a lot of science that I can't really get into now, but basically, he can confirm that natural insemination in some cases is just more effective!"
"Alright?" Benjamin answered with the same confused look.
Jodie sprung her hands open as if she just delivered the most exciting news in the world. She waited with a hopeful look.
"What's natural insemination?" Benjamin asked sincerely.
"Sex!" Jodie exclaimed, "Like, straight up, natural sex!"
"Yeah, so what's the point?"
Jodie rolled her eyes.
"What I'm saying is, you and I should have sex!"
Benjamin shuddered. His face flushed red as a couple girls at a nearby table giggled.
"Lower your voice, Jodie!" He whispered angrily, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I really can't make it any clearer, Ben."
"No I hear you," Ben remarked, "but do you hear yourself? You want us to have sex?"
Jodie nodded righteously.
"Don't joke around, Jodie. Have you been so desperate to have a baby that you've forgotten you're married? Isaac. Remember Isaac? Your husband? I feel bad enough that he doesn't know I'm the donor!"
"Oh don't feel bad, Ben. We agreed before all of this that it would be better this way. I would find someone I know and trust to be our donor, and he would prefer he didn't know who it was. You know this."
Benjamin shook his head, "Well, that's not what we need to talk about now. Does Isaac know about this?"
Jodie shook her head calmly. Benjamin was shocked.
"Jodie, do you know what you're suggesting? You want to cheat on your husband."
"Nope, I'm not," Jodie argued confidently, "Isaac and I agreed that we would try anything for a baby. We never talked about or agreed on how we could do it. We've tried artificial insemination for a year - didn't work. So, now I'm trying natural insemination."
Benjamin shook his head. Then he shook his head again.
"Ben," Jodie said sincerely, "You're my friend. I'm your friend. I know I've already asked a lot from you, but can you do this for me? We've known each other since high school. We care for and respect each other. You know I've wanted kids for so long. I'm asking you to help me because I don't see anyone else who can."
Benjamin was touched by Jodie's kind words, regardless of how strange the context.
"Anyway, Ben, Isaac will be away on business for a week starting next week. I'd like to meet on the Saturday. You've got a week to think about it, but I really am hoping to see you."
The next days passed excruciatingly quickly for Benjamin. He spent some of his time looking at his old yearbooks. He looked fondly at the photos he and Jodie shared. Jodie was always a gem. She was a leader, always stepping forward first into anything that they feared. Some of their friends from high school may have drifted apart over the years, but Jodie had always been there for Benjamin. She really was his best friend, but whenever he thought of Isaac, his heart felt like it was tearing. Friday night came, and Benjamin received a call.
"Hello, Ben," Jodie said softly, "Will I be seeing you tomorrow?"
Ben paused. He tried to start a sentence several times. Jodie could hear him, and she waited patiently.
"Y-yes, Jodie. Mhm. Yep. God, what am I doing?"
"Fantastic," Jodie said, hardly able to contain her excitement.
"What's...what's the plan?" Benjamin asked with great reluctance.
"Well, come by any time you'd like."
"And?"
"And...well...we'll do it," Jodie replied positively.
"But where? There's no way I'm...doing it...at your place. Not where you and Isaac sleep."
"Oh, alright, fine! We'll go somewhere nice. Meet me at the Hilton on 6th Avenue at 7 pm. I'll call them to book right after our call," Jodie offered.
"Okay," Benjamin said weakly.
"Thank you so much Ben!" Jodie sang, "What you're doing means so much to me. I'll have a little something to help you along. You know, a little...nightwear...nothing too special. Something to sort of, arouse-"
"-Oh God."
"Okay, well, see you tomorrow! Thanks a ton! Looking forward to it. Sleep well. Sweet dreams. Bye," Jodie said hurriedly, sensing Benjamin's overwhelming discomfort.
Benjamin's Saturday morning went poorly. He couldn't sleep well last night with the weight of what he had agreed to bothering him. He arrived at his work, only to find no one else was there. That was normal for a Saturday of course, because the office was closed on Saturdays but Benjamin had forgotten. He drove home and changed into his pajamas. The restless man wasn't sure what he could do to pass the time. While the week had passed phenomenally quickly, today seemed to be in slow motion. He glanced at the clock and thought, 'Eleven-o-five? Wasn't it eleven an hour ago?'. Benjamin managed to fix lunch, but only drank a glass of water. His day went on like this until it was nearly six-thirty in the evening. The Hilton was about a twenty-minute drive away. Just when he thought he should get a move on, he realized he should have tidied himself a little. The rushed man sprinted to his bathroom to throw on a fresh shirt and a pair of pants. He splashed water on his face and dried it hurriedly with a towel. 'What time is it now?' he wondered. His watch. He needed his watch. After snapping on his watch, he realized it was forty-five minutes past six. He was going to be late. Benjamin sped through the streets and managed his record time entering downtown. When he pulled into the Hilton, he left his car for valet parking. He paid the driver a tip and received his receipt.
"OK," Benjamin said to himself after his car was taken care of.
'What next?' Benjamin thought. Where was the room? He didn't know. He swore and took out his phone to call Jodie. There was a text message there sent from Jodie last night.
- Room 605. Hilton on 6th @ 7p. See you there. =) -
Benjamin glanced at his wrist watch. It read 7:08 pm. He swore again and took off through the lobby. He called for the sixth floor in the elevator, and he sprung out when it delivered him there. Luckily, room 605 was just around the corner. His watch read 7:10 pm. He knocked on the door.
"Ben," Jodie greeted, "For a moment I thought you weren't coming."
"I'm sorry Jodie. I uh...was running late."
"No worries! Come in!"
Benjamin looked around.
"Corner suite," he commented.
"Somewhere nice, just as I promised," Jodie said.
"Yes, great windows. Do these count as panoramic? Or is it only panoramic when the windows go from the ceiling to the ground? Ah, a lounge area too. This is more of a loft isn't it? Is that wine? Complimentary? Wow, hotels these days really have upped their game. Beautiful upholstery in here too."
"I'll just be in the bathroom a moment. Have some wine. Make yourself comfortable," Jodie said over her nervous friend.
"Yup. Yup," Benjamin acknowledged.
Benjamin went to the wine and poured himself a tall glass. He chuckled disapprovingly at his shaking hands as he poured. Benjamin downed the whole glass in one swig.
"Would you pour me one?" Jodie called from behind.
Benjamin hurried and poured a glass for Jodie. Where were his manners? He poured a very tall glass too by mistake. He held the glass and turned to offer it to Jodie. His heart skipped. Jodie had come out of the bathroom in a lavender satin chemise. The light cloth hung onto her by thin straps dangling on her shoulders. Lace embroidery lined the top of the chemise which took a modest dive to reveal cleavage. The bottom of the chemise was also embroidered and it floated well above her knees. Her nightwear 'aroused' alright. When Jodie stepped forward to receive the glass, the chemise rode up against her thighs high enough that Benjamin saw more. He turned his red face away.
"I like your thinking," Jodie said, examining the wine glass that was filled to the brim.
"So, what do you think?" Jodie asked before pressing the glass to her lips and tipping her head back.
Benjamin shuffled in one spot. He pressed his hands together and then swung them at his side. 'What do I think?' Benjamin pondered, 'What do you tell a friend in this situation? That she looks amazingly sexy and alluring? That her breasts look tempting and her hips were seductive? That her legs were bewitching? That overall she was the most captivating woman he had seen in a long time? What kind of situation is this even?'
"Brilliant," Benjamin managed to say.
Jodie finished her entire glass, "I agree. This room is beautiful. Isaac and I should come here. Spice things up a little."
Jodie caught herself saying her husband's name. The name had a disruptive affect on Benjamin.
