His Surrogate For Hire: A BWWM Pregnancy Romance by BWWM Club, Esther Banks Page A

yet,” the doctor replied breezily.
    “ Could
you remove this paste so I can open my eyes?” Max asked
irritably.
    “ Of
course. Nurse?” the doctor’s voice said. After a moment,
Max felt a cool cloth wiping him gently around his eyes. He could
feel whatever was holding his eyes closed loosen its hold and
suddenly he could see again, his eyes were open and he was staring at
Martha, his black housekeeper for nigh on fifteen years now, and a
young man with black hair and vivid blue eyes who was wearing a white
lab coat. He was also smiling at him as if he couldn’t be more
pleased with himself. Max hated him on sight.
    “ So
you don’t know what’s wrong with me, why am I here?”
he asked coldly.
    Dr. Schofield’s
smile faltered a bit but it came back, almost at full wattage. “We’re
running tests. Your temperature was elevated very high when you came
in. So much so that you were convulsing. You almost went into shock
but we pulled you back. Your white blood cell count is also elevated
which means you’re sporting an infection of some kind.
Hopefully once the blood work comes back we’ll know more.”
    Max stared into the
middle distance. “I see,” he said. “My doctor’s
name is Carlyle Benson; I’m sure my housekeeper’s told
you. Would you kindly summon him?”
    “ Your
housekeeper did inform us of your doctor’s name and the fact
that you would want him – but he is not affiliated with this
hospital and so-“
    “ Then
move me to a facility with which he is affiliated,” Max interrupted.
    That at least wiped
the smile off Dr. Schofield’s face. “Mr. Lestrange you
have to know that you are very weak right now and not in any position
to be moved,” he said in a more subdued tone than he’d
been hitherto using. “It would not behoove you to try and do
so. At least wait until you’re stronger.”
    Max glared at him,
wanting to punch him in the face but truly feeling too weak to move.
He hated it, this weakness; and it scared the hell out of him. What
had happened to him?
    “ Have
you checked my system for drugs?” he asked.
    “ It's
one of the tests requested,” Dr. Schofield said. “If you
can be just a little patient we should know in an hour or two what
ails you.”
    “ An
hour or two?” Max exclaimed in disbelief.
    “ We
ordered extensive tests sir,” Dr. Schofield said.
    Max just glared at
him, wanting to get out of bed, possibly hit something; preferably
the good doctor. But he just lay back in defeat and stared at the
ceiling.
    “ Martha,
did you bring my bed clothes?” he asked.
    “ Yes
sir, right here,” Martha said placing a pair of pajamas on the
bedside table where Max could see them.
    “ Can
I at least change out of this mortifying gown?” Max asked the
doctor.
    Dr. Schofield opened
his mouth to explain hospital policy but then closed it again. This
level of politics was above his pay grade. “Sure,” he
said and walked out of the room together with the nurse so that Max
could change. As soon as they were alone, Max relaxed.
    “ Martha
what happened?” he asked.
    “ You
collapsed at the fight sir,” Martha begun at once. “The
casino called an ambulance and the mayor called me. They had already
brought you here to this hospital by the time I could get here. I
called Dr. Benson and he arrived to check on you but they only
allowed him in as a professional courtesy but they said he could not
treat you because of that affiliation thing. He said to call him as
soon as you woke. I’ve already sent him a text.”
    “ Good
girl. Anything else?” Max asked.
    Martha shook her
head. “Everything is under control sir. Whitby is handling the
press, Constantine has informed the board of what is happening.”
    “ What’s
he telling the press?” Max wanted to know.
    “ No
information at this time,” Martha said.
    Max nodded. “That
might not be the best strategy for the stocks. Ask him to change that
to a bad case of the flu.”
    “ Yes
sir,” Martha said taking