Chapter Text
2012
Sunday night in Minnesota was quieter than usual. The February chill bit into the bone, though it had yet to snow. Bobby Nash stood by the window for a long time, gazing out at the now-quiet front gate of the governor's mansion.
Just a few hours ago, May's laughter and Harry's boisterous voices had filled the dining room. They had just spent the weekend together—dinner, classic '90s movies, and a few arguments about who was better: the Lakers or the Timberwolves. For a moment, the house was alive. For a moment, Bobby felt like the father of a whole family.
But as usual, Athena came to pick them up right after dinner, her jacket collar turned up and her expression unreadable. No words beyond "Thanks" and "They have homework." No "How are you?" No "You look tired."
"Bye, dad. See you next weekend." May hugged her father tightly. Reluctant to let go.
"Bye, pretty girl. Be nice to your mom." Bobby kissed both of his daughter's cheeks before turning to Harry who was starting to get sleepy.
"I see you on the next weekend, buddy."
Harry accepted the high five offered by his father. "I'm gonna miss you on the whole week, dad."
"Me too, buddy."
While the children were letting out their sadness of being separated from their father, Athena was still in the same position. She watched, not saying a word.
"Bye, Athena." Bobby gave an awkward hug that was only returned by an awkward smile from his ex-wife.
Now Bobby was alone again. The big house felt like a museum, each room reflecting untouchable memories. He opened his laptop, trying to busy himself with state budget documents, when an email notification entered his personal inbox.
Subject: Annual Embryo Storage Bill - NorthStar Fertility Institute
Bobby stared at the screen longer than he should have. It had been almost 4 years since he and Athena had stored the last embryo. May was born naturally. Harry through IVF. And the third... still stuck in time.
His hand shook slightly as he clicked on the email. The bill was automatically paid. But the question wasn’t about the cost.
“What will happen to the embryos?” Bobby thought. “How long will they be freezing? Until I die? Until no one remembers they ever existed?”
A strange urge began to rise—a mix of sadness and curiosity, and something he’d harbored for a long time: a longing for an unfinished family.
He picked up his phone and dialed his lawyer. Howard Han, or Chimney as he called him.
“Chim, I need your legal opinion,” he said matter-of-factly. “The last embryo… that’s still in Bank. Legally, I can decide what happens to it, right?”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Chimney’s voice came again, cautious. “You’re still listed as the primary beneficiary. There’s no requirement for mutual consent, not after the divorce is finalized. But… this is a sensitive decision. After all, the embryos came from Athena. This isn’t a legal issue, it’s more a courtesy issue.”
“Sensitive?” Bobby sighed. "I'm all alone here, Chim. My two kids live with their mother in another state. And I still have one possibility, one part of them that was never born. Isn't that reason enough? And as a courtesy, I wasn't the one who ruined this marriage in the first place. Athena left me."
Chimney didn't answer right away. But he did offer one suggestion: talk to a doctor.
Two hours later, Bobby spoke with Dr. Karen Wilson, his personal fertility doctor for the past decade and the wife of Athena's best friend. She explained that the embryo was medically viable, and that surrogacy procedures were now much more structured than they used to be.
"We can help you find a trusted surrogate. But you have to be prepared, Bobby. This isn't just a legal and medical issue. This is a heart issue. This child is going to live in a world without knowing... that they mother was never even told," Karen warned after learning of Bobby's decision not to involve Athena.
Bobby looked down, his eyes blankly staring at the files on his desk. "Maybe... the world isn't perfect. But who says children can only be born from love that goes smoothly?"
There was a pause.
"I just know," Bobby continued, his voice breaking, "that I still have a part of my family that's not here. And I can't keep letting it freeze in the cold with no future."
"When do you want to start the process?"
"As soon as possible. I'm not getting any younger, this baby needs to come soon."
Karen thought for a moment. "Tomorrow?"
"That would be great."
"Okay. Tomorrow I'll bring in the best candidate I can find in less than 24 hours."
Bobby's face lit up, his smile bright even though Karen couldn't see it. "Thank you, Karen. I really appreciate it.
St. Paul, Minnesota - 10:47 PM
True to her word, Karen sent over the most likely candidates in less than 24 hours. With his duties as Minnesota’s number one man done, Bobby sat alone in a leather chair in his den—a quaint room with a marble fireplace that glowed only when an automated sensor detected his presence. In front of him, a tablet lit up with the screen open to the “Surrogacy Candidate Portal – Confidential.” This was a step he had put off for far too long. But the reminder email from the embryo bank three weeks ago was too much to ignore:
“Embryo #XX-204C is due for renewal or release. Please confirm decision before the 90-day hold expires.”
The embryo… a remnant of a past. Of an unfinished love for Athena Carter. The one who had given Bobby the greatest joy and the deepest pain.
Bobby took a deep breath. He flipped through each candidate’s profile—with short videos, medical records, and personal backgrounds. All legal, certified, and confidential. But it all still felt… odd.
Profile 1: Julia, 28.
Kindergarten teacher, mother of two. Warm smile, but when she talks about financial motivations, Bobby feels... too transactional.
Profile 2: Naomi, 35.
Twice-time surrogate. Professional. Trained. But very stiff. Like a job, not a life.
Profile 3: Claire D., 33.
Pediatric nurse in Fresno. Twice-time surrogate. In her video, Claire sits in a modest living room, with walls covered with children's paintings—little hand-drawn drawings, oddly shaped flowers. She wears a gray sweater and smiles, but it's her eyes that catch Bobby's attention: honest, and tired, but soft.
"I believe families come in all forms. I know what it's like to want something so deeply, and to not be able to have it. If I can help bring a life into this world that's wanted and loved, that's what I'm here for."
Bobby pauses. Claire's voice rang in his head even after the video stopped. Outside the window, rain began to fall lightly, pattering the tall glass panes of the governor's mansion. He stared at the fire in the fireplace, then at the tablet in his hand again.
"Is she safe?" Bobby finally asked softly, as if to himself. He opened an encrypted messaging app, dialing Karen.
BOBBY: What do you think about Claire D? Candidate ID 4034.
DR. WILSON: She's excellent. No red flags. Medically sound. Emotionally stable. Cooperative. She's done this before without issue.
After five minutes of silence, Bobby finally pressed the Request to Match button.
A notification appeared on the screen:
"Candidate requested. Matching confirmation will be processed within 48 hours."
Then the screen went black again.
Bobby's phone rang shortly after. Karen's name appeared on the screen. "May I ask why you chose her?"
"I honestly don't know. But... she just feels more human. The others really do seem to think this is a job."
"Bobby.. It's a job. You can't expect much from those women except they take care of your child for 9 months."
"I know. It's just that I feel like my daughter needs to be loved since she's still in the womb."
"Daughter? The remaining embryo..."
Bobby sighed softly. "The embryo without the Y chromosome. We produced 2 embryos at that time, but Athena and I agreed to have Harry first because we felt we already had May, then two children at once, Athena clearly refused, that's her body."
"Okay. But make sure you meet the woman first. Sometimes the profile and the person in person are very different."
"Sure. I'll take the time. Thank you Karen. And please..."
"I didn't say anything to Hen. So if your ex-wife finds out, it's not me."
Bobby put the tablet on the table. He leaned back, closing his eyes. There was a feeling of relief, but also guilt. He knew, this was not a small decision. Not about the law, or just administrative rights. This was about life. And he took it alone.
"Ms. Davis is waiting, Mr. Nash," said one of Bobby's personal secretaries as he got out of his car.
This afternoon, Bobby had taken his lunch break for something more personal than usual. He met Claire at a restaurant that was quite popular that year, on Bryant Ave.
Inside the warm room—whitewashed walls, classic wooden chairs, and large windows overlooking a street that had not yet fully come back from winter—sat a woman who turned as soon as she heard the door open.
Claire Davis stood from her chair. Tall, slender, with honey-brown hair tied loosely back. She wore a simple cream sweater and black jeans. Her face was calm, but her warm brown eyes held an unconcealed curiosity and caution.
Mr. Governor," she said, extending her hand. Her voice was calm, sincere. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I apologize if my attire is immodest. I just finished a long shift and it would take some time to get home to change."
Bobby took her hand. “Thanks for coming. And… it’s okay, I’m not the type to judge someone by what they’re wearing.”
They sat down. There was a short silence. Bobby felt awkward, not because of Claire, but because this was the kind of conversation he never imagined he’d have. A conversation that would determine the course of someone’s life—maybe even theirs.
Claire smiled first. “I know this isn’t your cup of tea. But I also know… this isn’t a decision you make lightly.”
Bobby nodded. He looked down at his folded hands in his lap.
“I never thought I’d be in this position,” he said. “But I… I felt like I had to do this. I couldn’t let that hope… die.”
Claire listened intently, not interrupting. Bobby continued.
“That embryo… that child… is part of my family. She didn’t ask to be created, but she is. And I can't just leave her because life is falling apart."
Claire looked down for a moment. "Children... aren't part of politics, are they?"
Bobby chuckled, bitterly. "I wish everyone would see it that way."
They were silent for a moment, but it wasn't an awkward silence—more like a pause that allowed for reality to come to terms with reality. Then Claire said quietly:
"I want to know more about you. Not as governor. But as a father."
Bobby was surprised, then smiled thinly. "I could talk about May and Harry for hours. They... are everything to me. May is as headstrong as her mother. Smart, sharp, and—sometimes—too blunt. Harry... is more calm. Empathetic. And always wants to know why I'm working all the time. For a six-year-old, Harry is... a lot."
Claire smiled at that. "They will be wonderful siblings."
The words struck Bobby in the chest.
"Yes," he finally whispered. "I hope so."
A few minutes later, Karen arrived, having introduced herself to Claire, and gotten right to the point of re-introducing the protocols, the contracts, and the medical timeline. But to Bobby, the technicalities were just a formality. What was important was that Claire wasn't just qualified—she understood.
She understood that this wasn't about money, or ambition. It was about a man who refused to bury his last hope. And that Claire would gladly make that hope a reality.
As they parted outside the restaurant, the cold wind was blowing again. Claire tucked her hands into her jacket, then turned to Bobby and said, "If this goes well, you should expect to be the father of a baby born in a Minnesota winter. Governor."
Bobby smiled, more genuinely than he had in years.
"Then I'll have to come up with a name that can withstand the snow."
Minnesota Governor's Office – Saint Paul – 11:42 AM
Bobby Nash was sitting in the main conference room with senior advisers and several board members on the executive floor of the governor's office. The slides for a presentation on education reform had just been played, when Bobby's personal aide knocked on the conference room door with a panicked look on his face.
"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt... but—"
His voice trailed off.
The door swung open before Bobby could respond.
Athena Carter stood in the doorway—surprising everyone. Her cream blazer rustled with her quick steps, her hair, as always, neatly styled, her eyes blazing.
"Bobby Nash!" her voice echoed, loud, angry, and almost quivering.
The room fell silent.
Advisers and staff turned, looking at each other. Bobby himself froze in place. He rose slowly from his chair, trying to remain calm, but his chest felt like it was struck by lightning.
"Athena," he said quietly. "We can talk outside—"
"You used our embryos without asking my permission? You really did that?!" she exclaimed, now stepping inside, slamming the door shut behind her. "You think because you're the governor, you can play God over our child's life?! My child! I did more work than you. I was the one who went through the hormone injections, and I was the one who went through the discomfort of the extraction. NOT. YOU."
Bobby stared at Athena deeply. He raised his hand slightly, silently apologizing to the staff, then spoke quietly, "Everyone, give us some space, please."
The room emptied immediately. Curiosity and tension lingered in the air like storm clouds.
As soon as the door closed, Athena immediately pointed at Bobby with a trembling finger. "You knew I would refuse, don't you. That's why you did this without my permission, right? You did this so I wouldn't have the voice to refuse. Because you knew I would refuse. I will never let a strange woman carry my child."
Bobby took a deep breath, trying to hold back his emotions. "I'm the one who kept it, Athena. I've been taking care of all the freezing costs since we got divorced. You left me. Left us. Just like you never cared and asked about me, you never asked about the embryo. You never made sure if it was freezing properly. If the freezing time was still safe. If I would be late in paying and forget. You practically forgot about it. While here, I'm taking care it... and I can't let it be thrown away. Or donated to another happy but incomplete couple."
"Then what should I do?" Athena exclaimed. "Should I cry over our marriage that is falling apart. Should I pick up the last pieces of our marriage. What I decided doesn't change the fact that it's our child. We made that decision together. But now... you decide to be a father alone without asking me first?!"
"You have no right to tell me what to do. You lost all the rights when you left me alone and chose to stand behind your father," Bobby said, finally raising his voice. "You left me, Athena. You gave up our 13 years of marriage without a fight."
Athena was silent for a moment. Her eyes were red. "I may have left you, but I never left our children."
"May and Harry," Bobby whispered. "This one, you clearly forgot."
A sob hung in Athena's throat. "I hate you!"
"And, one more thing.. you have no rights whatsoever to this child. Unlike May and Harry, we will not share this child. I will file for full custody once the baby is born."
"You're crazy."
"Have you forgotten how you filed for full custody of May and Harry? I only get weekends. Only weekends. Even during the holidays they are with you and your family."
"I still allow you to see them. I still give you a chance."
"72 hours at the most."
"That is the limit of my mercy on you."
"You or your father? I am not a failed man. Not a failed father, not a failed husband. I have never hurt you or our children. What makes you and your father think I deserve to be treated this way?"
Bobby took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions, while Athena fell silent as if at a loss for words.
"Stay out of my business, Athena. This child is mine. Only mine. You lost your right to whatever was supposed to be our future when you chose your father."