The Meeting - part four

I remember Sugar telling her that we were down in the restaurant.

Things get even hazier and more sped up from here.
I have little flashes of moments or scenes, but not a full recollection of what happened.

I remember seeing Carly come through the restaurant door.
I remember feeling a quick wave of comfortableness ( is that a word?) because she was smiling and laughing about something.
I remember Sugar asking where Ben was and her saying something about Ben being in the lobby with the valet, or still outside waiting for the valet to finish...
I remember being introduced to her and I started to shake her hand and then I ended up saying something like "let me give you a hug too" and hugging her.
I remember thinking that she was so much prettier in person than in her photo.

I'm pretty sure she was introduced to Allen.
Then Allen excused himself as he had yet to load our belongings into the car, and check out.

Seconds later Ben arrived. We were introduced to each other? by who? I don't know, and with him there was a quick handshake and then he pulled me in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I was nicely surprised by that, and it made me feel even more comfortable. The three of us stood there making chit chat for a couple of minutes. The only thing I can remember saying was something to Ben about how he and Allen must have just passed each other in the hallway.
Allen has us checked out and our luggage loaded into the car in no time. It felt like 2 minutes and he was back. He was introduced to Ben, and Sugar asked Allen if he had met Carly? Umm yeah, just 5 minutes ago...
I guess she was flustered too.

We were seated at a long rectangle table that seated 6. I remember Sugar ordering Carly and I to sit "across" from one another. I guess so we could talk directly to each other. I had planned on it anyway. Carly and I sat on the end of the table across from one another. Allen sat to my left and across the table from Ben. Sugar sat on Carly and Ben's side of the table, at the end, across from the empty seat.
The waitress brought us menus, and I had no idea what to order. My stomach did not feel like eating, but I knew I had to order something.
They still had the breakfast menu which was OK with me, but everyone else wanted lunch. Carly asked the waitress if they could have lunch instead and the waitress looked at her watch and said yes, lunch would be ok too.
I decided on whole wheat pancakes, with fresh apple compote and lowfat vanilla yogurt. Allen decided to have breakfast instead of lunch, ordering eggs, toast, etc.
Sugar changed her mind also, and had the same as I did.
Carly had soup and a mushroom ravioli dish, Ben had a salad and some yummy looking pasta dish.

When Carly's soup and Ben's salad came Sugar prompted us to talk about ourselves. She asked Allen to tell them about what he did for a living etc.
She asked me to share why I wanted to become a surrogate and a little about the last couple I worked with.

When our breakfasts came we ate while Carly and Ben talked about what they do for a living and why they need a surrogate. Carly told me her medical history and how she came to be referred to Sugar's agency. She told me about the babies they lost. One at 5 months, a girl they named Gabrielle. The second was a baby boy at 4 1/2 months. The third and fourth losses happened at 8 weeks. Their last loss was boy/girl twins. Elizabeth and Conrad at 24 weeks. (some of this was shared with me last night when we talked on the phone)

We talked about the Dr's at our clinic, since we both have the same one. We talked about the different RE's and their personalities.
We talked about our families.
I don't remember much of what was said by Sugar, Allen or Ben. I think there was two seperate conversations going by this time. One at their end of the table, and one at ours. I remember being totally absorbed in talking with Carly.
She is such a vibrant person. I could have stayed and talked with her for hours more.
I remember a lot of reaching across the table and touching/hitting each others hands or arms. During a shared laugh or moment of something one of us said and the other would say "Yes!" or "I feel the same way!"
I remember talking about Allen and she kept saying "Oh my gosh, him and Ben have so much in common!" and "Ben, he's just like you!"
I remember at one point she said "I just love you already!" and I said something like "Me too!"

Lunch was finishing up when Sugar said " So, can we all assume that we're going to work together?" By this time it was a no brainer that everyone had hit it off fabulously.
I think I answered first with "I'm 100% comfortable enough to say right now that I'd like to" and Carly said some thing like "Absolutely, are you kidding me?"

The Sugar got out "the list" and we made quick work of that. Sugar made notes to be sent with the basic compensation list to send off to the lawyer to help draw up our contract. Carly and I shared contact information. Email addys, phone numbers etc.
The guys took off so Allen could have a smoke over in the sports bar.
Sugar shared her book of sucessful matches and babies born to her agency with Carly.
We left the restaurant, grabbed the guys from in front of the sports bar and the three of us gals used the restroom. It was going to be a long ride back to our home state for Carly, Ben, Allen and I.
The valet pulled our cars up and we said our good-byes.

Allen commented in the car on our way home that he was amazed at her positive outlook considering how much loss they have been through.
We talked about how they are so much like us.
She is a spitfire, full of passion and emotion. She runs the ship.
He is more laid back. Supporting her choices, going along for the ride because he loves her.

I was so happy to have met them. I was so excited to begin the process again.
Carly and Ben are superb people and they will make wonderful parents.
I want us to have success.