Mariely had started to notice changes in her friend Veron lately. She often felt unwell, vomited almost every morning, and her sense of smell had suddenly become very sensitive—something that wasn't the case before.
Could she be pregnant? Mariely wondered.
It was recess time, and she noticed again how easily Veron grew tired. Sometimes, she even dozed off during the day.
"Besh, are you okay?" she asked softly.
Veron only nodded. "I'm just feeling so lazy these days."
Even Mariely's mother had commented once that Veron might be pregnant, since she sometimes visited their house, and her figure seemed to have changed.
"Besh, just asking… Did your period come this month?" Mariely pressed carefully.
Veron looked at her—Mariely thought she might get angry at the question—but instead, Veron just sighed deeply. "I'm two months late."
Mariely gasped. "B—Besh, did you try buying a pregnancy test yet?"
Veron shook her head nervously. "N—not yet, b—but… will you come with me?"
Mariely nodded without hesitation.
Just then, their principal, Ma'am Becca, approached them. She had noticed Veron looking pale and unusually tired. "Veron? Are you okay?" she asked with concern.
"Y—Yes, Ma'am," Veron answered quickly.
"You look exhausted… And honestly, your body looks different. Are you pregnant?"
"I—I don't know," Veron admitted, her voice almost trembling.
The principal sighed gently. "You should have a check-up soon. And take a test, too. If you are pregnant, then congratulations in advance." She smiled warmly before leaving.
That afternoon, Mariely accompanied Veron to the drugstore. They ended up buying two tests, one from each of two different stores. Back at the condo, Veron locked herself in the bathroom to take them. Mariely waited outside, a mix of anxiousness and excitement swirling inside her.
Her own thoughts drifted—sometimes she worried she might be next. After all, Frank didn't always use protection when they were together. He often just asked her about her safe days. Maybe Zean isn't ready for us to have a baby yet… but I know someday, we'll start a family.
She was turning twenty-eight this year, and Frank was turning thirty. They were already at the age when starting a family would make sense—but she didn't want him to feel forced into it.
Her thoughts scattered as the bathroom door creaked open. Veron stepped out, holding two pregnancy tests in her shaking hands, her eyes brimming with tears.
Mariely's heart sank as she saw her friend's expression. Veron walked closer, swallowing hard, then showed her the results. Mariely stared at the two sticks, her breath catching.
"You're pregnant," she whispered.
Veron gave a tiny nod, covering her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks. Then she suddenly hugged Mariely tightly, trembling.
"We've been trying and trying for me to conceive… and now… I'm so happy."
Mariely's heart softened. She understood—Andrew and Veron were just a month away from their wedding. Of course Veron had been hoping for this.
"C—Call Andrew. Tell him to come here right away," Mariely urged, gently wiping her friend's tears.
Veron nodded, still shaking, and reached for her phone. Even her hands trembled as she dialed.
"Besh, you should see a doctor too, just to confirm it," Mariely reminded her.
Veron nodded again.
*****
Andrew's phone vibrated just as he was finishing some work. He frowned when he saw Veron's name flashing on the screen.
"Yes, hon?"
Her voice was unsteady. "H—Hon, can you come over, please?"
Alarm immediately flared in him. "What happened?" He snatched up his car keys, already on edge.
"J—Just… I have some news for you," she said, her voice breaking.
His chest tightened. Is she stressing herself out because of the wedding? he thought worriedly.
"I'll be there," he promised, and without another word, he drove straight to her condo.
When he arrived, Veron opened the door quickly. She hadn't even changed from work yet. She threw herself into his arms, kissed him deeply, then looked at him with tearful eyes.
"W—What's wrong, hon?" He asked, brushing her hair back gently.
Veron handed him the pregnancy tests. His heart pounded as he looked at them, then back at her.
"You're pregnant?" he asked in disbelief.
"Y—Yes. Maybe around two months already, since I've missed my period that long," she admitted.
Joy surged through him. He pulled her into a tight embrace. They had been hoping for this miracle—and now, it had finally come true.
He kissed her passionately, then cupped her face. "I'm so happy. Tomorrow, we'll see a doctor, okay?"
She nodded with a trembling smile, clinging to him. But then Andrew noticed another figure nearby—Faith, smiling knowingly.
"Don't mind me," Faith teased.
"You didn't tell me Faith was here," Andrew said to Veron.
Veron giggled softly. "I forgot. I was too excited to tell you the news."
Andrew hugged her again. "It's the perfect gift for us, especially with our wedding so close. I'm over the moon."
She chuckled. "Well, you were really aggressive that day. But I'm happy—at last, I can give you a child."
Andrew laughed, then turned to Faith. "Let's grab Mariely and celebrate this properly."
"No, no—you two should celebrate on your own," Faith insisted with a smile.
"Don't worry," Andrew said. "I'll call Frank so you won't be left out."
He squeezed Veron's hand, then called Frank.
"Yeah? Why are you calling me now?" Frank's voice came through.
"Head to the address I sent. We're having a little celebration. Faith's already here."
"A celebration? For what?"
Andrew glanced at Veron, who gave a small nod. "Veron's pregnant."
"Really? That's amazing! Did this happen after you two got drunk the other night?" Frank teased, laughing.
"That's none of your business. Just get over here—we're waiting."
Frank chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll be there."
Soon enough, the four of them gathered at a restaurant. Andrew requested a table for four and guided Veron to her seat, never letting go of her hand.
"Let's wait for Frank before ordering," he told them.
As they settled in, Andrew suddenly felt uneasy—like someone was watching them. He glanced around and noticed a hooded figure at a nearby table, drinking with some companions. He ignored it for now, not wanting to alarm Veron.
"Hon? Is there a problem?" Veron asked, noticing his expression.
"I'm fine. Don't worry," Andrew reassured her with a smile.
Frank soon arrived, kissed Faith on the forehead, and sat down beside her. "Let's order," he said.
Andrew nodded, standing with him to head to the counter. As they walked, Frank leaned in close. "He's here," he murmured.
Andrew clenched his jaw. "Yeah, Clover knows. Let's see what move he makes."
He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay calm. For Veron's sake, he couldn't let her notice anything was wrong.
But deep inside, his eyes caught that hooded figure again.
That damn guy… he thought darkly.