Lauren''s POV


    Like a deer caught in the headlights, M looked at me wide-eyed. Expecting her to deny everything, I was taken aback when she nodded.


    My eyes blinked a few times. I was anticipating for more her to avoid the questions. I was ready for rebuttal.


    M went back inside the bathroom. Less than a minute ater, she was standing in front of me again. No words exchanged between us she gave me the familiar stick.


    It was the pregnancy test with two red lines in it.


    I am not surprised. As a doctor, the symptoms are noticeable on M''s behavior. I am only waiting for my friend toe clean.


    "It''s the fifth stick. I made sure that all of them tested positive before I finally epted that I am."


    It was me who nodded this time. "Was it Richard''s?"


    My friend looked away. She moved towards the bed and sat at the edge.


    "I''m sorry that I had to hide my pregnancy from you. I had to be sure that I am pregnant before I tell you."


    I viewed my friend behind myshes.


    She was a little down. Judging from the way she yed her fingers above herp, she appeared lost.


    "Is it Richard''s baby?'' I asked again.


    I was waiting for M to looked at me in the eyes. Instead, my friend remained looking at her hands.


    "No matter who''s the father, the baby is mine, Lauren. The baby is mine."


    "But--"


    "The baby is only rted to me. End of the story."


    I stared at M''s face. She was flushed and irritation was stered on her face.


    I have known her for a long time. I knew her. I knew damn well if M likes someone. I am absolutely sure that my friend likes Richard. It is puzzling for me that she did not confirm the paternity of the child she was carrying.


    I released a sigh. I grabbed her hand and enclosed it in mine..


    "It''s okay." I started. "Everything will be alright."


    Maybe in due time, M will tell her.


    Eventually, a smile form on the other woman''s face.


    "Thank you."


    "I have a question though." I waited for M to looked at me before I spoke again. "Why can''t you be honest with your feelings for him? I am not blind, M. I can see how you looked at each other when you think no one was looking. The air between you sizzled when near each other."


    M''s jaw tightened. I knew that I hit a nerve judging from the sharpening of the other woman''s eyes.


    "Do you have any idea what''s going to happen to this child if I sumb to the feelings that you are trying to tell me?"


    Seeing M emotional and edgy is new for me. I knew her for being calm and collected even under pressure. Aside from that, she was also one of the strongest women I knew. Next to my grandmother.


    She got my full attention when fury reflected on M''s face. I am not worried. That emotion is not meant for me.


    "You heard of my past, Lauren. You knew what my mother did to me. What if that happens to my child because I surrendered to the feelings that you were trying to tell me?"


    The pooling of tears on my friend''s eyes caught me off guard. I pulled M to my body and hug her tightly.


    I was right. Her decision of not epting Richard has to do with her past, with her mother.


    "It''s going to be alright." I opted to say.


    I caressed her back so that she will remember that I am always be with her.


    "My mother tried to kill me once." M whispered.


    It was the hard truth of my friend''s childhood. This is the second time that I heard M said those words. The first time was a very long time ago.


    It was a little unclear to me of the reason behind M''s mother in that specific action. I did not know if it was a witch ''thing'' or it has to do with the family life back then. M had always evaded the topic whenever I tried to ask her. It was very a sensitive subject for her. M abhors rtionship. She always treated men at arm''s length. I know that it has to do with her mother''s behavior in the past.


    "Lauren, I''m lost."


    "I''m here. No matter what your decision will be, I will always support you."


    I heard my friend sniffled. I felt her demeanor calmed, too.


    "Besides, whether you like it or not, I will be the baby''s godmother. I will take care of you and that little peanut."


    It just came out of my mouth. Often, the image of the fetus inside the womb was the same of a peanut in a shell.


    A smile formed on my lips when I finally heard M''s chuckled.


    "You will be, whether you like or not, godmother Lauren."


    "Great. Now that it''s settled, I brought you your favorite."


    I detached myself from the other woman and looked around to find the tray that I brought in the room. I found it in front of the vanity mirror. "Please don''t tell me that it''s the lobster."


    "Of course not. It''s choco mousse cake, my friend."


    M''s eyes sparkled like I brought Christmas three months earlier.


    "Give it to me. I am really hungry. My lunch and the minute amount of dinner I had a while ago went down the drain."


    "I know. Little peanut needs nutrients."


    Arms outstretched, the pregnant woman seized the tray from my hand and ced a spoonful of the dessert in her mouth.


    "C-can you get me the strawberry cake and the caramel pudding, too? I''m really hungry." M said with her mouth full. "Please?" "Sure."


    Chuckling, I left the room and went to the kitchen. I get two servings of each of the sweet desserts. I also made a pitcher of orange juice.


    The choco mousse cake was gone when I went back to the room. The only evidence that the cake existed was the mess it made on M''s cheek. "Thank you, my friend. You are a life saver."


    We ended up sleepingte that night. Not meaning to, we recalled with fondness our childhood and early years in the medical field including the years that they spent in school to get the medical degree. The problematic and emotional night became a recollection of great friendship that we had.


    The initial n of sleeping in my mother''s bedroom went out the window. I found myself sleeping under the nket with M beside me.


    The empty trays were on the floor when oblivion took us to dreand. Like the old days.


    I woke up with the buzzing of cleaning machine from the outside of my bedroom. Melinda must be here already.


    I can already imagine a hearty breakfast waiting. Or was it brunch already?


    M and I slept at past two in the morning. We were giggling like teenagers talking about our childhood celebrity crushes. Celebrity means, the professors in the university since both of us were college nerds. With one eye closed, I sat on the bed.


    My head is still fuzzy.


    M is still asleep beside me. She has her back on me and hogging the pillow to her body. Her hair was a mess around her face.


    I blinked my eyes a few times to rid of the sleepiness that was trying to im me. I rubbed my eyes before finally opening them only to be dazzled by the lighting from the open windows.


    It is already ten in the morning. So much for the night talk with M.


    I am surprised that Grandma Anna did not wake us up. She probably did but maybe M and I were still dead to the world to hear of the knockings.


    I shook my head at the thoughts in my head.


    A cup of coffee will do me good.


    A frown marred my face when I noticed my wolf. Be is stirring inside my head. She seemed alert and excited of something.


    My wolf is sending signal. Like a warning of some sort. But not in a dangerous kind of warning.


    Slowly, I got up from the bed. I pulled the robe from the hook when I realized that I am only wearing the thin silk sleepwear.


    I drew near the window.


    Of all the rooms in my grandmother''s cabin, mine was the only one that was facing the entry way.


    A gasp exited my mouth when I saw the figure heading in the direction of the cabin.


    Be made a happy dance in my head.


    It''s Victor! My mate is finally in Sabado Tribe.