Laurel P.O.V
Several hours later,I and Racheal looked completely exhausted.
The boutique attendants probably wanted us to leave before we bought or criticized everything in the store.
By the time we finally finished shopping,i was convinced the mall had lost at least half its inventory because of us.
Shopping bags surrounded our feet like colorful little mountains.
Designer gowns.
Luxury handbags.
Perfumes.
Jewelry.
And enough baby clothes to dress an entire nursery.
The cashier smiled so politely that I almost felt guilty. "Thank you for shopping with us, Miss"
I slid Richardo's black card across the counter.
A second later...
APPROVED.
I smiled innocently.
Sorry, Richardo.
If your enemies couldn't destroy your empire,your credit card might.
Racheal leaned over to look at the receipt.
Her eyes widened. "Laurel..."
"Hm?"
"I think you just bought half the mall"
"I left the other half for next time"
She stared. "...You're joking"
"I never joke about shopping"
She laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach. "I don't know whether Richardo should marry you or hide his wallet"
"He'll survive"
"His bank account won't"
The attendants carefully packed everything,each of us ended up carrying far too many bags.
I looked at the pile in Racheal's hands,then looked away. "I'm not helping you"
She blinked.
"What?"
"You heard me"
"I'm pregnant"
"I'm aware"
"You aren't going to help a pregnant woman?"
"No"
She gasped dramatically.
"You have no sympathy"
"I left it at home"
I took a quick glance at Racheal who was struggling beneath what looked like a portable baby store.
She looked at me hopefully.
"...Don't look at me" I uttered with pride.
She glared. "I wasn't going to ask"
"Good"
"...Fine"
I grabbed exactly one tiny shopping bag from the top.
"There"
She looked offended. "One bag?"
"I'm generous today"
"I hate you" She spat with a frown.
"I know"
As soon as i stepped outside,the chauffeur immediately hurried over. "I'd take the bags,Miss Laurel"
"Good"
I handed over every single one of mine.
While the driver began arranging the bags neatly inside the enormous trunk,i stood beside him, admiring my shopping spree.
"Beautiful"
The trunk looked less like luggage and more like a luxury boutique. Out of satisfaction, I dusted my hands together.
Then something caught my attention.Lots of people were running inside the shopping mall instead of leaving.
Security guards hurried past.
Shop assistants abandoned their counters.
Curious shoppers rushed toward the center of the building.
Within seconds,half the entrance had become crowded.
Voices echoed everywhere;
"What happened?"
"Move!"
"Someone make room!"
My eyebrows knitted together. "...That's strange"
I glanced toward the driver. "You stay here"
Before he could answer,i was already walking back inside.
The crowd grew thicker with every step.
People stood on tiptoes while several phones were already recording.
Someone shouted, "She's over there!"
Another replied, "I think she's having a baby!"
I froze.
A baby?
For some reason,my heart skipped,a horrible thought crossed my mind.
"No..."
I pushed through the crowd.
"Please-"
I squeezed between two women.
"Excuse me"
"Sorry"
"Move, please"
The crowd slowly parted and there,right in the middle of the shopping mall was Racheal,bent over with one hand gripping a bench,the other clutching her enormous baby bump.
Her face was twisted in pain.
The shopping bags were scattered everywhere.
One tiny baby shoe had somehow rolled across the floor.
I stared. "...Racheal?"
She slowly turned toward me.
Our eyes met.
For exactly one second,everything became silent.
"LAUREEEEEEL!!" The scream echoed through the entire mall.
She looked annoyed more than anything.
Every head turned toward me.
I immediately looked behind myself. "...Why is everyone looking at me?"
Racheal pointed directly at me. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
My jaw dropped. "...WHAT?!"
Another contraction hit.
Before I could answer,she suddenly stopped talking,her expression changed.
She inhaled sharply. "...Ow"
I straightened. "What?"
She blinked. "...That wasn't pleasant"
"You okay?"
"Do i look okay to you?" She yelled, taking a step,then stopped again. "...Ow"
I frowned. "Probably because you ate three cinnamon rolls"
She rolled her eyes. "You blame everything on cinnamon rolls,you idiot"
"I blame everything on you"
She opened her mouth to argue,then suddenly grabbed my arm so hard. "Laurel"
"I don't think this is the cinnamon rolls"
For the first time,i felt nervous. "What do you mean?"
She looked down,then back at me. "I think..."
Another pause. "...the baby's ready"
My eyes widened. "...Ready?"
She nodded weakly. "...Very ready"
Before I could process those words,another wave of discomfort hit her.She glared at me again. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO MAKE ME WALK SO MUCH!"
"I did no such thing!"
"You kept running away!"
"Because you were following me!" I cut in immediately.
"I HAD TO!"
"I NEVER ASKED YOU TO!"
Another wave of pain interrupted her. "Aaahhh!" She grabbed my arm with unbelievable strength.
"Ouch!"
"You're coming with me!" She spoke with vulnerability.
"I wasn't planning to leave!"
"You better not!"
A security guard hurried over. "Ma'am, are you in labor?"
"AM I?" She responded sarcastically before looking at me.
Another contraction attacked and she grabbed both my shoulders.
The chauffeur immediately pushed through the crowd. "Miss?"
"Are we leaving now?"
"No! NEXT YEAR!" She shouted through a loud groan.
I nodded. "Right away"
Two kind shoppers rushed over to help support Racheal. "Easy..."
One supported Racheal from one side while i grabbed the other.
"Take slow breaths" I balanced her steps while trying to pass through the crowds.
Racheal looked at me.
"If this baby comes out looking like Marco..." She paused dramatically. "...I'm blaming you"
I stared.
"...How is that even possible?"
"I don't know"
"But it's your fault"
"My fault?"
"You made me shop for six hours!"
"You were the one buying every stuffed animal!"
"I couldn't choose!"
"So that's my fault too?"
"Yes!"
I looked toward the ceiling. "...Someone explain her logic"
One elderly woman nearby chuckled. "Honey..."
"When women are about to give birth..."
She smiled knowingly. "Everything becomes somebody else's fault"
Racheal immediately pointed at the old woman. "See?"
"She understands!"
I sighed dramatically. "I've officially become the villain"
As we slowly guided her toward the exit, she stopped every few steps to catch her breath.
"Laurel..."
"...Yes?"
"When this is over..."
"...Yes?"
"...You're babysitting"
I laughed despite myself.
"We'll negotiate"
"No" She shook her head stubbornly.
Racheal suddenly went very still.
She looked down.
"...Laurel"
"...What?"
"I think..."
"...What?"
"My water broke"
"...Your WHAT?"
She pointed weakly toward the floor.I followed her finger,then looked down,there was a spreading puddle beneath her.
My brain completely shut down.
"Please hang in there"
A child nearby clapped excitedly. "I WANNA HAVE A BABY!"
The child's mother immediately covered his eyes. "No,you don't!"
Meanwhile,i was having my own crisis.
"I CAN'T WALK!" She moaned in pains.
"You have to!"
"I hate you!"
"I know!"
"This is your fault!"
"How is it my fault?!"
"JUST BECAUSE!" Another contraction slammed into her,she squeezed my hand so hard I thought my fingers snapped.
"If I suffer..." She groaned through clenched teeth. "...YOU SUFFER TOO!"
"That doesn't even make sense!"
"It doesn't have to!"
"I'm informing you"
We started walking even if we were trying to,because after every three steps,Racheal stopped. "Owwww!"
"Breathe!" One woman encouraged.
"I don't know how!" She suddenly pointed at me. "WHY IS SHE SO CALM?!"
I looked offended. "I'm panicking internally!"
"PANIC OUT LOUD!"
"I'm trying to think!"
"WELL THINK FASTER!"
I almost laughed despite the situation,she was literally scolding me while in labor.
"Can you save your energy?" I asked.
"No!"
"Please?"
"No!"
"I'll buy you ice cream"
"...Chocolate?"
"Yes"
"...Fine" She stayed quiet for exactly five seconds.
"Laurel!"
"What now?!"
"My back hurts!"
"I know!"
"My feet hurt!"
"I know!"
"My everything hurts!"
"I KNOW!"
She suddenly burst into tears. "I don't want to do this anymore..."
My heart softened immediately.
Without thinking,i wrapped an arm more securely around her shoulders.
"Hey..."
She sniffled.
"You can do this"
"I can't" She sobbed endlessly.
"You can"
"I'm scared"
"So am I"
She looked at me through watery eyes. "...Really?"
"I've never been this scared"
She managed the tiniest smile. "...Good"
I frowned. "...Why are you happy that I'm scared?"
"If I'm suffering..." She winced. "...You should suffer too"
I couldn't help it.
I laughed.
Even she laughed,then immediately regretted it because another contraction hit. "Aaahhh!"
"Oh no, don't laugh!" I said, trying not to laugh myself.
"It's your fault!"
"There you go blaming me again!" I muttered beneath my breath,but she heard it loud and clearly.
"If I don't blame you, who will I blame?" She asked between the pains. "The baby's father?"
"Marco isn't here!"
"Exactly!"
With the help of several strangers, we finally reached the entrance where the driver had already pulled the car around.
The driver jumped out in alarm. "Miss Racheal!"
"Open the door!" I shouted.
He did immediately.
We carefully eased her into the back seat,she leaned her head against the seat, breathing heavily.I climbed in beside her without even thinking.
As the driver slammed the door and rushed back behind the wheel, I looked at Racheal's pale face.
Even through the chaos,even with the crowd staring,i couldn't stop smiling,because somewhere between the endless arguments,the teasing,the shopping and this complete disaster,I'd forgotten that Racheal used to be someone I couldn't stand.
Now,all I wanted was for her and the baby to be safe.