Chapter Three

Night fell, and Marianne felt elated all day, thanks to Greg's sudden change of heart towards the surprise pregnancy. She had been cleaning all day while Rose played at her friend's house next door. With boundless energy, she vacuumed and mopped every room, washed dishes, and put clothes in the washer. She even dried them outside, remembering her mother's advice: "What better way to kill germs than with the scorching sun?"

As she prepared a special meal for supper, her mood leaned towards spaghetti and meatballs, a dish she excelled at. Rose finally came back at four, and Marianne ran a bath for her. After dressing Rose in her nightwear, Marianne started putting the food away in warmers and setting the table. She took Greg's offer to ask for whatever she wanted on his way back, requesting a vanilla milkshake and a burger with extra cheese and mayo.

As soon as she finished washing the dishes, Rose called out, "Mommy, I'm done!" Marianne rinsed her hands, dried them, and headed to the bathroom to retrieve Rose. She took her to her room, dressed her in a cute Olaf suit, and asked about her friend. Rose corrected her, "Her name's Suzy, Mum." Marianne chuckled, pinched her nose, and thought about telling Rose she would be a big sister soon. But just then, the front doorbell rang.

"Honey, I'm home!" Greg's voice filled her with joy, and she felt like she was walking on air. She hurried to the door, saw a huge paper bag from Burger King, and smiled. "Is that mine?" she asked, knowing the answer. Greg insisted she sit in the living room, put her feet up, and let him serve her. As she did, she thought, "Someone pinch me, how did he just change overnight? Could it be true that babies bring people together?"

Rose asked if her stomach was hurting, and Marianne smiled, "I'm awesome, my love. Are you hungry?" Rose hesitated, not wanting to leave her favorite show, but Marianne allowed her to eat in front of the TV. Greg came out of the room, wearing comfortable clothes and house shoes, and briefly sat next to Rose, asking about her day. When Marianne said Rose wanted to eat in front of the TV, Greg chuckled and helped Marianne up, as if she were fragile cargo.

As they walked to the kitchen, Greg asked if Rose had eaten, and Marianne said she was about to serve her. Greg helped her up again and they walked to the other side of the room, where the kitchen and dining area were combined. "You can give her food, and I'll set your things here. I hope you like them," Greg said. Marianne served Rose and handed her her favorite pink fork with purple flowers.

As she headed back to the table, Marianne was anxious to try her burger and milkshake. She sat next to Greg, helped him serve himself, and opened the packaging of her burger. It was still hot and dripping with juices, and the smell was inviting. She took a huge bite, closed her eyes, and felt every flavor dance on her taste buds. Greg stared at her, amused, and she giggled with embarrassment.

"This is probably the best burger I've had the privilege of eating. We should get these more often," Marianne said. "Anything for you, dear. Try the milkshake; they said it's the most ordered milkshake in town," Greg handed it to her, and she took a big sip, falling in love with it immediately. "Oh my goodness, I see why it's the most ordered milkshake. Thank you so much for getting me this meal, honey; you're the best."

As they continued eating, Marianne suddenly felt cramps and held her tummy tight. "I don't think the baby agrees with this meal as much as I do," she whispered and ran to the hallway restroom to vomit. Greg followed her, and when she saw blood, her biggest fear came to light. "We need to go to a clinic now...!" she yelled, got up quickly, and started preparing, but everything turned pitch black, and she was completely unconscious.