Chapter Two

As Marianne shut the door behind her, Greg exited the bathroom, drying his light brown short hair with a small towel while another body towel wrapped him from the waist down. Despite their troubled relationship, Marianne couldn't help but notice the attractive man standing before her. "Six feet of a whole hunk, but no brains," she thought to herself, a hint of sarcasm in her mind.

"I thought you were cleaning the living room?" Greg asked, breaking the silence. Marianne snapped out of her reverie and replied immediately, "I wanted us to talk before you left." But Greg was in a hurry, and his response was curt: "But I told you I needed to leave urgently, can't this wait?"

Marianne tried to explain, but Greg cut her off again. "You look tired and sick; have you been to a hospital?" He asked with sudden concern, his tone a mix of worry and annoyance. Marianne's tongue felt heavy, and she struggled to respond. She wished he could read her mind or predict her thoughts like he had during her first pregnancy.

As she stood there, frozen, memories flooded her mind. She remembered when she was carrying Rose, and Greg had been overjoyed. He had held her hands, rested her head on his chest, and whispered, "We'll figure it out." They had been living in a small two-roomed house, and the tight space had seemed cozy back then. Greg had gotten down on both knees, pressed his head against her still-flat belly, and whispered, "Hello there." Marianne had been at a loss for words, but at least she could breathe knowing he was happy to become a father.

But now, things were different. Their relationship was loveless, and Marianne was positive Greg didn't want any more ties to her. Yet, she had to speak up, to let him know that sexual relations always have consequences, and in their case, it was a pregnancy. "Marianne?" Greg called out, seeing that she had drifted away in thought. "No, not yet, I took a home pregnancy test first," Marianne stood still, waiting for his reaction with her nerves all over the place.

"What did you just say? A home what?" Greg asked, his voice laced with confusion and a hint of anger. Marianne's heart raced as she waited for his response, her mind racing with the possibilities. Would he be happy, angry, or indifferent? The silence that followed was oppressive, and Marianne's anxiety grew with each passing second.

Greg's expression changed from confusion to anger, his voice rising. "Marianne, how could you let this happen?!" he exclaimed, as if she were a teenager who didn't know what she was doing. "Weren't you on the pill?" Marianne was taken aback by his ridiculous questions. What did he expect from unprotected sexual relations? A dog in a gift box?

Greg insisted she defend herself, his face red with anger. Marianne calmly replied, "I don't know what happened, I'm so sorry." But Greg was unsympathetic. "You better be, we're not having this child, one is enough trouble." His words cut deep, and Marianne felt trapped. She thought about her daughter, Rose, and the unborn child she was carrying. Who would care for them if she died?

As Greg paced around the room, Marianne's anxiety grew. She remembered the horror of seeing a life fade away against her wishes, and she knew she couldn't let it happen again. "I'm not getting rid of my baby!" she said, her voice shaking.

Greg paused, seemingly having an epiphany. He approached her, rested a hand on her shoulder, and said, "You're right, my love. Why put your life at risk? This is a blessing, and we must embrace it." Marianne was confused by his sudden change of heart but tried to take the blame as usual.

Greg sat her down and pulled up a stool, facing her directly. "This is a wonderful surprise, and we shall treat it as such. Let me go for my meetings, text me what you'd like me to bring for you on my way back home, and we'll celebrate. Do you have cravings yet?" Marianne was suspicious of his sudden enthusiasm but tried to play along.

As Greg finished getting ready, Marianne couldn't help but feel uneasy. His mood change was drastic, even for him. "Greg, this mood change is drastic, even for you. Are you sure you're happy about this pregnancy?" she asked. "Oh, come on, a baby changes everything. I'm super excited," he replied, leaping from the stool with a huge smile.

As Marianne opened the door to check on Rose, Greg gave her another smile and said, "Sure, I'll be right down to say bye to Rose." Marianne felt a mix of emotions: relief, joy, and uncertainty. She wondered what the future held for her and her children.