Seth's POV

"Marian?" Still dazed from sleep, I got out of the bedroom when I realized that I was alone. The smell of food invaded my nostrils when I opened the door. It instantly woke me up. I followed the smell, walking to the kitchen to find Marian in front of the stove cooking. Her baby bump was obvious in that skin tight camisole top she was wearing and damn, her breasts were bigger than it used to be.

"Hey." I forced my eyes up to her face. "Morning."

"Good morning." She smiled. "Gutom ka na ba? Patapos na itong niluluto ko."

"No, it's alright. I can wait." I said, yawning. I sat on the dining table and just watched her cook. This felt like the most natural thing in the world. I loved watching her move around the kitchen. It made me feel like this was actually the way everything was supposed to be.

Would there be more mornings like this? I'd love to wake up to this everyday. Naisip ko ang batang dinadala ni Marian. I thought of how life would be once the baby comes out. I pictured a morning like this. A high chair next to me, a cute baby making a mess out of his food. A family... My family...

NO!

I shook my head, pushing the thought away. I found it disturbing that something so ordinary as this could awaken such strong yearning in me.

"Breakfast is ready." Sabi ni Marian habang naglalakad papunta sa mesa na may dalang isang plato. She put it on the table and sat down next to me.

"Aren't you going to the flowershop today?" I asked while we ate.

"Tinawagan ko na si Flor kanina. Sabi ko hindi ako makakapasok. Bibili pa ako ng ilang gamit para sa baby, maybe even some maternity clothes and underwears. Medyo sumisikip na kasi sa akin ang mga damit ko."

"Sasamahan kita." I said.

"Okay lang ako no, kaya ko na yun. You go back to your happy-go-lucky life." She chuckled, shaking her head.

"Wala naman akong gagawin ngayon." I shrugged.

Her face suddenly turned serious as she looked at me. "Why are you doing this, Seth? Hindi mo naman kailangan gawin ang mga ito."

"Because I know you need me." I said with a smug smile.

"Hah! You wish." She rolled her eyes.

"Totoo naman. Di mo naman kayang linisin yung kwarto na ikaw lang mag-isa. I did all the work there."

"Ang yabang nito. Kaya ko naman linisin yun, ayaw mo lang akong patulungin. Yung condo mo nga na kala mo smokey mountain, napalinis ko, yun pa kaya."

"Can't you just be grateful for what I did? You need me and you know it. I'll be here for you whether you like it or not. You're going to have a hard time getting rid of me. "

Marian's POV

Umuwi muna si Seth para magbihis. Sabi niya babalik siya para samahan akong magshopping. He was so involved with my life right now. Ayokong dumepende sa kanya. Natatakot ako na baka masanay ako na palagi siyang nandyan. Baka pag nawala siya, masaktan ako ng sobra.

You're going to have a hard time getting rid of me. Those were the words he told me earlier. I couldn't push him away even if a part of me thought he wasn't good for me. And I didn't think I want to. He was the only person I had right now.

A car pulled up in front of my house. I grabbed my bag and went to answer the door. Sabay kaming sumakay sa kotse. After about a thirty minute drive, we were at the mall. Sinamahan niya ako sa department store para bumili ng bagong mga underwears at damit.

We went to the maternity clothes section. He helped me pick some clothes, yung madaling maadjust para kahit lumaki na ang tiyan ko masusuot ko pa rin. I also picked out some maternity underwears.

"Ito po, ma'am, stretchable po ito kaya kahit mag gain ka sa chest part magkakasya sa'yo." Sabi ng saleslady habang namimili ako ng bra.

"Talaga?" I asked. The price of the bra was atleast three times more expensive than an ordinary one. I wanted to make sure if it would be worth it.

"Opo, ma'am."

My gaze turned to Seth who was quietly standing next to me and his chest. He obviously had a bigger physique than me.

"What?" His brows furrowed but then it changed into horror, as if he'd read my mind.

"No..." He shook his head. Wala pa akong sinasabi pero alam niya na ang gusto kong mangyari.

"Please?" I pouted. "Gusto ko lang malaman kung totoo nga. Titignan ko lang." Humarap ako sa saleslady. "Pwede ko ba itry sa kanya?"

The saleslady agreed and after talking Seth into wearing it, he finally did too. All it took was five words for him to agree, 'Do it for the baby'. I couldn't hold my laughter when I saw him wearing the bra. To tell you honestly, it wasn't necessary. I just wanted to see him in a bra. I even took a picture of him with my phone.

He was pissed. He gave me that you're-annoying-but-I-tolerate-you kind of look the whole time.

"Sir, ikaw yata pinaglilihian ni ma'am." Natatatawang sabi ng saleslady. Apparently, she thought we were husband and wife.

"I can tell." He said, amused. And then a devious smile appeared on his lips. "I'm sorry. Ever since she got pregnant, she'd been having weird fetishes. I bet this gets her hot, publicly humiliating me."

I hit him in the arm and he laughed. Oh he knew it wasn't that hard to embarras me. The saleslady suddenly looked uncomfortable and I was so embarrassed. 

We went straight to the baby boutique after that. Tumingin naman ako ang mga damit na pangbaby. I could easily imagine my newborn baby wearing those clothes.

"This will look good on your baby. Bilin na natin 'to." Seth said holding up a tiny black and white striped polo shirt that looked like a mini version of what he was wearing right now. "We'd be women magnet in this shirt." He grinned, wiggling his brows up and down.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but smile. Napipicture ko sa isip ko ang itsura ng mag-ama while wearing matching shirts. They'd look cute together.

Hindi din naman nagtagal ang ngiti ko sa labi. I was afraid to expect anything from Seth. Nothing should be expected from him. I wasn't blind, I could see his interest and enthusiasim about the baby. Pero hindi ko magawang masabi sa kanya ang totoo. I had to remember that it was only MY decision to have this baby. It would be unfair to give him a responsibility he didn't want in the first place.

"Put it back. Hindi ko pa nga alam ang gender ng bata. This may be a girl." I said.

"But what if it's a boy." His smile grew wider. "Marian, please?" He didn't stop there. Parang batang nagpapabili ng laruan sa toy store pinilit niya akong bilhin ang shirt na iyon. I ended up giving in to him, like I always did. And into the cart it went.

Bumili ako ng ilang gamit ng baby. Can you blame me? I was an excited mother-to-be. I bought my baby some onesies and some shirts, mga lampin, socks, baby gloves. They were mostly white para gender neutral.

And then I saw the perfect wooden crib for my baby's nursery room. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I wanted to buy it right away. Pero nang itanong ko ang presyo na disappoint ako kasi hindi ko siya kayang bilhin.

"Kunin na natin, I'll pay for it." He said.

"It's okay, Seth. Kaya ko pa naman pag-ipunan. Matagal pa naman ako manganagank." Sabi ko.

"But I want to buy it for the baby."

"I can save up for it."

"Paano pag balik mo wala na yan? I'll buy it."

"Seth, hindi mo ba naiintindihan? Ayoko nga! My flower shop makes a decent income! Kaya kong bilhin iyon para sa anak ko! Kaya kong buhayin ang anak ko ng hindi kinakailangan ng tulong mo!" My voice raised before I could realize it. My reaction was a surprise not only to him but to me too. I could blame it on hormone but I guess, what he said earlier kind of got into me. The whole me needing him thing. Because the more we spend time together, the more I start to think he was right. I needed him and it scared me. I hated that he made me feel like this. I didn't want to need him.

"Is something wrong?" He asked as he stopped his car in front of my house. "Kanina ka pa walang kibo."

I shook my head.

"Is it because of what I did in the department store." He asked.

"No. I'm just tired." Sabi ko na lang bago binuksan ang pinto ng kotse. I didn't say a word, not even a goodbye. 

Needing him terrified me. Ayaw kong masanay sa kanya kasi natatakot ako na baka isang araw bigla na lang siyang mawala.