"I feel sick," Adele moaned over the toilet seat.

"Shhh, it's okay," Arianna muttered, rubbing her back, "You're going to be fine and we are going to take you home right now."

"No, I'll be -" She was about to protest when another wave of nausea hit her and she was retching into the toilet once more.

Good thing no other person was coming in to use the restroom since this wasn't exactly a pretty sight. Adele was kneeling over the toilet while Arianna was behind her keeping her hair from getting in the way. The toilet cubicle was opened since it wasn't spacious enough for the both of them.

"Mimi, could you stop staring at that strip and get the car ready? '' Arianna chided her with a glower. This was not a joke.

Mimi in question was leaning against the sink and staring at the pregnancy strip as if it was a national treasure. While Adele had not denied the allegation of sleeping with her "husband" she was positive that she wasn't pregnant.

It was too early nor did she have plans of having more kids, with four pain in the ass already waiting for her at home. Moreover, they - she and Elijah - have been careful and there was no way she could be pregnant. So the women decided on a test and the result was as clear as daylight. Adele was pregnant. Her shagging with Elijah had not gone unrewarded.

Instead of making a move, Mimi asked instead, "Why is she throwing up at night though? I thought morning sickness should happen in the morning, hence the name?"

"Pregnancy-related nausea isn't just a morning thing. It can strike at night, too." Arianna answered not only Mimi, but Adele, who was also curious about her condition, "Night-time queasiness is especially unpleasant. Moreover, it differs from pregnancy to pregnancy, so just because you didn't experience it during your first birth doesn't mean it wouldn't appear the second."

She added, "If I were you Adele, I would be more concerned if this isn't another multiple pregnancy."

Arianna had not intended to scare her but pointed out a fact, however, the blood drained from Adele's face while Mimi burst into hysterical laughter to everyone's surprise. She laughed and laughed till she found out that all eyes were on her and they didn't look amused at all.

"A-hem," She cleared her throat, composed herself, and said, "I'll get the car ready then."

And with that, she was out of the restroom in five strides. However, she was barely out of there before another laughter palmed her mouth and she had to cup her mouth so as not to let a sound escape.

Mimi was not exactly mocking Adele, but she made the mistake of graphically imagining the scene of her new friend giving birth to another set of Quadruplets and the chaos that was to follow after. It was an explicit visual of Adele and her husband Elijah trying to handle eight kids with just an age gap of two years and being comical was an understatement. It was hilarious hence the uncontrollable outbursts of laughter.

But she had a job to do and hence went outside to where the car was packed and picked hers. The three of them had all come with their cars and Arianna didn't exactly give her specific instructions nor keys for hers, so she assumed her own car was good to go.

historical

"Good to go." Mimi sent her a text as soon as she was done starting the car and tested her headlight by flashing them once.

"How are you feeling now? Do you think you're ready to move around on your own?" Arianna asked Adele who was now up on her feet and rinsed her mouth in the sink.

"I'm good." Adele told her, "And I'm sorry that our outing had to end abruptly like this."

Arianna could see the guilt on her face and told her right away, "You don't need to feel guilty over anything. Both of you would have done the same for me had I been the one in your condition."

Before Adele had the chance to counter her words and let the guilt eat at her, Arianna already looped her arms around hers and pulled her out. This was not the time to wallow in guilt and things that she had no control over.

They got outside and located Mimi who waved at them to get in. Arianna and Adele did not worry about their cars knowing they would be sent back to their places in one piece. Hence they climbed into Mimi's car and she drove off.

Once in the car, Adele was lying with her legs stretched out on the backseat, her head on Arianna's lap while she worked her hand through her hair. It was a soothing motion and comfortable position until Mimi began with her questioning.

"So when did you and Elijah begin to get close to each other?"

"Mimi, Adele is not in the position to tall right now. Save the questions for -"

"No, it's okay," Adele said and squeezed Arianna's hand to tell her that it was okay. After what happened tonight, it was obvious that there was a shift in their relationship and it was for good. Arianna and Mimi finally managed to pull down her walls.

"It was after the quadruplet's birth.." There was a slight furrow on her face as she thought about it, "Or perhaps while I was still pregnant. It was hard not to fall in love again with a man that took good care of you. Perhaps, I intentionally closed up my heart perceiving he was only fulfilling the role of being there for the children. There was no need to get invested in a relationship that was doomed to fail. So I ignored him until the children were born and I couldn't resist it anymore. His actions became genuine and the attraction was ignited once again, I guess." Adele confessed, her cheeks already hot from shame. She was not used to sharing intimate information about her marriage.

"Jesus Christ!" Mimi slapped her thigh in disbelief, "How did I not notice that?! And the both of you hid it for how long? Two years? Geez, both of you deserve an Oscar award for best acting."

"They were not acting, you were just carried away in your own happiness to notice the changes in their relationship," And please eyes on the road, my daughter is too young to be without a mother. "Arianna told her.

Of course, they continued the conversation until they got to Elijah's residence and drove through the driveway, packing in the garage. All three women had just stepped out when Arianna was the first to notice,

"Isn't that Marcel's car or are my eyes playing tricks on me?" She pointed at the familiar SUV packed alongside others and the plate number was even the same.

Mimi said, "I don't think so? What would he be doing here..." She trailed off as she located another familiar car too, "Victor? What..?"

And then she and Arianna's eyes connected as they made the connection, their husbands were here! The same husbands who had promised to stay home and take care of the kids while they hung out. So what is this?

Without a word, the woman stomped out of the driveway and walked into the house. On their way coming, they noticed the exuberant noise made by the kids and adults alike. At almost one in the morning, the children were playing around instead of sleeping.

Oh, they had so many questions to answer.

But when they came into the living room, nothing prepared Arianna for the scene of watching her daughter among others run away from something. Or someone. The scene played out in slow motion before her like some cinematic masterpiece. Arianna watched as her daughter Aricel ran with all of her strength from someone who turned out to be her father.

Marcel carried a compressed gas-powered gun with paint-filled pellets that he fired at her as she ran. But one of the paintballs hit her in the back and her daughter dramatically fell to the ground.

And died.

What the fuck, Arianna's jaw dropped to the ground.