Chapter 5 - The Baby Isn't Cooperating

"Shanne! Sleeping during working hours is restricted. Madam Emelda will deduct your next salary if she caught you." Jelle was irritated while shaking her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

She just realized that she shouldn't have come to the party last night. It didn't do anything good on her. Just stress, lack of sleep, and tiredness. That's why she couldn't help but to fall asleep in the middle of their work.

She groaned slightly."Just give me a minute. I'm really tired right now. My brain wouldn't function if I will force myself to work."

"Then you shouldn't have come to work with me! It's your fault because you're being hard headed," Jelle countered.

She didn't response because of too much sleepiness. Though, her friend was right at the same time. It's just okay if she's not only pregnant. Her pregnancy gaves her twice an impact. How she wished it would stop for now.

"Did you finish the topics I've given to you?" Madam Emelda asked the sleepy Shanne.

She gave her a little smile and opened her folder. But it made her world break down when she haven't done anything... as in nothing. The papers inside the folder were empty and the topics behind it were still organized. It's really obvious that she didn't even touched it.

Oh, yeah. How could she touch it if she didn't even take a glance on it?! Right after Madam Emelda assigned it to her, sleepiness consumed her so she was drowned by it.

"Uh... I-I think it's---"

"You didn't do what I've said, didn't you?! How come!" Madam Emelda said in disbelief.

She bowed down her head a little, avoiding everyone's gaze on her."I-I'm sorry. I-I fell asleep. But don't worry, I'll do it all now."

"Don't you know what time is it, huh? It's time to go home yet you didn't finish any single detail of it!" She continued scolding poor Shanne.

Jelle slowly stood up from her chair, about to interrupt."Sorry for meddling but I think she didn't deserve to be scolded a lot of times. Once is enough. She's pregnant, though."

"Then she shouldn't force herself to work if she couldn't. No one forced her to! You all knew that there's no exemption when it comes to work. Everything has to be fair!" Their Madam was indeed disappointed by their act.

"I-I'm sorry, Maam. Don't be mad at her. I'll just take an overtime with the night shifts," Shanne said in a lower voice.

Jelle looked at her, unbelievable."Seriously?! You couldn't even open your eyes properly and then you still think of having an overtime?"

"Ms. Jelle Amaquiton, enough with your words and come back to your sit." Madam Emelda warned her."Well, I can give you a chance, Ms. Moratalla. But I will add another pile of documents and be sure to finish it at exactly 10 PM so you could go home. Pass it to the chief staff, Mrs. Aurora."

"Madam, don't punish her that---" Windy didn't bother to continue speaking when Madam Emelda glared at her.

"It's okay, I got it." Shanne mouthed at her friends.

Laurell's laugh invaded the whole room."Well, well, well. Look who's being scolded by the chief of the other section?"

She was not in the mood to fight back with a bitch like her. She should be thankful for that. Because if not, who cares if Laurell will go out of their company with unknown face.

"You demon! Go to hell!" Kinnie yelled at her and even bumped on her shoulders that cause her to step back.

As much as her friends wanted to stay there, it's already nighttime and they will shift journalists. Sadly, Shanne has to remain on her position because of what they agreed. The woman who was supposed to turn over her place took another sit when she knew that the owner was there. Shanne, felt sorry for that knowing it was her fault.

"Are you okay? Is there something wrong on you?" The woman, who was supposed to replace her said when they saw each other in the restroom.

She wiped her mouth with her bare hands after vomiting."Y-Yeah. Thanks for your concern and sorry if I remained in my sit."

"Nah, it's nothing. I heard your pregnant, why did the chief punished you for having an overtime?" She asked her again.

She was forced to smile."I slept in the middle of the work and didn't even finished one. It's me who offered to take this so my salary won't be deducted."

"O-Okay.. Just take care of yourself. Have you eaten dinner?"

She weakly shook her head."I bet it's not allowed to go outside or even eat here inside during working hours. I have no time earlier so I didn't bother to eat."

"What? It's okay. Mrs. Aurora isn't strict as what you've expected. She will understand you... especially on your situation," she answered smilingly.

Shanne was grateful when she finally came out of the company to eat dinner for a while. The Luk Foo Cantonese Kitchen was the only restaurant nearest to the company so she didn't hesistate to come inside and order food for herself. On her first bite, she was stunned for a minute after seeing a familiar feature not so far away from her table.

It was Jelle... but with someone and she's sure that it was also Drake. What are they doing here? I thought she's going home to rest because her hangover wasn't over yet. Did Drake fetch her so they had a dinner here?

They didn't saw her so she continued eating because her baby was asking for food already. When she finished eating, she glanced at their standpoint and saw that they were still in the same position. Seems like they were talking about a serious matter. What is it?

She looked at her wrist watch and let out a curse when it's already 8:30 PM. She still has to finish two other tasks before going home. Stress isn't good for her... she should make it as a reminder.

"Why did you hide it from me? Did he knew anything about it?" She heard Drake asked Jelle when she was about to pay in the counter.

Jelle sighed."N-No. We don't have a plan to tell him... even her. She doesn't know, anyways."

Even though she was confused, she set it aside and immediately went back to the company. She has nothing to do with their conversation so she shouldn't interfere. When she came back, the remaining works were waving at her. It's like an endless work and it makes her head spin.

"Here is it, Madam. It's all complete," Shanne still bothered to smile at Mrs. Aurora even if she's feeling so weak right now.

She smiled back at her."You can rest now. I felt so sorry for your baby because I know it's also tired."

"Thanks for that, Madam. I'll go first."

While waiting for a taxi, she was browing on her phone to entertain herself. She's sleepy already but she can't sleep in the stairs or even on the side of the street. All she has to do is to wait because she has no other choice.

It was 10:30 PM but still, she's standing right there and waiting for nothing. She badly want to close her eyes because of tiredness and lie down on her soft bed. But no! She can't sleep! Maybe there's a taxi sooner... or later.

"Oh, right! Jelle, I hope she's still there," she whispered on herself.

She came back to the restaurant where she ate dinner, hoping to see her best friend right in there but she saw no one. It was already closed that's why she has to go back in front of the company to wait for a taxi... again and again. Their condominium is kilometer away from there but it's almost midnight and something bad might happen to her... so with the baby.

"Maam, I noticed that you're waiting for something. Is it a taxi?" The guard in the parking lot of the company asked her.

She slightly nodded, doesn't have energy."Yeah. How long am I going to wait for a taxi? I'm standing here for almost one hour."

"Sorry to say but there's no taxi anymore in this hours. That is why the night shifts in this company will always bring a car with them to ride back at home," he explained.

Frustrated, Shanne let out a heavy sigh and said thank you to the guard for the information. She has no choice again but to walk in the lane where there's no one walking. It's just her.. and the light coming from the posts. It gives her shivers down to her body especially that the climate is really cold.

There's no winter in Philippines but seems like there is because of it.

Her head suddenly aches for an unknown reason that's why she has to hold onto the post for some support. She's getting weaker and weaker maybe because she didn't had a chance to rest on time.

The only thing she knew, her body was already lying on the street and a car stops in front of her.