Chapter 19 -The Stalker 3

For her, to become a topnotch lawyer was more remarkable than be in a relationship with Theodore.

From time to time, she received a call and text messages from him that she frequently ignored.

Without a response from Lizbeth he would give a call and text messages to his parents complaining of Lizbeth's

consistent nonchalance toward him.

Both Lizbeth's parents would advise him to wait till their daughter would set her mind to accept him with all her heart.

As of now their daughter was so eager to fulfill her dream of becoming a lawyer.

Knowing himself, Theodore continued wooing her through a phone and constant communication with Kenneth and Leonor, the parents of his heart's choice... his Beth.

Determined to fulfill her dream, she devoted most of her time studying the second course that she enrolled in.

If in the past she could still spend some time to explore cooking different dishes, at this point, she had no more time for it.

Her teaching job and her being a law

student had occupied most of her time that she even seldom dote herself on girly things.

However, no matter how busy she was, the change in her body was unnoticed by her when she happened to

see her nude reflection at the mirror.

She noticed that her areola was becoming bigger and darker in color.

Not only that... she also noticed that her breast seemed to be expanding like a dough with a yeast.

It arises a doubt, fear, and worry in her heart.

Immediately, she went to a drug store only two blocks away from them.

Twenty minutes after, she returned home with a paper pouch in her hand.

She got inside her rest room and stayed there for almost an hour.

When she went out from it, she got her mobile phone, typed a message and sent it.

Humming the song "All of Me" by

John Legend, she changed her dress and left their house.

So, when her parents arrived from the church, together with her two brothers, she was at the mall, window shopping for an infant's needs.

When she became weary, she got inside a fast food restaurant where she ate enjoying her meal suavely.

From the mall, she proceeded to a park with a basketful of fruits.

There, she chose a shade where she read a book about child care while her appetite eating the fruits could make an accidental on looker to drool.

It was past seven in the evening when she decided to go home.

She intentionally delayed her arrival at home as she didn't want to join their family bonding moment.

Kenneth and Leonor were already in their bedroom discussing about Lizbeth.

They noticed that she had been so cold and remote since they let Theodore stayed over night in their home.

They knew that Lizbeth's hectic schedule in her job and studies had become her valid reason to make excuses for skipping some bonding moments of their family.

They were still a little bit lucky that Theodore continued communicating with them while their daughter seemed to be intentionally cutting it.

A month after that message she sent right after staying in her rest room for an hour has already passed.

Again, she inspected the change in her body by looking at her nudity at the mirror.

Alas! Her areola had become darker than last month and her teat had also become bigger and darker.

"What should I do to hide it? Soon, I

could not hide it anymore."

"Anyway, I still have time to have a perfect plan be realized."

The next day she went home early in the afternoon while her father was in his destination and her mother and brothers were still in school.

Without changing yet for her house dress, she installed a lock to the two doors of her bedroom inside it.

From that time on, she always locked the two doors with the padlock inside it.

Without telling her parents, she likewise bought a small refrigerator where she put some foods for her own consumption and a heater she used once she felt drinking hot beverage.

Even if she was in her bedroom she would let them believe that she wasn't there by not switching on the light.

The more it made her parents became anxious and exasperated. Their keen observation about her had never failed that she was slipping away from their love, care and concern.

At exactly two months after she started observing the changes in her body, Theodore arrived.

She was about to enter in the living room when she unintentionally eavesdropped that Theodore's delay was caused by the death of his grandfather.

Instead of getting inside, she tiptoed toward the garage where she

exited from its foyer.

Outside, there was a fork path going to her mother's rose garden, the other was a path to the huge and towering tree at the porch of her bedroom.

She was able to climb to her bedroom stealthily, locked all the windows including the two doors. Her thick curtains hid the dim light she had in it.

She was like a sly fox who could not be outwitted even by her parents. She promised to herself not to trust them anymore from the time she was forced by Theodore.

She was also like an elusive eel who can always get rid of herself out of their sight. Her plan to run away after the first semester should not be busted by any of them. Not now... Nor..... tomorrows.

Her parents who were talking to Theodore in the living room were already at the dining room eating their evening meal. They were talking about Lizbeth.

"What time does Beth come home?" Theodore inquired.

"She usually arrived quite late that we're already in our bedrooms to sleep."

Leonor informed him.

"Is she really that busy with her job and her study?"

"Well... That's always what she had told us for two months now."

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Are you referring to Ma'am Lizbeth? The driver asked.

"Yes, why did you ask me?"

"She's already at home. I saw her at the front door."

They were bewildered especially Theodore. They argued if she noticed her walked inside.

"Is there another passage going upstairs to her room aside from the stairs at the living room?"

Her parents didn't answer. They remain quiet although they knew that

she climbed up the tree at her terrace.

They did not want to divulge her secret.

What they told him was her avoidance to see each other at home, that she did not allow anybody to be in her bedroom anymore unlike before, that she had a heater and a refrigerator aside from having a padlock in each door.

My friend told me that he saw her at the infant section in a department store in a mall.

She would also stay alone in the park reading about child care while eating fruits.

"What did she text you?" Kenneth

Interrogated him.

"I had to come to decide on a very important matter that may become a problem." Theodore revealed to them the message from Lizbeth.

"Had she texted you again after that? "Leonor inquired from him.

"That was the first and the last.'

"Can I go knocked at her door?" He added as he requested for their permission.

"Do you think she would talk with you?" Kenneth doubted that the more his daughter would run away from them.

"Maybe she's pregnant." Theodore said softly as if talking to himself than to Kenneth and Leonor.

Both of them were tongue tied. Leonor's eyes became blurry of her tears while Kenneth stood up and sat beside her pulling her to his chest.

A sigh and a sob could be heard in that dining room.

Theodore spoke, "If my guess is true or untrue, I am now asking her hands from you."

Two men in that room were talking of a plan how to confront his daughter who had become so cautious and distrustful. Leonor hadn't stopped crying softly.

While a plan for confrontation

was agreed upon, Lizbeth was slightly snoring in her sleep. Since she had no more pies, cakes, salads and cookies in her refrigerator, she just drank a glass of hot milk after eating almost a half kilogram of seedless grapes.

If there was no one depending on her, her stomach could had waited for the early morning meal at five or six.

She woke up very hungry. She had drunk a warm milk but she was still very hungry. She wanted to eat newly cooked rice and a pork adobo with plenty of garlic. Hence, she stealthily went downstairs toward the kitchen for her to cook.

Kenneth, Leonor, and Theodore who was sleeping lightly woke up to the

aroma of a very delicious pork adobo.

Theodore met the husband and wife outside the door of the dining room.

They peered inside it when they saw Lizbeth seated on the chair at the dining table eating voraciously.

The husband and wife instructed Theodore not to show himself yet. So, when they opened the door, Lizbeth seemed to be embarrassed as she was caught eating at the middle of the night.

"Mom! Dad! Would you like to dine with me?"

"Just keep on eating darling as you didn't eat your supper tonight."

"I was very tired that before I knew it... I was able to sleep. I woke up very hungry." She said while enjoying the taste of the viand she cooked.

"Darling... We are terribly missing you. It has been too long since we've seen each other." Leonor complained while combing har daughter's hair with her hand.

"Don"'t worry, mom. As soon as I have fulfilled my dream, you will never miss me. But... you might be annoyed with my presence."

"Nak, we have never been annoyed by you. You know that, don' t you?" Her

father lovingly told her.

"Hmmm. I'm full. So... my dear parents... (She put the dishes she used in the sink).. aren't you going to go back to sleep?"

"Can we talk for a while about your

situation as of now?" Her father's innuendo alerted her that she wished to

escape from them as fast as she can.

"Dad, what situation of mine are you talking about?" She feigned not to understand what his father was telling her.

Without expecting it, her mother embraced her at her back and petted her belly. Then she spoke: " Are we going to be grandparents this year?"

"Mom! How could that be when I don't have a boyfriend?"

"I am more than willing not only to be your boyfriend but your husband."

Theodore who was told to hide came out telling her about his intention to her.

Without talking, she jerked her body to get away from her mother's embrace, went to the built in cabinet above the sink, pulled out a stainless pan, briskly walked toward Theodore and hit him with it.

Had it not for the fast reflexes of Theodore, Lizbeth would have hit him

on his head. Instead, his hands were hit by Lizbeth.

Discontented, she did not stop hitting him anywhere on his body as long as she could hit him.

Kenneth and Leonor could only call her name.

"Lizbeth! Lizbeth! Darling!"

"Anak! 'nak! Sweetheart!"

She continued hitting Theodore who only tried to shield himself with his arms and hands.

It was only then when her father and her mother got hold of her when her hitting to Theodore had stopped.

Then she glared at him with her eyes seemed to be blazing and she screamed.

"Leave!"

"I won't unless you deny your pregnancy to our baby." Theodore replied calmly and insistently.

"Who told you I am pregnant?" If I am, then I would sue you of raping me!"

"Then sue me! I prefer to be in jail rather than not to be getting married with you!" Theodore shamelessly revealed his thought and feeling.

"Okay. Both of you keep quiet. Let us sit down and talk calmly." Leonor suggested.

When they were seated Kenneth broke the momentary quietness.

"Darling, what is it that you despise so much with Theodore?" Kenneth asked her.

"I haven't yet fulfilled my dream to be a topnotch lawyer." She rationally told them.

"Are you pregnant, anak?" Leonor's voice was so mild in asking her.

Lizbeth did not reply. Instead, she

hugged her mother and started to cry. While crying she revealed her gripes against her parents and Theodore.

"It was all your fault when you allowed him to stay overnight here.

He forced me. No, he raped me."

Then she stretched her arm very quickly and scratched Theodore's arm.

"You are so despicable. I thought you were a good person. You're a devil!" She screamed.

The three of them let her expressed her pent up emotion to discard the pain in her heart which she had been keeping by avoiding them.

"I can raise my child alone. I don't need you in our lives."

Leonor and Kenneth did not stop kissing her. Then...

"You made us very happy, anak. That baby in your womb is the best gift you could ever give us. Thanks for not aborting it."

"Why should I? She's innocent and

didn't do anything wrong." She mused.

Then they coaxed her gently and convincingly that when her mom was pregnant with her, she never thought of depriving her her father. Children who were raised with both the mother and the father were better than those without one of them.

The conversation lasted for several hours that they had to call to their work that they would be absent.

"What about my schooling to achieve my plan?"

Kenneth and Leonor gazed at Theodore meaningfully.

"Beth I would still let you continue with your plan even if we're married."

Then he apologized;

"I'm sorry but it was my only means to get hold of you as my wife."

"How could you be so sure that I would like to be your wife? Had it not for my parents, do you think I couldn't raise my child without you?"

"I know because you have a strong personality that was why I was dead over heel with you."

Theodore was never ashamed wooing Lizbeth Mae in front of her parents that was why Kenneth and Leonor secretly approved of him.

They learned that Lizbeth had never been, even once, to an obstetrician- gynecologist for her check up as a pregnant woman. On that same day, in the afternoon they paraded to an Ob-Gyne private clinic as Kenneth and, Leonor, Theodore, Kelly, Alken and her nanny went with her.

Theodore wanted an immediate wedding before their child would be born.