"Why are you buying these, you don't even need them?" Vivian looked at Rose.
They had been shopping for an hour now. From the mall to the convenience store. They bought necessary and unnecessary items. Rose who had finally got a chance, grabbing every flavor of ice cream in the store.
She was now picking sanitary pads when Vivian asked her why she was taking them.
"What do you mean?" Rose looked up.
"I mean in your condition you don't need them now " Vivian explained.
Rose caressed her baby bump with a smile, " Oh you mean that, well am not going to be like this forever " she laughed.
They pushed the carts to the cashier and looked at each other.
"Who is paying?"Rose turned to the others.
" Ahhh...." none answered.
"You should be the one paying " Alex pointed at Rose.
"Why?" Rose backed away.
Irene placed her hands on Rose's shoulders, pushing her back to the cashier.
"Cause among us your husband is the richest " She whispered in her ear.
Rose frowned but knew it was right so without any more complaining she paid.
While the others collected the items back to the car, Rose had noticed something weird which made her feel worried.
"What's wrong, you have been like this since we left the mall, " Irene asked her friend.
Rose laid back in her seat, she had been acting weird grabbing the other's attention.
She sighed, " I didn't mind the first time but when I saw her again at the store, I knew she was following us, " She told the others.
"Who is?", " Are you sure about that?", "Where exactly?" they all asked her questions in worried tones.
"It was at the last mall we visited when I noticed a feminine figure follow us, but what is scary is that her face is covered by a mask "
Alex stopped the car and turned around to Rose who was in the back seat with Vivian.
"How could someone like that be around us?" she asked.
Irene frowned, " Why would they be allowed inside a public place dressed like that "
"Well anyone is allowed to dress up as they please " Rose looked out of the car window.
"But wouldn't it be weird for them to be dressed like that " Vivian voiced her idea.
"Don't make it a big deal, I might be confused after moving around a lot " Rose brushed off the topic.
She didn't want her friends to worry about her.
Alex listening to Rose drove them back home. They had decided to go back to Rose's place since Arthur was working late.
The maids helped them take in the items they had bought. Resting outside at the terrace Rose and her friends enjoyed the bought snacks.
"I remember grabbing a lot of ice cream, but I can't see any?" Rose cried out checking the snacks on the table.
"Dorothy took them all away the moment she laid eyes on them " Alex reported.
"WHAT?!..." Rose cried. She had wanted to eat all her ice cream before her husband returned but Dorothy had crushed her dream.
"It seems Arthur told her to not allow you to have any " Irene pushed the plate of carrots in front of Rose. "Dorothy said we should feed you these "
Rose wanted to shout put in anger but her tired body said otherwise, so like an obedient child she took the carrots and started eating them.
Dorothy came out to check if Rose had eaten her carrots when she found all of them asleep. They must have been exhausted from moving around especially Rose.
Dorothy asked the maids to bring something to cover them. After they were done Dorothy called Arthur.
"They all fell asleep outside on the terrace," she told him.
She could hear Arthur let out a sigh as he answered.
"Okay am on my way," he said.
Rose was having a wonderful dream when a cold breeze brushed her face. This made her body shiver waking her up instantly.
"It's so cold " she shivered opening her eyes.
She looked around to see, Alex, Vivian, and Irene all asleep next to her. It made her feel warm just looking at them beside her.
But then right at the corner of her eye, Rose caught a glimpse of a black figure standing in the garden.
She froze turning to where it was, and just like during the day. It was the same woman with a mask. Even with a mask on Rose could feel the cold dangerous glare coming from the woman.
"Who are you?" Rose shouted at the outsider. But the dark figure didn't move which scared her even more.
Am I seeing things, Rose pushed away from her cover and got up. Moving to the directions the figure was standing.
"How did you get in and who the hell are you?" she yelled?
Irene woke up with Rose's shouting. She looked where Rose was heading and was surprised to see something or someone standing there.
Scared she screamed at the top of her lungs waking up the others and stopping Rose from walking any further.