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Gene stepped down from her car and sighted Elliot waiting by the entrance to the building. His head hung low, whilst his arms folded below his chest. She took in a deep breath, releasing it afterwards before she ventured further towards him. He lifted his head and the moment he sighted her; a steady smile curled upon his lips.

"You shouldn't have come. I told you I can do this on my own." She stated once she stopped in front of him.

He nodded his head. "I know. I want to be there for you, always." He expressed, drawing up a warm smile and she couldn't help staring at him. Sometimes, to her, he felt too good to be true. Eventually, she looked away and took the lead into the building. He followed suit.

Genevieve stared at him as he looked around the room, making it obvious that it might be his first time being in such a room. When his eyes met hers once more, he smiled, and she briefly smiled back at him. Her eyes drifted back to the sonographer, who'd made her hold on to her clothes, her bare belly exposed. She watched as the young lady applied a cold gel on her belly and used the transducer probe to disperse it whilst her gaze focused on the monitor.

Elliot and Gene directed their focus on the screen, but they could barely make out the image they were staring at. Yet, patiently, they waited for a word from the doctor, who eventually brightened up her face with a simple smile.

She pointed to certain images on the screen. "You see these."

They nodded as they slightly squinted their eyes to get a clearer view of the pea-size dark images.

"Congratulations, you're having twins." Their eyes shifted to the doctor, who spared them a glance, her smile still wearing on her face.

"Tw-twins? You mean there's two of them?" Gene asked, taken aback by the unexpected information. The young woman nodded.

"And... you can tell already?" Elliot queried, and it reminded Gene of his presence. She lowered her eyes from the doctor and lifted them to Elliot. He hadn't taken notice of her gaze. He listened as the doctor explained.

"Yes. The power of technology. They are a little over five weeks, so for now, they're in the shape of an apple seed, growing strong and healthy and we can detect them." She explained, and Elliot barely nodded as he lowered his eyes from the doctor and eventually shifted them to meet Gene's. He flashed her a simple and yet comforting smile as he took hold of her hand in his. He could see the worry in her eyes and had a vague idea of what thoughts might plague her mind.

"Alright. That'll be all." The doctor stated, before cleaning her up, and soon Elliot helped her sit up and stand on her own two feet. They thanked the young lady and were soon on their way out. The walk out of the building was in silence. Elliot kept sparing her glances at intervals, but her head hung low and she had to be lost in thoughts not to notice.

Nearly close to her car, he reached out for her hand and gently swung her into his arms. He held her in a warm embrace and she stood, surprised and with little of a reaction.

"It's fine. It's going to be fine." He assured her as he barely released her from the hug to meet her eyes. He watched her let out a light sigh.

"It's not... It's one thing to be an old spinster, but a single mother with two kids in the society that we are..." He watched her let out another deep sigh as she lowered her eyes from his. A memory flashed across his mind and it reminded him of his past. He could understand what she was driving at. He'd practically lived it, and he would never wish for his kids to live through that experience.

"I need to head back to the office." She spoke up, without meeting his eyes, and he gave a slight nod. She spared him a single glance, and he displayed a weak and brief smile.

"I'll see you later." He added as he released her from his hold and watched as she got into the car. She spared him another glance, and he lightly waved to her. Soon, she was on her way.

Elliot let out a deep breath as he lowered his eyes.

~ ~ ~

Elliot spaced out in the office. He'd barely noticed when Victor walked in, yet the young man said nothing much. Elliot shifted his eyes to Victor, who busied with glancing through a few documents. He narrowed his brows for a second as he watched his friend. For the past few days, their relationship has seemed like a shadow of itself, and Elliot wasn't sure what the problem was or if there was even an existing issue between them he knew nothing of.

"Dude," Elliot called, and Victor answered without sparing him a glance.

"Are we cool?" He asked and Victor momentarily paused on what he was doing. He spared his friend a glance.

"Yeah, we're cool." Victor replied as he returned to what he was doing.

"Are you sure? Because lately, I feel like... like you've been a little cold. Did I do something?" Elliot pushed forward, determined to find out the root of everything.

Victor sighed as he lifted his eyes, unable to hold it any longer. He drifted his eyes to his friend and stared at him for what would seem like a while.

"The thing is..." He started. "... I have this suspicion that something is going on between you and my sister, but... of course, I know it's a silly thought." He expressed, and Elliot stared at him, barely showcasing a reaction. He'd never expected Victor to catch on quickly. Truthfully, Elliot was ready to tell his friend the truth, but he wasn't sure if Gene was ready and he would hate to put her in quite a pickle of a situation.

"There's nothing going on between you and my sister, right?" Victor asked the dreaded question. He figured it would be best to hear the truth straight from his friend's lips. That way, he could put his mind to ease and forget he ever had such an absurd thought.

Elliot stared at him. He knew he needed to give his friend a reply, but he wasn't sure about what to say. Should he lie? Should he tell the truth? Either way, it would never end as neat as Elliot would prefer. Obviously, the thought of him having a relationship with his sister pissed him off and telling him he was right would not make things even better. Yet, sooner than later, the truth was going to be exposed. Does he wait until then or simply break it to him now?

Elliot barely opened his mouth to speak when Victor's phone rang. Victor spared the caller ID a glance.

"I'm sorry. Maybe we can continue this discussion another time. This is an important call." Victor explained and soon, he was on his way out of the office.

Elliot shut his eyes for a second as a sigh left his lips. He might have dodged that day's bullet, but he wasn't sure about the next day.

~ ~ ~

Gene could feel it, eyes staring at her from different angles. Each time she locks eyes with one of them, they quickly look away and she doubts if her suspicions were right at all or if all this was in her mind.

Soon, she felt self-conscious and worried that her life was out in the open. Perhaps people were judging her and choices she'd made in her life. Of course, all that could also be in her head. Gene has never been the type to take a decision or do something and declare 'to hell with what the world thinks'. Her life practically revolved around the idea of being accepted and never taking abnormal risks, but she knew she'd come a long way. She was in a relationship with a man who was years younger than she was and carrying a child out of wedlock.

So, yes, she was yet to build that solid self-confidence.

Doris made a folder for her and was on the verge of leaving the office when Genevieve called her attention once more. She couldn't take it any longer. She had to know what the lurking eyes the employees were giving her were about.

"I need to ask you a question and you have to promise to give me an honest reply." Gene quoted, and the middle-aged lady nodded after a brief hesitation.

Gene drew in a deep breath. "Is there a rumour going on about me? If yes... what are they saying?"

Doris stared at her and Gene could see the hesitation in her eyes. It simply assured her that there was indeed something.

"Yes... They say you're pregnant."

Gradually, Gene's eyes dilated at her words.