The Unexpected Bride-Book One in Taming of the Shrew

Chapter Fifteen

Placing bouncing Lily in the back seat where she had installed a safety lock since the little one was always bouncing all around, Sharlene sighed.

"Please do not tell them what you see, okay?"

Whispering while tapping her nose, which Lily laughed at, she quickly jumped into the driver seat before her family grew curious as she saw them peeking from the living room window.

Upon arriving at the supermarket, Sharlene found a perfect spot where no one could detect her shopping supplies if anyone cared. Lifting a bubbly Lily from her seat, she entered the store, where two Retail Sales Workers quickly attacked her as if she was a new type of meat, and maybe she was. They introduced themselves in their constant babble while following her around like flies on a carcass. Upon arriving at the medical and others section, Sharlene wanted the busybodies to excuse themselves. However, they became even more explanatory as she barely touched the boxes of pregnancy tests on the shelf.

"Is this your second child?"

One noisily asked as she continued to play with the willing Lily, who enjoyed the attention much to Sharlene's dislike.

Ignoring the woman, she continued to fill her basket with as many pregnancy boxes as her money could buy.

"That is an awful lot, dearie. Are you planning to open a pregnancy market?"

The other brown-haired woman questioned, her eyes gleaming like stars. Pursing her lips, Sharlene brushed them aside as she brought the basket towards the cashier. At that moment, she breathed a breath she had not known she was holding when the duo, twins, rushed towards two other customers, who had entered the supermarket.

"Are they always so nosy?"

Questioning the cashier, who was cashing the items extremely fast to her liking, Sharlene frowned, for the woman did not answer. Gazing into her bored eyes, she understood the reason the owner hired two talkative employees. Currently, the cashier was not a talker, as she witnessed the headphones in her ears.

"Okay."

Mumbling, Sharlene fixed attentive Lily's position to dig her purse for her wallet. Paying the amount that amassed to 24 US dollars, she left the supermarket while begrudgingly waving at the women, who had excitedly bid her farewell.

Stepping into the car, she quickly fastened Lily and placed her purchase on the floor near her feet.

As soon as she reached home, her mother had gone to prepare lunch in the kitchen. Tristan and Clarice were cuddling on the sofa watching an action movie, while AJ and Helena were absent. Bringing Lily towards Clarice, who was annoyed with the characters, Sharlene rushed towards the bathroom upstairs.

Luckily, they did not suspect anything. Lily had also kept her little mouth shut.

Quickly, she locked the door and dumped the pregnancy boxes in the sink. Picking one up with abated breathe, she tore it open. Grabbing a pick stick, she muttered.

"The insemination may not work, but it is better to be safe than sorry. There goes nothing."

With that thought in mind, Sharlene closed then opened her eyes.

But an hour later, the only thing she could resort to was screaming. Her scream enveloped the entire house and maybe the neighborhood.

Every single pregnancy stick she tried was positive.

"NO! NO! OH MY GOD! I AM NOT READY FOR THIS!"

She cried out, the sound resonating through the walls of the house like a bad tune. She was pissed—no, beyond pissed and a little—no very nervous. Her hands were shaking from gripping the pregnancy stick in her hands.

Hearing a loud bang, then nervous but rapid footsteps heading up the steps, Sharlene had a feeling, the footsteps belonged to both her mother and sister. She had forgotten for that split hour that there were people in the house.

She pictured them fretting over her sudden shout—something they never learned about her. She was far too dramatic and made a simple matter into a disaster. That was what her mother always told her on numerous occasions. However, this was the perfect reaction after finding out she was pregnant due to an examination mishap.

"Honey, what is wrong with you? Please open the door."

Hearing a soft tap on the wooden door, Sharlene choked on a sob. She was both angry and afraid of her situation.

"MOM!"

Sobbing, she stood from the toilet. Unlocking and pulling the door wide open in the faces of the stunned beyond reason women, she cried out.

"MY LIFE IS OVER!"

Shoving the tiny but destructive object in her mother's raised hand, she wrapped her arms around her.

"What is this?"
Hesitant, Helena's green orbs popped out of her head. She was stunned.

Clarice had a similar expression on her face. She averted her eyes from Sharlene to look at the item in her mother's hand. Their eyes were wide as they slowly looked into the tearful eyes of Sharlene.

"Shar...um...this could be false. Is this the first one?"

Undecided, hesitant, as she inquired of her younger sister, Clarice scratched behind her neck. Sharlene pointed behind her.

On the surface of the cupboard and in the sink, similar sticks sat.

"Are they...?"

Swallowing, as if her next words were hard to say—and it probably was; Helena cleared her throat.

"Are all of them positive?"

Sharlene grabbed a few in her hands. With opened palms, she placed them in her mother and sister's hands. They ignored the fact she had peed on it, the reality of the double lines swallowing their discomfort.

"Yes, they are."

Helena's eyes rolled back in her head. Clarice quickly caught her before she fell flat and broke a few bones on the hard ground. The sticks fell and scattered on the floor.

"Help me bring her to the sofa in the hallway, Shar. It is closer."

Sharlene quickly nodded with tears in her eyes. She held her mother's other arm, while Clarice firmly held the other.

Dragging Helena's fainted person towards the decorated sofa situated in front of a window, the girls gently placed her on it.

Clicking her tongue, Clarice was shaken by the discovery, but not to the point of fainting.

"Please go and bring a glass of water for her, Shar."

Curtly nodding, Sharlene rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen

 There she was confronted by nervous AJ and Tristan.