The Unexpected Bride-Book One in Taming of the Shrew

Chapter Sixteen

"What happened?"

Banging the cupboard where she took a glass, she murmured as she filled the glass with water.

"Mom fainted."

"What?"

In sync, AJ and Tristan exclaimed. They quickly rushed behind her when she left the kitchen and powerwalked back up the steps.

Upon arrival, she spotted Clarice drilling a hole in the floor. She hurried over to her. AJ and Tristan rushed to stoop near Helena.
They both breathed a heavy sigh, for she looked fine.

"What happened?"

AJ asked, his eyebrows meeting his hairline as he turned to look at Clarice.

"It is a long story."

Groaning, Clarice murmured.

"This is confusing."

AJ and Tristan mused.

Sharlene became flustered.

Passing a hand through her hair, Clarice gazed up at the ceiling to gather her wits as if the wooden plastering had answers. She had finally stopped pacing.

"Let us all talk about this together when mom wakes up, okay?"

A chorus of okay's circulated her.

Sitting down on the opposite side of her mother, who was slowly gaining back consciousness, Sharlene tensely smiled while tightly holding onto the warm glass of water.

"I just had the worst dream."

Muttering, Helena took the outstretched glass from her.

"What was it, mom?"

AJ inquisitively asked.

Gulping the water in one swallow, Helena gazed at Clarice, AJ, Tristian, and then Sharlene.

"It was about my younger daughter falling pregnant. How comical is that?"

Humorously chuckling, she once again passed her eyes between a nervous Clarice and Sharlene.

"It was a dream, right?"

"I only wish it was mum."

Muttering, Sharlene rushed to grab her mother's hands, for the glass was about to slip through her fingers. AJ and Tristan's mouth flew agape. They were too shocked to speak. Helena was about to put her hands on her mouth due to shock, but Sharlene stopped her. She did this because she peed on the pregnancy sticks earlier. Placing the abandoned glass on the end table behind her mother, she sighed.

"Why... How did that happen?"

Confused, Helena's face turned pale, and in a small voice, she barely spoke above a whisper.

"Was it a one-night stand?"

Gasping a bit taken aback by her mother's audacity, Sharlene became flustered.

"No, mom, I would never embarrass myself like that! What gave you that idea?! You raised us with better judgment!"

Watching her breathing a sigh of relief, Sharlene quickly added.

"I am still, and proudly, a virgin."

"How is that...? Oh god, this is confusing."

Not wanting to confuse her mother, sister, AJ, and Tristian any further, Sharlene quickly explained as best she could.

"This happened because of an insemination."

Their expressions were priceless, their words coming out in sync as they all tried to wrap their heads around the information.