The Unexpected Bride-Book One in Taming of the Shrew

Chapter Thirty-Six

Pulling her head away from her mother's bosom, Sharlene shook her head.

"I am not leaving for good, mom. You could even come to live with us."

"And leave your rascal brother to make havoc here?"

Imagining her brother living all alone in the house, Sharlene laughed.

"He would indeed turn it upside down."

Helena chuckled, but it was humorless.

Slightly lifting her head, for they were almost the same height, Sharlene smiled.

"Mom?"

She questioned as tears pricked her eyes.

"Yes, my darling?"

In a monotone voice, Helena responded while brushing loose strands of her hair from her face.

"I will always love and take care of you. As I said before or from how I remember it, I am not going away forever, not like how dad did, okay?"

Rapidly nodding, for the sob lodged in her throat would cause her to stutter, Helena pulled her into another tight hug.

"I love you, mom, forever and always."

Gently rubbing her back, she buried her head into her chest, where she heard the soft lullaby of her heartbeats.

"Me too, mom."

Clarice's voice echoed behind them as she stepped into the kitchen.

Pulling away from Helena, Sharlene moved aside for her to hug and kiss her as well. After a few seconds, Helena was sniffling after her silent sobbing.

Glancing between them, she held each of their hands.

"You girls are so precious to me. I do hope you both continue being happy."

Smiling, Clarice and Sharlene shared a knowing look before gently squeezing their mother's hands.

"Of course we will, mom."

Satisfied with that comment, she pulled her hands from theirs, and with a full-blown smile, she suggested.

"Why don't you too help me prepare dinner?"

"Sure, mom."

Clarice and Sharlene responded.

"Go get cleaned up first, Sharlene, and before you do, ask or rather plead with Rita to stay for dinner since we have not seen her for a year."

Smiling, Sharlene nodded.

"Of course."

Walking towards the kitchen, she turned back around to see that the smile had returned on her mother's face as Clarice helped her peel the potatoes. Glancing at the picture stamped on the fridge of her smiling father dressed in a cardigan jacket with a large fish in the hook in his hand, she smiled.

Seven years without a father and a husband was difficult, but they had all pulled through.

'I miss you, daddy.'

Thinking this with tears in her eyes, she turned and left the kitchen with new resolve.

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Three days later went like lightning.

The people in the company were exceedingly busy.

The upcoming event placing added stress and anxiety on their already tight schedules.

Leaning against her desk with her pencil dangling in the air, Sharlene scrutinized the drawing in front of her with scrunched eyebrows, for she felt like it was missing a significant element. Pursing her lips, she passed a hand through her hair with a loud groan of frustration. That was her fourth attempt at drawing the design, and yet she could not get the shading correct even if the original was her work.