MOMMY ISSUES | Tamber

36- Episode 2, Season 4

Tara pushed her cart down the cereal aisle of the grocery store, Avana happily riding in the child seat and snacking on a box of yogurt-covered pretzels.

"More? More?" the toddler asked, her mouth smeared with crumbs.

"Not until we get home, sweetie," Tara replied, scanning the shelves for her usual brand of bran flakes. As she bent down to grab a box from the bottom shelf, her arm briefly brushed against that of a pretty woman, early 30s, who had reached up to the top shelf at the same time.

Tara felt her cheeks flush as she stood up quickly. "Oh, sorry about that! Excuse me," the woman said, flashing a warm smile at Tara before moving past her down the aisle. Tara tried not to stare as the attractive stranger walked away.

She looked down at Avana, who had yogurt pretzels smeared across her grinning face, and Tara couldn't help but laugh. "Nothing, baby. Just felt a little...flustered there for a second," she said, wiping Avana's face with a baby wipe.

"Okay, we've got the cereal. What's next on the list?" Tara asked, steering the cart towards the produce section.

As Tara carefully selected tomatoes and avocados, she glanced up and did a double-take - the pretty woman was just a few feet away, inspecting fresh herbs. Tara instantly felt flushed again, and she looked away quickly, pretending to study the avocados.

But the woman seemed to notice Tara's presence this time. She looked over and offered a friendly smile and little wave. Caught staring again, Tara gave an awkward half-wave in return, muttering under her breath, "Be cool, be cool..."

Avana, watching the whole encounter, giggled uncontrollably at her flustered mother. "Shh, you're not helping!" Tara said, though she couldn't help smiling too as she grabbed some basil and quickly navigated the cart in the opposite direction, her cheeks burning.