Chapter Thirteen

Spending more time Downtown, Colorado Springs because she rarely came to these parts because of the price range, she drove to Loyal Coffee to order one of their excellent brews and then to the nearest park where she spent a quiet afternoon. By the time she returned home, it had just turned five o'clock.

"How was it?"

Her mother questioned as soon as she walked into the living room. The matriarch was sorting out some papers on the coffee with her reading glasses. She detected it was pictures and information from the internet about redesigning the kitchen.

She smiled.

Dropping her bag on the ground near the sofa, she sank into the empty seat near her mother.

"It went okay, I guess."

Glancing down on the coffee table, she pointed to a beautiful picture amongst the others.

"This one looks good."

"You think so?"

Mumbling, her mother picked it up for closer inspection but then sighed. There were far too many to make a proper choice. She removed her glasses from her face and placed them on top of the papers. Turning her undivided attention on Sharlene, she frowned.

"Why? Did something happen?"

Snuggling close to her mother, Sharlene fervently expressed.

"Yes. I had an unfortunate meeting with a rich girl thrice today that kind of spoiled my mood."

Helena always knew Sharlene encountered the most horrid of people. Her boss a perfect example.

"That must have been unbearable. Did you two fight? I know you are not one to ignore people's insults, except your boss, that is. I am surprised you still work for that woman."

Nodding, she yawned.

"Don't rub it in, mom. You know I love designing jewelry."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. That is why you endure my boss' attitude. But you did not answer my question."

Rubbing behind her head, Sharlene nervously chuckled.

"If you consider barking at each other like chickens in a crowded hallway fighting, well, we did. The girl said, 'I don't like you,' and I said, 'the feelings mutual."

"But that was the first time meeting her. Why did she say that?"

Shrugging, Sharlene rolled her eyes.

"She's maybe a spoiled Princess."

Kissing her head with a chuckle, Helena gazed at her daughter with a beautiful smile.

"That's quite unfortunate, and chickens do not bark."

"Well, she did. By the way, where's AJ?"

"He is probably playing games in his room or sleeping the rest of his day off."

A laid back response, Helena returned to her papers.

Chuckling, Sharlene buried her head deeper in her mother's shoulders.

"You overworked him today, didn't you?"

"What can I say? He was wrong to get detention for ten days. The least he can do is help me around the house during his short holiday."

Nodding her head, Sharlene closed her eyes.

"You better don't fall asleep on me, Shar. I am not as strong as I used to be."

"I make no such promise."

Murmuring, Sharlene became drossy, and with the lulling of her mother's heartbeat, the shuffling noise of the papers, and the warmth, she eventually fell asleep.

A week later, and Sharlene's life was ecstatic. With her sister visiting with her husband and their beautiful three-year-old daughter from Toronto for a month's vacation, she was happy.

From the moment she woke up, she was feeling insanely energetic. Also, her sweet tooth had expanded, and she was eating more chocolate and sweet biscuits, much to her mother's dislike every morning before work. It replaced coffee and was her drive for late overnight stays in the office, that had become constant. The big event was taking an overworking toll on everyone in the department.

Racing down the stairs, she opened the front door even before her sister rang the doorbell.

"Hiya! I missed you so much!"

With a big smile splitting her face in half, Sharlene engulfed her stunned sister in a tight bear hug.

"Oh, my Shar. You're quite energetic today."

Clarice Cosby spoke with a small chuckle, her eyebrows raising, for although Sharlene was bubbly, she was unusually too giddy as if she was high on sweets.

"Yep. It's all because of consuming too much sugar for the week. I am surprised Sharlene is not fat yet. Wait until you listen to the plan she made for the future, sis. I thought an alien abducted her when she was skipping through the house like a light bulb."

AJ inputted as he pushed Sharlene aside to envelop Clarice into a bear hug.

"It's good to see you, sis."

Chuckling, Clarice returned his hug.

"I heard you got detention."

Sheepishly, AJ shrugged while dismissing Clarice's statement to greet Tristan Cosby, who was enjoying the show with happily bouncing Lily in his arms.

"Oh, my precious Lily!"

Sharlene exclaimed after a soft peck on Tristan's cheek and gathered the laughing child in her arms. Forgetting her other guests, she rushed inside the house with the giggling child who had missed her aunt dearly.

"How's it going, Tristan? Sorry about Shar. She can get crazy sometimes."

Tristan laughed.

"It is okay. We wanted to tell you guys that something came up, and Clarice and I will not be able to stay for the first two weeks, but we will be there for the other two."

"Aw man, Shar will be disappointed."

Clarice sighed. She felt dejected.

"It was sudden. Can you guys take care of Lily for us until then?"

"Of course, sis."

Smiling, AJ nodded.

Soon Helena came skipping with a bouncing Lily in her arms towards the trio.

"Clarice! Oh, I missed you so much."

Passing Lily towards AJ, Helena pulled Clarice into a tight hug.

"Hey, mom. How have you been doing?"

"I am fine. But why are not you coming inside? Tristan?"

Tristan passed a hand through his hair. He did not like disappointing his mother in law, but their jobs were important.

"I am sorry, ma. As we were telling AJ, something at work came up. We will not be here for the first two weeks, but we will for the next.

Clicking her tongue, Helena nodded with understanding.

"I am guessing Lily will stay with us till then."

"Yes, mom."

Clarice answered after bestowing a kiss on her cheek, then on Lily's forehead.

"We love you all. Bye."

Waving as the couple left the front door, entered their vehicle, and drove away, AJ and Helena entered the house with a soft bang of the door behind them. Lily was never a crier when her parent's were absent. The child was unbothered and calm by the circumstance.

"Let us bring you to your aunt."

Clapping her hands, when she heard AJ speak about Sharlene, Lily squealed with happiness.

"Aunt Shar! Aunt Shar!"

Upon entering the room, they saw Sharlene leaning against the counter. She was finishing up her to-do list for the future.

"Have you finished it?"

A teasing question, AJ walked over to place Lily into her awaiting arms.

"Yes, I have."

Passing her nose on hers, she playfully murmured.

"How is my little munchkin?"

Bright eyes, Lily giggled as she grabbed Sharlene's cheek in her hands.

Helena sighed.

"Why did you put your sister up to this, AJ?"

Scoffing, AJ sat down on one of the table chairs.

"She is the one who put herself up to this, mom."

Shaking her head, Helena resumed making breakfast while Lily and Sharlene were engaged in a lovely conversation. Soon, AJ drew closer, and with a smile, he inquired of her to-do list.

"So, what is it all about?"

Kissing Lily on the forehead, she changed her undivided attention on AJ. "Okay. When I am 25, I should already be the manager of my workplace. A successful entrepreneur."

"I find that hard to believe."

AJ snickered, and Helena hid a smile.

Ignoring him, Sharlene continued.

"When I turn 26, my ideal husband should match my pedigree. At 27, we should already be married."

Scoffing, AJ shook his head.

"Is there something you would like to say, AJ?"

"No, no, please continue."

Huffing, Sharlene did just so.

"When I turn 28, my first child should be born, and by the time I turn 36, my life would have meaning and all my goals accomplished."

The laughter he was holding in until reached its end. AJ began to laugh until he could not breathe, and tears blinded his vision. Helena was the one who rushed over with a glass of water to tamper down his erratic glee. She scolded soon after she handed him the glass.

"Stop laughing at your sister, AJ."

Sharlene was pissed, her eyes piercing through his head.

"My life goal was funny, wasn't it?"

Able to breathe after gulping down the water in one go, AJ smirked.

"Very."

Scoffing, she left the room with bouncing Lily in her arms.

"You made her angry, J."

Helena remarked with a disapproved sigh.

"Don't I always, mom? My sister's head is always in the clouds, so I should be the one to pull her back down by her feet."

Shaking her head, Helena grabbed the empty glass from his hands. Returning to the counter, she began to share their breakfast.

"Now you should go call her to come back down for breakfast."

Smirking, AJ rushed out of the room.

"Don't make her angrier!"

Shouting, Helena smiled to herself.