Chapter Seventeen

Barging into the hospital with her mother and sister in tow was not the best option. Sharlene realized far too late. Her mother was like a raging dog breathing down the nervous receptionist's neck. Her demanding sister, who was questioning an innocently bypassing doctor, resembled an angry Goose. The poor guy was drowning in her saliva. Sharlene wanted the floor to swallow her whole from the embarrassment.

Every patient occupying the room gazed and whispered about them, their eyes piercing her skull. That made her wish the building would bury her alive instead.

Her anger from earlier had dissipated and deflated like a balloon. Her cheeks turning pink, she stood like a statue next to her mother. Not a sound came from her mouth, even when her maddeningly angry mother had inquired her input.

Every emotion spoke through her eyes, and if looks could kill, Clarice and Helena would be six feet buried under the ground by Sharlene's stare.

Trying to grab her mother's attention by tapping on her shoulder, Sharlene groaned when the stubborn woman ignored her by shaking off her hands. She was too busy questioning the nervously shaking receptionist.

Witnessing that the security guards were heading their way, Sharlene finally spoke, her voice stern.

"Mom, let us leave before we further embarrass ourselves."

Watching the security guards asking her sister to leave the premises, Sharlene grabbed her mother's hand and roughly pulled her towards the hospital opened doors.

Soon, her sister followed behind them by being pushed or somewhat carried out by the security guards.

"Hey, do not you see I am trying to rectify something here?!"

Clarice's screams were loud.

"We do not care. Please do not disturb the other patients here."

One security guard muttered, his warning glare piercing all of them to the ground, but Helena was not intimidated.

"How rude of you, sir! My daughter is in a dire situation because of this hospital! Who cares about disturbing a few stuck up people! We need answers, not an insult like this!"

Lifting her nose into the air and puffing out her chest, Helena was livid.

Ignoring her, the security guards folded their arms on their chests.

"Please leave the premises, ladies."

Scoffing, Clarice walked to stand in front of her mother. With narrowed eyes, she sized up the guard as if he was poo on her shoe. She was tiny, barely reaching 5 ft. 4, but Clarice was not a pushover.

"We can get you fired for this disrespect!"

Groaning, Sharlene hid her head in her arms when people passing on the sidewalks were sparing them glances.

She whined.

"Mom, Clair, let us go home. I can come back by myself on Monday."

Sending a glare that read: you-better-shut-up-because-we-are-fixing-things-today in her direction, Helena huffed before turning back to face the men.

Sighing while massaging the side of her head, Sharlene internally groaned.

'Why did I agree to this?'

Her mother and sister created a scene when they began to argue with the stoic man.

If only she could turn into a puddle, Sharlene would be happy.

As the scene commenced in front of the newly opened hospital, an SUV with tinted windows suddenly drove and parked a short distance away from her. Passing a hand through her hair, Sharlene was about to walk over to try ending the useless argument when a woman's excited shout pierced the air.

"HELENA!"

The loud shutting of a vehicle door captured Sharlene's attention. Turning around, she spotted an expensively dressed woman running as much as she could in her heels towards her mother and sister.

Again, the woman shrieked with excitement.

"Helena! Is that you?!"

The arguing quickly stopped when Helena turned around to witness her long-time friend, who she had not seen in person for years running towards her.

Tears pricked her eyes.

"Evelyn?! Oh, my god!"

Running to envelope her in a tight hug, the two women ignored their apparent audience as they basked in each other's presence. With tears in their eyes, they rattled on and on about how long they had not seen each other. How each of them had been and how they dearly missed seeing each other in person.

Clarice and Sharlene only looked on the sidelines with curiosity as well as confusion. Suddenly, Evelyn turned in their direction, and pulling willing Helena by the arm, they both came to stand in front of them.

"Are these your daughters?"

Innocently, she inquired as she lovingly gazed at the beautiful girls standing in front of her.

Evelyn's heart burst with love.

"Yes."

With a smile on her face, Helena proudly introduced her girls.

Pointing in Clarice's direction, she glanced at Evelyn.

"This is Clarice, my eldest."

Averting her eyes to stare at Sharlene with a lovely smile, Helena quickly introduced her.

"And this is Sharlene. I also have a son. He is the youngest. His name is AJ."

Clapping her hands with an excited squeal, which caused both girls to wince since she was practically in their ears, Evelyn gushed.

"Oh my Helena, you have such lovely girls! Beautiful just like their mama!"

Her statement caused both girls to blush.

Her Texas accent became heavy as she further spoke.

"It is so nice to meet you, dearies. My name is Evelyn Ross, but you can call me Eve or Lyn. Whichever you choose does not matter to me."

With a fleeting glance in Clarice's direction with a brief handshake, she returned her attention to Sharlene, with who she shared another handshake.

"It is nice to meet you, Eve."

Clarice and Sharlene spoke in sync as they watched the woman whisper something into her mother's ears that brought a smile to her face.

Examing the woman in front of her, Sharlene detected she was rich. Very rich.

Beautiful despite her age, Evelyn Ross appeared to be a bubbly, energetic, and funny individual, her rambling bringing such qualities to light. She resembled her in a certain way, and that was refreshing.

So deep in thought, Sharlene almost missed the conversation occurring between Clarice, Helena, and Evelyn.

"Do you have children?"

Clarice had asked, and the already twinkling eyes of Evelyn shone brighter.

"Yes, I do. I gave birth to three children. But if I were to tell you about them, I am sure the sun would have set with us standing in the same place."

Turning in her direction, Evelyn was curious.

"So, please tell me, Helena. Why were you arguing with the security guards? You sounded as how you always do when you are serious about something. Did something bad happen?"

Glancing in Sharlene's direction, Helena sighed.

"It seemed the hospital made a mistake in the examination given to Sharlene."

Glancing at Sharlene, Evelyn frowned.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Placing a hand behind her ears, Sharlene sighed.

"Well, it is a long story, but to make it short, I got pregnant from an insemination examination. It was supposed to be a Pap Smear examination, but something happened. The doctor's assistant told me that my information was confused with another patient's."

Blocking a hand in front of her lips, Evelyn was genuinely apologetic.

"Oh, my word. How daft! Then why are you standing out here when the problem is not solved?"

Sheepishly, her mother rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well, I was a bit pushy."

Smiling, Evelyn shrugged her shoulders.

"You never change, Hels."

Using her sweet nickname, Evelyn inquired her head toward the hospital.

"Let us go back in and be civilized then."

Sharing a glance with her daughters, Helena nodded.