SHARON


    "Mrs Aiden!" I let out a sigh before I turned to the next person that recognized me.


    "Hi," I smiled back energetically, attempting to match her enthusiasm, even though I had no idea who she was.


    "I''m so excited to see you," she said after she introduced herself.


    The perfect response would have been, "Yes, I can see that. It''s written all over your face," but instead I widened my smile, "Me either. How''re you?"


    She told me how fine she was, how I inspire her and h h h.


    I know they aren''t excited to see me. They were just excited to connect with me on a personal level.


    I''ve perfectly bnced being friendly and aloof so they stick to the general question but this one was bold.


    She nced down at my stomach a couple of times as she spoke. Then after we exchanged numbers, she asked, "How far along are you?"


    When Aiden had suddenly announced that we''d attend Amie''s party just after he told me, all grins, that Amie had recovered, I had mentally prepared myself for the stares and questions. Yet, when this woman, with eyes that looked like she could read my every thought, asked the question I knew I''d get, my heart skipped a bit and I was rendered speechless for the longest second of my life.


    My lips slowly curled into a smile. "Four months," I said as I affectionately rubbed my stomach.


    "Congrattions, Mrs Aiden," the woman''s congrattions shed with another.


    We both turned back to see a couple of women walk toward us.


    "Thank you, thank you so much," I forced a smile as I struggled to remain calm and not make an excuse to leave.


    I regretted not leaving when a few minutester, the group of three women wishing me congrattions and a safe delivery in advance, became about half a dozen of women telling stories of pregnancy perks with their husbands and the pain that apanied each trimester.


    "Speaking of faking orgasms," one of the women said, referring to thement that one of them just made about how hard it was to reach orgasms during pregnancy.


    "I once had a colleague," thedy began and I could already tell that I would not like what she''d say.


    "She''s resigned now. Apart from being colleagues, we weren''t really friends, more like acquaintances, so I don''t know the inside story..." the other women nodded while I just itched to tell her to shut up. "Would you guys believe that she faked a pregnancy?"


    They all gasped, wide eyed.


    I knew it! I knew I''d hate the words she''d spew. I felt an errant sweat roll down my temples. Thank goodness I left my hair down.


    "I mean of all things to fake," she continued incredulously, "a pregnancy? What moved her to such desperation? Well, it all went against her when her husband found out and dumped her." "Serves her right!" Blurted one of them.


    I gaped at her. She didn''t even bother to know why she did it.


    "God, I felt really bad for the man. He was such a nice man. He had grown so attached to the non existent child that it broke him when he found out."


    I wanted to ask her how she knew


    these other details when she imed thedy whose story was being told was just a colleague and an acquaintance, but I was too uneasy to even remain there


    sw novel


    They were still engrossed in their gossip when I excused myself and left their midst.


    By the time I got to the restroom that I had visited earlier to ensure that I still looked truly pregnant, my whole face was coated with perspiration and my hands were shaking.


    I pressed my back to the door. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I stayed like that for a while until I was calm.


    Then I walked to the mirror and stared back at my reflection. "What do we do?" I inquired. What do I do when it''s time to give birth? I needed to think fast and act fast.


    And even before then, what if Aiden finds out about the truth? Would he leave? He probably would.


    I suddenly wondered how that


    woman''s colleague had gotten caught. I should have asked before ran off. I could know how she caught, I could prevent whatever


    signs she might have shown


    wasAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    I finally left the restroom, drumming it to my ear that I had to think of something before it would be time for my fake delivery. When I returned to the room, it felt as if everyone knew my secret and every nce my way got my heart skipping a beat.


    I went to the kitchen to get myself cold water. There, I saw a kid digging into the cake the kids had been given.


    After I downed a ss of cold water, I felt the hair on my nape stand. I turned around and found the kid staring at my stomach. Without thinking, I scowled at him, "What are you looking at?"


    Immediately, he scurried off.


    Just then, Anastasia walked in. She had a frown on her face when as she nced back at the doorway she just walked through, muttering, "Why did he run out like that?"


    Her eyes lit up when theynded on me. "Oh hey, Sharon," she called, her gaze fell briefly to my stomach before she walked up to me.


    I felt the urge to put the fridge between us. "Hi, Anastasia. Congrattions once again."


    "Thank you. Thank you for attending," she smiled and said kindly.


    "Oh, it''s nothing. I waved my hands in the air. "By the way, I got some gifts for little Amie," I said as I reached into my bag.


    "Oh Sharon, that''s so kind of you," she said as I handed her the gifts I wrapped in the car just to busy my roaming mind. "I''m sure she''ll love them."