Page 5 of Shar: A Woman Alone

Once I’ve completed the list and placed the few items backinto the fridge that were worth keeping, I open the freezer, which is a largeupright next to the fridge, and check everything inside, which sadly is notmuch. Some hamburger meat, a few sausages, two large pieces of beef, and a bagof frozen mixed vegetables.

I add to the shopping list. Now I return to making theomelets as I was in the process of doing. Pointing at Cord, who is waiting forthe coffee machine, I look at the ham. “Can you cut that into squares for me,please?”

While Cord is cutting the ham, I grate cheese and then popthe skillet on to warm. It’s not long before I have the omelet ready andplated, and I set to make more. I can’t make many as there are not enoughingredients in the fridge, but I’ll make as many as I can.

I take a small portion from one omelet and eat as I’m makingthe last one, but when I see Lizzie lift her hand to take one, I slap thespatula onto her knuckles. “Not fucking likely,” I snap out.

After I’ve eaten and a few of the brothers wandered in andgrabbed an omelet I had to smile at the groans when there were not enough to goaround, but the ones that grabbed one were making the most of it, giving loudhums, groans and chuckles. I clean up the stove and skillet then point at Josieand Lizzie. “You two clean up after the men, make sure not a dish is out ofplace by the time I get back, and if you don’t, there is going to be hell topay.”

I don’t even wait for a reply. I walk out of the kitchen,shopping list in hand, and head back to my room. I quickly freshen up, brush myhair and throw it into a messy bun, then grab my purse. I place my belt holsteron so it’s sitting next to my spine, then checking my Glock, I slide it intothe holster. Now I’m ready to go shopping.

Entering the rec room, I look around to tell Crack or Cordthat I’m leaving. Zara runs over to me. She is growing into a really beautifulyoung woman. She’s 16 years old now and has dark blonde hair, which is shoulderlength, blue eyes, and freckles across her nose. She is 5’5”, the same as me.

Zara throws her arms around me and laughs. “Hi Shar, it’sgreat to see you and you’re here for a month.” I can’t help but laugh alongwith her as she has such a bubbly personality, which is surprising when youconsider who her mother was, and her father is. “Where are you going?” Zaraasks.

“I’m going into town to find a grocery store, as this placeneeds food for the fridge and freezer. How you’ve not ended up in the hospitalwith food poisoning, I don’t know,” I tell her. I have my arm around hershoulders and drag her along with me. She’s giggling when she tells me threebrothers had food poisoning last month. I stop and look at her, trying to seeif she’s joking or not, and at her nod, I shake my head in disgust.

As we both leave the rec room and head to the main door ofthe clubhouse, Zara grins. “You know we’re not getting out of here without aprospect or a brother tagging along, don’t you?”

I laugh, “Yeah, but they’ve got to catch us first,” and weboth run out the main door and to the SUV. I click on the fob to open and wejump in, laughing harder. Looking around, we don’t see anyone but I know Cordwas supposed to be with me all day, so I grin at Zara. “Cord is supposed to beon Shar watch, so he’ll be along any minute, but let’s see how far we get.”

I switch on the engine and we hightail it out of thecompound, laughing and waving at the prospect on the gate. I keep looking in myrear-view mirror as I drive into town and before we get near the store Zara isdirecting me to, we hear a bike settle in behind us. I grin. “Cord is behindus, so it didn’t take him long.” We both giggle but know he’ll ream us out aboutleaving without him.

Once inside the grocery store, Zara grabs a cart and I takeout the shopping list, and it’s a long one. People are saying hello as we passand again I feel this is a great place to live. Zara is relaxed and telling meabout her choices for a career, but her dad is being pretty negative abouteverything she tells him.

“What does he want you to do with yourself? Has he saidanything?” I’m not a lover of Gunner and as yet I’ve not met him since I gothere, but there is plenty of time.

“He thinks I should have a business, so I’ll have somethingthat will grow and develop. On the one hand, he says that, but then he tells meI’m too young yet to be thinking of a career. He can be so frustrating attimes,” Zara says with a big sigh.

“Didn’t you want to write at one time? That could become abig business.” I stop and look at her as she rolls her eyes.

“I did, but my ideas dried up so I’m not sure if it was awhim, or I’m suffering from ‘writer’s block’ already!” She laughs, and it’sgood to see her happy and chilled.

“I’ve been thinking about something that would involvemeeting people and that wouldn’t necessarily be a Groundhog

Day of the same thing. I’m swaying towards becoming a hairstylist. It will takea lot of training and studying to get the qualifications.” She looks at methoughtfully before asking, “Would you check up on the local area for salonsand see what there is? I’ve done a bit of research, but I’d like a secondopinion to see if I’m right. I think the town could do with a quality salonwith a wider range of services.”

I give her a grin and think to myself,‘Girl, it soundslike your research is pretty thorough already.’

“I’ll let you know in a couple of days what I think. How'sthat?”

“Thanks, Shar. That would be great.”

As we are talking and walking up and down the aisles I’mplacing everything on the list into the cart, but it’s about overflowing andI’ve not hit the meat counter as yet. Cord is looking at the cart, then looksat me. I shrug my shoulders and turn to Zara. “Can you get another cart,please? I’ll push this one and you have the one you fetch. We’re not done yet.We’ve the meat counter and the bakery to go to before we call it done.”

“Did we need all this, Shar?” Cord asks, and I grin. “Well,you do if you ever want to eat anything worth having,” I reply and look aroundwhile waiting for Zara to come back.

A young woman walks up, which I think is supposed to lookappealing, but it’s far from it. Looking at Cord out of the corner of my eye, Isee the moment he notices her coming towards us as his body language stiffens,and I see his jaw clench.

“Hi, Cord,” she says down her nose, and I wonder if it’sbeen busted at some time.

“Hi, Clarice,” Cord answers, but that’s all he does. I can’thelp the little giggle that pops out of my mouth. Cord, I note, is trying notto laugh at my giggle, but Clarice is not so impressed.

“What are you laughing at, bitch?” She asks, and I look herup and down, then respond. “Well, not much, and has someone already busted yournose, as you have a horrid nasally voice.”

Before she can say more, I hear, “What do you want Clarice?Gonna give one of the brothers another STD?” Not knowing what the relationshipis with these three, I manage to keep quiet until Clarice snarls and stepstoward Zara. I’m well ready.

“Back the fuck up, bitch,” I state in the hardest tone Ihave, but I keep my voice low so I don’t attract attention. “You come over tous dressed in your Daisy Dukes that are up the crack of your ass, t-shirtthat’s so thin everybody can see your nipples, and you're gonna have a go atus? Get real and get the fuck away from us before I make sure you can’t walkaway without crutches.”

---