Please note: The Unexpected Has Arrived! is the sequel to That Was Unexpected!
CHAPTER 1
As Taylor pulled up at the library, Samantha waved at me eagerly as she came to a stop with Bridget in the pram in front of her. I smiled and waved back at her before turning back to Tay. He'd been stressed lately, seeing as his mid-year university examinations were coming up in the next few weeks.
As soon as the car had come to a stop, I got out of the car, just as Tay did. He went to the boot of the car and began manoeuvring the pram out. Meanwhile, I opened the back door of the passenger-side of the car, and began to unbuckle Tahlia from her seat.
"Mummy, are we reading today?" she asked as I unbuckled her seat belts. Her English speaking wasn't clear, but it was as a toddler's would be at such an age.
"We sure are sweetie," I replied, smiling as she smiled at my answer. We weren't reading novels or anything - I mean, she's only two years old - but she enjoyed when I read the picture books to her. Tahlia would point to various pictures as I read the story out, and she even recognises the spellings of a few simple nouns.
I lifted her out of her seat and rested her on my left hip as I walked to the back of the car where Tay had the pram assembled already. As he closed the lid to the boot, he smiled and reached out for Tahlia. She eagerly reached out for her daddy as I gave her to him.
He smiled hugely at her, which made her giggle in return, seeing just how stupid his face looked. Her sweet, childlike laugh rang through my ears as I retrieved the nappy bag from the back of the car and flung it over my shoulder.
I walked to the back of the pram as Tay walked to the front. As he placed Tahlia into her pram and buckled the safety belts, I put the bag I was carrying into the tray basket beneath.
"Okay, sweet pea," Tay said to Tahlia, catching her nose between his fingers, "Daddy will see you later." He bent down and kissed her forehead.
As he stood up again, he grinned at me greatly. I smiled back as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me tight against his chest. He didn't even give me time to catch my breath as his mouth came down on mine. In the mornings, he kept it light, so he only pecked my lips repetitively.
After several of these, he pulled back and whispered, "I'll see you later." He squeezed me tightly.
I squeezed him back before pulling away, being the responsible mother I am. I gave him one last peck before wishing him, "Good luck."
"Thanks," he breathed, sounding hopeless. It may have been because of his studies, or for some reason his cousin that was coming to stay at his place. Tay had said that he and his cousin Sean were the best of friends, but for some reason, he was dreading his stay.
I wasn't having that. I placed my hands on either side of his face to make me in control. "Relax." He took a deep breath before releasing it.
He didn't answer. Instead, he pecked me one last time before pulling right away. "I love you," he called as he walked back to the car.
I sighed, and stood behind the pram, pushing it to where Samantha was still waiting. "Wave bye to Daddy, Tahlia," I said as I turned her around so she could see Tay pulling out of the parking space. She waved vigorously, and Tay returned it with a huge grin and a wave, before blowing her a kiss behind the shut window of the car.
As soon as he was out of sight, I continued the path to meet Samantha.
"Hey, Nassy!" she rejoiced, putting the brakes on Bridget's pram and giving me a light hug.
"Hi, Sam," I replied as I squeezed her in return.
Samantha and her two-year-old daughter, Bridget, were part of the parent's club I'd joined at the beginning of the year. I'd joined, seeing as I was always bored at home after Taylor had began his university studies. Samantha was in her mid-twenties, but she didn't seem to care that I was only eighteen years old with a two-year-old daughter. And a fiancée! She seemed to enjoy my company, as I enjoyed hers. It was a bonus that Sam's Bridget and my Tahlia had become such good friends also. Bridget and Tahlia were actually the same age, Bridget only a few days older. Between us, Sam and I had worked out that we were actually in the same hospital ward at the time when I delivered.
"Hello Tahlia," Sam greeted her, waving.
Tahlia replied with another wave.
We continued to the library, keeping light conversation as we slumped through the wet path. Being the end of June, it was becoming colder and colder each day, and the rain seemed to get heavier by the hour. Luckily this morning, the rain was taking a short break, but I could see that that could stop at any second.
We headed through the double-doors of North Geelong library, and were greeted by warmth and friendly smiles from the rest of the parent's club. Rachel was getting her son Chris out of the pram, Yvonne was looking as stressed as always with her twins William and Peter, and Mark - the only father within the group - was playing a childish game with his daughter Kelsey.
It was a rule insisted by the library that we leave our prams in the foyer before continuing into the main part of the library. Sam and I walked over to the far wall before parking the prams and unbuckling our children.
I lifted Tahlia out, and when I placed her on my hip, she began to protest. "Mummy! I want to walk with Bridget!" I gave her a stern look, and she knew what it meant. "Please, Mummy. I want to walk with Bridget."
I wasn't one to tolerate bad manners, and so I'd always been strong on enforcing Tahlia to learn her manners as soon as she was talking. She was usually very good with saying please, but sometimes her mind would race off ahead.
"That's better, Tahlia." I gave her a light kiss on the cheek before setting her down on the ground. She skipped lightly over to Bridget, her blonde hair bouncing around in the high pigtails it was styled in.
Over the past couple of years, I'd seen Tahlia take on looks which were that of Chad McMurray. It was undeniable the amount she looked like Chad. Although, Dad and Dallas continually tried to persuade me that I had blonde hair when I was young, and that slowly it turned to the red-brown colour that it is today. Some days, it was so hard to look at her and not see Chad, but he vanishes from her as soon as Tay walks in the room. So, right now, here in the public library where Tay is not present, I can see too much of Chad within Tahlia. I feel my chest tightening, but put on a brave face and continue with the rest of the day.
* * *
When the clock reaches twelve noon, Tahlia, Sam, Bridget and I leave the library and head to a nearby café for lunch. Bridget and Tahlia are sitting in their prams as Sam and I push them along the sidewalk. Both children are evidently starving.
"Muuum!" Bridget whined, her bronze hair blowing in the wind, "I'm hungwy!"
Sam groaned. "Yes, Bridget. We're almost there."
She rolled her eyes, and I giggled lightly in response. In return, she smiled back. Ah, the simple troubles of being a mother, I thought. I enjoyed these troubles though, they were much better than the things I'd been dealing with a few years ago. Motherhood had matured me for the better. The much, much better.
"Just wait until they're teens, Sam," I said as we crossed another road.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Sam shudder. "Ugh, don't think about that for another... twelve years or something."
"Deal," I laughed. Sam was such an easy-going, fun-loving person. I absolutely loved her friendship. It was something that I cherished greatly.
Friendship.
Something I'd lost from Ava, Simone, Bella and especially Kayleigh.
Family.
Something I'd lost from Mum, Donald and Caylus.
Love.
Something I'd lost from Chad.
Friendship.
Something I'd found within Courtney, Sophie, Hayley, Josh, Zac and Sam.
Family.
Something I'd found within Dad, Becky, Dallas, Ellie, Indie, Nettie, and of course, Tahlia.
Love.
Something I'd found within Taylor.
Sam and I walked into the café and led the way to a free table at the back of the room. As we sat down, the girls only screamed for food louder.
"Mummy," Tahlia began to whine. She looked at me with pleading eyes, which were watering from exhaustion.
"Yes, Tahlia, I'm getting your lunch right now," I said as I stood up from my chair. I put the brakes on her pram and headed over to the counter whilst Sam watched the girls.
Sam and I would alternate day to day as to who bought the food. One day, I would by the kids' cup of hot chips whilst she bought the coffees. It worked out pretty well, and that way, someone would always be watching the girls.
The café wasn't very busy, so I only had to wait behind one other person in line. As I stepped up to the counter when my turn came, the salesman greeted me, "Hi. The usual?"
I couldn't help but laugh. Although this was the first time anyone had said it, I knew it would have to happen sometime. "Yeah, two cups of hot chips. One with tomato sauce." I shook my head at the way I'd ordered the exact same thing that the girls always had.
"What's so funny?" he asked, smiling. He obviously knew what was so funny.
"Do we really come here so often?" I asked, directing back to Sam, who was soothing a crying Bridget.
"Yeah, pretty much," he grinned as he turned away to fetch the chips.
I shook my head.
He placed the two cups - Bridget's with tomato sauce - on the top of the counter. He collected two napkins and placed them beside each cup. "That comes to- "
"Four dollars sixty?" I cut him off.
He smiled and nodded. I handed him the money with my right hand. The same hand which held my charm bracelet upon it. It was fairly full now. Ellie, Indie and Nettie had each put on their own charms they bought for me, and Sam had put two on there. One was for friendship, and then the other was for the coincidence that we delivered in the same hospital, at about the same time.
I was handed back my change, and I placed it in my purse. I put my purse back in my bag and flung it over my shoulder again. I reached up with both hands to collect the cups of chips. The salesman's eyes locked on my left hand, and I saw his jaw drop in some sort of disappointment.
"You're married?" he asked, whether shocked or annoyed, I wasn't sure.
"Engaged," I corrected. "The wedding's not for another few months yet."
"So I've still got a small chance," he whispered, winking at me.
Suddenly, this funny, free-spirited guy had turned into a creep. I glared at him in disgust, and turned swiftly around to the starving children - as Sam and I often referred to them.
I placed the food on the table and sat down. "Sam, that guy at the counter," I pointed to the daft man who was not serving another customer, "is the most disrespectful jerk on the planet!" I rolled my eyes at his behaviour, and gave Tahlia her lunch.
"Really? Why do you say that?" she asked, totally engrossed in this topic of discussion. She pinched a chip from Bridget's food serving before handing her the tub.
"Well, he asked if I was married because he saw my ring," I held my left hand up to her and showed her the silver ring Tay had given me on that very memorable Valentine's Day, "and then when I told him I was engaged, he said that he had a small chance!" I made a disgusted noise in my throat and held my head within my hands, frustrated.
"Ha!" she snorted. "Stupid bastard."
"I know," I muttered. "Ugh," I shivered.
Sam laughed before attending to Bridget who had sauce dripping down all her clothes. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tahlia's cup of chips go flying. In a quick reflex reaction, I managed to catch it with my left hand, but half of the food fell out.
"Tahlia!" I scolded. "What was that for?"
"Not hungwy," she mumbled.
I clenched my teeth and bent down to pick up the chips that had fallen on the ground. I wrapped them in the napkin and placed it on the table. I then took a chip in my mouth before unbuckling my misbehaving daughter from her pram.
I sat her in a position on my lap which was halfway between sitting and lying down before reaching for her juice cup from the pram. I brushed some of the chip salt from her face before offering her the apple juice. She took it eagerly and began drinking deeply.
I looked over to Sam, and found that she was walking back to the table with two coffees. When did she leave?
"Thanks, Sam," I said as she put a mug on the table in front of me.
"Yeah, no problem, Nas," she replied as she sat down. She looked to Tahlia. "Tired and cranky already, eh?"
"Yes," I half groaned. I watched as Tahlia's eyes began to flutter and her mouth began to weaken against the sippy-cup. I took the cup away and wiped the excess from her mouth. I found her dummy and put it in her mouth before she could start screaming for it.
I noticed Sam take Bridget out of her pram and begin to ease her into sleep. I brought Tahlia closer to my chest and gently swayed my arms back and forth in a soothing manner. Soon, her eyes closed for the last time and she was snoozing. I gave her a light kiss on the forehead before turning back to Sam.
Bridget was not sleeping. She was screaming and screaming as Sam searched for her dummy. I smiled at the scene in front of me before taking a sip of the warm cappuccino. I couldn't help but notice the milk froth had a heart pattern across it in chocolate powder. I diverted my eyes to the salesman who was looking at me with a devilish grin. He winked at me before going into the back room.
Great, I thought, another arsehole to deal with.