Trophy

Chapter 3

Beth's hands were shaking as she reached out to steady them on the handle of her buggy, giving it a gentle push as she walked away.

She didn't give a second thought to the bag of apples she had dropped, leaving them to lie on the floor where they had fallen.

She just couldn't believe what she had overheard.

It shocked her, how could it not when she had never been the subject of town gossip?

Did everyone think that that would be the only reason for Shane to marry her?

She made her way through the store to the checkout line on autopilot.


"Lori, are you crazy?" Andrea asked as Lori sat down at the counter. "You can't go around telling everyone she's pregnant."

"Andrea, I didn't come over here for you to tell me what I can and can't do. And I didn't tell everyone. I only told Julie, Sandra, and Olivia," Lori shrugged. "It's not my fault or problem if they told someone else."

Andrea sighed, shook her head and said, "I don't like her any more than you do but we don't even know if it's true or not. Yes, I know, we both saw the way they looked at each other but they didn't tell us if it's true or not."

"I'm sure it is. Why else would Shane want to marry her? She's not exactly his type."

"She has a pulse and she's a woman. That's all it takes for her to be his type," Andrea said.


Beth was sitting at the kitchen table, head in her hands, when Shane walked in the front door.

She didn't want him to see her falling apart like this over town gossip but she just couldn't make herself stop shaking and crying.

She groaned as she heard him calling her name.

"In the kitchen," she called out as she sat up and wiped her eyes, hoping her makeup hadn't smeared.

He rushed over to her and knelt down on the floor beside her.

She scoffed. "I take it you've heard. Apparently the whole town thinks the only reason you're marryin' me or would marry me is because I'm pregnant."

"Beth, baby," he said softly, taking her hands in his. "We both know that's not true. I love you. That's why I'm marryin' you. It wouldn't matter to me if you were pregnant or not. Don't get upset about somethin' we both know isn't true."

Beth choked back a sob and tears slipped down her cheeks. "Who would think that? Why would someone start a rumor like that?"

"I don't know, baby" he whispered as he stood and pulled her up with him, hugging her tightly to him. "Don't worry about it though. I'll find out who did this and put an end to it." He pulled away from her and cupped her face in his hands. "I can't wait to have kids with you but don't let everyone get you down over somethin' that isn't true. When it happens, they'll damn sure know it."

Beth clasped her hands around his wrists and tried her best to smile. "You mean, if it ever happens."

He brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away the tears that had fallen.

As he leaned in to kiss her, she gasped.

"Oh my God, Shane! What if Mama and Daddy have heard the rumors?" She shook her head. "Surely they won't believe them but what if they do?"


"I'm tellin' you, Bethie, Mama and Daddy have probably heard the rumors. I'm sure that's the reason they asked you and Shane to come over tomorrow," Maggie said as she gently rubbed her hand on Beth's back.

Beth had her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands, her blonde hair hiding her face.

"Did they seem upset when they called you?" Maggie asked.

"No," Beth mumbled and shook her head.

Maggie put her hands on Beth's shoulders and pulled her upright.

"Look at me, Bethie," she said, grasping Beth's chin and turning her head to look at her. "Is there any truth to the rumors? Are you pregnant?"

"Of course I'm not, Maggie."

"Then why the hell are you worried?"

"Because someone started this rumor!" Beth almost shouted as she jumped up from the couch. "How would you feel if someone was spreadin' rumors about you?"

"Beth, there were always rumors about me when I was in high school. In case you've forgotten, I was a bit...well I was more than a bit rebellious but I never let it get to me because I knew what was true and what wasn't."

"But it's different for you," Beth whined as she sat back down. "I've never put myself out there like you have. I'm just scared that Mama and Daddy are goin' to think less of me simply because they chose to believe something that isn't true."


Shane was leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up on the desk and pinching the bridge of his nose when she walked in.

He could hear the whispers as she walked by and right up to his desk.

"We need to talk," she said.

He groaned and glanced over at Rick's desk, hoping his friend and partner could save him but he wasn't there.

"What do you want, Lori?"

"We need to talk about this girl you're with and our daughter. Apparently, Beth has taken it upon herself to go ahead and sign Judy up for ballet classes without my consent and since she's your new little toy, you need to put a stop to it. Did you even know about it?"

Shane removed his feet from his desk and stood up, looking Lori in the eye as he leaned over his desk.

"Yes, Lori, I knew about it. She may not have had your consent but she had mine and that's all that was needed. And as for puttin' a stop to it, I'm not doin' that. The classes she signed Judy up for are on my days, not yours and you can't tell me what I can and can't do with our daughter. If she wants to go to ballet classes, you can bet your ass I'm goin' to let her."

Lori scoffed. "Hmm, the classes are only on your days?"

"Yes. Since I can't always have those days off."

"That explains it then," Lori ground out, her jaw clenching tight and a vein in her neck popping out. "You want to get rid of her on your days. You don't want her around because your precious whore is pregnant. What are you going to do when that baby is born and you get bored of it and Beth? You will be left with nothing but an empty house because you chose that bitch over your own daughter."

"Get the fuck out of here," Shane yelled, pointing his finger at Lori. "Now!"

Before she turned to leave she glared at Shane and then over to Rick who was now standing beside him and shook her head in disgust. "You're both pathetic."

"I think we need to call our lawyer," Rick said once Lori had walked out the door.

"Yeah," Shane agreed as he took notice of everyone in the station watching them. "and we need to do it quick."


A/N: I'm fully aware this story may be considered "Lori Bashing" but that's not entirely my intent. In the next chapter we'll find out what the Greene's think and meet Shane and Rick's lawyer. Who do you think it is?

Please tell me what you think of this chapter.

-A