STIGMA

The LaGuardia Airport was bustling with people and luggage. People shouting, in happiness and anger. The wheels of the luggage and trolleys rolling could be heard, adding to the cacophony. All of which made Sharon Ashwood's head ache even more. With it being three in the afternoon, there was even more people, arriving and leaving.

Having just gotten off a connecting flight from Atlanta, she was exhausted and yearned to get off her feet for the next twenty-four hours. But first, she had to find her family. Standing on her toes, she tried to find the familiar faces of her sister, Amelia Ashwood Garnet, or her brother-in-law, Scott Garnet. Being 5'4", she was not able to see over the crowd. And the constant bumps and shoves were not helping. She glared at the back of a man she was certain had deliberately bumped into her. She was standing near the wall, away from the crowd. Why were so many people bumping into her?

Grumbling under her breath, she finally admitted defeat. They're not there. Disappointed and frustrated, she began to roll her suitcase to the taxi stand. Her lips began to tug down as she reflected that this was just the thing that would happen to her. Being forgotten. Being rejected. Her eyes welled up at the reminder.

Refusing to give into her tears, she joined the long queue at the taxi stand. She blinked the tears back into submission and decided to take her phone out. This was going to be a long wait and she did not want to be left to the mercy of her own thoughts. She'd decided that she had to distract herself and a mindless game was the way to do so.

However, the black screen of her phone put an end to that idea. Trying to switch it on while cursing under her breath, she had to accept that her phone was out of juice. Her level of horrified and despair were at odds with the situation but the tears weren't going to be held back this time. This was the last straw. A few tears rolled down her cheeks and her nose began to sting. The people around her shifted uncomfortably, making more tears roll down her cheeks.

Just as she was contemplating the disaster that was her life, she felt a tap in her shoulder. Startled out of her morose thoughts, she turned around and found herself facing an older, distinguished-looking Caucasian man. He was wearing some kind of uniform and had an impatient, superior air around him. And he was looking directly at her. Worry distracted her from her giant pool of sadness and her tears dried up.

"Are you Miss Sharon Ashwood?"he asked impatiently, surprising her. She didn't know anyone in New York, apart from the two people who weren't there. So while her first instinct was to nod, a sense of self-preservation stopped her. Instead, she turned the table on him.

"Who are you?"she asked. He looked quite frustrated at her question, removing his air of superiority. His hand disappeared into his pocket and he seemed to be digging deep into it. She watched him intently. However, the moving line diverted her attention and when she looked back at the man, she was surprised to find a phone being shoved into her face. "What-" Suddenly she heard a familiar voice from the phone and tears sprung back into her eyes. Grabbing the phone from the strange man's hand, she brought the phone to her ears.

"Hello? Brian, did you find Sharon?"

"Ames?"Sharon asked in disbelief and relief.

"Oh hey, baby sis. I'm so glad Brian found you in time. Sorry I wasn't able to get you. I had to leave with Scott-"

"Wait, who's Brian?"

"My driver. I had him pick you up. Didn't he tell you?" Frowning at the phone, Sharon continued moving with the line.

"Miss Ashwood, I believe it is best if you step out of the line, "the Brian guy said but he stepped back when she glared at him. She did not need anyone else to tell her what to do. Not today. Now now.

"Tall, white guy, brown hair, gray eyes, white gloves reminiscent of MJ and a stick up his butt?" She ignored the censure in Bryan's eyes as she passed her suitcase to him.

"I don't know about the stick but yes. He should also be wearing a suit. That's his usual attire. And what or who stuck that stick up your ass?"

"I don't know, dear sister. Maybe the fact that I was supposed to be picked up by sister and not her lackey, "she growled as she began to fight through the other people queueing and get out of the line. "You know a heads up would have been nice." Usually, she was the mellower sister but she was so tired and sad and disappointed that all of them coalesced into anger at Amelia. She'd expected emotional support and what she had was a sister who was on the other side of the country.

"Well, I tried but I couldn't get through. Share, this is a last minute meeting and we needed the jet. Why are you so angry?"Amelia shot back, further flaming Sharon's anger. She didn't even notice the dirty look the people were giving her. She'd forgotten the Amelia was the more volatile sister but she had not expected her anger to fuel her own. Until now.