An unwanted prize

Maria pushed the stroller towards the checkout counter gleefully as Lauren whimpered in humiliation. This was the worst day of her entire life! Here she was at the mall, stuck in a stroller, topless, almost naked except for a diaper, and clutching a doll to her chest in an effort to hide herself while in a store intended for babies and toddlers! Could this day get any worse?!

That was when Maria reached the counter and handed the cashier her basket. Feigning a look of shock, Maria reached down and grabbed the doll from Lauren, causing the little woman to let out a pathetic whine as she handed it to the cashier. “Oh, calm down, Laurie.” Maria cooed condescendingly, “You’ll get your little friend back after we pay for him.”

The cashier took the doll from Maria and scanned the price tag. Suddenly, a loud musical chime rang out through the store, startling the customers. Even Maria was taken aback as a woman in a fancy-dress suit came out from the back room and walked up to Maria and Lauren.

“Congratulations, Ma’am!” the woman said, smiling ear to ear. “You and your daughter have bought the one millionth Talk to Me Beaky, making your daughter the winner of our grand prize!”

Lauren blushed hard as she noticed all the attention that was drawn towards her. Maria, on the other hand, was conflicted. On the one hand, all this attention was humiliating Lauren beyond question, so that was a plus. On the other hand, she was just as lost as Lauren was. That being said, she was legitimately curious about what this grand prize was.

“So, what is this grand prize that my sweet little Lauren has won?” Maria asked quizzically, smirking as Lauren paled at hearing her name.

Lauren was having a miniature panic attack. Why had Maria used her real name?! Yeah, Lauren was a popular name, but anyone who knew her would most likely recognize her! And did Maria just imply that she was her daughter?!

“Your daughter gets to be the newest Special Tundra Pal in Beaky the Penguin’s new season!” The woman explained. “I’m Maxine Rodgers, creator of Beaky the Penguin. We start shooting the next season of the show this afternoon, four o’clock sharp!”

“Did you hear that, Laurie?!” Maria squealed, feigning excitement as she looked into the stroller. “You get to be on TV!”

Lauren heard that alright, and she felt her stomach drop as her eyes widened in terror. It was one thing to be watching that annoying nightmare while babysitting a kid, and another thing to be pushed through a store selling his merchandise while diapered in a stroller. But to be an actual cast member on that brainless, annoying kid’s show alongside that equally as brainless and annoying nuisance?!

Lauren wanted to curl up in a hole in the ground and die out of pure humiliation.

“Oh, we better go and buy you a nice, pretty dress!” Maria said mockingly in a sickeningly sweet voice.

“Don’t worry about it!” Maxine assured, still smiling. “We have plenty of outfits down at the studio. I’ll pay for all of your stuff, and you can follow me to the studio in your car!”

“Thank you, Ms. Rodgers!” Maria said, smirking at the utterly humiliated twenty-year old in the stroller as Maxine paid for the items.

A little while later, Maria placed the shopping bags into her car before buckling Lauren into the passenger seat. Maria then got in and started the car, following Maxine's limo to the studio. Lauren merely whimpered as she was driven to what she considered a fate worse than ****. She realized that she didn’t have to worry about Vanessa posting the pictures online anymore…

The whole country was going to see her at her lowest!