Page 19

LEXI

W e went into the small shop, the bell ringing to let the owner, Marjorie, know we were there. Marjorie came out. “Hello, Lexi!” She stopped and her head cocked to the side. “That’s not… um…”

I glanced at Torin who was so big he loomed over the store, and was gaping around, his eyes sweeping the walls, the aisles, the shelves and all the products.

It was a little like a convenience store, but more like a micro general store, and had been my favorite for years. It had everything from meats and liquor, to big jars of candy, and some basic hardware.

“Yep, this is not Cooper, Cooper is out of town?—”

“Oh right, he’s meeting the investors.”

“And this is Torin, he’s a friend of ours from out of town, staying with us for a bit.”

“Oh, yes.” She put out a hand. “I’m Marjorie.”

Torin bowed deeply and kissed her knuckles. “Mistress Marjorie, tis a pleasure tae meet ye.”

She distractedly ran her fingers across her chest. “Wow, where did, wow... that was something.”

I said, “Just picking up some more hamburger for the spaghetti, Cooper gets home in a bit.”

I went to the cooler and fished out a package of hamburger and a package of ground sausage. Torin followed me, his sword swinging, knocking a box of cereal from the shelves.

When he put it back he looked down at the box. “What is this?”

I said, “Cereal, that one has marshmallows, want to try it? Wait, I don’t mean open it here, we’ll buy it and take it home. Just carry it.”

I put a box of pasta in his arms on the cereal box, and then two loaves of French bread on the pile. I got a gallon of milk from the cooler. “Put these on the counter,” I gestured to where Marjorie was watching. “Let me grab wine.”

She asked, “Where are you from, Torin?”

“I hail from Scotland, Mistress Marjorie.” He slid the groceries from his arms to the counter and she began ringing them up while also sort of batting her eyes, flirtatiously.

“Is that why you’re wearing a kilt? You look like you’re out of the movie, Braveheart.”

Torin shook his head, blankly, then looked all around the shop again.

I carried two bottles of wine and a six pack of beer over to the counter.

Torin watched everything intently as she rang up our groceries and then I paid with cash. He pointed. “This is ale?”

“Beer, yes, a lager.”

He pulled up a bottle and looked over the label.

I said, “Look good?”

“Aye, but I daena think there is enough.” He put his hand on one of the bottles. “These are each nae much more than a noggin, dost they hae any rundlets?”

I said, “Now I have no idea what you mean, but I get your point, you need more beer than this.”

Marjorie said, “We don’t have any kegs, we have a case in the back.”

I said, “Alright, give me a case.”

I put the six pack back while she disappeared in the back to get me a case.

Torin’s stomach growled loudly.

I said, “Ah, you’re hungry right now.”

“Aye, m’middle has grown rowdy surrounded by all this food.” He nodded toward a big jar. “I am allowed tae eat one of those?”

“A pickled egg? Definitely.” I grabbed up the tongs, opened the jar, fished out two eggs, placed them in a wax paper bag, and passed them to Torin. I put the lid back on and glanced at Torin. His cheeks were puffed out with both eggs in his mouth, chewing.

Marjorie had returned and laughed. “Hungry, Torin?”

“Aye, famished,” he said through a full mouth.

I said, “You need something more? That’s a lot of pickle, you like pickled?”

He grinned, his big handsome smile in his beard. “I dinna even taste it, aye, I like pickled. Tis verra common where I am from.” He held out the bag. “Two more would fill me up.”

I fished out two more eggs and he ate them really fast again. I pointed to the napkins and he cleaned his hands while Marjorie bagged everything, which always took a minute because she was overly methodical. “How long are you in town for, Torin?”

“I am leavin’ by the next morn.”

She put the pasta in a paper bag nodding her head.

I said, “Don’t forget to include the eggs he ate.”

She placed the French bread slowly in the bag. Then she unfolded a second bag and began putting the meat inside, asking me, “You have parmesan?”

“Oh right, parmesan! I have the can, but do you have some fresh?”

She reached over the counter to the shelf where there was a block of wrapped parmesan. “Is this enough?”

“Yep. Oh, and another tomato too.” I ran to get a tomato from her produce section. “ Now I have everything.”

I paid for the second time. And then waited again while she wrapped and bagged the rest of the groceries.

There were small carts but I hadn’t used them, so instead we both carried bags and the case of beer in our arms and managed to get it all out to the car in one trip.

I opened the trunk and we loaded it full of groceries. Then I closed it.

Torin slapped his hand down on it. “Now that we hae added tae the load, dost ye need me tae walk?”

“Nope, the car can carry all of it.”

“Tis miraculous.”