Jake
“Did Saks have to close their doors once you were finished?” I ask Sailor as I help her carry bags inside the condo.
“Ha ha. No, there were plenty of clothes left. Remember that I need to replace an entire wardrobe.”
“I can’t believe you’ve already shopped for six hours today. Are you sure you want to go back out?”
“Not particularly, but I need to. Your whore baggies aren’t going to cut it.”
I chuckle. “Whore baggies?”
“Yep, and I’m not OK with using them. That’s not what I am.”
“Neither were the other girls who stayed before you. I don’t pay for sex, and neither does my roommate.”
“I was trying to be funny.” Sailor takes a winded breath. Women are odd creatures, breaking a sweat from shopping.
“It worked, but for the record, our housekeeper makes those up. They weren’t my idea.”
“That makes me feel a touch better. Do you mind helping me take this stuff up to the guest room?”
“Not at all.” I follow Sailor up the stairs, and setting the bags down, I see how neatly she made the bed this morning.
“I have to change before we leave. I’m ready to get out of the outfit I wore yesterday. It’s no wonder my feet hurt. I don’t normally wear pumps like this to go shopping in, but I’ve got several new items now.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs.”
I wait on the couch, and about ten minutes have passed when Sailor reappears. Holy hell, she looks incredible, and as I get up, I can’t help but check her out.
She’s wearing this short red dress that’s off the shoulders, but it’s not skin-tight like dresses I’ve seen women wear at clubs. It’s, what’s the word … sweeter-looking, like her.
I imagine kissing Sailor’s bare shoulders and undoing each button that goes down the entire front. It hangs loose at the bottom, not snug on her legs, but that only means it’d be easier to slip my hand underneath.
Realizing how long I’ve been checking her out, I clear my throat.
“Where would you like to go?” I ask.
“Somewhere not stuffy. I go to enough of those places. This weekend is all about change, right? And I didn’t want to tell Maddie, but I do need some school supplies, more like stuff teachers use. I had a lot of that stored at home.”
Recalling something Thatcher told me recently that surprised the shit out of me, I laugh.
“I know the perfect place.”
***
“Why in the world are we in New Jersey?”
“You’ll see in a minute.” Glancing over at Sailor, I catch her smiling with curiosity. Are surprises and excitement non-existent in her world?
I pull into the parking lot and start laughing.
“You brought me to a Walmart?” At least there wasn’t that tone of disgust in her voice I’ve grown accustomed to from women. Sailor’s is more like astonishment.
“Have you ever been to one? Thatcher told me he hadn’t, and it blew my mind.”
“No, I haven’t, either.”
I shake my head. “Unbelievable. You’re not going to find your expensive shampoo or makeup in this place, but I thought it’d be fun. You could at least get school supplies.”
“Honestly, I’m kind of excited.”
“Yeah, that enthusiasm won’t last long, but I’m still taking you on an adventure, which I never thought I’d say about going inside a Walmart.” Turning off the engine, I look over at her. “All right, Teach. Let’s do this.”
Sailor follows me in, and taking hold of her hand, I lead her to the side opposite of the grocery section. She’s looking all around, and I have to stifle a laugh over how nervous she seems. I direct her to the toiletries first.
“I swear I’ll take you somewhere else to get what you need.”
“No, I want to find stuff here. I heard the prices are cheap.”
I laugh, and she looks over at me. “What’s so funny?”
“Compared to Madison and Fifth Avenue, yes, Walmart is cheap.”
She turns down an aisle that has stuff like blow dryers and things to put in her hair. Her eyes scan everything before they grow round as saucers.
“No way. These prices can’t be right. I’m going to need a cart.”
“Are you serious?”
She nods. “For sure.”
“OK.” I walk out of the aisle, and spotting a lone cart sitting empty, I grab it and take it back to Sailor. She’s already holding several items in her hands.
“I need all new barrettes, fancy bobby pins and hair bands. Look at this.” She holds up a pack of ponytail holders. At least, that’s what Maddie calls them. “Two dollars and five cents, Jake. I get one hundred hair bands for two bucks. That’s crazy.”
I laugh. “You’re cute when you’re excited.”
“I’m buying one of almost everything.” She starts throwing stuff inside the cart. An older lady walking by wrinkles her forehead as she watches Sailor grab shit like it’s The Hunger Games on Black Friday.
A blow dryer, curling iron, and something that straightens hair, which I don’t understand since Sailor’s hair is straight, are placed in the cart next, but I’ve never claimed to understand women.
We might be in here a while, and this isn’t what I expected. Damn, I’m falling for Sailor even more now. She likes a bargain.
“Oh, my gosh, I can’t wait to see the office supplies. I’ll be able to buy my class so much stuff. Can we look at the toys, too? I want to buy Maddie a stuffed animal. Do you think she can keep from telling the other students that I bought her a present?”
“I think so, but you don’t need to buy her anything.”
“Yes, I do. She wanted my penguin, and had it been any other toy, I would’ve given it to her. The guilt will eat at me if I don’t buy her something.”
We stroll to the toys, and as Sailor fills up the cart and I push it, I start noticing something. Couples are doing the same damn thing we’re doing, and it hits me that we look like one, too. I mean, only committed couples go cart shopping, right?
She picks out about twenty books, a stuffed animal and some puzzles, and once we reach the aisle with the office and school supplies, you’d think I chartered a private jet to whisk her off to a tropical island.
After taking one look at the long aisle, she wraps her arms around my waist from the side and squeezes.
“Thank you. I swear I don’t normally get this excited about shopping, but being here with you is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” Letting me go, she blushes. “Well, besides last night.”
“You’re welcome, doll, and last night was awesome.”
Once she fills the cart with enough school supplies to stock her own private store, Sailor puts her hands on her hips and looks around the spacious building.
“I think I should stop. I’m getting tired, and I’m sure you’re ready to leave. I’ll check out the rest of the place another time.”
“I see why you’re a teacher. I think you could make any activity fun. You take all the time you need.”
“I’m starved. Let’s eat dinner, and it’ll be my treat this time.”