Basically Strangers (revised)

[9 - Stranger With A Trip]

[9 - Stranger with a Trip]

The next day, Arkin woke you up with a gentle shake. You were sleepy, but he told you to get dressed and ready to go out in public. You dressed yourself in Arkin’s t-shirt and your jeans. You pulled your socks on, but Arkin knelt in front of you, put your shoes on your feet, and tied the laces. He guided you out to the car, still a sleepy mess. He buckled you in and got in the driver’s seat. He started the car and began driving. You were nodding off, but still trying to stay awake in the cold morning air. The car stopped, and Arkin gently shook you awake.

“Hey, wake up, We’re here.” He took your hand and walked you towards the building. You opened your eyes. You were outside of a Swift-Mart, the biggest shopping center in the area. You wandered through the doors. Arkin grabbed a large shopping card. “Get in. I don’t want you wandering off while you’re this tired.” You looked at him sleepily and nodded. He sighed and picked you up, setting you in the cart. He looked down at you in the cart and started pushing it through the shop, getting everything you’d need for the week.

First, he pushed you through to the dry goods area. Paper towels, toilet paper, crackers, bread, tuna cans. You reached for snack boxes, like pre packaged muffins and sugary treats. He chuckled and let you grab 2 snacks for the week. Pre packaged cakes and fruit gummies.

Next, the cart squeaked down the other aisles. Arkin grabbed large bottles of juices, little juice boxes, and he shopped for salad dressings. You held the box of cakes to your chest like you were protecting it, taking everything Arkin handed to you. It was nine in the morning, and people were looking at you weirdly but you didn’t care. Arkin didn’t care either. For all he cared, he was just shopping with his kid.

“Excuse me,” said a woman walking up to you. A little kid sat in her cart with an orange knit hat on his ugly bald head. Arkin glanced at her as she pointed at you. “You’re not supposed to have adults in the shopping carts. That’s for children.” You furrowed your eyebrows and opened your mouth to speak.

“Listen,” said Arkin venomously. He walked around the cart, standing between you and the woman. “I’ll take care of my ward any way I see fit. And if they want to ride in the cart, they’ll ride in the damn cart. If you have a problem, take it up with someone who cares. I don’t want them wandering off. You’d probably want that drooling little shit of yours to ‘happen to wander off with a stranger’. Or else you wouldn’t leave your cart so unattended.” She glanced at the cart, several feet away down the aisle. Her child was grabbing a salad dressing and putting it in their mouth. She scoffed and stormed away.

“I’m going to bring this up to a manager,” she hissed as she pushed past.

“Go ahead, Karen.” She looked at you.

“Your boyfriend is very rude. You both need to get some god damn manners.” You looked up at Arkin, who was starting to push the cart again. You shrugged.

“She’s a bitch,” you muttered.

“Hey. Language,” Arkin snapped. You chuckled.

“Okay, dad,” you joked. Arkin reached and petted your head, starting at the base of your neck and going up your scalp.

“It's daddy to you,” he hissed in your ear.

He then pushed you to the produce section. With fresh tomatoes, several kinds of potatoes, many different kinds of greenery, onions, spices, apples, oranges, pears, sweet corn, and a new basil plant, the two of you carted over to the check out. You leapt out of the cart and glanced around the candy area while Arkin dealt with the woman ringing everything up.

You grabbed a lollipop from the spinning pole of flavors. You glanced at Arkin, who was having a small argument with the cashier about whether or not he should sign up for the swift-mart membership program,and quickly slipped the lollipop into the pile of things. As the teenage bag boy bagged all of your little things, Arkin picked the lollipop from the stack and looked at you with an accusatory glance.

“YN,” he said, holding it up. You gave him a slight pout. He sighed, pushing it in your direction. “Fine. Just this once.” You smiled like a happy child. Arkin smiled, just happy to see you happy. He finished paying and put all the bags into the cart. He let you push it towards the blue bug outside in the parking lot.

You drove home and unloaded the groceries, Arkin hauling over half in one trip to show off. When inside, you started putting everything away and reorganizing the fridge. Arkin told you he was going to go check the mail. He grabbed the mailbox key hanging on the wall beside the door and rushed down the stairs.

The mailbox itself was on a small island in the street just outside the front office of the apartment complex. Arkin walked swiftly, hoping to not take too much time away from you, but hoping to not get back in time to have to help you with groceries.

At the mailbox, he unlocked it and fingered through the letters. Bill, bill, advertisement, bill, bill, bill, handwritten letter. He paused, looking over it. Blue ink was written over the front with the simple word ‘Arkin’. He groaned.

“If you’re going to be creepy like this, I’d rather you just break in again,” he chuckled.

Adilia dropped from a tree nearby, landing on her feet and walking over to him.

“You can call me creepy all you want. I’m not over here playing house with a child.”

“They’re not a child,” Arkin chuckled, looking at the thick letter. “Jeez, how much did you have to say in this one?” Adilia sighed.

“Arkin, you have to talk about it eventually.” He set a hand on her shoulder, looking deep into her eyes.

“No, the fuck I don’t,” he said with a sweet smile. He closed the mailbox and turned to return to the apartment.

“They’re reforming,” Adilia said quickly. Arkin ignored her alluring statement and kept going forward. “Postle is alive.” Arkin froze. He turned on the balls of his feet to face her.

“Pardon?” he asked, his smile and good mood long gone.

“Postle is alive. Brusca is rebuilding after all the shit you put it through. And from what I hear, there’s a hit out on both of us.” Arkin rolled his eyes.

“Do you want to come in to talk?” Adilia shrugged.

“I dunno. Are ya going to kick me out again?” Arkin rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

“Get your ass inside.”

*****
1155 words total.

I didn't post yesterday, so here's 2 chapters today

Don't forget to vote and comment!