Modern Darling

3

Tabitha had known three Erics thus far. There was Eric O'Riley, a semi-popular women hater from grade nine. He had asked her unashamedly if anyone had ever squeezed her boobs and as offended as she was as a woman he had always made her blush. There was Eric, her boss when she worked last summer at Canada's Wonderland. Tabitha had run the game whack-a-mole and she had always been Eric's favourite. He'd always give her praise at the weekly check in's and sneak her the leftover cotton candy. She always regarded Eric as a kind man, though he never tucked in his shirt and seemed to have permanent pit stains. Then there was Eric Ambrose. Eric Ambrose was Tabitha's TA in her first year law course. He was thick framed glasses and stuttered over the word treaty a lot. She thought it was cute regardless of the fact he barely passed her that semester.

Now there was another, the man who lived next door. Though she had never seen him, she knew her neighbours were an overly affectionate couple, with a love of beef stew that wafted through the hallways and turned her stomach regularly. They were the type of couple that left their sneakers outside after walks, the kind of couple which seemed to mock Tabitha's existence.

She couldn't stop picturing them. How they might have met, the ways they may have complimented each other.

"Um, excuse me." She would have said tucking a loose strand of yellow hair behind her hair. He would have turned around and ironed out his shirt, admiring the beauty and boldness of the woman who had dared to have talked to him in an outlet store. "Do you like this colour?" Holding out a beautiful red dress. "I've heard red is the most attractive colour to a man."

He'd admire the texture of the fabric. He'd admire her eyes and crinkles by them.

"That depends," he'd growl "Would you be wearing it on a date?"

"Ideally," she'd reply. Revealing a perfect set of teeth. "I'm just waiting for him to ask."

The thought made her smile, the transit route to work becoming a little more bearable when you've got things to think about. That was what life was all about Tabitha had come to believe, distractions. Her weekend had been perfect. She had stayed up till five in the morning, and still somehow managed an eleven hour sleep on Saturday. The week was a harsh reality of minimum wage and manager responsibilities.

Tabitha worked at the grocery store as a front-end supervisor. Which she decided was best described as if; babysitting, and therapy had a love child they gave to the government. Her days were routine and ordinary plus or minus a few shoeless wonders and overactive Karens. Tabitha fished her dark green vest out of her backpack and put it in as she slid through the employee doors. She waved to Sadia on her way up the stairs and nodded politely at the police officer who stood full time in the wine aisle.

"Tabby!" She heard Andrew call slamming his hand on the locker beside hers. "Missed you this weekend, why didn't you return my calls?"

Tabitha laughs, unsure of what else to do. Somedays working with Andy was the best. He'd keep a smile on his face all shift and volunteer to push carts when they'd fall behind. Other days were like this though. Gapped tooth smiles, and inappropriate comments Tabitha would suppress her feelings towards until later.

"Andy I think you know why,"

"Oh come on. You know I just want to be your friend..." He blinked innocently down at her. He used his height to his advantage when it came to days like this. "You seem..." He signed biting the corner of his mouth "lonely." Tabitha's face heated and she slammed her locker shut.

How. dare. he. ME. LONELY. As if. None of his business. UGH.

"I'll see you downstairs," Tabitha forced a smile, walking away before she said something she regretted.

As soon as she stepped out of the locker room everything once again became familiar. The methodical beeping of the cash scanners. The familiar CD the store manager had burned fifteen years ago. He claimed it was jammed and he couldn't change it, but no one really believed that.

Tabitha took her first step out onto the floor only to come head to head with a shopping cart.

"Ow!" She gasped, rubbing circles into her thigh. Tabitha was low on iron, she was confident that was going to leave a bruise.

"Shit, sorry." The stranger blushed his pale complexion and scattered freckles accenting the shade his face was turning.

"I'm really sorry, I'm trying to find um- pickles you'd think they'd be with the condiments but they weren't and I thought maybe they would be with the beans then yanno cause pickling beans is a thing, and my sister keeps calling and I-" His phone began to ring.

"Shit," he repeated clumsily, turning the ringer to silent.

Her eyes had gone wide staring in disbelief at 1. The fact he had managed to get that all out in one breath and 2. The shooting pain in her leg had been replaced with a shooting pain in her loins.

"It's okay really," Tabitha laughed, trying as quickly as possible to memorize the curves of his face for her post work day dream.

"Really, hazards like you are the reason they pay me the big bucks." She laughed trying to make sure he understood she was kidding. Silence hung for a moment as his eyes darted between his cart and her.

"Anyways pickles are in aisle fourteen, with the uh crackers." Tabitha answered pointing in the direction of the sign. She could feel it was beginning to get awkward, and she really wanted to get out of this before the heart pain worsened.

"Oh. Uh. Thank you Taby." He grins reading off my name tag. She couldn't help but smile at that. Only people over thirty five ever dared to say her name out loud.

"You're welcome uh-" Tabitha looked down at his black t-shirt and opened the blue button up.

Life would be easier if everyone just wore a name tag.

The stranger's phone began to violently vibrate through his reusable bag. He smiled once more and then darted off shoving the phone between his ear and his shoulder blade.

"You're welcome." She repeated to herself before turning away and snapping herself back into work mode.