More Than A Woman » Zarry ✔

thirty three

"Cooks in ten minutes. Just add butter and seasoning packet. Hmm." Zayn mumbled as he read the back of a package that he'd taken out of one of the freezers.

He'd been looking for something good to cook since he became Zayn again. He noticed that most of the food at his place was quick and easy but not very healthy. Of course he remembered not cooking much before Veronica came into the equation and he remembered how most of his home cooked meals came via Harry. But he wanted to actually make things now. He wanted to do the things Veronica did and he wanted to make his own meals.

He never forgot how to cook any of the meals she made. Therefore, he figured he'd go shopping for food today. Currently, he was reading the back of a bag of frozen mixed vegetables which he might some day attempt to use as a side dish. It sounded pretty easy to cook while giving him all the stuff he needed to keep him healthy. So he tossed the bag in the basket and then reached in the freezer to grab another like it.

After putting the other bag in the basket with all the other items, he had already gotten he headed for the checkout line.

→→→→→

On Wednesday, Zayn went to work at the record shop. This was his third day back and he was already starting to get fed up with it. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that this job was way less entertaining than the job Veronica had. Unlike Veronica, who saw a patient at least every twenty minutes or so, Zayn had been here five hours, and only two people had come in.

Two people? Really?

That made Zayn wonder how he could even afford to get paid every two weeks. How much longer could this place stay open with this amount of business? What if they suddenly closed and he lost his job? He could end up homeless.

That last part scared him and he nearly panicked. I've got to get out of here, right now. I've got to find something better. As soon as that thought dissipated, a bell dinged. It was the sound of the door to the shop opening. In walked an old man and he came right up to the counter.

"May I help you?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you had a specific Beatles album. I'm trying to collect all of them and I just need one more to complete the collection. I've been looking everywhere for it, but I can't find a place that has it. The ones on the internet are being sold by their owners and they are really expensive."

Zayn sighed because he definitely wasn't in the mood for a story. "I think we may have one or two different albums left. Which one are you looking for?"

"Yellow Submarine." He smiled and Zayn thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure we have that one. It was a pretty popular one and one of the first to go when this place opened up. But right this way." He scooted from behind the counter and started to lead him where any Beatles records would have been. When they got there, he found he was exactly right. They didn't have it.

"I'm really sorry." He apologized.

"No, it's okay. I'll probably just end up buying it online anyway."

"Well, you have a good day then." Zayn bid.

"You too, sir."

Even though the man smiled and thanked him before leaving, Zayn sighed when he returned to the counter. As he reached the stool again, he laughed to himself. I still have this job? It's been years and I never moved on to anything else? Am I kidding myself?

It would have been just fine if he enjoyed it. He wouldn't complain if he actually liked selling these records... But he didn't. He knew he wasn't going anywhere from here. He was forever going to be stuck in this same position. Was he really satisfied with this?