Martha

Chapter 5 Okey I'm a Stalker

Chapter 5
Okey, I'm a Stalker

It was Saturday morning whenI lied back on the hammock on the front porch, an open book resting on my chest while I blankly stared at the scarce traffic on the street. After a while, as the gentle breeze blew, my eyes fanned to the sweet spell of slumber. Amidst the blurry half- cut image of the road, I spotted a slender feminine figure crossing the avenue...

"The blonde lady!" I jerked up straight... "Shit!"... Balanced off. The hammock swung and I plummeted back, my butt hit the concrete floor. Above my head, the hammock oscillated and I rubbed my ass, muddled watching the woman sauntering towards the opposite side of the street.

"There she goes... I need to do something... I can't miss this opportunity." Pushing myself up, I buzzed off the porch, then swiftly sprinted across the front yard and crossed the street. Ahead of me, only a few steps, she dawdled, a graceful lilting almost like floating. Down her spine, the long golden braid vacillated from side to side along with the cadence of her waltzing pace.

The mysterious woman sashayed, looking so casual in her long and loose flower printed dress in and white sun hat, down the sidewalk. People stepped away whilst she advanced down the sidewalk. All along I wondered why the pry looks on everybody's faces. Was this woman, in fact, Martha? Urging to find out, I followed her closely, my detective kind of job done well as I skidded hiding behind bushes, cars, benches and mailboxes. Certainly, not the type of dauntless spy I pretended to be, but I didn't want her to notice she had was someone on her back... Stalking her, but it was for a good cause! My cause. A dead or alive cause. I craved to see her, even if it was for a second for the sake of my own sanity.

Keeping a safe distance, I tailed and watched how she crossed down a third block and turned to the left. Town's people gawked at her and commented. What did they say, I don't know. I wasn't paying attention at all, threading only the enigmatic lady.

I froze still when the lady halted, her fists clenched. Did she turn on her heels to glance back... at me? "F*ck!" Trying to act casual, I picked a 'Modern Mom' magazine from the corner's newsstand.

"If you read it, you buy it", the boy attending the street kiosk arched and eyebrow, his mouth twitching while he extended his open hand to me. "It's seven fifty."

I rolled my eyes for my own stupidity... It was so obvious that I was following her.

I gasped relieved when she kept walking, hoping she wasn't aware of the man tracking on her. "keep the change." I gave the teenager ten dollars for the magazine and hustled after the woman. Shortly, the lady who I suspected was Martha, walked into Mr. Matthews Market.

In the moment she stepped inside the store, time and space seemed to stop. Not an act of magic, it was only everyone's chain reaction when they saw the woman. At the beginning, people only stared at her all baffled, but soon a wave of murmurs crested while this lady meandered nonchalantly through the alleys. Still, none of these appeared to affect her. Perhaps she was unaware.

Mr. Matthews, who was at the register, peeped from behind the counter puzzled. Holding a grocery basket, she picked some fresh vegetables and fruits, this time I noticed she only tried to ignore the prying looks and all the gossiping around them. Yes, she knew and I pitied her. Every time it only confirmed that she was Martha.

Trying to look uninterested and pretending to be just in a normal day at the grocery store, I grabbed one of those red plastic baskets and did my shopping... but damned, I only wanted to see her face! However, it wasn't much what I could do.

The woman added spices and more vegetables to the basket and I could only see her sleek back, the sun hat brim and that long golden braid that met down to a round and firm butt. Not an old lady's butt at all.

Unscathed, the lady picked all kind of healthy things, then she took some white candles, and scented oils... 'umhu... paraphernalia?' I thought while I looked down at my own shopping: some oranges, a can of sausages and a bottle of milk. Pathetic. In that moment I noticed I had lost track of her. I hustled out of the alley to find her and... Boom! Fruits, vegetables, candles, sausages, and a bag of oranges... everything dropped scattered on the floor. Still standing and all jumbled up, I stared down at her, only to see an ivory sun hat and a pair of delicate hands trying to pick up everything. Geez! Stupid me! What was I doing? Nothing! I froze like and idiot... an idiot and a stalker.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. I... I was so distracted. Let me help you with this Mss..." I stuttered after finally reacting. Kneeling in front of her I helped her to gather back the groceries, groceries that were on the floor only for my stupidity. The brim of her hat raised back and it was when I saw her. Both of us were still kneeling on the floor when she looked at me with the most beautiful and serene blue eyes, on top of the cutest nose above the enticing peach plump lips I've ever seen in my life. Her whole face was otherworldly stunning!

"Martha... my name is Martha..." She said in the sweetest voice I've ever heard.

***Hello guys. I know it was a short chapter, but let me know what do you think about it! Poor Antonio, right?