No Regrets

Chapter Fourteen - Shopping For Her

KATIE'S POV

  Four days before Christmas and I'm finally getting around to Christmas shopping. Mom has been busy working a few major-cases; which has her out of the house at the law firm or cooped up in her study for hours. Dad's job him traveling several times a year. He is currently in Las Vegas; and he'll arriving home early in the morning on Christmas Eve.

  Dominick has found temporary work with a construction company. He isn't working with the big machines or managing a crew. He uses small power tools, does some heavy-lifting, and other tasks at that are assigned to him. The construction company is hiring some extra hands to help out through the rest of the year and perhaps the first couple weeks of next year. Dominick says the pay and hours are good. Our parents have also loosened up on him a bit because he's gotten a job and is showing a level of initiative.

  However, with both my parents and my brother all busy working, Mollie is being watched by me a lot more now , which slightly complicates my ability to work on school assignments. Luckily, Ms. Connie pushed the first-semester-project's due date back to after Winter Break.

  Sawyer has come over a few times to work on the project;which has been beneficial in both the case of our project and our partnership. My homicidal feelings and urges directed towards him have decreased a bit. He understands that my life is a little more than simply crazy at the moment; and he has begun to pull a little more weight than he had been. He has written a whole page for the script and emailed it to me so I could review it.

  Today, Dominick had the day off and with the gift-buying-deadline fast approaching. It was logical to ask him to drive me to the mall. I already have some ideas of what to get everyone.

  I'm either going to buy Mom a necklace from Chloe's Jewelry or stop by the chocolate shop to get her a box. For Dad, probably one or two of his favorite movies. For Dominick, a new game for his PlayStation. More specifically, games that are appropriate to be played in front of a four month old. All of his current games are full of blood, gore, and profanity.

"Okay, I'll go to the food court and grab me something. You got your phone?" Dominick asks as we enter the mall.

  I pat the pant pocket with my phone inside. Dominick gives me a thumbs up and begins pushing the stroller away from me and toward the food court.

  I turn my back to him and take a look around the mall, with a deep breath I start walking. Shopping time!

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DOMINICK'S POV

  "I'll have a double scoop cup. Make one scoop chocolate and the other scoop vanilla." I say to the girl working the ice cream stand.

"Okay, is that all?" She ask pressing buttons on the machine.

"Let me ask." I say and glance down at Mollie in the stroller. "Any requests? Ready to speak your first few words?" I look back at the girl, who is unamused by my joke, and say, "Yes, that is all."

"Seven dollars and thirty-three cents." She says flatly.

  I pay for the ice cream and watch as she scoops it into a plastic clear bowl. I take the cup and Mollie to a unoccupied table. Mollie stares up at the mall's long sunroof. I take a bite of ice cream and look up at the sunroof. It's a bit bright, is that good for her eyes? I wonder. Holding the spoon in my mouth, I stand up to lift Mollie out of the stroller and place her on the chair right next to me. I place her in a sitting position with her leaning back resting against the back of the chair. She's looks smiles and watches the people in the food court.