Daisies on the Wind: The Love Story Continues

Chapter Six: Stockings

Charlie was good. She knew something was up with this guy. The air around her always tingled her senses when something was different. Something had changed and she was going to find out what it was. However the odds weren't in her favor this time around.

"Hello. Again."

She turned a corner and he was waiting, like he was pausing for her to catch up.

"Why you'se following me?" She covered.

"Now if I were following you'se why would you have arrived after me? Hm?"

"Well--"

"No need." He took her hand in his smoothly and swiftly. "C'mon."

"Uh--" She croaked in surprise.

He led her like a pet around another corner and next to a shop. It was a quaint boutique, and looked almost out of place in the bad-to-the-bone Brooklyn. On the the far wall of the shop was a bicycle chained up.

"My aunt's shop. C'mon."

He opened the door with a key and led her inside. Her senses tingled again. Not one person was inside the shop browsing the small variety of outfits and bows.

"The shop's closed right now 'cause my aunt is away. But she always leaves me with a key."

Suddenly she realized what she wasn't sure what she was doing there. She didn't like that.

"Who are you'se?"

"Call me Sherlock. That's what they call me."

"Whose they?"

"Nevermind them." He looked her up and down. "Your stockings are awful." He went to the back of the store as if it were rehearsed.

"Hey.." Charlie complained. "Not my fault that--"

He came out with a pair of brand new stockings. They were nicely woven and thick, with a subtle lace pattern at the top.

"There. Much better."

"Uh--"

"Well. Go ahead."

"I can't pay for--"

"You'se don't need to. Go on. I'se wanna see."

What was his angle?

She sat down and slipped off her old, stained stockings and pulled on the new ones. They felt unfamiliar and fresh. She curled her toes and flexed her feet to shape them. They were a poison apple.

"Are you'se sure..?"

"Why would I give them to you'se if I wasn't sure?"

She put her boots back on and picked up her old stockings. She started toward the door, unsure of what to do at this point.

"Will you be there tomorrow?"

"Where?"

"Your spot. Selling."

Is this smart? No, but you'se can always find a new spot.

"Yes.."

"Ok."

He showed no indication of anything. He was almost just blank. He wasn't like Spot. Spot was hard to read but you knew something was there underneath. Charlie couldn't be so sure with this one.