Complicated Love

Last Day

"Wake up!" I nudge Brad, unable to sleep. It's our last day in Alaska and he promised me a day full of shopping and fun.

"Go back to sleep."

He rolls away from me, pulling my pillow over his head.

"It's too early."

"Or, you can just give me your credit card and I'll go alone..."

"I'll be ready in 20 minutes." He throws the blankets off of him, getting out of bed.

As soon as he's ready, we walk over to a huge shopping center. There's tons of stores ranging from local craft stores to big name stores.

"Any chance they have a couch somewhere for me? Maybe with some food and a tv?"

"Yeah, in the furniture store. The only one we don't need to visit."

"You just took all the fun out of shopping." He rolls his eyes, trying to find something else to do "Maybe they have an arcade or something."

"Oh great, let the grown as man go somewhere childless where a bunch of kids are running around. Sounds like a great idea."

I pull him into a small antique shop to look at all the little decorations.

"Aw, look at this one." I show him a statue of a couple holding a swaddled infant. We could put it in the nursery."

"That's really cute." He takes it from me, examining it "I can't wait for this."

"I can't either."

We look around, finding a few other cute things for the house and buy them all before leaving for the next store.

"We should probably buy you a new suitcase while we're here." He holds the door to the next store open for me "I don't know how you plan on getting all this home."

"I'll mail it to our house."

I walk past him to the clothing they have hanging around the shop. It's a touristy area, so almost everything has Alaska on it. Brad walks around looking at other souvenirs while I try to find something for me.

I find a tshirt and a hoodie that I like then go back over to Brad who is looking around at some really creepy masks.

"I think I'm gonna buy this for the next time the kids are over. Scare them a little."

"You're mean." I take everything from him as we get in line "This is cute."

I find a onesie with Alaska on it in his pile.

"I thought it would be cool. The baby will always know where I found out."

"I love it."

We pay for everything and walk out to a food court for lunch.

"They have pretzels!" I quickly pull him into the line "They have the cinnamon sugar kind. I love those!"

"What kind of sauce do you want?"

"The mustard."

"I am NOT ordering that." He steps out of the line "I will find us a table but no way in hell am I ordering a cinnamon sugar pretzel with mustard dipping sauce. Not happening."

"You're the worst."

I order the food, not even thinking it sounds that crazy until the girl at the counter wants to make sure that I'm serious. When I tell her I am, she just tries to hide the fact that she's laughing at me.

"You're going to make me throw up." Brad complains as we eat "I know you're supposed to have weird cravings and shit but that's just not right at all."

"It's delicious. Stop complaining." I break off a tiny piece of my pretzel, throwing it at him "It's the best mix ever."

"I feel bad for this kid.  Their mom is crazy and this is what they're stuck eating.  It doesn't seem right."

"Hey, at least it isn't starving.  I could be abusing it."

"I don't know, I think this food might be borderline abuse."

He picks up all our food as we finish, throwing everything away and leading me into another shop.

"Go crazy." He hands me a cart as we look around "There's shoes and tons of clothing, so I figure you'll need this."

"You're the best!" I grab the cart, practically running over to where the clothing is "Maybe I should get things for later, for when my normal stuff doesn't fit."

"Whatever you want, babe."

He follows we around, actually somewhat interested in what I'm looking at for once.  He picks out a few different outfits for me that I actually like, so I go to try them on.

"I don't think you're supposed to be in here." I shut the door to the fitting room as he follows me in.  He sits on the little chair in the corner completely ignoring me.

"We're married.  I don't think it's against the law for me to see you changing.  Besides, those older ladies were giving me some weird looks.  That was uncomfortable."

I turn my back to him so he can zipper my dress, and then stare at my reflection.

"What do you think?" I flatten it out.

"I like it.  You look hot."

"You did good picking this one out."

I change out of that and grab the first pair of pants to try on.  They fit all the way up until I need to button them, and then they fail me.

"Maybe this brand just makes them smaller." He stands up, trying to help "None of them are the same."

"No, I think I just need the next size now.  My jeans have been a little tight already."

"Okay, well what about the shirts.  Try them on."

I try them on, surprisingly liking all of them for once, and we head out to pay for everything.

"Grab the next size.  You looked good in them." Brad says, pulling me towards the jeans "You deserve some nice pants."

"Welp if I deserve them, then I think I'm getting one of each color.  They're all cute."

He sighs, regretting his decision a little, but eventually holds out his hands for me to pile on the jeans.

"So how many new outfits is this baby really going to get me?"

"We'll see."