Bloom

37. familiar spices

Haven

Once or twice a month, a market was organized in the neighborhood we lived in. Aroma's of cheese, meat and fish mixed, making the tourists grow hungry. For me it was the complete opposite- it made me nauseous.

I always pushed the feelings away, because tourists, the warmth and the vintage clothes they sold as well never failed to make me smile. I enjoyed to hear all the different languages, the fights kids had to get a souvenir, but their parents wouldn't agree, people who looked through their Tablets rather than their real eyes- capturing everything.

I loved to see the different ethnicities, I enjoyed when they enjoyed it here. It'd always make me feel as if I was on vacation myself.

It was Saturday today. Flowers bloomed, summer was near and that was definitely visible. The market was packed, more than usual. I had to keep my arms tight to my body to try and make way through the mass of people without accidentally hitting someone.

Passing the people I walked by a smile, I tried to look above some of them, searching for Jude. He helped selling fresh and roasted peanuts, nuts, pistachios and more on the days the market was here.

I glanced at my watch, his 'shift' would be over soon and he had promised to join me and Jonah for our monthly walk through the market. My parents preferred to go together, not wanting to hear us whine about the smell of cheese or the vintage clothes I wanted to have.

"Where is he?" I wondered out loud, squinting my eyes to try and block out the bright sun, wanting to see his stall.

Jonah nudged my arm and simply pointed at the other side I was looking at, a soft smile visible on his face. "There, Haven." He said calmly.

"Ah! I knew it!" I said loudly, giving him a sheepish smile after that.

The two of us walked through the mass of people, I secretly touched a dog that walked past, Jonah kept his eyes on his younger brother.

"Have! Jonah!" Jude grinned, taking off his apron, stuffing some roasted peanuts in his mouth after that. "Hi, my sweet, sweet siblings."

Chuckling, I rolled my eyes lightly, holding up my hand after that. "Give me some peanuts! You have them somewhere, don't you?"

"You'll have to pay for it." Jude shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "Not my nuts."

I covered my mouth, weird laughs leaving it. "Jude, come on! Can't you grab some for me? You work there, after all!"

"Have, no." Jonah said calmly, looking down at me. "We can get some if you'd like? I'll pay."

"No, it's okay." I sighed softly, looking around me. "Where should we go first? Maybe Thomas is here today! I haven't seen him in so long, maybe we can go to his book small. It's not that big, so I won't be occupied with those books for too long." I rambled, not noticing it, until Jonah and Jude both looked at me with a what expression.

"No way." Jude grumbled, shaking his head. "Not those stupid books. You see him every single week, Haven. Mum didn't give you money to buy even more books. I'd rather go to the hamburger stall. Could use some fat food at the moment." He almost moaned, his eyes searching for the right stall.

Jonah glanced at the both of us, "Why do you two always fight about the same thing? Jude, we'll get some food. Haven, we'll search for Thomas." He said softly, resting his hand on my hair for a brief moment.

"Ugh. The eldest are the ones responsible, right? The ones who should give the perfect examples to their younger siblings." Jude rolled his eyes dramatically, softly pushing me away. "If I were you, Jonah, if I were you."