Noah & Navid

Chapter 44- Mr. Naseri

"Why we need tiny cups?" Navid asked as he pushed the cart behind me. 

It was 10 PM and we were out picking up things his mother needed for a dish she wanted to make. He jumped at the chance to have alone time with me when she asked if our onions were still fresh. He immediately told her to make a list of what she wanted.

He'd grabbed me out of my comfortable perch under a blanket on the couch next to his father, Mr. Naseri, who was watching a soccer game. He had said he would go with us, but Navid had told him to stay put. Even though I was yawning, he insisted I needed to get my energy out before bedtime.

"We use them all the time! Mouthwash, a sip of water, um...." I trailed off in thought. 

He usually paid little attention to me when we were at the grocery store. He would push the cart while checking his emails and texts. I would guide him through the aisles and put in what we needed for the week. 

Tonight though, he'd put away his phone and was watching me with an interested smile like this was a show he couldn't miss.

"Mouthwash? I sip from the bottle! You don't? Baby... I kiss and adore every inch of your beautiful body and you not want my germs? I spend good money so you can reject me?" Navid faked being offended, but I still felt bad. 

The grocery store was deserted at this time of night so he was a little more free with his words.

"I... Oh... should I put them back?" I asked. I started to reach into the cart and pull them out but Navid took my hand and brought it to his chest.

"No, if the baby want cups, I buy cups. I will buy the moon if my Noah wants it," Navid said. 

He brought me into his chest and then leaned me back against the cereal shelf. He put his arm around me and leaned down to kiss my forehead.

"I am so happy we get a minute to be us, my love. I love them but I can't wait for they go home soon. I need my life with you back," Navid said and put a hand to my cheek as I stared up at him. 

He kissed me on the lips and rubbed my back.

"Me too... I love them though and they are so nice to me," I said when his lips left mine to travel back up to my forehead.

Then he pulled away suddenly. I turned to see what had caught his attention. 

There was a man a few feet away from us paused with his cart. He gave us a friendly smile when he saw he had interrupted us. He was an older guy, maybe 40 and he had on a suit like he'd been at the office all day. He pushed a cart full of wine and meat like he expected big things out of the rest of his evening.

"Sorry...Excuse me," he said and reached past us to get a can jar of olives off the shelf.

Navid nudged me out of the way and gave him a friendly nod.

"I wish I had been out at your age. You two have a good night," he said and pushed away quickly.

Navid and I looked at each other awkwardly.

"Let's finish up," Navid said and nudged me back towards the cart. 

I knew what had bothered him the most about the man. It was that he'd assumed we were out, open, living honestly. 

We weren't. 

He wasn't. 

He wanted to be. 

It bothered him.

"It's ok," I said and took his hand. He started to pull back, but then relented and interlaced his fingers with mine.

"It's a different culture. It's different here. It's ok here," I said and he squeezed my hand tighter.