Response || Malum || (Sequel to Reaction)

6

Work was moving painfully slow and I was growing painfully tired of stacking paper towels. Unluckily today Calum had to work at the register and I was stuck doing meaningless chores. Work for the past week has been good for the two of us. We get to spend extra time together without being locked up, bored, at home. Today seemed longer than usual. I didn't much sleep last night and this morning I felt a little bit under the weather. I'm sure it was nothing but I really wanted to go home and cuddle with Calum on the lounge until my headache evaporated.

"Mikey?" Someone questioned and when I turned I saw our manager Stephanie.

"Yes?" I questioned and shoved the final package of paper towels onto the shelf.

"When you're done there can you go help a family in the toys? They need a bike." She questioned in her soft voice.

"Yeah sure." I shrugged and stood up to find my way to the toy aisle.

I stalked on through the store until I made it to the aisle lined with bikes. A stereotypical family was standing in the aisle and the small blonde haired boy was staring at the bikes and tugging on his dad's pant leg. I found myself stopping to stare at the family. The guy was looking at the girl with such admiration then the way he smiled at the little boy was disgustingly cute. I swear I felt butterflies in my stomach just staring at the couple. This is what I wanted with Calum. These feelings have been growing so much since we moved here and I cant stop thinking about our future. We could be married, adopt a few kids and live happily ever after. But are we ready for that? Are we even back at the level where we can consider setting anything in stone? Calum might not even see that kind of future for us, then what? With one last sigh, I moved towards the small family to help them with whatever they needed.

"Hey can I help you guys?" I did my best to smile and pretend like I wasn't just creeping on them. The guy smiled a genuine smile at me and the lady smiled at me as well.

"Yeah we'd like to get a bike." She said and knelt down towards the little boy who was beaming with excitement. "Which one did you want sweetheart?" She cooed at the young child.

"That one!" He shouted while pointing to a little yellow bike in a difficult spot.

"That one, are you sure bud?" The guy asked and the boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright let me get a ladder." I smiled awkwardly.

"Sarah can we go look at helmets?" The little boy begged and the lady nodded. I watched them leave and sort of wondered why the little boy didn't call her mum. Maybe they weren't as stereotypical as I thought.

"I never knew kids could get so excited about something." The guy laughed and I smiled as I started to climb up the ladder. I don't usually make conversation with customers but something keeps popping up in my mind.

"How long have you two been married?" I asked, suddenly feeling like I was overstepping my boundaries but the guy just chuckled. I tugged the bike down and started backing down the ladder until my feet hit the ground.

"Oh we aren't married, yet. We've been engaged a couple months but I've been dating her about a year." He explained and I nodded. I saw the way he looked at her, it was easy to assume they were married.

"Oh." I nodded, setting the bike down on the ground between us.

"She's great and Drew really likes her so I guess its meant to be." He smiled and I fought myself from asking any further questions. "His mom died when he was born, we had been married for four years." He explained and I felt sorry for the stranger.

I've never been interested in other people's lives but he was obviously comfortable sharing information with me so at least I could listen. I'm surprised he had been married before and was able to find love again. There's no way I'd ever find another love after Calum. I couldn't even go out on a date while Calum was gone so I know for a fact there is no way I'd find love in someone else.