Robbie & Jamie

Seven - Enquiry

Playing detective was easy for Margaret, providing she knew where to find her target. Usually, that information was easy to acquire. So on the day the 'Knit and Stitch' group took place, Margaret sat on a bench across the road (which was desperately in need of a fresh coat of paint, in her opinion), a newspaper blocking her face, waiting for the session to end and the elderly women to flood out of the townhall.

It was a long shot considering Claire might not even go to the group anymore, as her husband needed to be cared for, but Margaret was determined to wait. As the women filed out of the doors, Margaret began to lose hope as the amount slowly began to dwindle. Just as Margaret was about to stand up and head home, she spotted Claire leaving the building, fastening up her handbag as she walked.

With a quickening heartbeat, Margaret jumped up off the bench and followed, making sure to keep a large distance behind as to not cause any alarm. Margaret had made a promise to herself that if Claire went beyond the mini supermarket into the streets of houses, Margaret would not follow her any further. After all, she didn't want to look suspicious.

But to her delight, Margaret noticed Claire enter the small shop, and Margaret happily bounded in after her, snatching up a basket and darting up the aisle, all while hoping she looked as relaxed as possible. When Claire turned around and began heading back in Margaret's direction, she panicked and poised herself by the nearest stand, pretending to look at a shopping list on her phone.

"Oh, Claire!" Margaret exclaimed, pretending to act surprised, and hoping this would cover up her breathlessness. "What a lovely surprise!"

Momentarily, Claire looked puzzled, and Margaret ignored the stiffness in Claire's posture as she realised who had called her name. Yet Claire's facial features softened as she spoke politely.

"Margaret, it's been so long! How have you been?"

"Oh, fine!" Margaret nodded, pleased to have Claire's attention. "And you? Today would have been Knit and Stitch, right? Do you still go?"

"I'm very well, thanks." Claire smiled, "and yes, I've just been. I'm picking up a few things before I go home." She motioned to her basket containing the shop's-own brand of bread. Margaret had never seen such horror. Off brand items.

"Ah yes, me too! Sometimes a big shop once a week just isn't enough, is it? You're always forgetting something. And it's good to get out and away from the men. All Peter does is gossip and complain! It's a miracle when I get out of house and have time to myself. I'm always hunting for ways to keep Peter busy."

"Is that what brings you to the contraception aisle?"

"Exactly! And I always think– Wait..."

Margaret snapped her head around, her eyes taking in the overwhelming amount of intrauterine devices, condoms, pills and pregnancy preventors of all kinds, most of which were alien to Margaret. It was extraordinary how much was there for customers to just pick up and buy with no questions asked; Margaret could remember nothing like that being available in her youth, and instead recalling her friends having to go and ask for things over the pharmacy counter, whispering and tucking the items discreetly in their bags to avoid anyone seeing and spreading rumours.

Margaret's face flushed redder than a tomato. "Oh, silly me! I, uh, I'm in the wrong aisle, I'm on my way to the continents! I mean condements!"

The shaking of Claire's shoulders as she attempted to surpress her laughter didn't go unnoticed to Margaret, and she felt her face harden. She had forgotten how stuck up Claire was; always giggling away at other people's mistakes and commenting on their failures. Nothing like Margaret at all.