(Later that day-still walking around)
Brady was worried; his little sun was not acting as expected. She should have been angry with him, throwing out sarcastic comments left and right, cutting him down with her stare, or at the very least, ignoring him in murderous silence. But instead, she held his hand, swinging their joined arms back and forth as she brightly chattered away, behaving as if he was her very best friend in the world.
It was like she had never stepped in front of a truck. It was like he hadn't let her. But even more disconcerting, it was as if she actually wanted him in her life.
She must be up to something, he thought morosely, wishing his father and sisters hadn't gone home, wanting someone to explain Chloe to him.
"So what do you think?"
She tugged at the bottom of his 'Wolverine versus Sabertooth' shirt, gaining his muddled attention with her pretty wide-eyed blues.
"What? About what?"
He furrowed his brows, stopping their trek along the walkway, pulling her off to the side of the 'Bridal Boutique' building so he could examine the boisterous crowd, while simultaneously paying attention to her.
"Buying Will a puppy, silly. I think you should. After all, he is your nephew and you have missed every single one of his birthdays and every Christmas too. You should get him a homecoming gift, definitely."
It touched him that she should be concerned for the happiness of his family. Looking down into her sincere, earnest face, he couldn't help but feel ashamed at his earlier suspicions. To imagine that she would hold a grudge against him, this generous woman who had saved his life, it seemed ludicrous now.
"It is your opinion? This . . . homecoming gift, it is customary, in this country?" He asked hesitantly, not realizing till now how much he craved her acceptance.
"Totally. Poor little kid is probably wondering why you haven't gotten him anything already. He probably thinks you don't like him and I can't even begin to guess what Sami thinks-"
"But I do, I do like him! He is family."
"I know that, and you know that, but does Will know that? Let me tell you little kids are Sensitive! You already dropped the ball by not greeting him with a present. . .I'm afraid, the only way to make it up to him now is to get him something really good, like a puppy." She continued on conspiratorially, pulling him back into the crowd, her arm looped around his waist, cheerfully maneuvering him along until his next words stopped her dead in her tracks.
"Hmmm, perhaps you are right. I will get him a good gift. Not an animal, too much responsibility for one so young. I'll give him my nunchaku."
"You can't mean. . . numb-chucks?. . . ARE YOU CRAZY? YOU WANT TO GIVE A FIVE YEAR OLD NUMB-CHUCKS!"
He smiled into her clearly appalled and enraged countenance, no longer fooled. His first instinct was right; she was up to something. He decided to play along trying to goad her further, hoping she'd reveal herself.
"My master gave me my first pair when I was four. I loved them." He confided, amused to watch her scramble to cover up her first reaction of frustrated disappointment.
"I-I'm sure you did. . .but Sami will freak, she'll have a cow! Trust me; just get him a puppy. And what Luck! Look right up there is the pet store. It must be Sign! Come on, Brady, let's go get Will a Puppy!!"
Excitedly, she pulled at him urging him forward while Brady followed in patronizing bafflement, curious to discover what was so important about a pet store.
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A man clothed in a black suit, his dark hair gelled fashionably, his stance at coiled ease, watched the young couple enter the pet store from across the street. Removing his sunglasses, his squinted into the sunny afternoon light and raised his cell-phone to his ear.
Whatever he heard caused him great pleasure. Although, one would not be able to discern that fact from the expression on his non-descript face, rather his joy could be observed in the way he moved across the street with precise intent.
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Likewise, across town at the front of the Salem 'Pick N Save', a similarly clothed man was enthusiastically signally to his cohorts as they pulled up, the tires squealing, in a navy sedan.
It was the same 'Pick N Save' that Sami, Lucas, and Will had just entered in search of a gallon of milk and a box of 'Captain Crunch' cereal.
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My plans for the next chapter: Double trouble, rumble at the Pet Store and Pick N Save!!!