A COLD WINTER NIGHT

Chapter 4 - My Angel

Clara and I enter Hal's Outerwear store and of course, all eyes turn towards us the second we enter together. Clara stops in the entrance, noticing the many stares.

"Small towns suck," she insults and then stomps towards the carts, pulling one out aggressively. She pushes it my way and then pulls another one out, turning it around so that her and her cart face me.

"You get one, I get one. I need to do some shopping too so how about we divide and conquer?"

"If that's what you want to do," I say, while taking the extra cart. She looks around, making eye contact with a few curious faces and then shouts at a lady standing near us.

"Keep staring Martha, and I'll buy out all the snow plow trucks in town and leave you high and dry," she threatens, and I have to slap a hand over my mouth from laughing out loud.

"Stupid, nosy bitches," I hear her mumble under her breath. She then looks up, catching me smiling at her in amusement.

"What?" she wonders. I shake my head.

"You were right. Dynamite does come in small packages," I tease, making her look down and shyly smile. Her eyes then glance up under her desperate attempt at hiding her smirk.

"Get whatever you want, Edvin. I'm serious. Money is no problem. Seriously. Buy the whole damn store if you want, because if these nosy ass bitches keep staring at me then, I'll buy this store and kick them out."

"I don't think it's you who they're staring at," I enlighten. She looks around before looking back at me.

"No. I know what they're thinking. They think we're together. Like together, together and even if we were, who the fuck cares. Like get a life and stay out of mine," she says in annoyance. I reach out to take her hand, giving it a few squeezes. Her eyes drop down to our hands and then she takes a deep breath in, before releasing it in one long exhale.

"Thank you. That seems to actually work," she says. She then looks up at me. "Have fun shopping, Edvin. I'll meet you at the finish line when we're both done," she says, and then turns to walk away.

I move throughout the big store, finding items that I need. After a while, I find and pick up a long, light grey wool coat that reminds me of one that I had in my previous life. I then see the price tag. I stare at the high price and am brought back to a time in my life, where shopping like this, was just another normal day for me. Never did I have to worry about what the price of an item held. If I wanted something, I bought it without question.

"If you want it, get it," I hear her speak from behind. I smile and turn. She eyes the coat and nods.

"I like it. You'll look good in it. Get it," she tells me, now staring at me.

"Are you sure? It's quite expensive," I mention, and she frowns.

"Edvin. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm rich, bitch. Buy the damn thing," this little feisty angel orders and I smile so damn hard. She takes the coat from my hand and drops it in her cart. I watch her stroll away, while shaking my head.

"You're amazing," I mutter. She stops walking and looks back over her shoulder.

"What was that?" she asks.

"I said, it's a maze in here," I lie.

"Oh. Yeah, this place is pretty big. Well, I'm done here if you are or do you need more time?"

"I'm good," I say.

"Cool. Then on to the next place."

I open the trunk door of her vehicle, and as soon as it rises, I notice a wheel of brand, new rope sitting in the middle. Clara's wide eyes then find mine, before she jumps in the back of the vehicle and pushes the rope to the corner.