High C

10. Olé!

"Got it."

"Wait though. Clothes shopping could take forever and we can't have her appreciating the effort."

"I should buy you a gift that's clearly for me. Like a fishing pole, or how about a video game console?"

"That's perfect. I've never played a video game in all my life."

"Not even at Chuck E Cheese's?"

"God no."

"Not even Super Mario Brothers?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Man, that's sad."

"Whatever. A selfish present from you for me is the plan then. You can get changed for bed in the bathroom first if you want."

"Mind if I take a shower?"

"I thought you did already."

"Nah, I just wet my hair and hid up here for twenty minutes."

"You're very good at what you do, mister."

Bob thanked her, but he was a little conflicted over how being so good at making people loathe him made him feel. When he exited the bathroom, showered and changed into blue and red pj bottoms and a grey-blue Henley, he found Natasha had also changed into an oversized tee shirt and black leggings. She had pulled the sheets down from the room's one bed and was rearranging the pillows.

"See, I told you there would be a bed split with pillows," he said. "Just like the movies."

"You're funny," she said. "You're sleeping on the floor.

******

The next morning, a simple family breakfast ended early after Bob gave a detailed explanation of how honeypot ants force feed workers to serve as living food banks when nutrients are scarce. He frowned over the lost opportunity to finish his toast crusts as DeeDee distracted their father so Natasha could hurry him out of harm's way. They'd wanted an early start at the mall for the day's planned shopping anyway. At least, some of them did.

Bob tagged along behind them to a tea shop, a bath and body boutique, and a calendar store, DeeDee could hear his huffs of impatience. They were so exaggerated she was sure that was the point. When Natasha stared at a pair of boots she liked through the window for at least five minutes without ever going into the store, he groaned so loudly anyone would've wanted to ditch him. But it was crowded and hot, and he looked so tortured DeeDee could only laugh at him pityingly and say, "Poor Bob." If he wanted to marry her sister, he was going to need more stamina than that.

He looked mortified every time Natasha made him hold her purse, which happened in most stores. At one stop, DeeDee gave him hers to hold as well just to see his reaction when he realized her hands were free and she'd done it as a joke. His eyes smiled, but he said, very dryly, "I see. It's like that is it?"

"Yes, and if you tell my sister, I'll say you were mean to me."

"You win," was all he said, but he was definitely holding back.

Bob continued to let the girls do all of the talking as they clacked hangers around the racks at the next clothing store. He sighed with disinterest until they shushed him, but not as a reprimand. A customer was having an issue with the salesperson running the store, and Natasha wanted DeeDee to listen in.

"Do you have this top in a 12?" the middle-aged woman asked.

"I don't think so," the young salesman said inattentively before pouring on the charm to greet a few new customers.

"You don't think so or you know you don't?" the woman persisted hopefully.

"I'm pretty sure we don't," he answered, this time with a slightly bothered huff.