Carla: Book One - Michael

CHAPTER ONE: THE THING AT THE STORE

Three weeks ago, we had almost been robbed. Not at our house, but at a convenience store on an adjacent street.

It was a Saturday evening, and we had decided to take a walk. When I mean we, I mean myself, my wife Tessa, and our 8 month old baby Carla in a pram. After visiting one of our friends, we had decided to pop into the small store to buy some more nappies for Carla.

Whilst waiting at the counter to pay, Tessa turned to me suddenly.

'Can we get a bottle of wine, baby?'

I raised a questioning eyebrow.

'I'm in that mood,' she said, sticking out her tongue.

I shrugged, and went hunting for a bottle of Baileys, her favourite. So far as the "mood" involved a lot of pleasurable activities for me, I was game.

It was when I was coming back to the counter, a bottle of Bailey's held triumphantly in one hand, that all hell broke loose.

Three men with masks over their faces ran into the shop, and one went straight for the counter, whilst the other two spread out. They were two white guys, and one black guy.

'On the floor everyone, and no one will get hurt,' commanded the black guy, who was at the counter.

Tessa, face as white as a sheet, went down shakily on her knees to the floor, one hand holding the pram tightly.

The salesman, visibly shaking, started opening his cash box.

I was still standing.

'On your face brother,' said the black guy at the counter. 'Or I'll put you on your back!'

'My wife and baby,' I croaked, going down on my knees. 'Please don't hurt them.'

'No one is going to get hurt,' he replied.

He looked at my wife, who was now hyperventilating, and still on her knees.

'On your face sweetheart. We are just borrowing some money from this man here, and we sure ain't going to touch your baby.'

Tessa went down on her face to the floor, but still held onto the pram tightly. The other three customers who were also in the shop were already on the floor, faces pressed hard to the floor.

I did as I was told.

I heard the other two accomplices head to the counter.

'Thanks a lot mister. You are so kind,' said the black one, probably to the salesman, because I could hear the rustle of paper being put into bags.

'What's the name of your baby ma'am?' I heard one of the other robbers ask.

My heart skipped a beat, and then started racing very quickly.

Tessa answered in a loud whisper.

'Carla.'

'Lovely name, and lovely baby,' said the man. I risked a quick glance and saw that the sales man was handing over some paper bags to the black one, whilst the other two accomplices were standing on alert. The one speaking to Tessa was peering into the pram, whilst the other one waved the gun threateningly when he saw me raise my head.

I put my head down again quickly.

There was no point in making them angry.

Suddenly there was silence, and all I could hear for a moment was the rustling of paper, and other noises from outside the shop.