Isolated

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

"Please explain to me why that is a necessity?"

Luke's question earned himself a glare. "How isn't this a necessity? I'm not going to be able to function without it," I said, gesturing to the white box containing heaven.  However, Mr. Moneybags piloting the cart allowed only 'necessities,' especially when it came to kitchen appliances.  

"Not going to be able to function? Really?" He glanced down to the box I tossed in our overflowing cart.

"If this isn't a necessity, then I suppose the coffee maker you grabbed isn't a necessity either."

He chuckled, crossing his arms. "Owning a coffee maker is justified. A waffle maker... that's silly."

"I see," I said in a low voice. I noticed a few other people wandering the short rows of appliances. They had their own shopping agendas in mind, but I could easily draw their attention. Smirking, I found Luke's eyes. "Do I need to speak a little louder? Have our first official fight as a couple public?"

Laughing under his breath, he gripped the long handle of the shopping cart. "Fine, we'll get it. But that means I can get a radio for the kitchen," he said smugly. "And you can't touch it if I'm the one cooking."

Damn. While I shamefully didn't mind country music as much as I did three years ago, it wasn't something I needed to hear. But if it means getting the waffle maker, then I could live with it.  It's not like it was that upsetting anyway. When we moved along and found a radio, Luke's happiness was worth it.

"Now, it's going to be a true spaghetti dinner tonight," he smiled, placing the box containing the radio in the cart. Turning to me, his eyes were sweet and playful. "Look at it this way. With your cook in high spirits from the music, the food will also taste better. It's a win win."

The reminder of the big spaghetti dinner he planned on making tonight made me smile. Weeks spent without permanent housing, living off mainly fast-food or gas station snacks, there was reason to be excited. It was more than just having a home cooked meal though. It was like a celebration. Finally living in a house was a milestone in this journey. Plus, a break from bloodshed was something to look forward to.

Being in this massive grocery store felt like a celebration already. Each thing we added to the cart offered a sense of stability. Of being grounded and safe. The groceries, accessories, appliances, all of it... they were elements of a home life. It was something I took comfort in.

The glory of shopping wasn't just going to last today either. We were only getting necessities today (yes, that means the fucking waffle maker). That didn't include décor, wall art, blankets, all the cozy gay shit that would make our new place more personal. We also were putting off buying a laptop and more clothes for ourselves. We didn't need any of those things immediately.

So, today, our main goal included more boring shit. Mainly groceries. It took up most of our shopping cart. Grabbing a few appliances and toiletries consumed the remaining cart space. We still needed specific cookware the house wasn't supplied with. Kitchen utensils, new phones, trash bags, fabric softener, lightbulbs, dish rags.... All these and more were things we still planned on getting today.

We would have grabbed a second cart and continued if our cold groceries didn't require refrigeration. I know, dumbass thinking on our part. Realizing we needed a few more hours in the store, we decided to check out. Luke and I hauled our things back to the house, unloaded, then headed back to the store. Yeah. Talk about a freaking shopping spree.

Yet, I didn't mind. Neither did Luke. In fact, we were still in a great mood and were having fun with this massive chore. Doing ordinary things, living a normal life, had the power to do that.