~Recap~
Before she could say anything else he turned around and walked off. That was so random, she thought and puffed out a breath. She looked back at the table where the boy had been but the table was empty. She had only been talking for a minute and she would have noticed if anyone left, especially him. So the question now was, where did he go?
***
Allison pulled up into the parking space in front of the smallest grocery store she'd ever seen. She got out of her car and looked up at the sign. Marcelo's Goods. She gazed at it for another second and started to laugh. She wondered how many jokes were made about Marcelo's goods. She personally would never want to know what exactly his goods were but for now she would live with his food. She went up to the sliding doors- at least they had sliding doors- and went in. As she walked towards the rack with all the baskets she swiveled her head this way and that trying to see exactly what Marcelo's offered. It was almost like other grocery stores except for the fact that it looked liked they sold about everything. She could see racks of clothes, toy bins, gardening equipment, books, food of course, movies and CD's.
"Wow," she said to herself, "I can find everything I need here."
"Indeed you can dear," came a voice from behind her.
Allison jumped at the sudden comment and turned around to face the little old woman who made it.
"Sorry to startle you my dear, I was just agreeing with your observation," the woman replied.
"Oh no. I was just concentrating too hard that I zoned out. I do that a lot sometimes. Ummm... my name is Allison, Allison Pent."
"Nice to meet you Allison. My name is Georgina Grooves. By chance are you related to Lucinda Pent?"
"Yes I am. She was my grandmother. I'm living in her old cottage."
"Really my dear? Why would you want to live all the way out there?"
"Well it's really peaceful up there and I could use all the peace I can get right now, besides there's something about the woods that just draws me to them" she answered
"Oh I see. That is true," she chuckled. "It's quite funny; your grandmother had a similar answer when I asked her why she would want to live up there."
"You knew my grandmother?" Allison asked with subtle curiosity.
"Why my dear, I went to school with your grandmother. She was my best friend."
"Oh wow. I never knew that. Honestly, I never knew about my grandmother until I learned about the cottage."
"I'm not surprised dear. Before your father left with Miranda, that was his girlfriend at the time, he and your grandmother had a great big fight. If I remember correctly it had something to do with those woods that she loved but I'm not too sure. After that day your grandmother never talked about the fight or your father again."
"Hmmm...I guess that would explain why they never told me about her," she said more to herself.
Allison took a moment to ponder what she was just told. She understood why a fight between her father and grandmother would make them mad at each other and possibly not speak to each other for a while, but would it really make them try to erase each other from their memories? She had her fair share of fights with her dad but one of them eventually came around and started talking to the other again.
Thinking about her dad brought back memories of what happened six months ago in sharp detail. She remembered the last fight they had and how it had blown out of proportion. Just thinking about what she said brought back all the pain and guilt she felt that day.
"Sweetheart? Are you all right?"
Allison turned her gaze back to Mrs. Grooves. She could see the concern etched in the lines of her face.
"Yes. Sorry, I was just remembering something from my past."
"It must have been bad. You looked like you were about to collapse there for a second."
"Sorry. I'm fine. Don't worry."
"If you say so my dear. Anyways I was telling you that if you would like, you can come over to my house one day and I will tell you stories about your grandmother."
"Oh...yes, I would like that. I would like that a lot."
"Well then it's set. I should probably give you my address," Mrs. Grooves said as she started to rummage through her purse.
As Mrs. Grooves searched through her purse for something to write her address down on, Allison looked up towards the doors when the ding, indicating someone was coming in, sounded. All the breath was sucked out of her lungs. It was him! It was the guy from the bar. Oh my God, she thought, he was even better looking than she thought. He looked like he was about 6'3, his body was lean but she could see the play of his muscles in his black-tight-t shirt as he walked in. His legs were hugged in equally tight blue jeans that had stress points in all the right places. Wow, she thought again, how could someone with his looks not have been snatched up by some modeling agency yet? She sighed; she wished she could see his eyes.
As if reading her mind his deep blue eyes flashed in her direction, looking her up and down and then up again but slower this time as if he was taking in every detail. And then his eyes were on hers. In hers. She felt as if he could look through her eyes and see who she really was. He smirked then, as if he too thought that he was looking into her soul. He was getting closer to her location and she couldn't help but think that he was coming to talk to her. He kept eye contact the entire time until he stopped beside her and Mrs. Grooves. Keeping his eyes on her he reached down and picked up a basket. Immediately Allison felt stupid for even thinking that he was coming over to talk to her. It wasn't like he knew her or anything and she was about to say fancy meeting you again. How embarrassing would that have been? She could just imagine it now. He was coming over to get a basket so he could do his shopping and a girl he doesn't know suddenly says fancy meeting you again as if they'd met each other and talked the first time. Oh man she was so glad she kept her mouth shut.
His smile inched up a couple notches in the corner, again as if he knew what she was thinking. He held her gaze for a couple more seconds and then shifted them to Mrs. Grooves.
"Hello Mrs. Grooves. How are you this evening?"
"Oh why hello there Jasper, I'm just fine thank you..."
So his name was Jasper.
"...I was just talking to Allison here about her grandmother who use to live in the cottage she's living in now."
Horrified, Allison looked down at Mrs. Grooves. Did she just tell anyone a person's personal information?
Smiling as if amused Jasper said, "I see."
Oh great Allison though, now he knows my name and where I live.
"And who exactly was your Grandmother Allison...," he inquired
There was still hope from him not finding out too much about her. She didn't miss the pause at the end of his question. He was also asking her for her last name. Well he wouldn't get it.
Before Mrs. Grooves could answer Allison replied.
"Oh I'm sure you wouldn't have known her," considering you were in diapers when she died, she thought, "she died a long time ago." She turned back to Mrs. Grooves. "Ah Mrs. Grooves you were just giving me your address."
"Oh yes my dear thank you for reminding me." As Mrs. Grooves once again went in search of something to write with, Allison darted a glance back at Jasper. He was still there and he was still looking at her. She heard an ah ha from Mrs. Grooves but kept her eyes on him. He was still smiling and looking at her in that I can see into your soul-I know what your thinking way. His gaze was finally averted when someone called his name.
Allison looked over back towards the doors. She hadn't heard someone else come in. Standing there was a girl who looked about her height but that was were the resemblance ended. While she was curvy with brown hair and hazel eyes the girl at the door was willowy with pale blonde hair and brown eyes. Her skin was also pale but not in a sickly way. It was almost like ivory.
"Sorry Eve," he said.
Wow even her name matched her looks.
Jasper looked back at Mrs. Grooves and told her, "have a good evening Mrs. Grooves."
"Oh you too dear, you too," she answered still occupied with writing the address.
His gaze then landed on her. "Until we meet again Allison." With that he walked over to Eve and they headed to the back of the store.
What gave Allison pause was the fact that he wanted to meet her again.