One Week of Love Short Story

*** Mark ***

"I could've picked up groceries yesterday evening, mah." Mark Daniels glanced at his mother on the passenger side of the car.

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda!" His mother muttered. She wound down the windshield. As if that would help her get a clearer picture of the crowd leaving and entering the supermarket. "Is it always this crowded?"

Mark rubbed his forehead in frustration. If he ignored that question, she would call him disrespectful and they'd start quarreling. "Yes, because it's Saturday. Also, you already know this. Should we go to the mall instead?"

Even as he asked this, he knew the suggestion was dumb. The mall was often much worse than Ever-Good supermarket on this day and time of the week. But he hated driving in traffic or shopping in crowded places. No doubt, there would be kids in there screaming for no reason while their parents did nothing about it.

His mother's reply was as expected. "We're already here. Also, you hate it there on Saturday."

Mark eased the car forward, moving slowly behind the vehicles in front. Soon, they were within the premises. "And now we pray for parking space." He grumbled.

"No worries there. Half of these people are leaving." His mother said idly.

Three minutes passed and they did not find a vacant parking spot.

"I'll just go inside and get the stuff." His mother said. She opened the door to get out of the car without looking and accidentally hit a passerby. Her purse, which sat half-open on her thighs, fell out at the same time.

Typical. Mark scoffed when he recalled how quick she was to call others clumsy.

"Oh, sorry my dear!" She said.

Glancing her way to see the look on the victim's face, his eyes settled on a very ordinary-looking girl. She wore a grimace which was soon transforming into a friendly smile.

Mark's eyes remained fixed on the girl and he found himself recalling the Sun's golden ball when it rose on the horizon at the first light of dawn.

The girl bent down with his mother and proceeded to assist with picking up the things that fell out of the purse. The wind played with her yellow flay dress when she hunched. With one hand, she held the dress down, preventing it from lifting off her thighs and revealing her underwear.

'Look up.' He willed her. 'Look at me.'

Girls liked his face and for some reason, he wanted this one to notice him.

In a few moments, when she and his mother were done, she raised her head. But only for one second. Cars started to honk behind him, signaling that there was space to move further in the queue of cars.

She had looked but had gotten distracted and not seen him.

At that instant, his mother threw some of the things back in the seat, shut the door, and waved him off.

As he moved the car, he kept glancing at the rearview. But the girl was on her way out of the premises. He soon found a spot near the reserved space. Straining his neck to look at her one last time, he found her exiting the large gate into the street.

He got out of the car and stood there, eyes in the gate's direction, until his mom called out.

"Are you coming?"

 **********

The following week, Mark had almost forgotten the incident and went to the same supermarket to pick up some toiletries.

His mother was not with him and it was a Thursday evening. The place was much less crowded, perhaps because of the game. Which he was also in a hurry to get back and watch.

"Sir, here's a cart."

Mark turned around to find a young man in the shop's uniform thrusting the smaller shopping basket his way.

"Don't need it. Just getting a couple of these." He replied.

"Oh," Was the staff's reply.

Moments later, with two bottles of wine in one hand and a bunch of toiletries balanced on the other, using his jaw for support, he marched carefully to the nearest checkout counter. Only a few feet from the counter, Philip Gonza, the owner of the place, blocked his path.

"Need a cart?" He mocked.

"I'm checking out. Move." Mark replied, going around the man.

Soon, he had deposited his items on the counter and was bringing out his wallet when he saw her. The yellow dress girl from last time.