This idea came to me as I was deciding which spaghetti sauce to buy in aisle five of my local grocery store. It's a little silly, but then again so am I.
…..
"Clean up on aisle five. Once again that was clean up on aisle five." A loud deep sounded after the announcer turned off the microphone. A moment later corny elevator like music began playing through the supermarket.
Pushing her cart through the bread and pasta aisle Lily hummed along with the music. She stopped suddenly and checked the price of the French bread. "Hum?" She pondered scratching her chin. "To buy or not to buy."
Holding the two loaves up Lily determined which was smaller. Living in a small apartment in town by herself Lily wouldn't be needing the larger bread. A very sad factor. Being so wrapped up in her purchasing decision Lily didn't notice the middle aged man trying to get through.
"Um Miss? Your cart's kind of in the way?"
Spinning around on her high Lily blushed and nervously pushed it away. "I'm really sorry." She said quickly brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. The man frowned for a moment. He had a very pensive look about him.
"Lily?"
"How did you know my name?"
"It's me! Oliver!"
Suddenly feeling very self conscious she placed her hands in her back pocket only to pull them back out. "Wow." She replied dryly.
"I know!" Oliver exclaimed not believing his eyes. "I read your article every Sunday!"
Lily laughed shyly. "Really? You like it?"
"Like it? Jesus Lily I love it! It must be exciting being able to travel all over the world."
"It is, really it is. Just last week I was in Paris. I did a tourist review for the Musée d'Orsay." Lily said.
"That's wonderful." Oliver admitted sincerely.
Lily chewed on her bottom lip before asking. "So… what have you been up to?"
Suddenly a small girl wearing a yellow sundress came bouncing around the corner and ran up to Oliver. "Hey! Look I found it!" She beamed holding a box of Cheerios up to Oliver.
"Great job Molly." He smiled picking her up and placing her inside the cart. The little girl giggled.
Lily felt her body freeze. Oliver has a daughter? Oliver is married? Her throat tightened and suddenly the supermarket seemed to be closing in on her. "So… this is what you've been up to?" Lily said trying to laugh it off.
"Oh? Molly? No, no she's my sister's little girl. I'm her uncle." Oliver confirmed. Lily looked at the small child. Molly had her brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Her blue eyes shone up at Oliver with such adoration and Lily only smiled.
"I always knew you'd be a good parent or uncle in this case." Lily laughed.
"Really?" Oliver chuckled not believing her.
"Oh yea. Remember in freshmen year we had that whole child development unit and we were assigned a kid to hang out with all day? You were such a natural." Lily sighed.
"Well I do like kids. Molly and I have fun together don't we?" He grinned looking to the little girl.
"We sure do Uncle Oliver!" Molly giggled again.
Lily felt her heart warm at the sight. As long as Oliver has found happiness that's all that matters. Even though he's not with her, at least he's content.
"Anyway, I have a small sporting goods store downtown, mainly skateboarding." Oliver said responding to her earlier question.
"That's cool; I haven't lived here very long. I usually don't stay in one place for very long." Lily nodded. "How's Miley? And everybody?"
"Well Miley and Jake and pretty happy they had a little boy just last month."
"Really?!" Lily said feeling a sad pang in her stomach, I've missed everything.
"Yep, his name's Parker." Oliver informed. "But how are you doing? Married?"
Lily looked at her shoes for a second before looking back at Oliver's kind brown eyes. "No, no time really I work a lot." Lily felt herself needing to closer to him. Oliver had always understood her. And now this was what they were reduced to, a small talk meeting at the grocery store.
Oliver looked good. His hair was a little shorter then before and he seemed so clam, so put together. As if all those years of being an awkward teenager had finally worn off. Here stood the adult Oliver and Lily wanted a part of that life. His life.
I miss you! I want you! Is all Lily wanted to scream. She wanted to explain everything. She wanted to bury her head in his warm embrace.
Oliver felt suddenly nervous. Lily looked very nice. Her beauty had not faltered through out the years. But she left and there is no good excuse for that. No matter how much he wishes he could forgive her.
"Well I better go." Oliver said looking to his watch.
"… Sure." Lily replied sadly. "But Oliver?"
"What?"
"Could you… could you give me a hug?"
Oliver felt himself blush and slowly walk towards her. "I suppose I could." He said.
Lily felt herself fall into him. Everything was right. Oliver placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. Lily, Lily He thought smiling.
Oliver saw a quick flash. There they were! He saw a marriage, he saw a child. Everything just seemed right with Lily. Oliver could see himself being the man he was meant to be. With Lily by his side nothing was impossible.
"Uncle Oliver!" Came an impatient voice from behind him.
"Oh!" They pulled away. Lily felt empty and Oliver felt a sudden chill.
"We better go."
"I understand."
"Goodbye Lily." Oliver said turning around and pushing the cart away.
"Goodbye… Ollie!" Lily called after him.
Oliver felt a pang in his heart. Ollie. When was the last time he heard her say that? "Hold on Molly." He said to her before walking quickly back to the blonde. "Just explain one thing." He demanded.
"What?"
"Why did you leave after graduation? What scared you away?"
Lily drew a breath. "It's much more complicated then that Oliver."
"No it's kind of not!"
Lily grew annoyed. "Listen, it's my business, ok?!"
"You are my business!" Oliver argued back.
"Since when? You never came after me! You could have done something too you know! Yes, I left for a college far away and never wrote but what about you!" Lily snapped.
"I just want to know why?" Oliver hissed not wanting Molly to hear.
"I loved you!" Lily shouted suddenly not caring. "I was so in love with you. But you had a girlfriend and you never gave me the time of day."
Oliver felt as though she had punched him in the gut. "Why, why didn't you say something?"
"Because some of us aren't very brave." Lily sneered. "And because I'm not that kind of girl who waits around. You had someone so I moved on. I got a job and now I travel all over and I'm really, really happy!" Lily stomped feeling like a two year old.
"Are you?" Oliver asked softly
"Am I what?!"
"Happy?"
"…Not really." Lily sniffed.
"Me neither… You want to go somewhere? Catch up?"
"Yes, I would really like that." Lily agreed.
"Ok, let me dropped Molly off and I'll come to your place. And Lily?"
"Yea?"
"I don't have someone."
Lily gave Oliver her address. Everything was quiet and unsure. The gestures and motions where irregular and stiff. But suddenly Oliver turned to her, just before he got into his car.
"I've really missed you." He said.
Lily paid for her groceries she got out to her car and smiled. Oliver was coming. And looking down she saw the bread. It was the larger loaf, tonight she wouldn't be alone.
End.
….
Well there you have it. I'm not sure if I should have ended it there. But then if I didn't this story would just keep going and going and I really wouldn't know how to finish it. Besides I like leaving stories up to the readers. You guys can deicide what happened. I haven't been writing as many stories lately because of all the papers I have to write. But summer should be here soon and I have a few ideas for some actually (at least two chapter) stories. As always thank-you for reading and leave your thoughts.
Lazy Days
