The Call

Chapter 6

No One Messes With My Fish

"Okay, I have to go to the store," Rose said, grabbing her shoes from the back room. "You're free to join me if you'd like," she said, coming back and sitting down on the couch to put her shoes on.

"Of course," he smiled, glad that she was offering to take him with her.

After all, Michael wanted to walk around the town and see all the wonders that it held. Her bringing him along allowed him to experience that.

"So, what is it there we're getting?" Michael asked, tossing his coat over top his shoulders.

"Um, food?" she said, raising an eyebrow as though it were the most obvious thing ever, watching a grin form on his face.

She came to the conclusion that he'd done it on purpose, making her roll her eyes and heading toward the door, throwing her jacket on.

"Alright, come on," she sighed, grabbing her bag from the floor.

Michael followed right behind her, closing the door behind him so that she could lock it. After that, she made her way down the steps, her shoes tapping against each one. Michael's were a bit lighter though as he went down them, taking his time, each step full of purpose.

xXx

"Oh, this looks good," Michael grinned, holding a box of cake mix in his hand, examining the text on the back.

"I would think so, it is cake after all," Rose told him, pushing the cart down the aisle.

Michael followed after her, looking at the boxes and cans lining the shelves. The first thing that he had grabbed upon entering the store had been a large bag of sugar, causing a roll of the eyes from Rose. She'd never understand what his deal was when it came to sugar, but from what she could tell, he liked it a little bit too much in her opinion.

"Michael, what exactly is it that you think I'm going to make?" Rose questioned, watching him sort between an assortment of bake-able items.

"Brownies, cookies, cake," he listed off, an innocently happy look on his face, the broad smile stretching wide.

"Michael," she sighed, shaking her head as she grabbed a bag of flour, moving to turning into the next aisle.

"Wait for me!" Michael called, running after her.

"Don't worry, I won't go far," she assured him, before eyeing the soups on the shelf beside her, eyes skimming over the first few. "Tomato, chicken noodle, cream of mushroom..." she stopped when her view was blocked, looking up to find Michael standing there. "Michael?" she breathed.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"I'm looking at the soup with you," he smiled, crouching down in order to go through them.

She let out another sigh as she stood there, her elbow now resting on the handle bar of the cart, chin resting in her raised palm. She shook her head as he pulled a few cans from the shelf, standing and dumping them into the cart.

"Good old chicken noodle soup," he proclaimed, a smile on his face.

"And...on we go," she announced, pushing the cart down the aisle, snagging a box of crackers while she was at it.

"What are Oreo's?" came Michael's sudden question over her shoulder, the question in particular causing Rose to turn around and look at him.

There, he stood a few feet away, a package of Oreo's in his hand.

"You're kidding me, right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

After all, how could he not know what Oreo's were, especially with a sweet tooth like his?

"Nope," he said simply, holding the package up in question.

Rose sighed, turning back to her cart.

"They're chocolate cookies with icing filling," she said simply, pushing her foot against one of the wheels, the hard rubber letting out a squeak in response. "Just grab 'em and come on," she told him, heading toward the deli.

Michael trailed right behind her like a lost puppy, keeping close as possible as he held the Oreo's to his chest.

"Now, if I get ham or fish, you're not going to cover it in sugar like you did with breakfast this morning are you?" Rose asked, giving him a look that said he'd better not.

Instead of replying though, he simply shook his head, biting back a smile.

"Good, otherwise, I'd have to kick you out. No one messes with my fish," she told him pointedly, a small smile on her face as she watched his expression.

"What kind of fish?" he asked.

At that, Rose opened her mouth to speak, but closed it after rethinking. She then sighed.

"What kind of fish?" he asked again, walking closer until he was leaning over her shoulder, his breath catching her skin.

A moment later, her hand was pressing backwards into his chest, pushing him back slightly as she looked over at the guy behind the meat counter.

"What's the best fish you've got today?" Rose asked, her hand still firmly planted against Michael's chest.

The man before her smiled, looking her over for a moment, before turning toward the assortment of meat behind the counter. His eyes fell upon the cod, then the whitefish, before finally landing upon the nice pink slabs of Salmon before him.

"I'd recommend the Salmon, ma'am," he said, placing his hands on the counter.

"Alright then, I'd like four of the Salmon fillets then, please," she said, giving him a nod.

In response, he went to work in pulling out the Salmon, carefully wrapping it up for her.

"How do you cook it?" Michael asked innocently, though quite deliberately.

"Michael," Rose started, turning her head to look at him.

"Yes?" he replied, a smile on his face.

"Why do I get the feeling that your getting a kick out of this poor attempt to annoy me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"But it's so much fun," he exclaimed.

Rose just let out a sigh, shaking her head as she took the fish off the counter, bidding the man a good day. She then turned the cart around, going toward the refrigerated section for some more eggs. She'd used the rest of the up while cooking breakfast earlier and was now left with none in her refrigerator.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" he asked, following after her, afraid that perhaps he had angered her by asking too many questions.

"No," she breathed, placing a carton of large eggs in her cart. "I'm not mad at you."

"Oh, good," he sighed in relief, earning a curious look from her.

"Why are you so worried anyway? I figured that you'd just take it all in stride," she said, moving on back toward the front of the store.

"Well, it'd be quite a shame to have you mad at me," he told her, walking a few steps behind her.

"I'm sure it would," she said, not quite believing it for some reason.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" he asked suddenly.

"Okay...that's random," she muttered.

"Can I?" he asked, giving her a slightly pleading look.

"I didn't think that angels smoked," she said skeptically, pushing her cart into the awaiting cashiers line. "Then again, I didn't think that angels drank beer," she reminded herself. "Fine, whatever," she said, placing things onto the conveyer belt.

Her biggest problem would be getting all of the groceries back to her apartment, especially since she had no car at the moment. Then again, she did have Michael with her. He could carry most of it most likely.

"What's this?" Michael asked.

"That, my dear angel, that is a candy bar," she announced.

"Candy bar," he repeated, watching as she rolled her eyes. "And this?" he asked, holding up a small round container that distinctively said 'gum' on it.

"That's gum, Michael," she said, raising an eyebrow at him. "Do we really have to keep doing this?" she asked, obviously still tired.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

He'd gone such a long without any decent to talk to that he'd forgotten how to deal with people again. It was an acquired talent, for which he normally say things at face value when words came into play. Getting her riled up gave him a small thrill though. He couldn't help it.

Okay everyone, I realize its been awhile, but I'm slowly starting to review my stories and get back to them. College and work are a little draining and don't always let me think properly. I have one year of school left though and then that part is out of the way. Anyway! Please, REVIEW and MESSAGE I love to hear your feedback as it help keep me writing!