steven
After parking in the back of the lot of Giant Eagle Market District in Robinson, I buttoned the top of my topcoat and walked to one of the five entrances. Yes, five entire entrances for one store. I had driven around so many times, wondering which one was the correct one.
Deciding to enter through the flower section, I stepped into the warm building. I scanned the area for Sierra—the bar to my right. And when I couldn’t find her, I headed toward the hot foods.
No Sierra in sight.
I stopped by the bakery, wondering how big this place really was. I didn’t go to the grocery often anymore, but when I used to go as a kid, the store had barely been half the bar area here. And the bar area here wasn’t even a tenth of the Market District.
Me: Sierra, where are you?
Sierra: I see you!
Arching a brow, I lifted my gaze and scanned the area again. Nothing.
Me: Where?
Sierra: Come find me.
Continuing my trek through the store, I passed the fresh seafood section, then the meats and veggies and fruits, which opened up into what had to be about forty aisles of everything. And I mean, everything.
They had about ten different types of Oreos, fifteen flavors of Ruffles chips, an entire animal food section, three people behind a counter to cut various amounts of cheese, a goddamn deli, and seven aisles dedicated to health and beauty.
I must’ve looked like a madman, pacing up and down the center of the aisles multiple times in an attempt to find Sierra. And when I finally looped back to the flowers, she was crouched in front of some succulents inside a snowflake-shaped vase.
“So, did you like it?” Sierra asked without looking up at me yet.
“You really had me walk down each aisle three times?”
She giggled, the sound making my stomach flutter, and glanced up. “I wanted you to get the full experience of grocery shopping for yourself at my favorite place in the world.” She stood and placed down the vase.
“This place is too big to be a grocery store,” I said.
“My family used to come here every weekend when I was younger,” she said, smiling. “My sister and I would play hide-and-seek while my parents shopped. I’d hide by the barrels of coffee and nuts. And my sister”—she grabbed my hand and pulled me to the stairs that led to a seating area—“she used to hide underneath the microwave they have in the corner for people to heat up their food for lunch.” She giggled. “Used to jump out at unsuspecting people, thinking it was me.”
And while I had gotten all worked up, rushing around this store to find her, I smiled softly at her story. Usually, I hated all stories about families that Hector and Michelle had before we were all adopted, but hearing how happy Sierra was made me happy.
Even if it was only for a moment.
I sat down at one of the tables. “Do you have any other stories?”
“I do,” she whispered, but then stopped herself and hid her face in her hair. “I have a lot of stories, but none that I really like thinking about often. But this place … it makes me happy, gives me only good feelings.”
We sat there in silence for a few moments, and I admired the way her lips were curled into a small smile as she looked over the main railing and down at the fresh fruits and veggies section, cheeks rounded.
“I apologize for how I reacted Tuesday morning,” I said, taking her hand and running my thumb across her knuckles. The guilt had eaten me alive this past week every single time I remembered the look on her face at the bus stop.
Sierra tucked some hair behind her ear and looked at the table. “It’s okay.”
I reached across the table to grab her chin and lifted it. “No, it’s not.”
She gently pushed me away. “It was my fault for staying.”
“I wanted you to stay, but I … can’t even remember the last time someone had slept over at my home, and I don’t think anyone had given me a bath before you. I was nervous.” And scared as fuck because of the warm feelings inside my chest.
“Nobody’s given you a bath?” she hummed. “Not even your mom?”
After stiffening, I gripped her hand tighter. “No.”
I didn’t want to get into it and really didn’t want her asking questions about it. Not right now. Having her over had been enough to freak me out. Letting her bathe me … that was enough for this week. I didn’t know how I would react, telling her about my birth parents.
I hadn’t even told Michelle and Hector the extent of abuse.
“Come,” I said, taking her hand and standing. “I want to bring you somewhere now.”