It was official. Parker hated shopping.
The idea of actually spending money was an alien enough concept to Parker. Spending it on someone else was completely unheard of for her. But then again she'd never had anyone to spend it on.
And yet here she was, in a crowded mall, two Saturdays before Christmas, trying her hardest to find the perfect gifts for her team members. Nate and Sophie had been the easiest. Parker had gotten Nate a 15 year old Scotch, recommended by a very helpful old guy in the liquor store who swore it was one of the very best. Sophie was getting a pair of knee high suede boots in a pretty aqua color, that Parker was positive Sophie didn't yet own (she'd broken into Sophie's condo just to double check).
Hardison's gift proved to be a little harder. Parker had been thinking of getting him a new laptop but realized she'd probably end up getting the wrong kind for him. She was now torn between a nice laptop carrier (so he wouldn't look quite so geeky) and a truckload of orange Jones soda (his beverage/addiction of choice). Maybe she'd get him both. Yes that was the answer! He'd get both and then she wouldn't have to make any tough decisions.
With her purchases (minus the truck full of soda) Parker made her way to the food court to get herself a burger. As she sat and ate she tried to think of what to get Elliot. The hitter never seemed to need or want anything, which made it that much harder to find him the perfect gift. Parker knew Elliot like to cook, so maybe she could get him something cooking related. Like a new set of knives. Good ones. Parker perked up momentarily at the thought. But what was a good set of knives. Parker slouched over her half eaten burger.
"Oh shiny tomato!' she mumbled. Why did this have to be so hard? Maybe she'd come back next week. That way Parker could spend the next week studying Elliot.
After finishing her burger, Parker made her way back towards her car. Half way back to the parking lot Parker passed a little shop that had something weird in the window. She stopped and made her way into the shop. She stared at the thing for a moment. It was a large hoop that gold wires going through the center in a neat pattern, making it look like a flat net. Three pieces of leather with beads and feathers on them hung off the bottom. It turned a little bit, the light catching the beads and making it sparkle. It was so pretty.
She must have been staring at it for a while because the store clerk came over.
"Can I help you miss?" the clerk asked politely.
"What's that?" Parker asked pointing to the sparkly net thing.
"That's a dream catcher miss." The clerk replied with a slight smile.
"What does it do?" Parker asked, fascinated.
"According to old Native American culture, a dream catcher catches dreams. Good dreams filter through and slide down the strings and feathers to the sleeper. Bad dreams get caught in the net and stay there until the morning sun hits the dream catcher and destroys them." The clerk explained.
Parkers' eyes widened. This thing had the power to stop bad dreams? Parker knew Elliot had a lot of bad dreams. Maybe if she got him this dream catcher, the nightmares would stop. This was perfect!
Parker spun around quickly, startling the clerk. "I'll take this one!"
The clerk smile at her and removed to dream catcher from the front window. He brought it over to the cash. "That will be $26.44. He said, wrapping the dream catcher up. The clerk put the parcel into a bag and handed it to Parker. She thanked him and left the store.
Parker head back to the parking lot and got into her car. Happy with her days work, she pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. Now how would she wrap everything…