Groceries
Luke and Stephanie meet 20 years later at the grocery store.
June, 2014
The funky heat did little to deter Luke as he walks his way down to Sam's Grocery Store on the 11th Ave. It's his least favorite market, but he's back in town to visit folks, and he needs to grab some supplies for his mother's famous whipped fudge cake. The list clutched in his hand, his phone ready to vibrate at any second, he's prepared for a quick run in-run out mission; the smell of cheap take-out is known to soak his clothes if he stays too long.
While he walks he looks around his surroundings and is astounded by what he sees; time seems to change New York altogether. Old record stores are replaced with baristas and Apple tech. Fashions have been recycled and revamped from his high school days. Music has evolved into a medley of garbage that makes him sick. His past classmates have either became parents, became bums and losers, or died. Merely a handful made something out of their dreary existence, moved on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, a porn star or two. Though Luke is happy for them and chatted to them on Facebook, the only person he truly cared about was Stephanie.
He hasn't talked to Stephanie since that episode in the elevator all those years ago; he pushed her out of his mind all through college to pursue his Psychology major. Now a somewhat successful shrink, all he could do is drift back to the one that got away.
He enters the market, pushes the cart through each aisle and throwing the necessary items in the cart with each passing. He whistles a tune while looking at the ingredients of the coconut milk when his cart crashes into someone.
He looked up, and is nearly stunned at what he sees.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't see...Luke?"
"Stephanie?"
The two stare at each other for who knows how long. Luke can't believe it's her; time seemed to have changed her.
Her naturally long and wavy hair is cut short to a simple bob that drapes to her shoulders, her makeup reduced to a simple lip gloss and mascara. She wears a modest jean and t-shirt combo with a pair of orthopedic sneakers. She also seems to have put on a little weight; it looks pretty cute on her.
But there were two things Luke noticed; the ring on her finger and her shopping cart filled with health food and sugared up cereal. It was then Luke put two and two together.
She's married with children.
"Never thought I'd see you again," Stephanie smiles as she grabs the peanut butter from a shelf, "I thought you'd be out of this hellhole by now."
"Visiting family."
"Family," she snorts, "how sweet."
"What have you been up to?" Luke asks.
"You know, life," she brandishes her wedding ring, "I've also been living off my mother's money for a time till she cut me off, so I work 2 jobs while Aaron stays with the kids."
"What do you work as?"
"Author. I write childrens' stories, and I also work as a grievance counselor."
"Those are some pretty interesting fields you got there, Steph."
"I know, but it beats being a shrink. Look at you, Dr. Shapiro. I heard you've got quite the reputation as a therapist."
"I hope it's the good things. Wouldn't want to lose any patients, now would we?" He winks at her. Stephanie smiles and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
"We wouldn't. Hey, since you're here, how long you staying?"
"Till Tuesday. Why?"
"I was asking if we could kick it, for old time's sake."
Before Luke could answer, his phone rings. He picks it up and sees it's Brenda. His fiancée. He quickly answers it.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Your Uncle Paul is drunk. He's getting real mouthy about me being here. Now I think you better hurry up and get those ingredients or he'll catch my foot up his ass."
Luke chuckles.
"I'll be right there." He hangs up and looks to an expectant Stephanie.
"I gotta get going. That fudge pie can't make itself." He grins at her.
"I understand. But if you want to still kick it," she tucks a scrap of paper in his hand, "you know what to do." With that she pushes her cart and leaves him. Luke looks at the crumpled piece of paper. Written, in the neatest cursive, is her name and number, sealed with a kiss.
He smiles and continues down the aisle.
~Fin(?)~