‚I'll wait here. There isn't really any point in me going with you anyway. You never agree with me, my advice is crap according to you. So I'll wait here, while you get your shopping done.' Jackson demonstratively slumped down on a green plastic bench in the middle of the mall.
Lydia shot him a murderous glance.
'Fine.' Was her only comment before storming off. Why couldn't Jackson understand that she needed this? She couldn't look the way she did without putting in the necessary effort. As she entered the next shop, browsing her dresses, her anger subsided. Or rather, she pushed it aside. She wouldn't let his unforthcoming attitude ruin her Christmas shopping. She had half a mind to make him wait for hours and smiled at the prospect of finding him, exhausted by the time he had simply spent sitting there. Lydia knew how to break Jackson. Pushing his buttons was one of her favorite hobbies. It always improved her mood considerably when he finally gave in to her demands. She chose a couple of outfits and went to try them on.
Outside, Jackson was waiting. Boredom and annoyance didn't even begin to describe the look on his face. He exhaled noisily a couple of times, watching the crowds fluctuate in front of him, washing past like waves on a beach. He was angry. Lydia always made him do this. She always made him come along to her shopping sprees only to make him feel useless and ignorant. How many shops had they seen today? Ten? Twelve? He couldn't even be bothered to count. Such days always enraged him. He didn't need to put up with this shit. Bad enough that she had already chosen the Christmas movie they were going to watch this year. She hadn't even asked him! Weren't you supposed to discuss such things in a couple? It was annoying. Really annoying. One glance at his watch told him he had been waiting here for about half an hour. What the hell, his day was precious too.
He leaned back and brushed against the numerous plastic bags he had been allowed to carry around all day. For a second Jackson felt the urge to fling them into the crowd screaming something about free presents but then out of the blue a different thought popped into his mind. One that he suddenly wondered about. One that he hadn't thought before. It was simple yet effective. He figured he had never wanted to let it come this far…
Meanwhile Lydia had picked out two outfits. They were both cute and she hadn't been able to decide. She looked at herself in the mirror and spun around.
'Jackson.' The redhead found herself saying before stepping out of the changing room. He wasn't there. Of course, he had stayed behind. She tried telling herself it was okay, that she never needed to hear his opinion anyway. But it suddenly seemed to matter a lot. Even if he was mostly wrong and picked the wrong color.
For a split second she thought she had made a mistake letting him remain on that bench. That was impossible, though wasn't it? Lydia Martin did not make mistakes, least of all when it came to Jackson. She knew him backwards and could read the slightest emotional shift in his features. He was hers. And she belonged to him too, when she wanted it. She glanced at her watch and realized he had been sitting outside for over forty five minutes! The seconds marched on mercilessly, adding minute after minute to their separation. A sense of anxiety spread across Lydia's chest. She hadn't wanted to let go. She would go out and apologize for dragging him along today. She loved him after all.
She glanced at the endless line of people wanting to pay and didn't think twice before leaving the dresses she had so carefully picked out. At first her steps were quick but controlled; she didn't want to appear overly eager to see him again. However, as her heartrate quickened, she couldn't help but match her feet to the rhythm and she soon found herself running towards the place she had left him.
Only one corner left, she fought her way through the crowd.
'Jackson!' She burst out, stumbling in front of the green bench.
He wasn't there. A clock noisily jumped to three o'clock over her head. Jackson was gone. He had left her here. Alone. She checked her phone but there was no message. When had he left? Was he on his way to the store? She doubted it. He had obviously taken her shopping bags too. A good sign or a bad one? Would she find the contents thrown all over town?
Her feet started moving again, carrying her towards the parking garage. Maybe he was there. Maybe she would be able to catch up to him before it was too late. Because if it was too late… Lydia didn't even know what it would mean; just that she didn't want that to happen. Her control, so perfect, so absolute, was slipping.
She ran through the mall, not daring to glance at her watch again. Time was of the essence. And yet time was mercilessly running out.