Disclaimer: Of Course I don't own the character Jackson Rippner. Duh! So lets get on with the story…
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"May I help you?" Annie Delvaine asked.
"You most certainly can." The man answered flashing his dazzling white smile.
"So, what were you looking for today?" Annie asked sweetly.
"Actually I'm picking up a package I ordered a while back." The man answered promptly.
"Okay, I'll need you name."
"Rippner. Jackson Rippner."
"I'll be back in a moment." Annie said as she went off to the back room. Of coarse all of the girls were waiting for here by the back rooms.
"What are you doing?" Candy said snottily.
"How's it going?" Tori asked.
"It's okay." She answered ignoring Candy. "Where do you go to pick up someone's orders?"
"I knew it, your completely hopeless!" Candy said loudly. This time it wasn't only Annie who ignored her.
"In the back room. Orders sorted by last names." Mary said. "So what's his name?" They all peered around the cases to get another look at him. He was leaning on the counter, staring off into space.
"Jackson Rippner." I replied promptly.
"What a dreamy name." Mary replied eyes glazing over as she drifted off into fantasy land.
"Well, hop to. Go get the package." Tori said pushing her toward a solid black door.
When she went inside the back room she immediately noticed it was darker and cooler back here than in the rest of the store. There were only a few metal racks in here, and very few packages stacked on the shelves. Mostly brown with the occasional black. The walls in the room looked concrete. In the back of the room I saw a safe.
Thank Goodness the shelves were labeled alphabetically or she would have been in here for hours. She found the R section easily enough and started shifting threw the packages on the shelf. Then I found it all the way in the back, lying agents the wall covered in at least two layers of dust. I pulled the small black box out and dusted it off. The small square box was quite heavy for being so small.
She closed the door as she left the back room, and the girls were still waiting there for her. Obviously they had no other customers.
"So, is there anything else I need to do, just give him the package?"
"No," Mary replied, "you open the package and make sure it's what they ordered and make sure it isn't broken. They don't need to pay for it. They do that when they order it. Then just see if they need anything else."
"Got it." She replied and strolled off back to the counter.
"Here it is." Annie said to Jackson as she returned. He pulled himself out wherever his mind had been wondering and he broke into a wide smile at the sight of her return. "Well, lets take a look at your order." She said as her hand started to lift the lid on the box.
"No." He said. Suddenly his hand was onto of hers stopping her. His face looked angry and she could see that his muscles were tense under his suit jacket.
"I'm sorry." She said quickly.
"That's okay." Jackson replied.
"It's just… they told me I'm supposed to make sure its right, and stuff."
"Its fine," he said sliding the box towards himself, and out of my reach. What was in that box that he didn't want me to see? It was really none of my business, but I couldn't help but wonder.
"So, is there anything else I can help you with?" I asked trying to make up for my mistake.
"Yes, there is something. I would like to buy a piece of jewelry."
"Is there something particular you have in mind?"
"Actually, yes." He said looking into my eyes for a moment before dropping them and pointing into the glass case. "I like those earrings."
She took out her master key that Marrie had given her and unlocked the case. She pulled out the earrings he had pointed to. They were large, circular, and full of diamonds. They looked a little tacky, but the sparkly diamonds made up for what they lacked in personality. She pulled the door shut again and locked it.
She held them out for him to examine. He reached his hand out and traced the outlining of them in her hand.
"I'll take them." He finally said.
"I'm sorry," she said, "But these just don't match your eyes at all."
He laughed and she giggled. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there not for me."
"I know, it was a long shot." She said stepping over to the cash register. "Your wife is a very lucky woman."
"I'm not married." He replied.
"Then, a very lucky girl." She said, a little surprised.
"Yeah, I don't have one of those either." He noticed my curious expression and answered my sub mental question. "It's for my grandmother."
"Really." She said taking another look at the jewelry in her hand. It did seem like it was more for an older woman. "That's so sweet of you. Is it her birthday soon?"
"No, it a just because gift. I feel those kinds of gifts mean more."
"I'd say your right. That will be 1,299 dollars. Expensive."
"Money is no object." He said pulling out his wallet and handing me two crisp thousand dollar bills. I quickly handed him his change.
"Here you go." I said handing him his wrapped package. "Will there be anything else?"
"Actually, yes, there is one more thing."
"Yes," She said, prompting him to continue.
"Would it be terribly presumptuous of me to ask you to dinner tonight?"
Her breath caught. Was this actually happening? Was this gorgeous man actually asking her out! "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"If I were, would you say yes?" He said smiling.
"Umm… yes!"
"Great. You want me to pick you up at your house. Because I assume you don't want to go out in your work clothes. Or do you?" He asked.
"My house is fine. I'm new here, and I don't really want to attract more attention here than I already have."
"So, where do you live? Or am I supposed to guess?"
"Oh, 411 Cherry Lane. What time?"
"Oh, when do you get off?"
"5:30, I believe. So, 7ish?"
"Perfect. So, I'll see you then… Annie." He said reading her nametag.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Annie Delvaine." She said holing out her hand to him.
"I think you already know my name. But, just for fun. Jackson." He said taking her hand.
"Is it Jack for short?" Annie asked curiously.
"No," He answered almost too quickly. "No… my last name's Rippner… so…"
"Jack Rippner… Jack oh…" I said feeling stupid. "That wasn't very nice of your folks."
"No it wasn't. And that's exactly what I told them, before I killed them." I laughed a little and he joined in. "You have a very nice laugh Annie." He said as he took my hand again and brought it to his lips and kissed it. "See you at seven."
And then he was gone. She stared after him for a long moment, daydreaming.
"Oh my god!" Candy's voice brought her out of her imagination.
"What just happened?" Mary asked.
"Tell us everything!" Tori demanded.
"Oh, nothing. I just have a date tonight." She said trying to act nonchalant but also trying as hard as she could to rub it in Candy's face.
"You can not be serious!" Candy said.
"Oh, I am."
"Do you know where he's taking you?" Tori asked.
"No idea." I answered truthfully.
Annie spent the rest of the day at work trying to avoid interrogation, with no avail. Candy was severely angered and tried her best to sabotage Annie at every turn. The hours seemed to drag more that usually. Probably just because she couldn't wait to leave, not only to be free of Candy, but also to go home and get ready for her date.
That meant it was true. She was actually going on a date. She hadn't been on an actual date in a long time. Her anticipation was enormous.
Annie was prepared to leave at least fifteen minutes in advance. As soon as the clock struck 5:30, she was out the door. She hurried home as fast as she could to get ready for her night on the town.
