Shopping - Part Two
They were shopping. Together. A first - one of many recently. She had a list which she was consulting, finding the items, dropping them into the basket he carried, crossing them off. He followed where she led, finding that he enjoyed this new experience much more than anticipated.
The basket held green onions and pungent larger yellow ones, plump peppers in several colors, bright red tomatoes, a very large eggplant so dark a purple that it was almost black, sprigs of fresh basil and oregano, a head of garlic, a round of cheese in a protective covering that said it was made from buffalo milk - she was planning to cook something interesting.
Now she was hovering over a large display of bread, looking first at one loaf, then another. He could not see that there was that much difference between the long round breads she was considering - not like the vegetables that differed much in shape and size - these were all very similar. But she was humming softly to herself, enjoying the selection process, so he just waited and enjoyed watching her.
She finally chose a loaf of bread, sliding it into a paper bag before depositing it in the basket. Now she turned to him. "You have butter, right?"
He nodded. He kept butter now, for her. As well as other things.
"Okay, off to the non-perishables then." She found the aisle she wanted, chose a bottle, handed it to him.
Headache remedy. He remembered her rubbing her forehead this morning while grading papers. He would have to teach her how to relieve that herself, without the need to resort to medication. He knew how she distrusted medication. But for now, he dropped the bottle in the basket. She was looking down the aisle, trying to find something. On the shelf beside him, he recognized something she kept in his quarters. There were very few left. His hand reached out.
"No. Don't get those."
His hand paused, still suspended. Only she might have seen the slight stiffening of his shoulders, the tension in the muscles on the side of his neck.
"I...I had the shot." Her voice was very low, hesitant. "I won't need them so often."
Startled, he turned to face her. "For me?"
"For US. So you wouldn't worry."
The hand that had reached toward the shelf, still suspended in the air, now drew near hers holding the list between them. Gently he drew his fingers down the side of her hand in a soft caress. "That was exceptionally considerate of you, Nyota."
She bit her lip, hesitating. "I should have done it before. Everyone else does." She shrugged, uncomfortable, then moved on down the aisle, consulting her list.
He followed behind. She had done this for HIM. Something she had resisted until now, something she had refused each year at her Academy physical. He was deeply moved. After supper, he would show her how moved.