Before they take off, Red changes into more casual clothing. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, t shirt and a Boston Red Sox ball cap. Downstairs he folds up the list and sticks it in his pocket and lifts Sam out of the height chair. Outside Red sets Sam in the car seat, but sees that it's not properly secured in. His eyes widen at the sight- he has no idea how to tie this thing down, Liz always did it.
He gives Sam a reassuring smile and says "don't worry, daddy can do it…..I can do it…." He grabs one of the straps and squints at the tiny writing 'rear hitch hook'. He raises an eyebrow and looks at Sam who is just staring blankly at him with droll running down his chin. "No, I'm not calling her." *blank stares* Red takes a deep breath and shakes his head and frustratingly pulls out his phone and calls Liz.
"Lizzie…..the car seat…." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "Lizzie I'm not even sure I remember how to drive…you know what, I have a better idea" he hangs up and dials another number and turns around to Sam and smiles.
Ten minutes later Dembe pulls into the driveway. Instead of fidgeting with the car seat, Red sets Sam on his lap in the back seat of Dembe's car. Red moves to the center of the seat, puts on his waist belt and wraps his arms around Sam as tightly as you can wrap your arms around a baby. He leans down and kisses Sam on the head. "Okay then. Dembe, let's go to Walmart."
Dembe pulls up to the curb in front of the market and Red opens the door. "Raymond." Dembe says and Red turns around to him. "Do you want me to come in?"
"No, I think Sam and I will be okay. We have each other, isn't that right buddy?" He says turning back to Sam. He turns back to Dembe and tells him he'll call when they're ready. Red closes the door and positions Sam on his hip and puts on his sunglasses. He grabs a cart and sets Sam down in the little cart seat. He pulls the list from his pocket and unfolds it.
Milk
Coffee
Tea
Makeup
Tampons
Baby food
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Coconut
Bananas
Eggs
Bacon
Shampoo
Conditioner
Razors
He looks up from the list and scans the store for a good place to start. He locates the food section and starts towards it.
"Okay…. bananas." He picks up a bunch and holds it to Sam. "These ones?" Sam pushes out his bottom lip. He sets them down and picks up another bunch and Sam smiles. "Yeah, I like these ones too." Red sets them down in the cart and goes to coconuts. He just picks the first one he sees and tosses it into the cart. They make their way towards the refrigerated goods and grabs a carton of eggs, a package of bacon, and a little further down he finds the milk. Red crosses the stuff off the list. "Alright Sammy, where can I find the coffee?" Sam laughs and it makes Red laugh. "You're cute, you know that?" Sam laughs again as does Red.
They find the coffee and right next to it is the tea. "Well that takes care of this section" he examines the list. "Now we have to get your food."
Right across from the food section was the baby food. He carefully maneuvers the cart between the thin isle and pulls up to the jarred baby foods. Not sure of where to start, he just picks up a jar and unscrews the lid and let's Sam smell it. If Sam makes a weird face when he smells it-back on the self it goes. If he doesn't- then it's tossed into the cart. By the time they go through all the favors, there's about 20 jars in the cart. Red notices out of the corner of his eye that a lady is staring at him, he looks at her, raises an eyebrow and she looks away. He shakes his head and grabs one of each flavor of Puffs and tosses them in the cart as well. He looks at the cart, shrugs his shoulders and goes on his way to the toiletries.
"Bounty…..Scott's….Viva…..Sparkle? I don't know. What do you think Sammy?" Sam reaches out his arms towards the man with the flannel shirt on the plastic. "Alright, Scott's it is." When they reach the toilet paper, Red just picks up the first one he sees.
He crosses off his list and sees what remains. "Makeup, razors, shampoo and conditioner, and tampons….." He mumbles to himself.
Over in the makeup isle he shakes his head as he bites the inside of his mouth. "I have no idea what I'm doing here." He looks at the array of shades and brands and frowns. Then suddenly his eyes light up as he has an Idea. He pulls out his wallet and takes out a picture of Liz. He matches her skin to the closest color and pulls it from the shelf. To be sure he opens it up and rubs a little bit of it on his hand and does a side by side comparison. He laughs at his genius. He notices again out of the corner of his eye that the same lady is looking at him, again. "What is it with you?" He stares her down as he watches her quickly put down the makeup and run to the next isle. He puts it in the cart and puts the picture back into his wallet and back in his pocket. "Okay then, shall we" he says rounding the corner to the shampoo and conditioner. He pulls them from the shelf one by one and smells them until he finds one he likes. Right on the other side of the shelf he finds the razors. He grabs a pack for him and a pack for Liz and in the cart they go. The cart is just about as full as it can get, but he has one more thing to get. Tampons
He strolls up to the isle and stands before the most intimidating thing he has ever seen. Wall to wall of nothing but tampons. "Oh dear…"
He looks at Sam and Sam shakes his head. "You think I should call her?" Sam nods. Red nods back and pulls out his phone.
"Hello, Lizzie?"
"What's going on?"
"I've never been so afraid in my life…I'm standing here in front of what looks like a million different-"
"Kotex." She says cutting him off. She knew exactly what he was looking for.
"What?"
"U by Kotex. It's the only one in the black box."
"Oh, alright." He says reaching for the box. "Wait, how ma-"
"The 36 pack." She cuts him off again. Red grabs the box and turns back to Sam and sets the box in the cart.
"Okay, well then it looks like Sam and I are done here."
"Okay, so I'll see you at home"
"I'll see you there."
"Alright i love you guys."
Red looks at Sam and smiles. "We love you."
They go through the checkout and Dembe is waiting outside. Dembe helps load the groceries into the back and Red and Sam get situated in the back.
On the way home Red spots a flower shop. "Dembe, pull over up here. I need to get something." Dembe pulls over and Red tells him to watch Sam while he gets out at walks up to the flower shop and goes inside. About 5 minutes later Red comes out with a bouquet of flowers and a smile so big it makes Dembe smile. He sets the flowers in the passenger seat and then hops back with Sam. "Alright Dembe, take us home."
As Dembe drove, he looked into the rear view mirror and saw Red playing with Sam. They were laughing and dancing and Dembe had truly never seen him so happy, and he smiled the whole way home.
