Chapter 21

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Birthday Shopping

Matt POV

I had been thinking of what to get Mello as a birthday gift. Chocolate was a given but what else? It hit me that maybe Slovenia had their own gifts for lovers or something. I looked it up and found out gingerbread was actually considered one of them… I just couldn't cook. Maybe if I decorate some gingerbread then? It is close to Christmas so there should be lots of it out there. Maybe on the way I'll get an idea that isn't food. I went to the grocery store and went to the pastry section. There were lots of gingerbread men but I wasn't sure. A girl popped up behind the counter. "Need something?" she asked with a wink.

"Yeah what is the best quality gingerbread you have? It's for someone important." She looked kind of confused that I was giving gingerbread as a special gift but pointed to what looked like a loaf of semi-fluffy gingerbread.

"It might not be what you were looking for but I assure you that's a lot better than some hard cookies. It's super filling too."

I took a loaf and realized it was really thick. It wasn't what I was expecting true but I got the feeling the girl wasn't lying. "OK. Where are your chocolate decorating frostings?"

"Like to write with?" the girl asked. I was starting to think she knew the gist of what was going on.

"Yes please."

She nodded. "It's the next aisle over with the tubs of frosting. I suggest getting one in a squeeze tube that isn't too big if you want to leave a message."

I nodded again. "Thanks" I grinned and took off. I ended up getting what she said as well as some Hershey's bars. Now for the actual gift. I drove to the mall and looked everywhere. There were lots of girly or sophisticated stores for women but none of them seemed 'Mello'. I got her the book Wara Ningyo: The Locked Room Killings that the movie was based on but I still didn't feel like it was enough. "AUUUGH!" I flopped down against a wall and crumpled over in despair. How do I get Mello a good gift?

"Hey Ginger? Are you OK?" I heard a woman's voice ask and I looked up and saw a heavily-tattooed woman with a rainbow of hair colors and several facial piercings. She was wearing a short leather skirt and torn fishnet stockings. She had some big leather boots and her top was some sort of purple and black punk corset. The whole outfit screamed 'badass'. Without thinking I grabbed her hand in desperation.

"Please you need to help me!" I begged. "My badass girlfriend's birthday is coming up and I have no clue what to get her!" I quickly let go of her hands and murmured, "sorry" avoiding eye contact.

She sighed. "You seem desperate and I'm in a good mood so I'll let it slide. Now tell me about her."

"Well… she wears girly clothes sometimes but can still kick guy's asses in a skirt and heels. She used to go clubbing and wear combat boots. She speaks lots of languages and can swear in Russian. She loves the song Du Hast by Rammstein. She's from Europe and misses it a lot. She's really, really, smart. She once conned a carnival guy into trying a game for free and shot three targets dead center and swaggered off with the prize. She's just… amazing and I love her."

"A woman like that... is with you?" she asked dryly with a purple raised eyebrow.

"I'm just as shocked as you are I assure you" I muttered while rubbing the back of my neck.

She pursed her lips in thought then said "I work at the shop right next to you. We sell goth and punk stuff. That might not be her style but maybe you'll get an idea."

"Thanks" I said with a grateful grin. I got up and followed her inside. Sure enough a lot of creepy gothic and punk and Lolita stuff was there when something caught my eye. It was a velvet ribbon with a gothic cross. Next to it was a pair of bat wings. Cross and wings…

I found the girl again. "Is there a Christian store here? I just got a really good idea."

She smiled surprisingly genuinely "there's one next to the Asian furniture place."

"Thank you soo much" I said with a happy grin.

"Good luck" she said as I left.

I went to where she said and saw right up front a display of crosses. I looked and found the perfect one. It was shiny silver and skinny with balls on the ends of the cross. Behind it was a pair of slim silver wings. It came with a small silver chain too. Like Archangel Michael and her rosary combined. Her rosary is probably special but it's bulky and could break easily. This is a lot more portable. I paid for it then went to the craft store to get wrapping paper and tape. Finally I headed back to my apartment.

I wrapped the gifts as best I could in the blue paper I had picked out but it was still an absolutely horrible job. I then got the gingerbread cake out and debated how to decorate it. I decided to research Slovenia some more for ideas. I found out how to say happy birthday in Slovene and groaned. How was I going to fit 'Vse najboljse za rojstni dan Mello!' on that tiny cake? I wasn't. I groaned again in frustration. I thought about trying to flatten the cake for more surface area but decided against it. Finally I gave up and decided to put it on a card. I got some printer paper and folded it in half width-wise then wrote it being sure to not spell it wrong. I added some more stuff then did my best to draw The Fuzz with a balloon. It didn't look much like it but it was the thought that counted right? I got out the frosting and drew some patterns on it so I wouldn't waste the tube. There. Now all I need to do is call Mello tomorrow since it's also the weekend and say I want to pick her up for a date to a restaurant. I'll pick her up and take her then bring her to my apartment for the gifts and cake! Perfect.