They had arrived in Casablanca early enough to find a decent room in the Four Seasons, and have their luggage held before heading over to Venezia Ice for coffee and a quick bite to eat as they began to plan out the rest of their day. Erin knew already that the plan for tomorrow included the mosque, and she was truthfully looking forward to that experience with Spencer, even if it would be something entirely out of her normal purview. "So, I was looking on my phone, and it appears that it's about a fifteen minute drive over to the Morocco Mall. I know that you want to visit Aquadream, and I thought that we could find a jewelry shop first before spending the rest of the day exploring."
"Maybe not the entire day, but a good majority," she answered as she finished up the pastry she was eating. "But you're right, it would be nice to replace my wedding band. I can't believe I lost it on the plane."
For just a millisecond, Spencer look confused, and then he noticed that their conversation was being overheard by the men seated next to them, and his face relaxed into a warm smile. "It happens to everyone at some point. Now, let's see about getting a taxi."
She nodded as she took one last sip of tea, setting the cup back in its saucer before getting to her feet and slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow as they walked out onto the sidewalk. Thankfully, they were close to a taxi rank, and between her halting Arabic, Spencer's much better French, and a smattering of English, they managed to negotiate a fair price for one of the tiny Fiats to take them to the Morocco Mall.
The fifteen minute drive passed by in a blur, and Erin clutched Spencer's hand almost painfully as they zipped along the streets at what seemed like a breakneck speed, wishing all the while that the tiny red car had a seatbelt for her to wear. Finally, though, they arrived at the entrance to the mall, and after Spencer had paid the price they had agreed upon, along with a little extra as a tip, they were headed inside. Though she missed having his arm around her waist, Erin knew that following the social cues of the people around them was important since the social mores of Morocco were so different from theirs. Still, they walked as closely together as possible as they looked for a directory of the humungous mall. It was a little overwhelming to be surrounded by so many people, and she knew that the only thing that could possibly alleviate some of that tension would be heading back to the hotel room and sequestering herself away for a good bit of time.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to roll her shoulders a bit in order to relax as they stopped in front of the display that told them where all the stores were located. And Erin was never more grateful that Spencer knew French so well, as it allowed him to quickly find where the jewelry stores were located. "I think that this one sounds the most interesting," he said lowly as he pointed to a name. Leaning in, Erin allowed her eyes to focus on it. "Mounier and Bouvard."
"It sounds much better coming from your mouth than it would mine," she replied as she glanced up at him, giving him a small wink.
"I could always try to teach you?"
"Maybe when we get home. Right now, I just want to focus on the here and now." He nodded as they went in the direction of the store, according to the layout. It didn't take them long to find it, and she let out a low gasp when she realized that she would definitely be owing Spencer a lot of money when they got home. There was no way that she could allow him to purchase anything for her here, and yet she didn't know of another, cheaper, option available to them.
"Remember, the prices here only look expensive, because the exchange rate is so steep between our two countries. Every ten dirham is equal to one dollar."
"I know, but I still feel a little awkward asking you to spend four hundred dollars on something that…" She broke off her words when she noticed that the sales clerk was watching them intently, and she gave him a shy smile before lowering her gaze to the floor.
It felt more comfortable to stay quiet and look at the rings on display while Spencer and the clerk spoke in quick French, until she found a ring that she would like. It reminded her of dragon scales, and for some reason, she associated that with Spencer. Letting out a deep sigh, she leaned in closer, a tremulous smile spreading across her face the longer she looked at the ring. "Silver or gold?" he whispered in her ear, and she looked up, the smile never leaving her face.
"Silver. "
He nodded and spoke with the clerk once more, and soon the man was pulling out the tray of rings before taking hold of her left hand, quickly sizing her ring finger before selecting the correct size. "There. Maybe now, you don't lose it," he said in English that was far better than her French or Arabic, and Erin nodded as she looked at the ring on her finger. It felt like it belonged there, and she continued to stare at it with wonder as Spencer paid, though she made certain to take note of the price. Finally, they were leaving the jewelry store, and he led her in the direction of the huge aquarium that seemed to dominate the mall.
Letting out a deep sigh, she unconsciously reached for his hand as they found an empty space in front of the glass. Erin found herself staring at the calming way the fish swam, losing herself in the sight as the noise and bustle of the crowded mall seemed to melt into the background. "Do you want to ride the elevator up to the top, so that we can seem to be a part of the aquarium?"
"In a little bit, yes. Give me a few more minutes to watch from down here, please."
Erin felt him nod and she squeezed his hand a little tighter as she began to lead him around the perimeter to find the next good spot to watch. As she allowed the peace of the water to seep into her soul, she found herself suddenly wishing that her children were here to experience this, and she knew that she was going to return with them, if she could get her ex to agree to it. "Here, you're crying."
Erin took the handkerchief from his hand and dabbed at her eyes. "I do that a lot these days. I don't even know why this time."
"It's all right. I promise." She nodded as she began to worry the fabric between the fingers of her free hand as they went over to the entrance of the elevator, patiently waiting in line for their turn to ride up through the aquarium. It was only a few minutes, but once she was inside the elevator car, that same sense of wonder filled her being, and she wished they were in America, or their hotel room, so that she could turn and kiss Spencer senseless. Instead, she had to content herself with stepping closer to his body, allowing the heat from his body bleed through her clothes and reach her heart.
"Tomorrow, after we visit the mosque, would you mind if we moved on to Fez? There are too many people here, and I feel off kilter. I know that you wanted to explore more, so I feel horrible for asking this."
"I want you to be comfortable, Erin. If you're not, I won't enjoy my time with you. Yes, we can move on, and perhaps Fez will be better for your spirit." She nodded gratefully before leaning back against him as much as she dared, knowing that there would be time for cuddling later.