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Prompt: Warehouse

Seattle
Present day

"You don't actually expect me to walk into that store, do you?" I stopped and turned to look at my roommate. Alice stood at the edge of the pavement, arms crossed, black eyebrows almost touching her hairline, and the toe of one high-heeled shoe beating a staccato on the asphalt.

"I'm pretty sure the world will keep turning on its axis if you cross the threshold," I told her, mimicking her stance but failing to keep a smile off my face. "Besides, this is Charlie's favorite store, and you said I should get him something nice for his birthday."

"Nice, like a tie that was fashioned sometime within the last decade," she retorted, waving a hand toward the store's façade. "But Sportsmans Warehouse? Seriously?"

"His favorite fishing pole broke last week. They have the upgraded model on sale this week, and I can't think of anything he would enjoy more," I said, walking over to her and taking her arm to drag her in the store.

She grimaced with each step I drug her closer. "That may be true, but he needs the tie."

"For what? The last time he wore one was at Harry's funeral four years ago. He didn't even wear one when he and Sue married. If I bought him a new tie now, it would be at least another decade before he decided there was an occasion to wear it, and by that time I'd just have to buy him another."

A shudder went through her body as she crossed the threshold. "I may never forgive you for this, Bella Swan."

I pointed to the back of the store to where the hunting apparel was kept. "I promise to not take you anywhere close to that corner." She shuddered again when she spied the neon orange. "Now come on. It's not nearly as bad as when you took me to that occult shop."

Her nose went up as she sniffed. "That was an important trip, my Maman was out of candles and they could special order the ones we needed from New Orleans." She sniffed again, but this time her nose wrinkled. "What is that awful stench?"

I sniffed carefully and nearly gagged. Unfortunately, this was a smell I recognized. "I'm pretty sure it's elk cow in heat urine. Emmett uses it when he goes hunting."

"Please tell me Rosalie forces him to burn his clothes before entering the house when he gets back," she said, pinching her nose and hurrying past the scent aisle. "Why on earth would they put that near the front of the store?"

"If you were the owners, would you want people to walk around the entire place smelling like that?" I teased. "And she makes him shower outside and wash his clothes in a tub." I glanced down to her. "How is the eternal flame burning, by the way?"

"It's not eternal, and you know it," she said.

"I know, I know, 'It started with the death of Edward, Lord Masen, in New Orleans in 1780 and will only be put out when he returns to life in the presence of his true love. If it's not kept burning, then he will be stuck in limbo forever.' Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha," I said, doing my best to imitate a spooky laugh and wringing my hands like the witch in Snow White.

Alice slapped my arm, and we both dissolved into laughter. She thought it was as crazy as I did, but I knew she would keep the flame burning when it came to be her time to tend it. Her Maman, whose name was Alice, was growing old, and her mother, another Alice, was refusing to have anything to do with it, so that left the Alice beside me. I also knew that if my friend had a daughter, her name would be Alice. It had been that way for eight generations, and for all her complaints, my Alice was a traditionalist.

The poles were on the other side of the kayaks, and it was easy to pull Alice along, heels clicking loudly as we left the putrid smells behind. Finding the right rod was even easier. As much as I personally hated fishing, it was impossible to be surrounded by men who loved it and not pick up some knowledge.

Alice insisted we take the long way out of the store in order to avoid the scents aisle, and was only mildly distracted by the pictures of hunters in the wild. "Wow, that guy can even make flannel look good," she said with a giggle when she pointed out an advertisement for hip waders. "Maybe it'd be worth taking up fishing to meet him."

"I've been on loads of rivers, and the cutest guy I've seen is my own brother. Most of the rest of them look like him," I said, pointing to balding man who made Santa Claus look svelte. "I think you should stick with Jasper."

She wrinkled her nose again as we waited to make my purchase. "Did you know he plans to go hunting with Emmett? He'd better not use any of that elk crap."

"Urine," the guy at the cash register said. He smiled as I handed him the rod, looking at it with what could only be envy, then looked me up and down with an expression that happened with increasing frequency since I left adolescence behind. His smile widened. "I like a girl who knows her rods. You free Saturday? I know a great hole."

He was cute, actually not that different from the guy in the advertisement that Alice liked. But, there was something just not right. "Sorry, it's for my dad," I said with a shake of my head. "I don't fish."

"That's okay, we can do something else," he said as his eyes drifted down again and settled around my hips.

Alice nudged me with her shoulder. I glanced down to see her looking at him with big eyes. She liked what she saw. "Remember Jasper," I whispered to her.

"Cashier boy isn't asking me out," she whispered back, smiling at him.

I shook my head and turned my attention back to the cashier. "Thanks, I appreciate the offer, but no thanks."

He shrugged and finished ringing up my purchase. Tearing off the receipt he wrote his name and number on it before handing it over. "In case you change your mind?"

Giving him a smile I took the paper and carried the rod out of the store, Alice dogging my steps. "What is your problem? He's cute, and obviously liked what he saw."

"I don't know, there was just something missing," I said with a shrug.

She sighed. "That's it. It's the anniversary of Lord Edward's death next month. I'm going to ask Maman if you can join in the ceremony. Maybe if he comes back you'll be interested in him."

"And what if I'm not?" I asked as I tried to work the pole into the back seat of my tiny car. It's a good thing Alice is short or the top of it would go right through her head. As it was she had to hold onto it while we pulled into traffic to keep the wind from making it hit her in the face.

"You won't have any choice, he'd be your true love, just like you'd be his. Is the pole supposed to be doing this?" I looked over and noticed it was bending backwards in the wind.

"It'll be fine. What if he doesn't reappear. Would there be a curse on me or something?"

"I don't know, there's no record of anyone trying before. Please tell me I don't have to hold this thing all the way to Forks on your dad's birthday."

"I'll let you wrap it if you will," I said, aiming for her weakness.

For a moment her eyes brightened, but then she grimaced. "Anything fun would just get blown away as we drive down the highway, but fine, I'll come with you." Her eyes narrowed as she tapped a finger against her lips. "But you have to come to the anniversary thingie with me."

"If your Maman allows it, I will. Then you have to make a beautiful daughter with Jasper, name her Alice and teach her to be careful with candles."

It was really nice to see notes from old friends and some from new ones. I'm glad you liked the premise of this little story.