Start of Something Good
971 Words
True to her words, Erin did not contact Will nor attempted to contact him. If Xander asked for a week, then she will blindly follow his request as long as he will tell her all the details later. She can feel that Xander is a man that honors his word, so she will trust him that. Erin was questioning herself if trusting him is really good, she kept saying by words that he can't trust him, but she was trusting him by action in the end.
"Are you ready for today?" Erin asked Xander who waited for her in the living room.
"More than ready." He replied with a weak salute.
"Where are we going?" Xander asked the moment they were inside the car.
"Shopping." Her short answer. Erin was waiting for his reaction since they just went shopping the last week.
"You can tell me whatever you want to tell me." She singsong.
"If that makes you happy, then who am I to comment on that." He said and he focused back on the road.
Erin decided not to tell the story about how people judged her who only loves to shop while her husband is doing the work, so she kept quiet during the drive.
They arrived at the shopping center after the thirty-minute drive, but she was not after to shop for clothes, bags nor shoes. Xander just followed her without asking.
"We are here!" She said at the front of the painting shop.
"You can grab some if you want, I'll buy it for you." She murmured as she sauntered inside.
Erin was grabbing canvass after canvass. She also grabbed a new set of brushes and some paints of different colors.
"Let me carry it." Xander offered when her basket is already full for her to carry.
"Thank you! You may wait in the front, I forgot to grab a wooden stand." She said and lost from his sight in the next second.
Erin appeared later holding the stand wrapped in plastic.
"Did you grab some for you? You might want to paint sometimes..." Xander shook his head cutting her words.
"Come on, you told me you paint too." She insisted and Xander cannot kill her excitement.
"Alright, but I want to buy it somewhere else." He whispered since they are already in the cashier area.
Erin gave her an okay hand sign.
"It's a small shop I know and I always buy it from there," Xander said once they are outside.
"Do you know the owner?" Erin was curious. It's the first time she will know something personal about him.
"Yes." His short reply as he was focused on the wheel.
"Hmm... I'm excited to check the shop." She said and Xander chuckled.
"It's just a small shop." He commented.
"I love to buy in small shops especially if I know the owner. I just did not know one so I buy where I can find my needs." She said and went silent after that, Xander did not say anything either until they arrived at the shop.
"Just a heads up, Gilbert can be nosy sometimes," Xander said after he unbuckled his seatbelt and went out of the car.
Erin followed right after and she noticed how the shop was quiet once they are inside. Indeed it was a small shop but she can find the things she usually buys from the big shops.
"Xander!" A man greeted at the sight of him and checked on her in the next second.
It must be Gilbert. She was guessing that he has the same or close to the age as her father.
"It's been a long time to see you here and who's that woman behind you?"
"Gilbert," Xander said and the man stopped smiling as if glaring at Xander if Erin was seeing it right.
"We are here to purchase some materials." He said and that brought back his smile. Gilbert walked towards them with a basket.
"Why it is here?" Xander whispered pointing at the canvass, an abstract piece of art.
Erin looked at it intently.
"Is that for sale?" Erin asked and the two men were surprised by her question.
"No!" Xander said.
"Yes," Gilbert replied and instantly reached the painting. He placed it in her basket with a smile.
"Do you mind if I tour the lady, Xander? You know well the shop, so I can leave you alone." Gilbert asked and Xander just shook his head in reply.
"It's my first time seeing you here," Gilbert said once they are in the corner. Erin just smiled not knowing what to respond.
"So, what is your relationship with Xander?" Gilbert asked and Xander was right, the man was indeed nosy.
"Xander is my..." She was thinking about what to say next.
"Friend." She settled to that.
"Just a friend?" Gilbert asked as if it's not believable.
"Do you have other paintings that I can look at?" Erin asked trying to divert the topic.
"Let me know when you will be back, so I can ready it for you or you can call the shop anytime." Gilbert then slipped a piece of calling card into her blouse pocket.
The bell rang from the cash register and Gilbert ran towards there leaving her in the corner. Erin grabbed some stainless steel palette and walked towards the cashier to bill out.
"Are you sure you want to buy that?" Xander asked looking at the abstract painting.
"I'll sure to come back next time and buy from here Gilbert," Erin said as she pushed the items to scan.
"I'd love that we gain new customers aside from Xander," Gilbert said enthusiastically and hand her the receipt.
"I will make sure to prepare the other paintings," Gilbert said and winked at Xander which he glared in return. Erin can't figure out why they were acting weird.
"Erin, can you wait for me inside the car? I just need to talk with Gilbert." He said.
"Nice meeting you, Gilbert." She said.
"See you next time, Erin!" Gilbert said before she exited the shop.
Erin smiled realizing that she just bought Xander's painting.
- Writer
