*The usual disclaimers apply--don't own 'em, just write about them for fun and so on and so forth. This story came to me in a flash and I wrote it down--so any typos and errors are my fault and I apologize in advance. Should have a drabble tonight, with any luck. Hope you enjoy and wishing everyone a fantastic Fourth of July :)
Gulp
Ballston Common Mall
Saturday, May 13,
1989
11:30 AM
“Rubber Ducky, You’re
the one, you make bath time so much fun—”
The music assaulted Lee’s ears as he stared blankly down at
the racks in front of him. So many
colors, designs—he picked up a couple, looking at them. One was lavender with
purple butterflies—another one was a two-piece, bright pink and decorated with ruffles and
little red strawberries. Sure, they
looked nice. They all looked nice—and they were the right size.
But how was he supposed to choose? Amanda and Dotty could
spend hours browsing, going from store to store, comparing prices—Lee’s idea of
shopping was to make a list, grab what you needed to get and then go home. Simple,
quick and easy. Only this time—
A sigh of frustration issued from Lee’s mouth—he ran one
hand back through his hair.
*~*
“Amanda, I shouldn’t
be the one to do this.”
“Well, you’re gonna
have to. Mother and I are going to be out of town and she needs one by Monday
for her class. You know that.”
“I know—but I can’t—I can’t make that kind of decision.”
“You can, Stetson—I have faith in you.”
Amanda’s arms had
wrapped around him, her soft lips pressing against his, mouth opening slightly
as she’d drawn him into a kiss that he’d
felt down to the center of his being—all objections had been forgotten as he’d
pressed her body closer against his, breathing in her intoxicating scent—
*~*
“Oh no—you can’t buy that!”
“Who says I can’t?
I’ve got the money. I mean seriously, Lisa—can you picture the FIREWORKS
when I show up at the beach in this?”
“I can picture something, that’s for sure.”
The girls’ voices shook Lee from his reverie. Where—he
turned his head, trying to locate the source and then he realized—it came from
the dressing room behind him.
“Yeah, and guess who Josh will be putting suntan LOTION on
then?”
Putting lotion on—Lee shook his head bemusedly—just how old
were those girls anyway?
“No he won’t,” Lisa exclaimed. “You won’t be going to the beach in that—your
dad’ll call the HEAT on you before he ever lets you out of the house in a
string BIKINI.”
“Look according to my dad, I’m still a little kid building
castles in the SAND,” the other girl
said. “So, he never has to know—get
it?”
The dressing room door opened. A blond girl who looked about
fourteen stepped out—her hair teased up, lashes coated with mascara—followed by
a dark-haired girl actually wearing lipstick so dark it was nearly black, her
shirt hanging off one shoulder—they strode slowly past him as they continued
talking, clearly immersed in their own
little world.
“Ba ba ba ba—” Lee looked down at his daughter, strapped
securely against his chest. His sweet
little girl—Jenna smiled at him—brown eyes lighting up—
“They grow up so fast now, don’t they?”
The voice startled him.
Lee turned to look at the woman, whose nametag identified her as Janice,
Sales Associate.
“I’m sorry?”
“Those girls,”
Janice pointed to the teenagers Lee had been listening to earlier.
“Fifteen going on twenty-five—I remember girls like that when I was
young.”
“So do I.” Lee replied. He’d known girls that that. Hell,
he’d dated girls like that, taken them out to the drive-in—and then when the
mood was just right he would—
“How old is she, by the way—your baby?” Janice asked.
“Four months and two weeks now.”
“Oh my—” Janice cooed at Jenna, who grinned and gurgled.
“Look at those big eyes—she’s just adorable.”
“Thank you.”
“Time goes by so fast,” the saleswoman continued. “ I mean,
before you know it, the little one you have there will be asking to borrow the
keys to your car, going out on dates—”
Going out on dates—Lee’s throat tightened suddenly—imagining a teenaged
Jenna going out on dates—out to the beach— or out with some boy in a car— the type
of boy he’d been growing up— at that thought his arms wrapped protectively around his
daughter. Jenna wriggled in her carrier—little feet kicking--babbling out a
stream of nonsense syllables and completely oblivious to her father’s distress.
“By the way, can I help you with something?”
He stared at the saleswoman blankly. “Help?”
“You’re holding two
of our infant swimsuits. Do you need help choosing?”
Lee stared down at the swimsuits in his hand. The lavender one-piece—the pink two piece—an image of those two girls went through his head—Time goes by so fast—
Definitely not the two-piece.
“We’re going with the one piece,” he told Janice hastily,
putting the other one back on the rack.
“That’s fine—if you’ll just follow me we’ll check you
out.”
Lee followed her to the register. Looking down at Jenna he
kissed the top of her head.
“Don’t grow up too fast, okay munchkin?” he said. “Please?”
Jenna just looked up at him and laughed.
The End.
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