Josh scraped his throat discretely, gaining the
attention from Dan who looked up with a frown before he saw who it was, it
turned into an amused smile.
“Josh,”
he acknowledged. “It’s been quite some time”
Josh
nodded.
“Yes
but… I have an idea for the… proposal” he answered almost stuttering,
especially the last word was very hard to force past his lips.
“Well
enlighten me” Dan instructed. Josh frowned; he had to run it past him first?
Well he could have known that but he still couldn’t believe it.
“Okay…
well I was um… thinking I could maybe… cook for her and set up a… nice romantic
diner in … our room. And we’d eat and then… I’ll… propose” he said with
trouble, if saying it was difficult how am I he ever going to do it? He
shook the thought, he needed to focus on the plan.
“Took
you a while didn’t it” Dan smirked. Josh ignored it.
“Good”
he nodded when he didn’t get the response he’d been going for with his comment.
“It
sounds good” Josh breathed a sigh of relief; so far so good.
“I
was wondering… since I’d like to… cook for her… could I, I mean, can I go to
the… supermarket and get the ingredients?” Josh asked, starting slowly but the
end of his sentence couldn’t be said fast enough. Dan pondered the question and
Josh waited nervously, if he would just say yes the first part of his plan was
successful. Dan finally nodded.
“Fine
but Matt will take you”
Josh
accepted; he knew it would happen. A part of him had hoped he wouldn’t have to
come along but he’d known he’d been fooling himself. He couldn’t even walk
around the house without him there, how could he have let himself believe he’d
be allowed to go to the supermarket by himself. He knew how; it was the tiny
bit of hope he still cherished, the tiny bit he couldn’t let go off and that would
sometimes fight to the surface. It wasn’t much but it was just enough to keep
him going.
***
Josh
clutched his grocery list in his hand as if it were his lifeline. He was
nervous and he hoped it didn’t show.
He’d
spend a few days on the computer, on the internet, searching for some great
recipes he could prepare. He’d convinced Dan to let him use the computer but
Matt stood behind him as always making sure he didn’t use his email. It was so
tempting but it couldn’t happen. He quickly put together a recipe instead which
would get him to the store as fast as he could and which would get his plan
into motion. Dan had checked the list and asked what he was going to make, when
he approved Josh got his shopping list together and was ready to go.
Matt
drove them to the nearest supermarket and Josh forced himself not to bite his
nails, he knew it was a sign that he was nervous and he was afraid they’d think
he was up to something and would forbid him this. He sat on his hands to make
sure he wouldn’t bite on his nails out of habit and he clutched the shopping
list when they got out of the car, walking into the supermarket. It was a big
one; this could work, it had to work.
***
“Oh
I forgot the strawberries” Josh said suddenly when they were almost at the middle
aisle of the 24th row. The aisle in the middle of the store, smaller aisles on
either side and they were all numbered. Matt sighed exasperated.
“Tough,
forget them, we’re not going back” he told his charge. The cart had been
stuffed with all kinds of products and he simply didn’t feel like dragging the
whole thing back to the front of the store. It was not going to happen.
“But
it’s an important ingredient” Josh whined.
This
was it, moment of truth he had to do it. It was now or never.
“I
know where it is, I’ll run back, you stay here with the cart, be back in just a
sec” Josh told him and before Matt had a chance to open his mouth Josh had run
off.
He
ran through the middle aisle of the store and dashed into the 22nd row, hiding
out. Matt cursed under his breath before following him, leaving the cart for
what it was. But he didn’t see Josh anywhere. However Josh saw him and he
quickly ran to the back of the row and while Matt moved to the left, walking
through the middle aisle to the first row, Josh quickly turned left and ran at
the back of the rows in the opposite direction from Matt, giving Josh the
opportunity to see through the whole row all the way to the cash registers.
Josh dashed into 27th row, running all the way to the front while Matt reached
the 10th. As Josh reached the middle aisle he sped up but he caught a glimpse
of Matt’s back, he was walking further away from him. He pushed himself a
little harder when he was safe in the front of the 27th row to reach the cash
registers.
Josh
pushed himself through the people waiting in line, holding up his hands to show
he had nothing to buy before he dashed outside the store. His heart almost
pounding its way through his chest. He didn’t rest for a second though. He had
to move, he had to take advantage of the head start he got. He barely had time
to register that he’d pulled it off, he knew the first part would be the
biggest problem; getting away from Matt. But he’d pulled it off successfully
and now all he had to do was run... run as fast as he could... to Justin.
