"Well, in theory . . . but in theory I'd never planned on drenching you in the first place."
"How about one of those Martha Stewart books on refreshments?"
I put the last of the silverware into the dishwasher and shut the door. "Okay, you've made your point. I'll go with you to pick something out for myself."
As it turned out, this took most of the day. Partially because when he came over, Julianne and Evelynn commandeered his attention and made him take them for a ride in his convertible. After that, Colton and I drove to the mall, but we went there to eat dinner at Ruby Tuesday.
Colton requested a table in Reese's mother's section. He didn't explain why, but I knew without asking it was so he could leave her a big tip.
After we sat down, she came to our table carrying a water pitcher and wearing the black shoes. She ran through the standard introduction, the specials, then kept snatching glances at me as she filled our glasses. Finally she said, "Did you come to the mall yesterday with a school group?"
Well, I guess it had been too much to hope that she wouldn't remember the tall girl in the tacky elf suit. "Yes," I said, "our NHS group passed out presents."
She smiled above the water pitcher. "It was so kind of you." She hesitated then, as though she hadn't made up her mind whether to say more. At last she said, "How did you know I needed shoes? Why did you buy them for me when I'm not a child?"
I opened my mouth, but didn't know what to say. Colton, however, answered without hesitating. "Because your son asked for them for Christmas. We had all the children fill out a wish list, and he wrote that he wanted black shoes for his mother." She nodded, smiling, but not looking at us. The water pitcher trembled in her hands. "He has a good heart—and now I have good shoes. Thank you. My feet feel much better today."
I smiled back at her. "We were happy to do it for you."
She left then so we would have a few minutes to look over the menu. I watched her go, then leaned toward Colton. "See, aren't you glad we did that service project now?" "Yeah, I'm glad," he said, but the look he gave me made me wonder whether he was actually thinking of the service project.
I reached across the table and took hold of his hand, very carefully, so I didn't knock over my water glass in the process.
After dinner we walked around the mall, talking. I bought a Barbie doll convertible for Julianne, since she'd liked riding in Colton's. He suggested I get her an I'm-a-cool-wrestler Ken doll to go along with the car, but apparently through some oversight of Mattel's, those don't exist.
After some more walking, Colton decided I shouldn't see what he picked out for me after all. I had a good idea what it might be though, because before he left, he held up my wrist, sized it with his fingers, and then asked if I liked gold or silver better.
We agreed to meet back in front of Nordstrom in half an hour. I'd already bought presents for the rest of my family, and I really had no idea what to get Colton. That's the problem with shopping for rich people. They already have everything they need, and what they want is out of your price range.
I wandered around the mall for a while, then thought about getting him some more of the cologne he wore.
You know, just to ensure he never ran out.
I walked over to Nordstrom men's cologne section and sniffed every bottle until I found it. Then I held the bottle pressed against my face for several moments, until the saleslady came over and asked if I needed help. I assume she meant help in purchasing the cologne. I gave it to her to ring up.
As I walked out into the mall I ran into Candy and one of her friends.
"Char." Candy's brow knit together in worry when she saw me. "How are you holding up these days?"
"Fine," I said, "How about you?"
She whispered something to her friend, then took hold of my arm and pulled me a few steps away. "There's no need to pretend with me. I already know how you got kicked out of school for arson." Her lips pinched together, and then she let out a sigh. "I blame myself, really. You were fragile when Greg broke up with you. All this has just been a cry for help, hasn't it?"
"No, the fire was an accident, and I'm only suspended. Besides, I'm going out with Colton now, so you don't need to feel guilty. Really."
Her eyes narrowed as though she didn't believe me. "Colton? Colton Taft?"
"Yes." I looked behind her and saw him walking toward us. "There he is now."
She turned, gave him the once over, then stepped even closer to me. "What happened to his cheek?"
"Oh that. He was dressed up as Santa Claus for an NHS project, and well, he sort of got in a fight, and Bryant punched him."
I didn't have time to explain anything else before Colton reached us. He switched his shopping bag from one arm to the other so he could take hold of my hand. "Hey, Candice, out doing some shopping?"
She smiled but shook her head sadly. "Colton, you should have gone to Leland Prep with the rest of us. You know, wrestling simply isn't worth it." Then she called to her friend, and the two of them walked past us into Nordstrom.
Colton watched them go. "What was that all about?"
"Apparently I'm a bad influence on you."
"Yeah, probably."
I elbowed him but kept hold of his hand.
As we walked away from Nordstrom I told him the whole conversation, then added, "I'm never going to be able to face any of those people from Leland Prep again. Now they all think I'm some sort of fragile person who sets things on fire when she's upset."
He shrugged. "Look on the bright side. At least they've forgotten about you eating that centerpiece."He shrugged. "Look on the bright side. At least they've forgotten about you eating that centerpiece."
"Oh, right. I feel much better."
"Come on, you don't really care what the people at Leland Prep think about you, do you?"
"No, actually I'm still too worried about what the people at my own high school think about me." He squeezed my hand. "Some of us think you're pretty great."
And then I smiled, because I did feel better.
I guess some of the stuff you learn at the mall isn't
so bad after all.
Janette Rallison, It's a Mall World After All
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