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‘Sorry!’ I blurt, the box tu clatter when itaround at nise I don’t like the chill creeping up ulfs ies’ Thean expensive suit He’s bending down to pick up the box before I can register his face, and he spends a few seconds resting on his haunches, looking at the pregnancy test, spinning it in his hand repeatedly while hu his interest I haven’t seen his face yet, only the back of his head as he rerey-flecked hair, yet so that he knows me He had every intention to be in this aisle with me – the aisle mainly full of women’s toiletries I may be in a busy superer thick in the air around us
The stranger lifts his face as he rises His eyes are bordering black and harbouring all sorts of unspoken threats He has a scar that runs froht cheek all the way down to the corner of hisit It’s a smile that’s intended to lead me into a false sense of security
‘I believe this is yours’ He handswhen I take it I know I’ve failed ina hold of the box as I accept, probably absorbing er able to ulp backassertiveness I’ for and that I desperately hope fools him ‘Excuse me’ I step to the other side this ti out a little chuckle
‘We don’t see way too close to ree, atte blocked Taking a deep breath, I reluctantly lift my eyes until theyfro, and it hason the spot He s a stray tendril of ers I freeze, ihtfullydarklysinisterly Then he dips and brings his irl,’ he whispers ‘We finallytoaway the traces of his breath while he rees of his thin lips as he regards me closely
‘Olivia?’ I hearspoken in the distance, unease in the fahtens and casts his eyes overon the spot, every breath leavesquickly towards ht but a wealth of emotion in his clear eyes – relief, fear, cautionanger
‘Miller,’ I breathe, energy surging throughin his chest,about this situation is shrieking hazard
Miller’s chin is resting on the top of ainst him, and there’s a stone-cold silence amid the hype of activity around us, like we’re stuck in a bubble and no one except the three of us are aware of the peril and hostility polluting the supermarket air I don’t have to look to know he’s still behind me; I can feel his presence as well as I can feel Miller trying to squeeze some coainst me is a clue So I remain concealed in my comfort zone
It feels like a lifetime before I feel Miller relax a little, and I chance a peek, looking overdown the aisle, his hands resting casually in his trouser pockets, browsing the shelves like he frequents the supermarket daily But just like Miller, he looks out of place
‘Are you OK?’ Miller asks, placingit very unwise to tell hi I don’t think I need to, anyway Miller knows that man and he knohat I’ve just encountered without my confirmation ‘Who is he?’ I finally ask the question that I really don’t want to know the answer to, and if I go by the pained look on Miller’s face, it’s clear he doesn’t want to tell me Or confirm it He’s the immoral bastard
I’m not sure whether Miller sees me make my silent conclusion or whether he sioes unanswered and he’s quickly pulling his phone from his pocket One push of a button and a few seconds later, Miller’s talking down the line ‘Tirab forofin ives up onI azing down at the box for the longest time before he eventually lifts e Christ,’ he exhales, the tips of his thu shut