As the crowd dispersed, Sam came rolling up a cart filled to the brim with groceries. The manager looked at her then back at me, who was still standing over Aili, "Who is this, and what is your name," he asked, and I kept from laughing.
Aili stuck a hand for me to take to help her up, "My name is Liz Layzer. I am Allison's soulmate. We were assigned backup if we couldn't protect ourselves from danger," I began explaining, and the man's eyes widened. "We were coming to surprise her and do some groceries," I finished explaining as Aili stood up and kissed me. "How did you get done so quickly," I asked Sam, and she smiled.
"Before she answers that," the manager said as Aili turned around. "Allison, you can check out this last person, but then you're done for the day. I think you've gone through enough today; you will still get a full day's pay," he said as Aili nodded with a smile.
"Thank you, sir," she said, before turning back to the register, she looked at me, "and thank you for that," she said, and I smirked. She turned to the register and looked at Sam, "What," she began dumbfoundedly.
"I'll explain that after your done. As for the number of groceries in the cart, Sam said that she's paying for everything aside from our college since you're not ready for house payments and groceries," I said. She nodded as she started scanning the items that Sam had grabbed.
"You're coming home with me to tell me everything," she said with a blank face as I helped bag everything.
I nodded as I put the eggs in a bag, "You got it," I said with a smile.
Soon, everything was scanned, and in Sam's car, I was waiting for Aili to punch out and get her things when the manager came up to me.
"Miss. Layzer," he said, and I raised my head up from the phone, "I want to thank you for that once again; I didn't realize what would happen when I hired a partner of one of the first soulmates."
I nodded, "It's understandable," I began with a sigh as I pocketed my phone. "Aili said to me that she wasn't exactly looking forward to this shift, and now I know why."
"How so," he asked me.
I sighed, pulling my phone out once more, "Her picture was taken during her last shift here, and an article was posted explaining where she works. I suggest you get your security up when she's going to keep working here. I don't exactly want her beaten mentally or come here and see her surrounded by that many people again," I said. I showed him the article that I found, and he nodded after looking at it closely.
"I will get to that as soon as possible. I came to ask you though," the manager began, "is there a possibility that you could work here? I want you to be here in case something like this ever happens again," he said
"I'll think about it," I said while putting my phone back into my pocket, "I will also talk to Allison about this to see what she thinks about me working with her. I don't want to blindside her with something like that," I said, and he nodded.
"That's understandable," he began, "I don't usually hire couples, but you two are one of the most famous. I wouldn't want the same thing happening again; we both know that there's a possibility that it'll happen at least one more time."
I nodded, "That it will," I said, looking to see Aili walking towards me, "thanks for the talk sir, I will think about your offer."
He shook my outstretched hand, "Please, the name's Ginger Repetto, and it's my pleasure, Liz," he said before he left to yell at a worker who was eyeballing me. The worker blushed before returning to work.
Aili finally made it to me, "So what was that talk about," she asked me, and I grinned.
"Well, first of all, he came up to apologize for what happened," I began, "this goes to show that I need to pay more attention to the news. I told him that he'd better get some security if you continued to work there, and he agreed to it. He also offered me a job here to be here in case something like that ever happened again," I explained, putting my arm over Aili's shoulders. "What do you think," I asked her as we walked out of the store
Aili was silent for a minute as we walked to her car, "Did you come up with this idea," she asked grumpily.
I shook my head, "Not at all," I said, "I was only suggesting better security here, and that was all; he was the one that came up with the idea."
Aili nodded as we reached her car, then she got in. I followed suit and was buckling my seatbelt when she answered. "I'm fine with it," she said, "but you can't be hovering over me waiting for something to happen."
I nodded, "I wouldn't do that to you," I began, "the most I'd probably do with you would be bagging the groceries. Other than that, I wouldn't do a lot. I'd have someone come and get me if you needed me," I finished, and she grinned as her seatbelt clicked into place.
"You are the best," she said before starting the car, "Now answer these two questions," she said, glancing in my direction before pulling out.
"What's that?"
"Did you get everything on the schedule, and how the hell is Sam still our guard?"
I smiled, then chuckled before answering her questions. I filled her in on everything before I got to the topic that Sam and I talked about when we were going to surprise Aili.
"Why didn't you tell me," I asked her, "anything could've happened during the times when you were working, and none of you would've known."
Aili parked the car in the garage turning the car off before answering, "I didn't want you to worry," she began. "We didn't have any backup security, and Tracy had just left. I just wanted you to rest and relax without any problems," she paused as a tear started rolling down her cheek. "I almost lost you once. I couldn't bear the thought of either almost losing you or losing you for real; I didn't tell you because I feared that if I told you that something would happen," she paused once more. "I know it may sound crazy," she sobbed, "some intruder having the ability to silence my scream more than our backup."
She broke off and started crying with her head resting on the steering wheel. I started rubbing circles on her back just like I did the day I returned.
"I don't think that's crazy," I began, "I understand why you said that, but we need to be more open about this. Something could've happened to me, and I would have no way to prepare. I am a little irritated, but it's a reasonable irritation," I paused. "If you even know what I mean," I said, scratching the back of my head with my free hand.
"So, you forgive me," she sniffed.
"Forever and always," I said, and she grinned, "unless you cheat on me, but I don't ever see that happening," I added, then she giggled. "There we go. I thought I was going to have to tickle you to get you to laugh."
She shook her head, "No," she began, "I always smile when I see you, even when it doesn't show," I smiled. "Now, let's get inside. I believe Sam has something planned for us since you're back on your feet."
I nodded with a grin, "Before we do, I need something from you," I said, and she arched an eyebrow as she was one foot out of the car.
"And what may that be," she asked, keeping that eyebrow arched as she asked the question over her shoulder.
"This," I answered, pulling her back my way and giving her the deepest of kisses possible, "and probably more later on."
Aili giggled once more, "I look forward to it," she said before we both left the car and headed into the house. Sam had set up a mini party for us, and we had our fun the rest of the day.