*DIANA*
The taxi cab took us round the city and the evening was a very beautiful one because of the sunset sky, it was still orange with a touch of pink and it made everything become vibrant with color, the traffic was still manageable but the ride was going to be a slow one and I was not expecting to return to my trailer until it was late at night, my sister was bubbling with excitement and I was aware of the reason why.
"Try to calm down Lucia, you are going to give the cabbie a scare" I said to her and the cab driver laughed, he had been watching my sister excited bouncing from the rear-view mirror.
"I am not scared, I am just puzzled at the cause of her excitement" the cabbie said as he moved the cab a few inches forward, we were in traffic but it was not that congested.
"I am excited because it has been such a long time since I have been to the mall" Lucia said with a wide smile, her blonde hair was on her face so I had to remove the strands from her face.
"Really? How long has it been?" the cabbie asked a harmless question but my sister reply brought tears to my eyes.
"It has been a while now, the last time I went to the mall was when my mother was still alive" I felt a pang in my heart as she said that, her face was depressed as soon as she said that and the cabbie realized his mistake.
"I am so sorry to hear that, I am going to get you to the mall as soon as possible… as a matter of fact-" the cabbie blew his horn at the car in front of him repeatedly until the car moved to the side, the driver shouted insults at the cabbie and the cabbie replied him with insults as well, the little display made my sister smile again and I felt grateful to the cabbie for lightening her mood.
"Hope you are ready to take your pictures? Are you excited about that?" I asked her as we approached the mall, Lucia smiled at me and she nodded her head excitedly.
"Yes, of course… thank goodness that we chose a fast cab because we are already here" I looked out the window and I saw the building looming in a distance, the day was getting darker but I was not worried because all I was concerned with was my sister's happiness and my father's drink.
"They don't call me speed racer for nothing" the cab driver pointed to a sticker that said "Speed Racer" on his dashboard and Lucia awed at him.
"You deserve to be in the Formula One, such a pro" my sister made the cabbie smile proudly, she had a way of making anybody smile and that was a feat that my mother had as well.
"I don't see myself as the next Hamilton but I am proud of my job and my experience" the cabbie had obviously been pleased by her compliment, the cab came to a halt in front of the mall and my sister jumped out and ran towards the big sliding doors in front of the mall.
"She gets too excited at times" I said to the cabbie as I paid him his bill with extra as tip, he accepted it with a grin.
"I do not mind her type of excitement, I like the way she is expressive and polite… please do me a favor; make sure that smile on her face never dies, please" the cab driver said with so much emotion behind his voice, I figured that Lucia must have made her imprint on him.
"I will make sure, I promise" the cabbie waved me goodbye and he drove off, I was feeling the sudden urge to cry when I saw my sister doing a dance video with my phone, she looked so happy and I felt what the cabbie had felt when he asked for his favor.
"Let's go inside you jumping rabbit" I said to her and she obeyed instantly, she was by my side as we shopped for the things that we needed for the celebration dish, Lucia amazed at the quantity of the things that were in our cart.
"That's a lot of stuffs" Lucia said in awe, I laughed at her expression.
"These are just mine, go and get a basket and pick the things that you want" she froze in shock as I said that, it sounded too good to be true.
"Are you serious? I mean, is there enough money to pay?" she was just so flabbergasted that I had to laugh again.
"Yes I am very serious, so go before I change my mind" Lucia ran off to where the baskets were located and she began to pick sweets and cookies, I rolled my cart to the drink section and I picked three bottles of wine and one was the specific one my father had asked me to buy, the other two were for the neighbors or well wishers that might be joining us in the celebration. I had so much fun shopping and watching little Lucia run from one aisle to another as if she was shopping against time, I was about to go and get into the line that was in front of the cashier that was when I saw my boyfriend Carl staring at me with a shocked look, I smiled at him and he smiled back at me.
"What are you doing here?" Carl asked me with a broad smile, my heart flustered when he smiled.
"I came here to do some shopping with my sister, and you?" I asked him in return, I was surprised to see him but his surprise surpassed mine.
"I came here to pick up some stuffs for my mom, I see you have a full cart… that's nice" Carl eyed my cart with greedy eyes, I puzzled at the reason behind such a look.
"What do you mean by that?" it was at this point that I began to lose my temper, I was never a fan of side comments or jokes with hidden meanings.
"I meant that you have a lot of shopping to do, that's all" he said with a smile and with his hands raised in front of him.
"There is an occasion at my house so I am here to shop for the needed things for the preparation" I replied him curtly, his eyes lingered on my cart for a while before he spoke again.
"It must be a big occasion, who is paying for all of this?" Carl asked with sarcasm, it was as if he was pointing out the fact that I did not have enough money to pay for my things, the people on the line threw glances at my cart then at me as if I did not look like someone who had such amount to pay for the loaded cart, I became conscious of my dress and it made me uncomfortable.
"I am the one paying" I said coldly, Carl chuckled aloud and it annoyed me to the core that he was not taking me seriously.
"Really? I thought that your salary doesn't come until the end of the month?" he was still talking with the same sarcastic tone.
"It doesn't and where I got the money from is none of your business, what's up with the questions tonight? I thought that maybe you would be excited to see me but no, you are more concerned with my source of income and the person paying for my cart, I never asked you to pay and that should be where your 'sweet' concern should have ended" the line moved a bit and I readjusted my position, Carl was silent and the mocking look had disappeared from his face.
"I am sorry for the way I acted, I was only joking but it seems like you are not in the mood for jokes… it won't happen again my dear" he touched my cheek affectionately and all my anger vanished, I heaved a sigh of relief.
"It's okay, I had a long day at work so I am a bit edgy" it was Carl's turn to pay for his basket of things and it was then Lucia ran to meet me on the line with her basket filled with sweet and sugary cereals.
"I was looking for you everywhere, I was starting to think that you bailed on me" Lucia said with a playful pout, I smiled at her affectionately because she looked so cute.
"I was here waiting for you, I hope that you have picked everything that you wanted" Lucia nodded at me and she noticed Carl for the first time.
"Hello, uncle Carl… your card is being declined?" Carl was in a serious argument with the cashier about his card being valid, his expression changed when he saw Lucia staring at him with her big eyes.
"I don't understand why, my card was working fine at the store a few hours ago" Carl was already sweating because of how embarrassing the situation looked.
"How much is the stuff that you bought?" I asked Carl but the cashier was the one that answered me.
"The cost of his purchase is $235 and three cents" the cashier said to me in a harsh tone.
"You don't need to speak to me in that manner because I am not the person owing you" I scolded the cashier and he gave a gesture of apology with his hands.
"Is there enough money to pay for him?" Lucia asked me with puppy eyes, I considered and I agreed at last.
"Yes, just add it to our tab and I will pay for everything" I heard an audible gasp from somebody close to me, the line was filled with chattering and mutters from all angles.
"You really don't have to, I am sure that my card would work soon" Carl was trying to dissuade me but I was already intent on proving my point to him and the rest people on the line that I was not poor.
"Shut it and back off" I said to him rudely and he obeyed without another word, the cashier calculated everything and it all amounted to $658 which I paid in cash much to the surprise of Carl and the others that were standing there. Lucia and I left the mall like princesses because of the amount of bags that we carried, the money that I had left was still enough to pay for the things X3 without any hassle, Carl stared after me with his mouth open and I was sure that he was in a state of shock.