Coming Up For Air | ✓

4 | just add water

'MINIMIZE WASTE: TAKE US HOME'

Stella pauses by the woven basket of ripe fruit stood in the center of the generous fruit- and vegetables selection inside the quaint grocery store, the sign made up of a sheet of folded paper and simple black marker noticing the discounted price having caught her attention.

She fills a bag of apples to the brim– knowing she'll make her way through them in a matter of days. She fills another with nectarines, dropping them both into her cart before continuing on toward the kale and spinach.

A chill lingers in the air, having goosebumps trail up her sun kissed skin as she takes her sweet time moving through the store, filling her cart as she goes. The sage green color of her nails reflect the bright fluorescent light above as she taps her fingers against the handle, pushing it before her through the narrow aisles.

She grabs a bottle of juice. Eyeing the shelf of diary, she picks out a package of portion sized yoghurt cups. They're very clearly meant for kids, but she drops them into her cart nevertheless, swayed by pure nostalgia.

Continuing along, she notices someone has misplaced a bag of chips: its bright blue color peeking out in a sea of yellow. She lingers by the tall shelf of candy, it's a fun selection, different, definitely appropriate for vacation memories.

She gazes around the quaint grocery store – the row of narrow aisles to her left, the makeshift bakery to her right and behind it the generous selection of fruit–, lips pulling back as her smile widens.

There's nothing mistakable about that chord of familiarity at her heartstrings.

It's in the way the scent of her sunblock blends with the sweet aroma from the freshly baked pastries. It's in how it seems a cloud of cheap plastic lingers in the air, having drifted through the sliding doors from the shelf stocked with swim-toys outside. It's in how in every step she takes, the soles of her slip-in sandals sound softly against the stone tiles of the floor. It's in the heavy died fabric of the souvenir t-shirts hung at the back of the store, as well as in the murmured conversation between the two clerks sat by one of the cashier desks. In how every scent in here seems heightened by the spiking chill caused by the AC.

She knows this place.

Pausing by the slim shelf of magazines by the cashiers, she scours the selection. The entrance doors slide open while she's stood there, revealing a grandmother and child loudly declaring their need of a couple loaves of bread. They're the only other costumers she's seen since stepping foot in the store half an hour ago on this Wednesday morning.

Reaching out, she grabs the latest issue of Elle. She holds it to her chest, gazing around the space once more, welcoming that flutter of familiarity again before turning her smile to the man ready to help her at the checkout.

━ ♡♡♡ ━

Returning home, she finds Jake stood in the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Fizzy's paws click softly against the floor as she pads over to Stella, tail wagging back and forth. Relieving herself of the paper bags in her embrace, Stella crouches down to properly greet the dog before straightening up again.

Dusting her palms on her denim shorts, she begins to unpack the groceries.

Jake watches her with slight disbelief as she practically bounds around the kitchen in her great mood.

He absentmindedly thumbs through her new magazine where she's left it on the kitchen island. "How are you up before the rest of the world every single day?"