Snakes In The Grass

10

It felt weird going on a supervised shopping trip with four adult men, but it was easy to fall into guarding technique, except I needed to remember that I was the charge this time, not the Guardian.

While Ibrahim had an appalling sense of fashion for himself, he still had good taste. He had pointed things out here and there while I shopped, and I picked a few of them. I had some money with me, but when I pulled it out, Ibrahim all but batted my hand away, pulling a credit card from his pocket.

There was one store I walked into that I couldn't help but grin. Lissa used to go in and find the most ridiculous things she could find, but spotting all the Stich items, I felt like a child in a candy shop.

I found a onesie that I knew I had to buy. Dimitri would think it was funny and I couldn't wait to see the baby in it. It had Stitch drawn in red like Lilo drew, showing his badness level. I held it tight in my hand as I looked around the store. There were a lot of things I wanted, but I held back. I didn't want to go overboard.

"You haven't found much for yourself today," Pavel mentioned as I looked through the racks in another store.

"Honestly, I've seen a lot that I'd like to get, but I'm just not used to being able to just...buy whatever I want. I grew up not having money," I explained.

Pavel nodded. "Abe wants to spoil you. He isn't good with feeling words, but he wants to give you everything. If you want something, let him buy it," Pavel explained.

"It sounds like a bribe."

Pavel pressed his lips together and pointed at the bag that contained the onesie. "I was your father's Guardian when you were a child. You wouldn't believe the number of things he purchased before you were born. Your mother had to take his wallet from him every time they went out."

"So does that mean that you were the loyal 'Uncle Pavel'?"

Pavel grinned, making the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes more prominent. If he was around when I was a baby, he was much older than I thought he was.

"Oh yes. You and I spent many nights together. You were a very colic baby. And your parents were exhausted. When you couldn't sleep, I used to carry you around the house, tucking you in my arm like a football. But while you were colic, you were a happy girl. I was a very proud uncle," Pavel explained.

I smirked and took the pyjama set I was looking at off the shelf and gave him an amused look. I didn't want to go overboard, but I took Pavel's advice. And every time Ibrahim took his credit card out, he looked happier and happier each time.

There was something about his excitement that made me happy. I knew that this man was dangerous, but seeing a genuine smile of excitement on his face, I couldn't help but be happy. But I could also see where my smile came from.

"So, do you think that maybe I could have a phone?" I asked nonchalantly.

Pavel gave me a look not to push it, but Abe mused it over.

"And what would you use it for?"

"Well, if I have to stay here until you think it's safe, I'd like to be able to talk to my friends, and let Dimitri know that I'm okay," I said as I looked through some cosmetics. I picked up a few tubes of the lip gloss Dimitri bought me and then a new mascara. Lissa had said many times that this one was good, but I couldn't afford to buy it. If Ibrahim was going to cover my cost, I was going to get it.

"Your mother told him you were perfectly fine," Ibrahim said with a raised brow.

"And if it were Mom in my place, wouldn't you want that reassurance from her directly?" I asked and cocked my head to the side.