Extending Our Hearts

II. Spicy Homicide

Extending Our Hearts

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IT DOESN'T take long for me to pull up into Tippy's parking lot and for me to jump out the car, this time not forgetting my wallet and keys.

Unfortunately for me, the only parking space available is one at the complete end of the lot meaning I have a whole end to walk⎯⎯ or rather run if I want to live.

The weather isn't much different from two days ago and I'm sweating bullets as I'm halfway to Tippy's entrance. 

I've started to wonder if I live on earth or if I unknowingly died and have already gone to hell with the soaring temperatures lately.

As I enter Tippy's I notice that the sliding doors have a ten second delay before they open, something I've never noticed before. However, usually I'm not running for my life so there's no reason I'd have noticed it anyway. 

The moment I walk in, I immediately notice they've finally changed the signs to match the aisles and heave out a sigh of relief of not having to get lost again. Not that I minded it the last time but this time I need to get home quickly.

My eyes finally spot the words I'm looking for near the bread aisle and my feet unconsciously start toward the opposite side of where I'm at.

A bead of sweat drips down my arms as I quickly scan the rows on both my right and left before cursing out whoever made the decision to change the aisles. They either put up the wrong sign at the wrong aisle or I'm blind.

God, I've already taken too long to find the stupid Cayenne pepper.

I swiftly turn around and jog around to find an employee to help me find those small bottles of flavourful sand.

I curse out at the empty diapers aisle as I realise I looked in all the aisles but didn't find anyone.

Nearing the rows of registers I notice they're all full and I can't help but feel the universe is against me today.

I scan all the registers hoping to catch glimpse of the blonde who could be of help to me as she was the last time.

Once again, the universe proves it's working against me as I don't see her neither the cashier who'd scanned the cereal two days ago.

"Uhm," I hear a familiar voice utter behind me. "You look lost. Again."

I try to smile at her but I can't shake off the angry frown on my face and it comes off more as a glare. "Spices, I need cayenne pepper."

"Oh yeah!" A wide grin appears on her face before it's quickly wiped off. "Oh, no."

Her expression rapidly changes from realisation, to panic and to her current face as she looks at me, nervousness. "I had to put them in aisle fifteen but I completely forgot to do it."

"Can you get them out the inventory at least?" I plead.

She shakes her head at me, "The manager left half an hour ago with the keys." 

I can only imagine with my still sweaty face and the glare on my face, I look murderous. This really isn't my day.

"They'll be up by tomorrow," she says and I notice the hesitation in her voice. "I won't forget! But for now, can you do me a favour?"

I sigh and scratch my head before nodding.

She pouts, "Can you not tell my manager about this?"

I'm so fucking late and so dead after this.

I need to hurry up and head to another store already.

"Yeah, whatever," I nod and wave in dismissal before jog out the exit and into the late afternoon air.

I don't wait for her response as I've already taken more than ten minutes at Tippy's and can't waste anymore time unless Nonna wants some tasteless pasta.

Picking up a pace quicker than a jog, I enter my car and turn the air conditioning on full blast as I pull out the parking lot and onto the highway.

I follow the route on the GPS to the closest grocery store which happens to be a Walmart ten minutes away.

It's going to take at least thirty minutes to get back home and I know I better prepare my ears for a good scolding, even though it's not my fault at all.

There's one good thing though.

If I show up late with the pepper and Nonna kills me, it'll be one tasty spaghetti with a side of spicy homicide.