FicWad

Week 18

"Okay, you need what now?" Steve asked on the phone to Nick, "Sugar? Don't you already have sugar? Well, how much difference could there be between sugars?"
Steve eyed the shelves in the supermarket, "There's raw sugar, that looks brown. Is that what you're after? No?"
Steve turned his head slightly before his eyes rested on what Nick was after. "What about this soft brown sugar. That's what you're after, isn't it," he said, pausing for Nick's reply, "Don't call me that. Anyone could have been confused."
After dumping the bag in his shopping trolley, Steve continued down the aisle, continuing to talk to Nick, "Well, I'll head over to the meats section now. What? Listen, when I agreed to buy the ingredients, it was on the understanding that all shopping was to be done at one store only. And now you want me going to a butchers?"
"What, a Grocer's as well? And a seafood place? And a bakery? Jesus Christ, when do you have time to work if you're spending so much time shopping?" Nick raised his voice, "Can't you do most of this stuff on your own, and I'll pay you back. Yes, I will pay you back. Sure I was a few years late in paying off that debt, but that was a once off. I'll pay by the dinner party this time."
"Sure, whatever. I'll do what you say then. But I don't see the point of me getting all the ingredients, since I don't know what half of them are. I mean, I've been searching through the sauces section for hours looking for Bok Choy," Steve paused, "Why are you laughing Nick?"
"Oh, it's a vegetable. Well, that's something I definitely didn't need to know. Maybe you should have put a code, indicating what sort of food they are, next to their name. Or, just come with me at least. We're both free tomorrow. And what sort of freak gets all his ingredients two days before they even have their dinner party?" he asked, pausing again.
He groaned, answering sarcastically, "An organised freak. Yes, very funny. Well don't be surprised if your..." he stopped, looking down at his list, "Udon turn out to be noodles. Quit laughing Nick. Seriously, if you don't stop laughing, I'll come through the phone lines and give you a stro-"
Steve paused as he recognised Evelyn at the end of the aisle, "I'll call you back. I've just seen Evelyn. Shit! You're right, I probably should have given her the details by now. Bye."
Steve hung up and quickly texted out a message giving the details on the dinner party, including location, and sent it. He then called out for her, waving.
"Hey Steve!" she said with a smile, coming over, "Getting ingredients for the dinner party I presume?"
"Of course. Well, not just here. I mean, flour and sugar's okay, but I'm going out later to the grocers. The vegetables, they're much....." Steve tried to think up why he was going to the grocer, "Greener. They're much greener at the grocers."
"Kay," Evelyn said, slightly confused, "So it's Friday night, at your place, seven o'clock right?"
"Yep. But don't worry if you forget. I've already sent a text to your mobile with the details."
Evelyn looked even more confused, checking her mobile. "Strange, I haven't received it yet."
"Oh, it's probably just the reception in this building's crap," Steve said, "You'll pick it up fine once you leave."
"Great. Well, I'll see you Friday then," Evelyn said, walking past him. Steve wished her goodbye, before walking off and turning into another aisle.
To see Gothic Rose, browsing the aisles, basket in one hand. He quickly backed his trolley away from the aisle, and thought over his dilemma. He couldn't be seen with Gothic Rose, especially not with Evelyn around. And with all this food in his trolley, if Evelyn informed her of the dinner party, the amount of food Steve's purchasing would seem to support Evelyn's story.
He couldn't abandon the trolley, not after all the work he put in filling it with food. But on the other hand, with it Gothic Rose could easily spot him out. And besides which, it would slow him down, and he may need to run.
So he decided to leave it temporarily. But first he took the trolley as far away from Gothic Rose as he could, to the far end of the supermarket-the vegetable section. And there, between the stone fruits display, and the salad bar, he left it. He whistled innocently as he backed away, into someone.
"You are truly weird," the voice said behind him.
Steve expected to see Evelyn or, worst still, Gothic Rose behind him. So, for once, he was quite happy to see Gia.
"Oh, thank God it's you."
Gia was taken aback, "I think that surprised both of us."
"Listen, long story short, I need your help, to prevent a social catastrophe," he said.
"Why would I help you? You've been nothing but unkind to me since we met," Gia said back.
"Well, that's because I thought you were untrustworthy. Now's your opportunity to prove me wrong," he said, getting out his wallet, and giving her money, "Listen, there's a girl here who I can't be seen by. But I need to buy this food for my dinner party-"
"Catered and hosted by Nick. Yeah, I'm looking forward to allegedly your dinner party."
"But I can't buy the food until I'm certain she won't see me."
"So, what do you want me to do? Act lookout?"
"No," Steve answered giving her a handful of money, "I want you to buy it for me, and I'll meet you at my car. It's a Blue Ford in car park purple four, upstairs. Keep the change."
Steve began to move off in search of an inconspicuous exit, not giving Gia the chance to argue. Gia sighed.
"Time to let your better nature take control of you again, Gia," she said to herself, then looked at the money Steve gave her, "What? This is way more than he could possible need. And he said to keep the change."
Gia grinned. Steve was changing from an irritating friend of a friend, to a profitable mutually antagonist.