The first stop at the city is Drim’s drop. Just a couple of blocks, she’ll walk herself to the convenience store that she works at. Tolman is her boss; he is also a close friend of hers. He doesn’t care of he’s only employee is late, but she never fails to be early. Drim doesn’t know how to organize things but she learned that quirk after years of being trained by Tolman. The mart had a good space so there are a variety of stuff that can bought – almost as of a super market but not too many buys there. That day, the place needs to be refilled which is why Tolman was busy on a sunrise. No words were given, Drim started restocking – unpacking the boxes and putting its contents in the shelves. While he was arranging water bottles in the fridges, Drim approached him to ask if there are other boxes. That was also the moment she noticed the bottles were casing black water.
‘What is that?’
‘It’s a new brand, the water’s naturally black. Don’t worry.’ They were together long enough to know each other’s wounds and hidden scars.
‘Really?’
‘Didn’t I just say don’t worry? I’ve researched and check them all of my product’s contents. I would never sell anything that could be harmful.’
‘Ok.’ Trust has been built between them; most of the time, she would just believe him without any sort of doubt. ‘I’ll be at the cashier register.’
‘Hey Drim.’
‘Yep?’
‘Don’t be scared. I won’t be fooled. Next time, I’ll let you check as well.’
‘Sure, sorry.’
‘I don’t like it when they colour the water.’
‘Is it because your colour blind?’
‘It’s because I can’t see what’s going on -that’s why!’
‘Are you angry?’
‘Nope’ she pressed the buttons furiously while typing the names of new products under the drinks and dried goods folder ‘Why won’t this enter!?’
‘Because you’re pressing too hard.’ He hides a chuckle.
The sound of the door opening caught their attention
‘I guess the first customer is here.’
‘Please be a darling and do something else than watch me struggle on this old machine.’
‘Ok.’ Tolman said before leaving the counter and rearranged some crackers by their dates of expiration.
The woman who entered the shop went to the liquid section and took a bottle of vodka. Then she waltz towards the magazine section and grabbed a sale bundle before going to the counter.
‘How’s it going?’ she asked Drim while getting the bills from her knitted bag.
‘Days been slow aunt. How about you?’ She punched the numbers in and wrapped the goods.
‘Same Drim.’ She said. Then she took and held the paper bag like a child.
‘So what’s going on? It’s been long since the last time I saw you buying those.’
‘I got a job.’
‘Where at?’
‘At a bar.’
‘Are you happy with the job?’
‘No.’ Billy said before leaving too fast.
‘I can still remember when she was my kindergarten teacher.’
‘Was she happy?’ asked Tolman.
‘Yes. Yes, she was smiling all the time.’
‘Do you know what happened to her?’
‘She likes to drink.’ Drim yawned and walked in front of the counter to arrange the candies displayed on it. ‘And one day, she had a bad one.’
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