Like Lovers Do

Marie was the good apple.

Being the middle child had its pros and cons but she was the one that caused trouble the least, she was the one that owned up to her responsibilities, her faults. Honesty was a good trait.

Her older sister had turned twenty-one, meaning she was allowed to drink if she wanted. And she did. Constantly. It wasn't the alcohol that did her in, but it was adultery as well. She never really cared for the household she was brought up in, she was the sister that didn't care about religion on virtues or this morality crap. She gave into temptation, the thought of fitting in had overcome her.

Temptation had affected Adam and Eve, so who's to say it wouldn't affect her as well?

Then there was her young brother. He was eight, becoming nine in the fall. He was still a child and with no older sister to help him guide his way, he relied on Marie. His parents too, of course, but he was so dependent on his sister, he would accidentally call her 'mommy' sometimes. Sometimes on purpose too. But since he was the youngest, he still had to be taught the difference from right and wrong. And when he was caught doing something wrong, he would blame his sister to avoid punishment.

Marie had already made out his character when he first blamed her of breaking a plate.

Bobby was a coward.

Marie was the good child.

That was why she was grocery shopping.

She led her cart to the check out aisle labeled with a glowing five. Placing each item with extra care, she smiled at the cashier, pulling out a crisp fifty from her wallet as everything had finished its journey to the scanner and started to roll or slide to the bag boy.

"Marie?"

She turned her head towards the direction of the bag boy. It was that guy she waved at in the hallway. "Hi," she repeated her words as she grabbed her cart and pulled it towards him. "Henry, right?"

"I prefer Andy," he replied, helping her stuff the plastic bags in her cart. She nodded, her lips forming in a tight smile. She didn't know how to talk to someone as...intimidating as him.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked, dumbly.

"I was just, um, buying groceries."

"Right. Yeah."

"Um, what are you doing here?"

He scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "This is how I spend my Saturday nights."

She nodded. "Right."

Items crowded the grey area, making the man behind her tap his foot impatiently. Anderson saw this immediately before muttering, "I should get back to my job."

"Right! Right..." she scurried to grab her cart and gripped it firmly. "So I'll see you Monday?" the words fled her lips before she went over them and mentally 'ok'd' them.

He stared at her, surprised by her question. Shaking it aside, a small smile spread across his lips. "Yeah. See ya," he did a small, two finger salute and she nodded before rushing out of the store.

Marie was the good one. She had resisted temptation more times than she could count. And in this process, she realized why.

God was testing her faith.