To Caress My Day

Angling his head to his girlfriend beside him who was ogling at him for his random broadcast alongside her mother, Araceli, Seth inquired with a wave of his closed Gloucester Old Spot menu. “So uh, what are you thinking of having for breakfast, my dear?”

Twigs gaped at for a moment that was long enough for their waitress, Claudia, to show up with their drinks. She rapidly began to pass them out. “Alright everybody, here are your drinks. Has anyone decided on what they wanted to eat yet or are you still looking the menu over?”

“I think we’ve all made our decisions.” Luther answered for their table then gestured to Twigs to start. “Tahliah, would you like to go first?”

“Um...yes, thank you.” Twigs said, ostracizing her curiosity on what bedeviled Seth to exclaim his order loud enough for the entire pub to hear him, and browsed through her menu. Finding the perfect dish, she softly announced. “I’ll order the Beer Battered Brixham Haddock with the crushed peas and mint, and the tartar sauce with the hand cut chips.”

“Oh my god, my mouth is still watering over that one!” Claudia blessed, speedily jotting it down in her notepad. Once done, she looked to Twig’s mother next. “And for you, ma’am?”

“I’d like to order the Cock-A-Leekie Chicken and Cured Smoked Bacon Casserole with winter vegetable potato grain and some parsley dumplings.” Araceli chose from the menu, stifling an immature smile when she said the word ‘cock’ because it made her daughter’s boyfriend grin.

“Oh man, dumplings actually sound good right about now.” Seth lauded her with light jealousy.

“Right!?” Claudia seconded with a pout, now wishing she was on her lunch break. “I’d kill for some dumplings right about now.”

Addressing Seth, Araceli gave him a sweet motherly smile he hadn’t seen in a long time since losing his own mother. “I’ll share them with you if you’d like, Seth. I don’t mind.”

“Really?” Seth asked, his brows shooting upward in surprise. “Wow, that’s very nice of you. Thank you, Mrs. Avarado.”

After getting everyone’s orders down, the ravenous waitress, Claudia, compiled all their menus with a smile. “Alright, we’ll have your meals ready in about 10 minutes! I’ll see you then!”

Everyone sent her off with their thanks and fell back into a fresh conversation about the crisp winter weather as of late. It had even snowed overnight, but thankfully not in large amounts. Still, Seth wondered what exactly could be done in this area when it snowed this much. He’d gotten so used to California's lack of snow that now that he was besieged by it all he felt that he could do was wriggle into bed with his girlfriend and seek warmth from her naked body. “Does anyone have any suggestions on what we can do today in all this snow? I mean, can we still go to Cheltenham, right?”

“Heck yeah, we can!” Luther answered. “Don’t let all this snow deter you, son. You can still go on walks to the park despite this weather and...all it’s several feets of snow. It just makes it more adventurous, and a little cold.”

“And if you still don’t fancy being outdoors there are always indoor activities.” Twigs submitted, sipping on her cider. “Like the museums or other such places like that.”

“And I don’t know about you, but I’d like to treat myself to a little shopping today.” Araceli ordained with a thrilled smile.

Twigs was just as excited, her brown eyes shining in the cold light. “Yes! I seriously need to do some shopping too! That’s a great idea, mom.”

“And of course get your friends some Christmas presents.” Araceli prodded her daughter with a look. “Don’t forget them like you did last week.”

“You’re absolutely right.” Twigs concurred not so honestly. She hadn’t forgotten her best friends like she imparted to her mother that she did. In fact, she didn’t have any money to relinquish by selecting them gifts this year, and still probably wouldn’t if she kept taking off to be with Seth as often as she does, but she also couldn't help herself. She loved the man! She didn’t need air to breathe, just being with him would do her just fine. He’s become far more important to her than attaining cash to put money on the table to survive. “I’ll keep them in mind today while we’re looking about.”

“How many stores do you want to go into?” Araceli asked her daughter. “Because I have a laundry list of stores I want to snoop into.”

“Mom, as far as I’m concerned the more the merrier.” Twigs answered, giving her mother full control on where they go and how many stops they overtake.

As the women continued to plan the day’s events, Luther silently glanced to Seth with a peeved expression. When he caught the younger man’s attention, he rolled his eyes and tipped his head towards the women.

Seth understood what he was alluding to. The man was warning him that this shopping expedition wasn’t going to be fun for either of them tagging along. Seth could see how that would be the case, but he didn’t want that to be the case today. He wanted to be able to enjoy it and if his only option was to go on a shopping spree with his girlfriend and her mother, then by god he was going to find a way to savor it even if that meant he had to die trying.

Perhaps, he could make a game out of it. A sexy game, but not too candidly. Whenever her parents were preoccupied he could pilfer a kiss or two from Twigs...or grab her behind, or maybe a breast or two. Seth grinned mischievously to himself as the women prattled on about what stores they wanted to shop in. Scrupulously, he premeditated on all the many devious ways he could mess with his girlfriend. His endeavor would have to be agile, but devastatingly effective. If he played his cards right, he’d have Twigs lusting after for him long before the end of the day.

Glancing to the two silent men, Twigs asked. “So, what do you guys think?”

“Think about what?” Seth asked, shaking his head from his dirty fantasy.

“About going shopping with us?” Twigs giggled at his obliviousness. “Do you mind?”

“You already know how I feel about it.” Luther said nonchalantly, his face exhibiting his displeasure.

“Oh, just ignore him.” Araceli ordered Twigs with a dismissive wave of her hand to her husband. “He’s just a party pooper when really he loves shopping just as much as I do.”

Forgetting her step-father, Twigs restated for Seth. “Do you mind shopping?”

“I don’t mind shopping at all.” Seth assured her with a grin. He especially didn’t mind because of his covert sophisticated plan he planned to hatch.

“I mind it!” Luther contended with everyone at the table. “In fact, I mind it a great deal!”

“Luther, that’s quite enough coming from you!” Araceli chided him as she elbowed him in the rib. “You’re going to go shopping with us, and like it.”

“Yeah yeah yeah.” Luther fussed. “But I’m warning you right now, if you take me to one of those malls you better leave me in a massage chair until you’re done, you hear me?”

“You got a deal!” Twigs saluted him with her glass of cider.

Araceli rolled her eyes at her husband, and surrendered to his will. “Fine, it’s decided then. We’re going shopping.”