Chapter 9
A week went by pretty fast for AJ. His recovery had gone well from the accident. He still had bruised ribs but felt much better. Howie and Nick had come to visit him before he left the hospital and Brain had stayed a couple of extra days to watch him before going back home.
He thought he would have heard from Serenity again but she hadn�t come by or even called him since her visit in the hospital. He didn�t know why, but he didn�t want to know why. He felt he had wasted too much time already thinking about her. And as far as he was concerned her visit in the hospital was the closure he needed to push his life ahead. It was the final goodbye he never got to have with her before. And now after having it, he felt like he had been re-energized.
Today he felt like doing something that he always loved to do, and that was shopping.
AJ walked around the department store looking at displays, holding three bags, and sucking on the straw in his slushy he bought from the food court. He�d spent half a day at the mall already and he had bought three hats, four pair of pants, three shirts and different pieces of assorted jewelry. On top of all that, he had avoided being recognized by anyone. Which was pretty impressive for him.
As he walked around, somehow he wondered into the women�s section of the store.
�Hey!� He heard a voice from behind him. He turned around to see the tall man smiling at him. It took him a minute to place the face and then he put on a fake smile and waved. It was Serenity�s boyfriend, Randy. Just who he needed to see, he thought to himself sarcastically. Why was Randy in the women�s section of the store anyway, was the thought that followed.
�Hey man, I thought I recognized you. Your AJ right?� Randy asked looking at him.
�Yeah, Randy, right?� AJ questioned back, knowing fully well who he was.
�Yeah, nice to see you. Shopping for someone?� He asked.
�Hu? Oh, no. I just wondered in this section by accident. Just passing through.� AJ said realizing he was in the women�s section also.
�Oh, Well I�m here with the little lady. You know how that can be. Were shopping for a dress, for a dinner party were attending tonight. She�s in the dressing room right now.�
�Oh.� AJ didn�t understand, why did he need to be present for Serenity to find a dress. And why did he make it sound like both of them were going to be wearing the dress by saying �we�?
�That one�s too showy baby.� Randy told Serenity as she appeared from the dressing room.
�AJ, hi, how are you feeling?� She said surprised, noticing AJ was standing by.
�Hi, I�m feeling good. How are you?� He replied.
�I�m good.� She nodded. �Glad to see your well again.�
�You were sick?� Randy questioned, looking at him oddly. Why hadn�t Serenity told him she had gone to see him in the hospital? He wondered.
�Yeah, well I was in a car accident. I was in the hospital for a day, nothing serious.� He shrugged.
�Oh, good to see your good. Okay, now Serenity turn around a little so I can get a better look at the dress, k.� Randy told her as he looked onward. Serenity looked at AJ shyly as she turned her attention back to her boyfriend and did what he had instructed. �What do you think? Think it�s too showy? I�m not into all that glitter and sh!t. Her butt kind of looks flat in it too.� He added.
AJ was stunned to hear Randy talk about Serenity that way. He made it sound like he was judging a dog competition or something...like she was a piece of meat. Part of him became angry and wanted to slug him. But he figured this was probably something they just did as a couple. He didn�t get it or understand it, but he wasn�t about to interfere.
�Umm, it�s okay.� AJ spoke up as he slurped on his straw.
�Humm, I can tell you don�t like it either. Honey go back and try another one, even your dad�s friend here, doesn�t like it.� He told her. She started back into the dressing room obediently.
�So you guys shop together a lot?� AJ asked him.
�Well yeah. If you let your girl go in a store by herself and pick something, who knows what she�ll throw together. Like tonight, I need her to wear something seductive you know? Something that really catches the eye. Knowing Serenity she�d come out with a grandmother�s skirt or something. Other times I need her more subtle. Showing skin but not too much.�
�So you always shop with her?�
�Yeah, it�s the only way to do it.�
�Does she shop with you?�
�Hell no, I don�t need her around picking stuff out for me. I know how to dress correctly. Women... they can be tricky though. I had this girl before... I let her pick her own dress out. I had this dinner party with these really uptight people...I mean real uptight. I just kind of assumed she�d wear something decent. She comes walking in the door with her tits hanging out. I couldn�t believe what she was wearing. I just about blew my top, just there. Had to wait till we were alone though. You can believe I made her regret that decision. Women...there always trying to play mind games, you really have to be up on that kind of stuff. Needless to say I�m not with her anymore.�
�Made her regret it?� AJ questioned as Serenity appeared again. This time she wore a long revealing black dress.
�Humm, I�m liking that one. Well walk for us baby, don�t just stand there.� Randy huffed.
She walked seductively down to Randy and turned around quickly. When she met eyes with AJ she quickly looked towards the floor. �I think I like this one. Turn around.� He instructed her. She turned to face him as she continued to look towards the ground. �Yeah, the front is nice, the cleavage is sweet. Look nice hu AJ?� Randy asked.
AJ just nodded looking at Serenity�s face. �It feels like I�m going to fall out of it.� Serenity said as she put her arms over her breasts.
�No, it�s perfect. Put your arms down...see, it�s great.� Randy said as he adjusted it around on her body. �Now turn around again...slowly, so we can get a good look at it. Yap, perfect, that�s the winner. Were going to buy that one.� He told her.
She turned around and started for the dressing room again.
�Hey! Did you forget something?�
She turned back around and started back up to him. �Thanks for the dress.� She said dryly.
�That�s a pretty sad thank you, I know you know what I�m looking for.� He said looking at her intensely.
�Thank you Randy.� She said in a fake sweet voice as she put her arm around his neck and kissed him softly on the cheek.
�That�s what I�m talking about, now go get changed.� He said smacking her on the butt.
�I�m going to go now, Um, it was...nice, seeing you guys again.� AJ said as he started to back away and return the slushy straw to his mouth.
�Yeah dude, nice seeing you.� Randy said to him.
�It was nice to see you too.� Serenity said as she walked over and gave him a quick hug.
�I�m glad your all better now too.� She smiled warmly as she avoided making eye contact with him.
�Thanks.� He said looking down at her as she finally looked up to meet his gaze.
For the brief second their eyes met, AJ could see what was really behind them. She wasn�t happy and she wasn�t okay. He didn�t know what it was, but something bad laid behind them. Over time he had become good at reading Serenity. Knowing when she was ill or sad or mad, and she defiantly wasn�t happy.
�Well I�ll talk to you two later.� He said as he walked off. He couldn�t believe Serenity allowed him to treat her that way. She was never the type of women to just do what a man told her or let someone boss her around. He didn�t understand it. He had to believe somehow she liked being controlled like that because she would never let anyone do something to her she didn�t like. She was defiantly one girl who didn�t take any BS from anybody.
The only thing AJ knew was that he just had to get away from them. He couldn�t stand to be around them, and the other reason for him leaving was to suppress the deep urge he had to deck Randy in the face. Weather Serenity loved him or not, he was a jerk.