Page 56 of Terms of the Flight

Khaleya’s eyes were wide and mouth gaped open from my revelation, I was sure. We were standing in what appeared to be the pasta aisle, from the different noodle types beside me.

“Close your mouth, Doll. You gone have these damn people thinking something is wrong with you.”

“You aren’t just going to go past that like it’s not a big deal. Your mom doesn’t shop in grocery stores?” she asked.

“I’m sure she has. But I wasn’t with her, Doll, and I damn sure know it hasn’t been recent. You saw they have a chef,” I told her.

She nodded and then reached over to grab a couple of boxes of elbows. Then she turned to me with a mischievous smirk. I knew whatever came after that look, I would not like it.

“Stop looking at me like that. What?” I asked.

She smiled. “I figure since this is really your first time in a grocery store?—”

“Doll, I never told you this was my first time. I said I could count on one hand how many times I’d been in one.”

She waved me off and continued. “Same difference. So I’m going to allow you to shop for the things I need. I’ll tell you an item, and you have to find it.”

I shrugged, because I’m sure it wouldn’t be that bad. They had damn signs in every aisle. All you had to do was look up, but I wasn’t going to tell her that.

“Alright, I need eggs next.”

I nodded and pushed the cart down the aisle, then hit a left towards the area that looked like an aisle full of refrigerators. Once we made it, I read each sign until I came across one that said dairy, eggs, and so on. I walked until I found rows of eggs, then looked over at her with a smirk.

“You like white or brown eggs, Doll? Oh, and how many?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes and stepped around me to grab a dozen brown eggs.

“Don’t get cocky. We just got started. You think I would give you something hard on the first one? I have to keep you interested.”

I chuckled. “You don’t have nothing to worry about, Doll. I’m very interested.”

I bit my lower lip and reached out to pinch her ass, causing her to yelp, then pop my hand.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Big. I haven’t said yes yet. I need to make sure you can shop if we ran into financial troubles.”

I kept my mouth closed, although it was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that wasn’t an option, even if I blew through every dime I had gained on my own. I had a healthy trust fund that I hadn’t touched since I came into my own.

“I hear you. What’s next?” I asked.

She gave me a few different items until we found everything we needed besides the damn mayonnaise. I was confident as hell when we walked into the fridge section. I don’t know why I thought it would be there. Probably because that’s where I saw the chef put it after he used it.

Khaleya cracked up the entire time and went to grab it from the condiments aisle while I checked us out. The drive back to her place took little time. I helped her bring everything inside, then she showed me how to make a macaroni salad.

“So, you gone keep me in suspense on what you want to do?” I asked.

Khaleya was washing her hands, then glanced over at me.

“No, but I have one more test. If you pass this one, I have no choice but to say yes.”

I crossed my arms and waited a moment for her to continue.

“Come meet my family tonight.”

I didn’t need to think long about it at all.

“I’m down. Let me go get changed, and I’ll be back to pick you up.”

Khaleya looked me over and nodded.