The Joy of Shopping 17.10
Title: The Joy of Shopping
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Roadside Attraction 17.10
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: none
Word Count: 634
Rating: PG
Summary: Joy goes shopping.
Authors’ Notes: Feel free to friend us if you want to read a day ahead of the communities.
Click here for the timeline if you need to get caught up or relive the good old times.
Previous story:
Embracing the Dawn
It was less than a week after Thanksgiving and already Christmas lights twinkled in shop windows and along the eaves. Joy wrapped her scarf an extra time around her neck and tucked her gloved hands under her arm pits. It was time to do some extra Christmas shopping. She entered into the nearest shop, partly to get out of the cold, and partly because a nice jacket had caught her eye. Sean's own jacket was looking a little thin lately. But it was more Robert's style...She sighed and turned away from the display and headed deeper into the store, trying in vain to find something to distract her from her current thoughts that had been plaguing her since Thanksgiving.
She normally heard from Robert about once a week, even if it was just for a few minutes. She should have expected that he wouldn't call this time. Maybe it was for the best. She was still confused and upset since Robert had stormed out. It was hard to admit to herself that she actually was relieved that they had left. She wasn't sure who she was more disappointed in: Robert, Alan, or herself.
"Ma'am, can I help you with something?"
Joy startled and looked towards the sales' clerk. "No. Just...lost in thought. Thank you." She turned back to the aisle and focused on the brightly colored festive Christmas undergarments that she must have been staring at for the past 10 minutes. She quickly moved to another section, but again her mind wandered.
Eventually, she would have to talk to her son again. But would things ever go back to being the same between them? How would it be even possible? And he had been 'dating' that man for almost two years without speaking up? Can you blame him? an inner voice whispered to her.
Unlike Robert, Sean had called the day after Thanksgiving. He had told her about how Amanda had been asking about 'the nice man with Uncle Robert' and if she was going to see him again. He had said it jokingly, but he also had sounded curious of the answer himself. She made her own point by passing the phone off to her husband, then went into the kitchen and tried to tune out the small talk and laughter. Joy walked through the store, looking for the right gift for Kimberly, and found herself in the infant section. She ran her fingers across the tiny outfits and was sad that Robert would never hold his own tiny child. She knew Robert would be a fantastic father, but Alan had changed all that. He had denied Robert the joy of raising a child, and her the chance of more grandkids to spoil.
Joy turned around, saddened, and tried to find her way out of the store. Then she felt the vibration of her phone in her purse and her first thought was that Robert was calling, to apologize for leaving in the middle of dinner, but her heart sank when she saw it was her husband. She answered it and tried to sound upbeat. It was really hard to watch her baby make bad choices, and then to be told to deal with it by everyone around you. She listened as her husband asked her to pick up a few things at the store and his voice was still not filled with the warmth that she loved. She stuffed her phone back in her purse and then stuffed her anger down into a tiny ball. Putting a plastered smile on her face, she made a note to finish up the gift shopping later, it was just too hard to focus today, and there still were 20 shopping days left before Christmas. She tightened her scarf before heading back outside into the cold.
17.11 Nothing Says 'I Love You' Like a Sugar Cookie
Fandom: RPS
Story: Highway: Roadside Attraction 17.10
Characters: Alan Davies and Robert Sean Leonard
Authors: michelleann68 + evila_elf = evila_ann
Prompt: none
Word Count: 634
Rating: PG
Summary: Joy goes shopping.
Authors’ Notes: Feel free to friend us if you want to read a day ahead of the communities.
Click here for the timeline if you need to get caught up or relive the good old times.
Previous story:
Embracing the Dawn
It was less than a week after Thanksgiving and already Christmas lights twinkled in shop windows and along the eaves. Joy wrapped her scarf an extra time around her neck and tucked her gloved hands under her arm pits. It was time to do some extra Christmas shopping. She entered into the nearest shop, partly to get out of the cold, and partly because a nice jacket had caught her eye. Sean's own jacket was looking a little thin lately. But it was more Robert's style...She sighed and turned away from the display and headed deeper into the store, trying in vain to find something to distract her from her current thoughts that had been plaguing her since Thanksgiving.
She normally heard from Robert about once a week, even if it was just for a few minutes. She should have expected that he wouldn't call this time. Maybe it was for the best. She was still confused and upset since Robert had stormed out. It was hard to admit to herself that she actually was relieved that they had left. She wasn't sure who she was more disappointed in: Robert, Alan, or herself.
"Ma'am, can I help you with something?"
Joy startled and looked towards the sales' clerk. "No. Just...lost in thought. Thank you." She turned back to the aisle and focused on the brightly colored festive Christmas undergarments that she must have been staring at for the past 10 minutes. She quickly moved to another section, but again her mind wandered.
Eventually, she would have to talk to her son again. But would things ever go back to being the same between them? How would it be even possible? And he had been 'dating' that man for almost two years without speaking up? Can you blame him? an inner voice whispered to her.
Unlike Robert, Sean had called the day after Thanksgiving. He had told her about how Amanda had been asking about 'the nice man with Uncle Robert' and if she was going to see him again. He had said it jokingly, but he also had sounded curious of the answer himself. She made her own point by passing the phone off to her husband, then went into the kitchen and tried to tune out the small talk and laughter. Joy walked through the store, looking for the right gift for Kimberly, and found herself in the infant section. She ran her fingers across the tiny outfits and was sad that Robert would never hold his own tiny child. She knew Robert would be a fantastic father, but Alan had changed all that. He had denied Robert the joy of raising a child, and her the chance of more grandkids to spoil.
Joy turned around, saddened, and tried to find her way out of the store. Then she felt the vibration of her phone in her purse and her first thought was that Robert was calling, to apologize for leaving in the middle of dinner, but her heart sank when she saw it was her husband. She answered it and tried to sound upbeat. It was really hard to watch her baby make bad choices, and then to be told to deal with it by everyone around you. She listened as her husband asked her to pick up a few things at the store and his voice was still not filled with the warmth that she loved. She stuffed her phone back in her purse and then stuffed her anger down into a tiny ball. Putting a plastered smile on her face, she made a note to finish up the gift shopping later, it was just too hard to focus today, and there still were 20 shopping days left before Christmas. She tightened her scarf before heading back outside into the cold.
17.11 Nothing Says 'I Love You' Like a Sugar Cookie