Theo took the sales paper from Dani’s hand and showed it to the employee. “Do you know this bottle?” Theo asked the young store employee in Greek.
“No, I’m sorry,” the boy responded.
“Thanks, anyway.”
Theo ran his hands through his hair as Dani started going down the aisle, running her finger along each bottle so as not to miss it. There had to be an easier way, though. There were at least a hundred different varieties. In theory, he may have supported the olive oil farm idea, but really he was buying time.
Louis joined Dani in her search while Theo continued asking passersby about the sales ad, Maurice standing closely beside him. The idea that a person would recognize a brand based solely on a symbol was a bit of a stretch. It wasn’t like Theo could remember what was on the label of oil he had back home.
He scanned the area when his eyes fixated on anotheremployee restocking a tower of oils, and an idea popped into his head. What would it take to knock it over? A bump? A nudge?
Slowly, Theo backed up, pretending not to see the display, when he finally backed into the stack, knocking a few bottles from the top before an all-out cascade of bottles came crashing down, breaking into a million pieces. Bright greenish-yellow liquid spread over the floor as the bottles clattered and the employee called out, “Help, help!” trying to stop the entire display from falling.
Maurice and Louis rushed over to help, finally distracted, when Theo reached over to grab Dani’s wrist so they could get the hell out of there. But she stopped him, completely oblivious to the commotion around them, and she reached onto her tippy-toes to grab a bottle on the top shelf.
“I found it!” she called out, spinning to face Theo and holding the bottle high above her head. Her eyes went wide as she noticed the scene unfolding around them.
“Great, Juicy! Now, come on!” Theo said, taking her hand and pulling her away from the shelves. This was their chance to run.
But one step back and he skidded on the oil, his footing slipping out from under him. He went crashing to the ground, but not without taking Dani down with him. He landed on his back with athud, then caught Dani on top of his chest in his arms.
“Oof,” he winced when she cradled the olive oil between them, pushing it right into his abdomen.
“Oh God,” she said, placing her hand on the ground alongside him to try to prop herself up, but her hand slipped out from under her, and she crashed atop him again, bracing herself on his shoulder.
He hissed in pain at the pressure. It was the same arm that Maurice had twisted behind his back a few months ago. The shoulder he’d fallen on while climbing down a cave on an expedition a few years ago. The one he’d injured back in college playing intramural softball. Thankfully, it hadn’t popped out of the socket like the last time he’d injured it, but damn, it hurt.
“Ope,” she said, falling again and again. Every time they tried getting up, they slid back into each other’s arms. And each time, a searing pain shot through his shoulder. She eventually rolled off him and got on all fours as he slowly stood up and reached down to help her. He took both of her hands and pulled her up, and she wobbled on the slick liquid before finally making her way to standing in front of him.
“Sure could have used some of this slippery shit back at Ma Barker’s,” she said. They took one look at each other, and burst out laughing, recalling the day Dani got stuck in their neighbor’s window.
Dani leaned into Theo’s chest, burying her laugh in him. God, he loved her laugh. He’d heard it so many times, yet it still gave him warm fuzzies. He thought of their night at Palmer’s, laughing and singing karaoke. What he wouldn’t do to go back to that night. To say the fuck with it. To tell her how he’d really felt when she spoke those words.
It’s always been you.
But his smile faded when Maurice walked over, glowering at them.
“We need to go,” he said.
A crowd had gathered around them, people stopping and gawking. An older employee rushed over, holding his hands on his head.
“What happened?” he asked the stock boy.
The boy explained that Theo had bumped into the display, and the other man, presumably the store manager, started yelling that they needed to pay for all of the damaged bottles.
“Come on,” Maurice said, brushing the man off and trying to pull Theo and Dani away.
“He says we need to pay,” Theo told Maurice as the manager continued yelling at them in Greek.
“I don’t give a fuck what he says. We’re leaving,” Maurice said.
“I’ll call the police!” the manager said.
The police? Yes, please. This was it. This was their way out!
Theo spun around looking for security cameras. If they left and reviewed the footage, maybe they’d see his face. Recognize who he is.
“Maurice, I think he’s saying something about the police,” Louis said, tugging on his arm.
