A Pocket Archive (33)

"Really?"

I straightened and looked to my left, craning my neck to see around a metal shelf full of assorted toys and found myself looking into a pair of warm, familiar faces, grinning like jack-o-lanterns. It hadn't been more than two hours since I'd bumped into them on the other side of town. N.'s hair had gotten a little frizzier from the rain and was sticking up in tufts, reminiscent of storm clouds, but she and her daughter, Rain, still wore the same good natured smiles I'd seen at Five Below and one of the Dollar Generals earlier that day. Rain waved cheekily as I grinned and walked over to them.

"You guys stalking me or something?"

"I was going to ask you!" N.'s gaze flickered to my shopping basket and she gestured to it with her index finger, a third of which seemed to be made of curved, glittery lime-green acrylic. "What's with all the ducks?"

"My kid's got a birthday next week. She also recently became obsessed with ducks."

N's. thin, artificial brows arched liked miniature rainbows behind her thick glasses. "So you bought her thirty?"

"Just one of every color."

"You should get her a jeep!"

I frowned, feigning annoyance and glanced down at Rain. "Just how old do I look to you?"

The little girl grinned and started chewing on the sleeve of her sweatshirt, which was discolored and ragged at the ends. "I dunno". I crossed my eyes at her and stuck my tongue out in response, and the kindergartner immediately erupted into giggles and hid her face behind her mom's leg. N. reached down patted her head fondly.

I spent about an hour visiting with them before finally making my way back to the parking lot, debating whether or not I should try the other Walmart for a plush pumpkin duck. Personally I liked the bat one, but it seemed a bit too gothic for the angel, who preferred all the bright, warm colors, directly contrasting to my own tastes. Seeing the sunset glinting off the puddles in the parking lot as I made my way to the car, however, I had to agree that she was onto something.

I will never understand how all the best sunsets seem to occur in the least scenic locations. I still had hundreds of pictures on my old phone that I hadn't transferred yet, including some very pretty sunsets, but none of them seemed to be over nice backdrops, just more parking lots of liquid sky, like this one. I paused to snap a picture of the clouds, then forwarded it to my mom before hopping into my car and tossing the sack of rubber ducks next to the other bags on the passenger seat.

I missed home. It would be good to be back again.