2020-06-07 - Cupboard Filling - Many Negrons, Lydia, Cory, Pixie, Mitch, Fiona, Ziggy

Maria Negron entered the Thrifty grocery store and stood looking around it from the doorway.  She was dressed in a simple white blouse and black skirt and simple black flats.  A small smile formed on her lips and she began to walk the aisles, apparently taking in absolutely everything on the shelves.  This store was neat, clean and smelled nice.  Not that it really mattered, being the only grocery on the island, but it meant that, if she couldn’t go all the way to the mainland for groceries she could shop here.  But if this store had all she needed, she wouldn’t have to go to the mainland.  Since moving, they’d eaten only fast food and she was more than sick of it.

Pedro Negron placed the three red wagons in a line in front of the store where they wouldn’t get in the way of pedestrian traffic while they were in the store.  He was bronze and muscular, at around six feet in height and appeared to be in his early 20’s.  On his body were work boots, clean but very faded blue jeans and a tshirt with a button down worn like a jacket over all.  Following his mother inside, he took a cart and stood to the side.  He knew how his mother cased a new store.  She'd be back and THEN he could follow her with the cart as she put in whatever she decided to buy on her first pass.

Tomas Negron followed his big brother into the store and took another cart.  They were going to get a lot of food for their new house and he’d been drafted to come with his mother, Pedro and Angel.  It meant that his mother thought he was strong enough to help pull the three wagons back to the house and he was proud to be chosen.  Normally she would have chosen Samuel, but with the moving, his father needed Samual at home to move furniture where his parents wanted it.  He looks to be around 12 years old or so, dressed in jeans, runners and a plain grey tshirt.

Angel Negron was a little shorter than Pedro, and less muscular with the exception of his musician’s hands. He wore dark blue jeans, not new but in good shape and a short sleeved button up shirt with a green and grey striped pattern. He had a soft sided guitar case slung over his back as his mother had absconded him while he was distractedly writing music on the front steps of their new house and he just slid the guitar in the case and hopped to it. His shoes were slip on style sneakers. Angel had similar skin to Pedro and of course his parents but a little bit more freckled across the nose, not so smooth. He also had his long raven black hair slung in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. And he wore a simple pair of wire rimmed glasses. He stood with Pedro, waiting on instructions from their mother. He knew this drill better than anyone. While he waited, he looked around the shop a bit. It was like the small independent grocers in Toronto but with what looked to be a few less choices, small store in a small town.

Lydia Alvin was on the cash desk closest to the entrance and she watched the newcomers walk in. “Hi there.” She greeted. Her momdar made her follow the woman with her eyes but notice the kids on standby it seemed. If she was picking up the right vibe. She saw the three red wagons too. “Welcome to Alexandra?” She offered cautiously. Maybe they were just very hungry tourists but the wagons seemed excessive for hotel snacking. Lydia was in her usual uniform with a purple flowered headband.

Cory Henshaw wheeled his way out from the back with a cart full of produce boxes. He awkwardly bumped it into the aisle and a lady customer who was browsing right there. “Sorry…” he muttered and kept going until he reached the fruit stands. He started by pulling aside the old apples to fill the bottom with the freshest new ones.

Maria heard the friendly greeting and looked behind her just as she was bumped into by the cart.  “No worries.”  she told the young man, taking her focus back to the woman at the register.  She reversed her course and moved to the register.  “Thank you for the welcome.”  her accent was there, but not heavy.  “We just moved here into a house on 3rd Street.”  she offered her hand, and then took it back and seemed to consider offering it again.  “Oh, I don’t know how anything works anymore.”  she sighed.  “I am Maria Negron and these are some of my sons; Angel, Pedro and Tomas.”  she motioned to each as she named them.  Then, as if realizing they were just lounging around, snapped her fingers.  “Pedro.  Frutas y vegetales.  Get them off that cart if you can.  Tomas, take this…”  she hands him her list.  “Make sure the boxes and cans are nice and nothing you can’t have.  Angel, You get the leche y huevos … and the cheese and meat .. I can trust you.”  she sounds not unlike a general sending her troops into a skirmish.  She narrowed her eyes at the youngest.  “Make me trust you, hijo.”  and she looks at Lydia again.  “Yes we are new here.  I only see the one grocery.  Is it for everything?”  she motions to the wall.  “I’m taking over the Garden Center.  It's all fruit and vegetables, but I didn't see your store on the list of people we’re supplying.”  she sounds like that might be an oversight, even though she recognises the Thrifty name.

Pedro starts moving without a reply.  Pushing the cart over to where Cory was working, he looks over the apples, before Cory can put them on the bottom of the pile and picks out about a dozen, then he looks at the other things on the cart.  “Hey man.”  He speaks very casually to Cory.  “Do you restock at this time every day?”  he seems to consider and glances back to his mother.  “And if you don't, what time DO you restock?”

Tomas beams and puffs up at being allowed to get things from the list.  He takes it and a cart and heads down to look at the canned and boxed goods, starting to fill the cart.  Like a health inspector, he examines several cans before choosing the one that looks the best to him.

Ziggy appears behind the deli counter with a cart of her own.  She begins to stock in cheese, dressed in her Thrifty uniform, broken up by the afro on what is now a rather sloppy looking afro, as she’s decided to let her hair loc.  But the band around the afro is in a pattern of dark green leaves on a light green background.

Pixie wheels a cart from the back going up the aisles loaded with more paper bags for the registers. Her uniform is accentuated by her sparkly silver headband and rainbow striped color trainers . she discreetly waves at Cory winking at him. She sashay her curvy self down the aisle and says a cheerful “hello” to all as she makes her way up to the register as she takes in the newcomers “nice to see a new friendly face . she says looking at Maria “Lydia did you need any bags “ she chirps happily unloading her own.

Lydia beams “Well welcome neighbour. I live on the same street, you’ll see a big house with a lot of kids. I got fosters...mine are grown like your bigger boys here….and the girl…” She head juts at Ziggy when she spots her head peeking out through the deli case. She nods “Yes, one grocery for everything. Oh I’m glad someone’s going to run that garden centre again. It hasn’t been the same since Mohinder Singh. She was the original but she passed on. And yeah if you need to contact anyone about order sheets Paul will be back in tomorrow morning, but I can take your card and pass it on.” Lydia looks at Pixie’s offerings “Yes please, paper and plastic….one case each on my side. Did you grab receipt tape? I’m running into the pink over here.”

Cory sees the guy walk up and then dip into his fresher apples and blinks. He was one of those customers. He sees Pixie’s wave and gives her a quick shy smile and then looks back to the customer. With a chuckle Cory says “We do a few rounds, I try to stock up some before close so the morning isn’t as hectic...so yeah this time. But they sell fast so nothing’s really old…” He seems a little awkward about the whole thing like he’s trying not to confront the guy.

Fiona sees Ziggy piling in the cheese and teases her “You’re taking my jobs Ms. Efficiency. But thank you for being so cheesy about it.”

Mitch scoffs at Fiona’s joke but keeps cutting up stewing beef.

Angel stands in front of the deli counter and looks between what looks like two counter servers and a butcher. “Hi there.” He smiles politely not knowing who to address. “I need to buy a lot of pork and chicken. We’re stocking up. Have you got chicken thighs, like about 20 pounds, and a couple of boneless pork sirloin roasts….maybe 4…..or even a few pork shoulders,,,oh and I’ll take 10 pounds of that stewing beef…” This time he does look at the butcher.

Fiona looks a little surprised by the volume and hands a bag to Mitch. “Hello. Are you having a big dinner party?”

Angel snorts “No….just our weekly.”

Maria sees the girl restock bags and nods a bit in approval of efficiency.  "Ah fosters.  I could never.  We don't have room with all of the kids."  she smiles.  "Lucky seven."  she listens about the previous person who ran it.  "I will work to honor her memory in my work there."  she states.  She can guess that this Mohinder Singh was liked, at least by this woman.  "I am having the priest bless it, just in case.  You can never be too careful." she explains.  "But I hope to open again on Monday.  There is one employee that will be coming back.  Do you know her ... name's  Addy O-something.  I have enough keeping up with the names of my own."  she laughs lightly.

Pedro  looks at Cory and chuckles.  "Well thanks.  We're 'that' family."  he holds up his hands in defense holding an orange in each.  "Blame my mom."  he smiles a nearly disarming smile and then sees the girl pass by and wink.  "That your girl?"  he asks, casually as if trying to figure out who the wink was aimed at.

Tomas  is still searching the aisles and putting things in the cart.  He gets to the cereal and, with a side glance around to see if anyone related to him is watching, slips a sugary cereal into the cart.  Then he moves on, scanning the list, then the shelves.

Ziggy hears the word 'girl' from her mother's mouth and pulls her head out of the cooler.  Then she hears Fiona and scoffs.  "Paul caught me in between deliveries so ..."  she motions to the cart.  "Here I am.  Could you slice me a half pound of pun for later?  Thanks Fi."  she listens to the man and his order with arched brows.  When he says it's their weekly and looks between him and Fiona.  "How many are you?"  she asks and then at Fiona.  "Reinhardts might be losing the title of largest family on the island ...well no ...  Owen'll single handedly keep you in the lead."   she looks at the man again and up towards the front.  "I'm Ziggy.  Alvin.  My mother is talking to your mother so we may as well get the introductions out of the way now."  she says it with humor in her voice.

Lydia laughs “You’d be amazed how many bunks you can fit in...but I hear you. Kinda fell into it myself.” She gives Maria a genuine smile about honouring the energy of Mohinder in the garden centre “I don’t think I said my name. I’m Lydia Alvin. I’ve seen that priest...someone had to tell me he WAS a priest. Do you mean the tall redheaded one?” She thanks Pixie for the bags and then finds a magic stash of register tape as she puts them under the counter “Aha! I’m good for tape!” She announces and watches Pixie head to the back room to clock out. “Poor kid’s probably double jobbin again…” She turns back to Maria “You got 7 of your own?” She whistles “That’ll do….I have Ziggy over there and two older boys, both work as vets in town. Simon and Theo….before you ask….yes the chipmunks…” She laughs as she admits and then adds “And I have Gareth, he’s a foster but he’s really my boy too. He’s an EMT over at the fire hall.” She starts changing the register tape now so it doesn't run out. “I’m pretty sure you mean Addison O’Brian. Nice kid...they’re all nice kids around here really. Yours will like it I’m sure.” She clearly loves her home and has confidence in it.

Cory looks a bit disarmed by the guy calling himself out on picking through the fruit and then smiles a bit. He blushes impressively when the guy asks if Pixie’s his girl “Yeah...she is….I’m still shaking my head about it.” He admits. Then he opens up a fresh box of oranges and clears his throat looking around for the watchful eyes of Paul or Lydia. “I’m about to do these next…” He chuckles. “I’m Cory by the way. I haven’t seen you before.”

Fiona giggles at Ziggy’s half a pound of pun request “Oh you can have the whole pound Zig. And yeah I know my folks used to stock up like this too but I’ve gotten used to the smaller orders here. And oh my god yeah….Owen’s going to have to bulk buy eventually...good thing we get a discount..” She hears Ziggy introducing herself and looks down the aisle now seeing the guy’s mother and possibly another brother? They must be new. “I’m Fiona. Do you want boneless skinless chicken thighs or regular?” She asks hovering between both trays with a giant bag.

Mitch bags up the stew, weighs it, prints a tag and then wraps it in butcher’s paper. “How many people are you making the pork shoulder for? I have some fresh in the back I’ll cut for you.”

Angel looks back at his mother making friends with the cashier who bears resemblance to Ziggy and laughs “I’m Angel Negron. And yes if they hit it off I’m sure we’ll all be meeting again. There’s 9 of us in total.” He says to both Ziggy and the butcher “That would be great thanks. We’re marinating it and then slow roasting for Pernil.” He looks like he doesn’t expect the guy to know what it means but has offered the information needed. He looks back at Ziggy and then it dawns on him he forgot the chicken question “Oh boneless is fine if you have that much. If not, we can debone them.”

Fiona loads up the bag “Tearing meat from the bone is oddly satisfying...I support you. But I think this is close to 10 pounds…” She puts the bag on the scale “Oooh just over….”

Angel looks amused by Fiona’s comment and nods “I’m sure that’s fine.” He lets his eyes go back to Ziggy “After Ziggy Marley?” Angel is a music person, all music even though he has some specialties.

Maria laughs.  "Si.  We have Angel and Pedro in the living room on two sleeping sofas.  Samuel, Tomas and Miguel in a bedroom upstairs and my girls Fernanda and Laia in their own room.  We came here Thursday night and everyone slept on the floor except me and Mateo. He's my husband.  Friday the girls room and the sleeping sofas set up.  Yesterday the boys room.  Today is Sunday so we rest."  she shrugs.  "More don't work as hard."  she nods.  "Yes.  Father O'Keeffe.  He doesn't  speak Spanish, but I've spoken English all my life.  He promised to come visit me on SUndays ...and he did.  First thing this morning."  she beams.  She looks back at Ziggy and then smiles, opening her mouth about the Chipmunks when the question is answered for her and she claps in joy at the idea.  "My Angel Gabriel is my Christmas gift.  Christmas Eve, but close enough."  then she snaps her fingers.  "Yes.  O'Brian.  Such pretty red hair like that one over there."  she nods in Fiona's direction.

Pedro arches his brows and smiles.  "Very pretty.  Now I know where not to look."  He looks at the box of oranges and starts picking through them like an agricultural inspector.  "Thanks .. and yea we moved in on Thursday.  I'm Pedro Negron.  There's Mom, Dad, five boys and two girls.  It's good to meet you Cory."  he turns, having heard the word pernil and snaps his fingers.  "Garlic .. garlic .. ah there it is."  and he grabs five bulbs, considers and takes a sixth.

Tomas is still working his way down the aisles, putting more in the cart.  He stops and puts in a few boxes of pudding in, even though they're not on the list.

Ziggy tilts her head.  "Gee thanks.  I'll give them to Mom.  She has 4 fosters now I think.  Yea.  Four.  It's hard to keep track sometimes."  she watches as they start preparing the order and then Angel asks if she's named after Ziggy Marley.  She smiles and nods.  "I'm Ziggy Nesta Alvin.  Born on his birthday too." she pauses and decides to see if he knows when that is, but isn’t fussed if he doesn't.

Lydia listens cheerfully to Maria talk about her kids and wonderful chaotic sounding life. “I feel like you’re speaking my language Maria. Not that I speak more Spanish than they ever showed on Sesame Street….” She looks down to the son called Angel “Well that’s a good Christmas present alright.” She points at Fiona “She’s from a whole herd of redheads that one, and the only girl...just like my Ziggy. Glad you’re settling in so nicely. Where did you say you were from again?”

Cory’s grin widens as Pedro both compliments and respects Pixie and then his eyes widen “Holy...you got a big family. I’m...uh…. an only child. Where did you move from? I’m actually from Thunder Bay, Ontario myself but we’ve been here for quite a few years.” He watches Pedro stock up on garlic and cracks a little joke “Gee….uh...no danger of vampires.” He has a natural uncertainty to his demeanor and his voice has just a hint of nasal overtones.

Angel looks grateful for all the service and care with their food “Thank you so much. I’ll get some sliced stuff after too for our lunches.” He looks a bit ashamed at Ziggy “I’m terrible with  birthdays, even my family’s…..God had to make mine too easy because of it. So no I don’t know when Ziggy Marley’s or yours is.” He can see Fiona is ready to take his order for sliced meats and he points a few out “Um I’ll take a kilo shaved each of the turkey and the ham and can I get both swiss and cheddar sliced about half a kilo...please and thanks. Oh and uh 2 dozen of those smokies down there too please.”

Mitch is steadily working away on the butcher’s table on the pork shoulders, cutting away from a whole side on his second one.

Maria laughs.  "Don't worry about Spanish.  I speak enough of it at home.  She smiles about the herd of redheads.  She'd been afraid there wouldn't be any larger families in town.  "Well we moved from Vancouver, but we're from Toronto.  Mr Brate wanted Mateo and the boys to move to Vancouver when you were gone." s he hesitates a bit.  "I still don't really understand it, but when it was alright again, we found the house and the Garden Center was a bonus."  she smiles.  "Are you from here?"  she is trusting her boys to do what she told them to do and is also glad they're the only ones in the store this afternoon.  But with their family the owner can close early when she steps in, since they buy so much.

Pedro nods.  "Well, Angel is 25, so hopefully he'll move out or get married and get out.  I know that's MY plan.  At least the get out part.  My sisters .. they have their own room.  Me and Angel share the living room with 2 sleeper sofas."  he hears that Cory is from Thunder Bay.  Thats off Lake Superior, right?  We were in Toronto until a few years ago then moved to Vancouver to work for Adam Brate's construction company.  Well not Angel.  He helps our Mama."  he laughs about the garlic.  "No danger.  Mama uses it in cooking and any vampire in our house will gorge himself and die cause he can't move when the sun comes up."  he begins to consider grapes and absconds with roughly three pounds.

Tomas turns a corner and spots pre packaged cookies.  Moving a package of healthy cereal aside he puts the cookies in the cart and sets the healthy cereal on top of it.

Ziggy shrugs.  "Then no worries.  I didn't catch yours either.  It's bound to be easier than mine.'' She watches the order being filled and then looks at Angel.  "You know.. not that you haven't been great company, but we DO deliver..."  she glances in the direction of their mothers.  "And I can be pretty damn anal in picking out peaches."

Lydia smiles about the Spanish and then looks uncertain about how to explain the fog to anyone who’s not a local so she just gives a slow nod and then answers the rest “I was born in Surrey. I moved here as a child with my father and sister but it’s just home now. Got married here, had my babies and raised them here.” She thinks about all the moving Maria has done with 7 kids “That’s a lot of keeping track and packing up for you Maria, and Mateo I’m sure. My husband was always great with keeping up his end of it.” She mentions the husband in past tense but doesn’t elaborate.

Cory listens and then tilts his head “Is your brother engaged or something?” The whole marriage topic was less common in his house and among his peers. It wasn’t foreign just one of the many options, not THE option. “I would go crazy if I didn’t at least have my own room. I guess I’m...uh... a bit spoiled.” He admits and then nods “Yep, that’s the lake. Toronto’s cool.” He laughs a bit about the other side of the vampire comment now and then begins to stock the new oranges.

Lydia spots Tomas sneaking cookies under a cereal box and stifles a snicker. Eventually they’d have to pay. She knew how that would go. At least how it would go with her if it was one of hers.

Fiona is between sliced meats when Ziggy says she enjoys Angel’s company but they do deliver. She has a little giggle to herself and switches the turkey for the ham in the machine, spiking it in and flipping the switch again. Her right bicep is killer after a few weeks of this job.

Mitch weighs, prints tags and wraps the pork shoulders and sets them on top of the deli counter “Any other cuts? I’m about to bleach my block and shut her down.”

Angel shakes his head at Mitch “No this is great. Thank you kindly.” He looks at Ziggy with a little secret smile “Pleased you’ve enjoyed my company. I’d be delighted to try your peaches…” He says and then gulps at his own joke.

Fiona had just set the sliced ham bag on the scale as Angel joked about peaches. She gives a little inhale chirp laugh and prints out the tag before moving to the cheeses and grins at Ziggy after pulling them from the cooler. She makes her way to the second slicer for cheese. This was going to be a late close with all this but it was highly amusing.

Maria nods, listening to the woman's history and then the comments about moving.  "Oh some of the moving .. when more were babies was a nightmare."  she scoffs.  But with my baby being 10 now, it's easier.  Now I only have to deal with teen laziness and whining which I have to shut down quick."  she snaps her fingers.

Pedro shakes his head.  "No, he doesn't even have a girlfriend."  he sounds like this may well be the end of the world.  "Own ROOM?  Most of the time, we share the bathroom."  he sighs.  He loves his family but ... sometimes.  "Catholics."  he grumbles.  He looks at all he has ann nods in satisfaction.  "That's it.  Thanks a bunch, Cory."  he pauses.  "If you ever want to hang out ...  I do a lot of construction, but most of the time I'm done by sunset."  he will offer his phone number and whether Cory takes it or not, he will head for the checkout.

Tomas has filled the list and moves his cart to the cashier, now eyeing the candy display with wide eyed wonder.

Maria sees the carts coming and starts with Pedro and the produce.  Then she starts on Tomas's and, as soon as she lifts the corn flakes, freezes.  She drops the box and grabs Tomas by the ear.  "Can I have a basket please, Lydia?"  she asks calmly and still pinches her son by the ear as he sort of mewls in pain.

Ziggy doesn't hear Fiona's giggle, but she does hear Angel's reply.  Her jaw drops and she finds herself a bit speechless.  More than a bit.  "I ....  I ...  sure .. I mean ... no ..  I mean ..."  She stumbles over her words and it is only the sound of a child mewling in pain that brings her back to the here and now.  She looks over and then at Angel.  "Um ... your ... brother?"  she guesses, almost desperate to change the subject from her peaches.

Mitch had heard the peach joke too and gave Angel a look of disapproval. He didn’t care how much meat the guy was buying. That was just fucking crass. He scrubbed the butcher’s block intensely.

Angel tripped over his own words when he saw Ziggy’s expression “I’m so sorry. I was joking and I didn’t mean to offend.” Now he’d done it. Even the butcher looked mad at him. The familiar sound of his brother getting the mother ear pinch made him nod without even needing to turn. But his was very aware of his own ears in empathy “Yes Tomas….” He loaded up the meats and waited politely and quietly for his cheese.

Fiona didn’t look shocked, offended or mad. She looked completely delighted as she handed over the cheese and a business card “You know Ziggy here does most of the deliveries...peaches and more.” She chimes with a little sweet smile back at Mitch. Fiona had noticed some of Mitch’s qualities but had decided to just find her joy in sometimes poking the bear.

Cory laughs a bit about the shared bathroom and then cringes “Ugh….” He takes the number and nods with a little smile “Cool...thanks.” People weren’t usually this friendly. Cory had been bullied a lot. He was never one of the cool kids, especially not in this town. He was a mix of honoured and a little confused but he pocketed the number. “Uh...good to meet you Pedro.”

Lydia has to work to keep a straight face “Yes Ma’am….” she chuckles and grabs a basket from behind the till. She gives Tomas a mom look but knows he’s already getting it with the ear. She rings through the stuff on the counter and bags it up and then calls over to the produce “Cory! Can you come grab some product returns please?” Lydia’s voice has the boom of a woman who regularly shouts across a house or yard.

Maria takes the basket.  "Thank you." and begins to separate the items NOT on her list and putting them in the basket.  "You don't read so good, Tomas."  she tells the boy without looking at him.  She's actually happy he got everything on her list ... and that the unapproved items were minimal.  Sweets, cookies and cereals in the basket, she pushes it in the direction of the young man who Lydia called over.  "Gracas, Cory.".  She's still holding Tomas by the ear.

Pedro glances at his brother, firmly in the grip of his mother and shakes his head.  You try and teach your siblings so they don't make the same mistakes but ... nope ... they always did.

Tomas squirms trying to get out of his mother's grip. "Mommy! "  he wails.

Maria twists the ear.  "I didn't tell you to talk."  she tells him.  "You gonna go home and you gonna practice your reading, because nothing on my list said you could improvise."  she points Tomas to the door and pushes him towards it.  "Wait outside for me and your brothers and if I think you moved you can eat your dinner standing in a corner."  This is easily translated by most parents into the threat it is.  She makes a shooing motion and looks at Pedro.

Tomas sighs and rubs at his ear.  "Yes, Mommy."  he meekly whines.  He would have SWORN his mother was so distracted with her new friends all of his choices would have gone unnoticed.

Pedro shakes his head, following his little brother.  “El stupido.”  he murmurs on the way out the door.

Ziggy saw how contrite Angel looked and also Mitch's look of disapproval.  She feels a familiar flare of annoyance at Mitch and then blinks at Fiona's reply, which emboldens her.  "The peaches are from the store."  she tells Angel.  "The more ... well ... I can always use a model ..."  she suddenly drops her eyes, almost shyly, and she wasn't a terribly shy person.  She looks at the ... scene at the register and her mother bellows.  Angel's mother has his brother by the ear and it is clear they have the same mother, just different ethnicities.  "Once things settle down, of course."  she goes into the pockets of her pants and pulls out her card holder, because you never know when the owner of a blank wall will make themselves available.  "Keep in touch, Angel."  the card looks splashed with paint, but has her name clearly printed with her number.  It boldly proclaims her a painter ... and less prominently that she does Web Development & Interactive Design.  She offers it to him, looking both bold and shy.


Cory trots up to the till and takes the basket from Pedro’s mom, trying not to stare at the ear pinching “Yes Ma’am” He said nervously as he turned to go out the items back. He heard Pedro. This was normal for him. Cory had no context and was simultaneously a little freaked out and fascinated. He scooted away with the treat basket.

Angel gives Fiona a little half grin as he takes the cheese from her and then as Ziggy gets brave the grin spreads to the other half and up to his eyes as he takes her card and pockets it. “I will Ziggy.” He declares looking her right in the eyes. “Very nice to meet you...and you Fiona.” He darts a look at the butcher but doesn’t dare provoke him “Thank you so much for all the great service. “ He offers to the butcher and then turns before the man can scowl again and wheels his cart to his mother.

Mitch makes an irritated little noise behind them all and tosses his scrub brush casually into the sink before he goes to clock out. He’s out the back door before anyone can call him to task on anything.

Fiona is practically bouncing beside Ziggy as Angel walks away. She suspects he can still hear them so she just squeezes Ziggy’s arm if she can and gives her a wide eyed giant smile.

Lydia cracks up once Tomas is out the door “Oh I’ve done that dance a thousand times Maria. What are ya gonna do?” Angel wheels up now and she smiles at him “You the oldest then?’ She takes the meat packages from him and swipes them across the scanner.

Angel smiles politely at Ziggy’s mother “Yes Ma’am I am. It’s a great store...and a great town so far….Mama we chose wisely.” He says and goes to the other side of the counter to take each bag and dutifully ferry it to the red wagons.

Maria smiles as Lydia laughs.  "They can't help themselves.  But my boys so far are making good men to judge by my oldest three."  she watches Angel as he starts to move the bags out to Pedro, who moves them to the wagons.  “See?”  she beams at her angel and then turns to Lydia.  “I hope to see you outside of work.”  she tells her.  “It would be nice to have a friend in this new place.”  She takes out her card.  “Alright …  let's pay up.  You can close early with my family.”

Ziggy just nods as Angel says he will keep in touch, but she is riveted by the eyes behind the spectacles.  When Fiona squeezes her arm, she nearly sinks, but smiles back.  She watches Angel move the grocery bags back and forth and then blinks.  She hasn’t watched a man in … a long time.  She buries her face in Fiona's shoulder.  “What did I just do?”  she whispers into the sleeve.

Lydia beams at the prime example of a dutiful son “Yes I see….mine are upstanding as well, thankfully. Well you know where I live now Maria. Don’t be shy. Just drop round.” She finishes the transaction and hands her back her card. “And a very warm welcome to you all.”

Cory puts back all the items and then sets the basket in the stack and heads to the back to fill up the mop bucket and get the place clean and closed for the day.

Fiona giggles and pets Ziggy’s arm “I do believe you just gave the lovely ponytail man your card Zig. And that was fucking adorable.”