Sensational Shopping Scene

Connie's heart warmed at the look Nyra was giving her; she couldn't quite figure out of it was simple desire or if there were other thoughts running through her head.

She nodded as Nyra mentioned stores to go for permanent items... then saw the look of profound "oops" that blossomed on the shorter woman's face when she mentioned money. "It's probably the same look I get when I bonk my head or do a 'facepalm'," she thought. Then when Nyra grabbed five more pillows, the vampire could almost hear the artist chanting in her head, "stupid stupid stupid."

Connie reached out two hands to take some of Nyra's burden. "Money might not be able to buy happiness, but having it certainly can remove one thing to worry about in life."

Connie hoped desperately that the tiny tidbit of wisdom was something that would drive home to Nyra. The western woman seemed so sure of herself on many levels, and yet still insecure or uncertain on others. She wondered if she'd be able to help her grow out of that and grow into the beautiful, confident woman she knew was hiding just under the surface.

When the other asked her about the hampers, she responded, "Big, wicker, plain or white or black would do fine. Come to think of it," she continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully, she deadpanned, "something big enough to hold a body."

Relieved by Connie's practical nature and comment, Nyra smiled as the other woman helped her with the mountain of pillows she had grabbed up.

Wicker eh? Nyra knew nothing of wicker. Her hamper at home was a metal frame with a cloth bag, batik printed by herself, secured with Velcro. They should be able to find something of that sort here though.

"I know nothing about wicker, but if we find one enough for all these pillows that may be good enough!"

Looking around the section of store they were in, Nyra figured that housewares should not be too far away.

"Lets not forget to visit electronics. Didn't your list have some items from there on it?"

As they walked down the aisle Nyra spotted a glass lamp that had a distorted reflection of the store in it. The colorful and surreal image appealed to her and she continued towards it. Trying to be mindful of her burden of pillows, blanket and the surrounding lamps was hard for her to do, but somehow nothing got broken in her wake.

Standing in front of the lamp with its swirled design of clear glass she realized that it had a very ugly black shade atop it for some silly reason. It was a very original piece of art that was functional. If only she had a table for it to stand on she would get the set. Perhaps Connie wouldn't mind stopping for a minute in the furniture department.

Connie smiled back at Nyra and hefted her burdening trio and followed Nyra through the aisles. "Aye, electronics, but I wasn't thinking of getting it from Sears... Maybe Best Buy. Though we can certainly look..."

Connie's gaze caught the rather odd-looking lamp Nyra was staring at. "Perhaps after we stop in the furniture department and find a table for that lamp. And maybe a nicer shade."

Connie smushed the pillows closer to her body. They'd definately have to set them down... Hopefully behind a counter to be held so that ... accidents wouldn't happen. "But first, let me grab those pillows so you can find that nice shade, while I take these to a counter so we don't lose them and so the supervisor that I talk to understands that we'll be spending a disgustingly large amount of money today and maybe we'll get ... considerations."

She wiggled a well-defined brow at Nyra, then blew the artist a kiss as she carried the six pillows over to a counter and asked for a supervisor. She piled the pillows while she waited and perused her list... and a loose sheet of paper slid into her hand as she read and pondered.

She knew she'd have to give it to Nyra sooner or later... and while the idea of later was appealing, sooner was a much better option.

Vaguely Nyra heard Connie speaking and the pillows went away. Intent upon the sculpted glass she walked fully around it, watching how the light played upon each wave and shift the glassblower made. This was not a factory made item, though how it became a lamp in a second rate store, she would never know. Disassembling the shade and harp from the base she picked it up. It was heavy and had a faint signature or initial stamped into the bottom of it. That would require some work to figure out what it said.

Luckily this lamp was not plugged in, its cord twisted up and covered in cardboard. Nyra quickly reassembled the harp, leaving the hideous shade on the floor along with the matching lamps shade. With a lamp under each arm she looked around for her lover or the checkout stand. She was determined not to let her find out of her hands. Though, now she needed to find a table of some sort to put these on. Either a tall thin one or two small squares would work.

Nodding happily she scanned the area again. Hopefully her lapse of coherence did not insult Connie.

Connie had only seen the intense interest that Nyra suddenly displayed when inspecting the lamps, when the artist's amazing hands had been so sensually exploring her willing body. She had to close her eyes for a moment and forcefully quiet that train of thought, as she really did enjoy shopping in Sears and realized it wouldn't do if she were arrested for indecent exposure. Then again, the two of them cavorting together might be considered something stronger than simple "indecency," if any of the older, nearly Puritanical ladies who were employed by the store had a say in it.

She leaned against a floor-to-ceiling pole and watched intently as Nyra walked through the lighting department.

The vampire almost wished she had been gifted with empathic powers, to feel what Nyra was when she chose then carried those two lamps so protectively across the floor.

A supervisor finally appeared at her elbow and she spoke briefly with the older woman. "We'll be buyin' a bunch of housewares and lamps and shades and such, and might even be stoppin' in the electronics department. Since there's nommuch room fer carts in the display aisles we'll be leavin' some stuff at differen' registers so's we can come back for it when we're ready."

The supervisor nodded and backed away, watching quietly for a few moments as Connie watched over Nyra. Her expression could only be termed loving, had someone been paying attention to the raven beauty.

Nyra soon caught glimpse of Connie, leaning against a support pole. Behind her was a check out desk and an older woman fussing with the area. Thankful that her lover had taken care of their pillow choices in her absentmindedness, she smiled widely.

"Thank you for taking care of things. I sometimes get distracted." Hopefully her blush at the obvious understatement wasn't too noticeable. "Perhaps we should exit the store before I destroy something in my distraction? I don't know if we will find anything else from your list here or not."

Looking down at the artwork in her arms, disguised cleverly as lamps, she continued. "I would like to get these in bubble wrap, boxes and in the car as soon as possible."

"Well, as you noted before you found those, we have a few more stops to make..." Connie tilted her head. "So that gives us a couple options... We could either leave the lamps and shades and such here in the store and come back for them when we've made the rest of our purchases, or we could take what we've gotten already, home, and either come back or go to lunch and go a few other places."

Connie snorted to herself. "Way to count, Stone," she said, mumbling to herself, "That's more like three options, or at least two options that branch into one and two further subsets of options."

The vampire shook her head, her chin-length hair flaring out slightly as she refocused on Nyra. Her voice took on an endearing tone as she offered, "Up to you, mah Sunny one."

Looking around the store and thinking about the options Connie presented helped ground Nyra a bit. Taking her out of artistic la-la land that the lamps put her into. Glancing at the woman behind the counter who appeared to be busy with some merchandise, Nyra stepped forward.

"Please prepare these for shipping. Use 1/2" bubble wrap at least three times before packaging in separate peanut filled boxes. Deliver them and the pillows to this address no later than 7pm tonight."

Reaching into her backpack she pulled out a card with her name and the address to the loft handwritten on the back. After realizing passing out the Gallery's cards was silly she had some of her early cards mailed down by her Mom. These had only her name and cell number, to be used at traveling shows. She really should invest in some permanent ones.

"I also want a name and number for whomever sold or made these lamps included please."

She pulled out her charge card and turned back to Connie with an almost sheepish grin.

"That should take care of here. You're the lady with the list, lets see what else we can get checked off and then go grab lunch."

Connie couldn't help but feel the pang for just that as she looked at the woman wrapping Nyra's lamps. It wasn't a full-blown hunger pang... Just a "hmm, I could eat" feeling, almost the kind you'd use as an excuse for a snack. With a soft sigh, she pushed it away, knowing she'd need to feed within the next few days.

"I'm sorry ma'am," the cashier said, "But we dunno who the artists are, we get em from Ramsey's Gallery."

Connie's eyes widened as she turned to Nyra. "See, Bert will be able to help you again after all!"

Keeping a shrewd eye on the packaging process, Nyra nodded happily at the mention of the Gallery. Though how in the world a department store got them from the gallery she would never fathom. Three middlemen probably meant that the poor artist was starving based on the cost. Perhaps Bertrand couldn't move them and thus pawned them off on a friend of his. Lamps just did not strike her as something Mr. Hirsch would be thrilled to carry. He frowned at some of her sculptures!

"Excellent, we will see him in a few days and I can ask him all about these."

Nyra began to wonder what she would get to put these on. Either one tall but not overly wide table or two small tables. Since her loft was rather bare it really didn't matter much what she picked because there was room. Hopefully she could find something today so that the lamps could be put up immediately.

Turning the question of where to go for tables over in her mind she absently signed the receipt and put back her card. Vaguely listening to the cashier call over an associate to set up delivery, Nyra's mind raced. Finally she looked at Connie, feeling like she had just chased her own mental tail around the store.

"Where do we find tables?!"

"Well, the furniture department would be good, but we might have decent luck at the Pier One Imports adjacent to the mall. I don't mind walking over; I'm sure you've heard the saying about buying all the stuff on your list at one store."

Connie smirked at Nyra's blankly negatory expression. Taking on a sagely air, she intoned, "Don't fill your list with checks from all one store. This way you'll have room for more bags from other places!"

The vampire couldn't help but be overcome with giggles. "I... know... hee... that's a bad way to butcher... haa a decent axiom but..." she coughed, trying to recover a modicum of control, "I just couldn't help myself."

She was wracked again with laughter, holding a hand to her chest as she leaned against the checkout counter, her peals getting squeaky and each breath a soft snort.

Unable to resist the silliness, Nyra laughed along with her lover. It took her a while but she finally got it. Sometimes being so wrapped up in art made her quite slow on witty repartee but somehow she seemed to be right on track with Connie's jokes. Plus the taller woman never teased her about being a bit slower on the uptake.

When they both stopped their mirth, Nyra was grinning at Connie.

"Pier One sounds good. Though I think we should finish up in the mall here so we don't have to make too many more trips."

With a shy smile Nyra gazed into those smokey eyes. "I can think of much better things to do with our free days, than shop!"

At Nyra's comment of "I can think of much better things to do with our free days, than shop!", Connie could only tilt her head curiously. For some reason, at that moment, her mind wasn't in the gutter. "I don't mind shoppin' trips with you, dear, but there are so many other dately places we can go that have art or other fun things to look at!"

Connie smiled sweetly at the artist as her items were wrapped and rung, and after she signed the credit slip, the vampire slipped her arm through Nyra's. "Might as well have all of the packages purchased today, including the pillows and blanket, shipped to that same address. Just put it on my account," she added.

"Pier One it is then. Maybe they have nice hampers there. And tables for your lamps. I must admit," Connie said, lowering her voice as they exited the store, "You're quite cute when you get fixated on art. Almost like a kid in a candy store."

She continued rambling as they walked towards the external stores. "So I had been thinking when we were walking into Sears about the conversation you'll have with your mom."

At Nyra's inquisitive look, she continued, "Yeah. I was thinking, at first, you would say 'Oh, we had dinner Mom.' But then I realized she'd grill you about me and such, so I figured you'd actually say 'Oh, we had dinner and chatted for a while.' But that still wouldn't work because she seems, from what you've told me about her, that she would keep asking questions, especially since it seems you haven't called her in a while, considering you've been in Nachton for almost three weeks now. So you could end up saying, 'Well mom, we had dinner and chatted and I offered myself to her as neighbor, friend, lover, then we made passionate, tender love in her brand new, unused-even-for-sleeping bed...' But that might be too much information for her."

Sudden realization dawned on Connie's face, and she flushed. "That's what you meant when you said 'better things to do with our free days than shop,' idn't it." With her free hand, she fanned herself. "Yeah it got kinda hot in here dinnit?"

Straining valiantly to keep from giggling at Connie's comments had Nyra holding her breath. Hopefully she would be able to contain herself before she turned blue. The clerk was busily organizing everything when some shipping assistance guy came up to take their bundle. Finally taking a breath with a grin, the artist dragged her lover along with her through the aisles of the store. They needed to finish up in here so they could go hunt down the elusive tables for her lamps.

Halfway to Home Goods her phone began playing "If I Had a Hammer" by Peter Paul & Mary from inside her backpack. From many years of practice, Nyra was able to reach inside and pull out the phone, without taking the pack from her back and before it sent the call to voice mail.

"Hello, you've reached Nyra." she answered.

Bertrand gushed about the current sale of many paintings. Including all of the once that featured Nachton. His comments seemed giddy almost. Nyra vaguely wondered if he had gotten enough rest lately, he seemed so wired. As politely and quickly as possible she promised to keep working on more, focusing on those. She smiled as she closed her purple flip phone and put it back into her bag.

"Bertrand calling to tell me the good news. Apparently some company purchased all that was left of my Nachton works." She told Connie. "I honestly did not think that my work would be so popular. This is the best show I have ever done."

Since she had continued to follow the taller woman even while distracted by the call she wondered just what they needed from this section as she looked around curiously. "So what do we need here?"

Connie couldn't help but be impressed at Nyra's flexibility as she reached for her cell phone. She didn't recognize the ring tone, though, as the call was answered, "Hello, you've reached Nyra."

The vampire gave the artist a giant hug as she delivered the news of her Nachton-based art being sold out. "That's wonderful!"

Her tone, as well as her gaze, held affection, pride, and awe as Nyra asked, "So what do we need here?" Connie gently released Nyra and turned her about in her arms, then tilted her head up to look at the store's sign.

"Tables and hampers," spoken with a hint of a giggle, as she pulled the door of Pier One Imports open for her companion.

Chagrined to be caught so unobservant, Nyra weakly smiled as she entered the door that Connie held open. She vowed to pay more attention to her surroundings for the millionth time. Somehow it never seemed to last through the next thing that caught her attention. Suppressing a sigh at herself, Nyra looked around.

The store in front of her was an eclectic jumble so crammed full with items it was surprising it did not tumble into the thin aisles. Wicker chairs, wrought iron tables, baskets, candles, lamps, fake foliage topiarys vied for space. Every once in a while something amazing was secreted under the excess stuff, she knew. Finding it would be key. It was like a huge messy thrift store but everything was new and higher priced.

Nyra took control of a push cart and directed it shakily through the maze. Grinning she went towards the place mats first knowing Connie would find something fun here. The artist picked out several pairs of plates, bowls and cups of different though complimentary designs. There were soup bowls looked like a lotus flower in white, green and pink colors. Square plates that resembled bamboo and round ones with bamboo and flowers painted on the center. Delicate cups on round saucers and funky cups on square ones. Her cart had a ten piece service by the time she finished picking out her favorites. Glasses and swizzle straws added to the growing stack.

Cloth napkins in yellow, straw, pale green and blush pink matched with rings of metal, wood and beads. Instead of place mats or table clothes, Nyra picked out a center piece bamboo zen garden that was 2foot by 2foot and 2inches deep. The dark wood was partitioned to provide spaces for the bamboo, rocks and sand to be delicately arranged.

Knowing she didn't have a table to put all this booty upon, made her look around the store carefully. Maneuvering the cart to the register she spoke to the clerk. "Please hold this cart for me, I need to get a larger one that holds furniture."

The clerk perked up immensely and fetched the needed cart and followed Nyra about, doggedly fetching anything she pointed at. Wicker baskets in a iron shelving unit that looked like it would be great to store her art supplies. A table with eight chairs sat under a hideous fake plant in a cheap plaster urn and a basket with stinky votive candles. The dark stained table had an intricate inlay design in pale wood of leaves and vines around the outer edge. The chairs had the same inlay on the high seat backs. The clerk almost passed out when Nyra said she wanted that. Nyra picked out an Asian inspired bench and a stand with garden bells hanging from it as well.

As she picked out a multitude of pillows she finally spied the accent tables she came here for. Their pale wood matched the dinning tables inlay perfectly and their plain shape would not add to the confusingly eclectic decor already in the loft. Her lamps would be perfect upon them. Now all she needed were shades. She judged the size to be about 14" x 14" x 32"high, perfect!

Her helper was run ragged but so thrilled to be helping such a large purchase, probably because of the commission. But Nyra hoped that she was just glad to get some of the excess stuff out of the store. Standing up near the register, the artist sniffed at some of the candles as she looked around for Connie. Hopefully she had found her hamper while Nyra was lost in the thrill of shopping.

Connie watched with a tender smile as Nyra wandered off shopping again. She moved around the store herself, consulting her list from time to time, doing her best to keep an eye on her artistic lover.

"She's so wonderful, but even wonderful Nyra can be clutzy, it seems, so watching her's a good idea. Don't want her knocking down a rack of expensive baubles."
"Just watch yourself, Stone, you don't want to do the same..."

THUD.

"Well," she said to no one in particular, "It looks like I found the hampers."

An interestingly patterned round hamper rolled on the floor to where she had knocked it. She replaced the lid and saw its slightly taller twin, and picked it up.

"Perfect."

Through the bed and bath area she roamed, still keeping one eye on Nyra, as she entered the kitchen department. Nyra's mention of friends had made her realize she herself had precious few of those indescribably invaluable contacts.

"Nice, Stone, make friendship sound cold."
"Well, indescribably invaluable is wonderful, but the contacts thing was a bit harsh."
"You do have Nyra."
"Yes, but she and I will not always be together, and besides, it's not like I'm keeping her prisoner. I want her to grow, not stifle and oppress her."
"So why don't you have a party? Halloween's coming up..."

Hmm... A Halloween party run by an artist and a vampire... The possibilities were intriguing.

"I would enjoy meeting some of her friends, too. One can be alone even with a partner."
"But you're not expecting to be alone."
"Not in the slightest."

Her fingertips glided over a display case as she rounded a shelf corner and saw coasters with a neat colored checker pattern. A glint of silver out of the corner of her eye drew her attention - a cocktail shaker. She picked up three sets of the coasters and the shaker and put them both in her hamper.

She also chose some cobalt blue drinking glasses and a pitcher, then realized she should have gotten a cart. Setting the hamper down, she moved back to the front of the store and drove back with one of Pier One's ugly brown carts. Boxes of glasses entered the cart, then hamper full of stuff.

Back through the bed area she moved, and the new angle on the department allowed the vampire to see something she hadn't before - a tiny bed with a canopy over it. Reading the sign next to it, she pursed her lips...

"Spice up your bedroom or any special area with this romantic red canopy. Inspired by the tropics, it's perfect for creating your own private paradise. Fabric of model is a sample of the full-sized product."

Connie gently took the sample in between finger and thumb, and rasped it... Though, surprisingly, it didn't rasp so much as slide. For being a very light mesh, it was quite smooth. There was a single box of the canopy available. She put it on the under-rack of the cart.

As she inspected the blankets one aisle over, she mumbled to herself, "Need to see about getting a sofa."

With a sigh, she turned back to the front of the store, and realized she'd let Nyra out of her sight for several minutes.

Nyra still hadn't seen Connie when the clerk began to ring up the purchases. First the big things like the table with its 8 chairs, two accent tables, and the large wicker storage cabinet. When the clerk mentioned a longer table that matched the accent tables, Nyra readily requested that added as well. The helpful clerk then offered their delivery service as well, so that Nyra did not have to figure out how to transport everything now. This worked out wonderfully and they made arrangements.

The growing pile of pillows, napkins, dishes, glasses in blue/green and purple/amber and accessories brought home just how much she was buying. Shrugging Nyra chalked it up to being here permanently and brushed aside her doubts.

"Please add one set of the Natural Bamboo as well as three bunches of the grasses to this as well." Nyra asked the clerk. Happy to comply the clerk bustled off to fetch the requested items, bringing them back with a pale ceramic vase with black cranes painted upon it. Nodding, Nyra thanked the clerk for her thoughtfulness and handed over her charge card.

Still she had not glimpsed Connie but among this mass of merchandise how could anyone. She signed the receipt and set off in search of her lover.

Her first stop was the basket section with the wicker hampers that were interesting, Nyra hoped one appealed to Connie. She wandered around slightly near the furniture, catching a glimpse of black hair through an interesting room screen.

Making her way toward the person on the other side of the screen Nyra smiled happily at a dopey looking giraffe statue. She found Connie inspecting a couch.

"Finding good stuff?" Nyra asked Connie, watching the delicate table with its fake orchid perched upon it beside the couch. 'Must not knock into it.' she told herself over and over.

The patterned flower cream just didn't feel right; it didn't seem that it would fit with her decor, with the style she was trying to maintain, in her apartment. Connie looked up from the price tag on the sofa at Nyra's voice.

"Nice, yes. Good, no. The couches they have here just... don't feel right. I don't think they'd go with the rest of mah stuff. So we'll look elsewhere for that, but Ah think Ah'm ready." She stood straight, and moved over to Nyra, a bit closer than 'just friends' would stand, but not close enough to give the older gentleman who'd been staring at her for the last ten minutes reason to stare much more. "I picked up my hamper, some kitchen accessories, some glasses and pitchers, and decided we should throw a Halloween Costume party with music, food, and activities. How about you, have you been through checkout already?"

Her smile turned sympathetic as Connie spoke of the couches. The selection here was either wicker, leather or country. None of which Nyra would choose to have grace her living space. She nodded at the suggestion that they venture elsewhere for that article. Thinking a decent furniture store would have more couch selection and Nyra pondered the idea of getting one for herself as well.

As her lover stepped closer and listed her choices, Nyra wanted to hold her hand, but resisted, not want to distract Connie. "I'm glad you found some things. A party sounds great. In fact, most of my purchases will come in quite handy then. Lets get you checked out and move on to our next store."

Nyra lead the taller women directly to the very helpful clerk who was just then arranging a truck to deliver the prior purchase. After she hung up the phone Nyra brightened the busy workers day again. "Please ring up my friend's purchases too, and deliver them with mine to the same address."

The two women waited as the clerk rang up the items and were soon on their way out the door into the dark. Where the time went, Nyra had no clue. Across the parking lot she saw the looming hulk of the mall on her right. To her left though was a large set of six stores; Target, Barnes & Noble, Raymour & Flannigan, Toys R Us, Best Buy, and the Pier 1 they were in.

Turning to Connie she arched a brow and asked "Furniture or Stereo? Though the Target is the closest if you need anything in there."