Don't Stand So Close to Me by Eric Walters

Author:Eric Walters
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781459827899
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2020-04-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

I heard the garage door open and put down my books. Schoolwork could wait. My mother was home. I ran down the hall and opened the door that led into the garage. My mom had parked on the driveway and was climbing out of her car.

“Hey, Mom, how was shopping?”

“I never thought buying groceries could be so exciting and scary at the same time.” She popped open the trunk and grabbed some bags.

“Here, let me help,” I said as I ran toward her.

“No!” she practically shouted. I skidded to a surprised stop. “Sorry—I mean, no, I don’t want you to touch them. But if you want, you can sit on the steps and keep me company.”

I backed away and sat down. I watched as Mom started removing bags and placing them on the floor of the garage.

“Was it crowded?”

“There was a lineup outside. It looked longer than it was because everybody was standing six feet apart. Once I got in, it wasn’t that bad. Just so different.”

I hadn’t been able to go shopping with her because only one person from a family was allowed to go into the store.

“Between the one-way arrows for the aisles, people staying apart, plexiglass shields at the cash registers and, of course, gloves and masks, it’s all so surreal.” She gestured to the white mask still hanging around her neck.

“You sure bought a lot of stuff, Mom.”

“Yes, it’s amazing how much you need to last two weeks,” she said as she kept pulling out bags. “It’s not more than we’d normally buy, but it’s all at once. I made sure to get only what we need so there’d be plenty left for other people.”

“Dad says that’s how everybody should be doing it.”

“He’s right.”

“Is he coming home tonight?” I asked.

“I’m not sure, honey. He never knows how his day is going to go until it’s done.”

Once all the bags were out of the car, my mother started taking items from them and spreading them out on the floor in little groups—meat, milk, fruit and vegetables, cans, cartons and boxes, and frozen items.

“I’ve always thought the hardest part of shopping was putting stuff away when you got home. Now it’s even harder,” she said.

She started moving items to a big blue Tupperware container. These were things that didn’t need to be refrigerated and could be stored for a few days. That way any virus on those items would die just by sitting there.

Next she started to bring fruit and vegetables over to the counter by the laundry sink.

“How was school today?” she asked.

“Same as always. It’s not too bad, but I’m really tired of all this.”

She ran hot water and put in some soap. As the sink filled up, she continued to bring over more items.

“I think we’re all tired of everything, but it’s just the way it is right now.”

“I know. But I miss my friends.”

“I know it’s hard, honey. We’re missing so much. But what I miss more than anything is your father being here with us.

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