| Shopping Adventure |
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*Shopping Adventure*
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“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Sheridan mumbled sleepily, looking over at the recently turned off alarm. It had gone off only minutes before, promptly at four thirty, and she couldn’t fall back asleep if she tried. She was excited, that was one reason, but the other was the fact that she had to get out of her warm bed and go shopping. “Sheridan, who are you talking to?” Luis mumbled, reaching for his fiancée and pulling her to him. “If you go back to sleep I’ll wake you later and make love to you,” he promised. “Tempting, but I can have you do that to me any other morning. This morning I have six hours to hit some sales and do Christmas shopping. Besides, I’ve done you, it’s time I do something new.” He chuckled. “And I love your attitude so much,” he mumbled. “Come on, Sherry angel, go back to sleep.” The doorbell rang. So much for her sleeping with him. “Sorry Luis, that’s your sister. I better get dressed,” she grabbed the clothing she had lain out the night before and quickly dressed, running a comb through her hair and grabbing her purse. “See you later love,” she kissed his cheek and rushed out. “Whatever,” he muttered sleepily, rolling over and pulling the blanket tight against him. He only hoped she came home in one piece… Sheridan yawned as Theresa’s car pulled into the parking lot of the mall. Behind her, Misty snored, quite loudly, after falling back asleep minutes before. It was barely dawn in Harmony and still they were going shopping. “Theresa, remind me again why we’re doing this?” she asked, stretching and looking at the partly full parking lot. “Because, this is the best time to learn when to shop. The sales are simply magnificent and you can get half of your shopping done if you know exactly how to work it.” “Ut oh, something tells me you have a plan,” Sher sighed. “How’d you know?” she handed Sheridan a map of the mall and the Christmas gifts that could be purchased there. “Now, I listed all the gifts we said we were buying for Colin and Ashley. You can do the shopping for the guys last, we’ll start at the toy store and then split up.” “All right,” Sheridan said reluctantly, looking at the list of toys they had discussed getting the kids. “Ok, let’s go.” “Come on Misty, wakie wakie,” Theresa giggled. Sheridan rolled her eyes and opened her door, climbing into the frigid early morning air. Reluctantly Misty followed, still half asleep, and Theresa wasn’t far behind. In fact, she took the lead, practically dragging the other two inside. She seriously took their arms and pulled them into a jam packed toy store. “Ok, split up. Sheridan, take trucks and action figures; Misty take Barbies and dolls and I’ll get board games and stuffed animals.” Sheridan just nodded, watching as Drill Sergeant Theresa marched away. “Is she always this psychotic?” Misty asked. “I’m afraid so,” Sheridan replied, shaking her head. “She was blond in a past life, that’s the only explanation,” she walked down the toy aisle. All the parents were poised, ready to grab the second the packages were opened. Sheridan shook her head. Was this really that important? No… Or that was until she noticed the one toy Colin had wanted more than all the others. The Harry Potter set was the one thing Colin had BEGGED for. Sheridan had read him all the books over the course of the last few months. They had seen the movie, twice since opening day and he wanted this game more than anything in the world… And there was only twenty there… Sheridan stepped closer and looked at her watch… 5:58… Two minutes and the packages would open… 5:59… Almost there… “It’s six!” the cry came and then there was a rush of people. Plastic could be heard popping everywhere and Sheridan would have taken cover had she not wanted that toy. She grabbed one, pulling as hard as she could and finding a mother attached to the other end… “LET GO!” the woman growled, eyes dark with anger. “I had it first!” “Did not!” Sheridan huffed, tugging the box closer to her. “Did so!” “Not!” “So!” she pulled again, falling on her behind but still clutching the box. The woman pulled back and then kicked Sheridan in the shin. When she let go of the box to rub her shin, the woman took off. Sheridan screamed. “The NERVE of some people!” But that didn’t stop her from diving back into the pile of people to grab another box. Her hands came around another one and she hugged it to her chest. When hands reached to grab it, she snarled like a rabid dog and took off with the prize. She grabbed some other toys on the way and headed for the cash register… THIS WAS AMAZING! Theresa came out of one toy aisle, Misty not far behind and both looking a mess. All three laughed. They had managed to get all the toys on the list. Sheridan held up her prize. “One of twenty,” she said proudly. Theresa applauded, dropping her toys at the cash register. “Nice going. It took me ages to get this one,” she held up a stuffed bear that was missing an eye. “Umm…where’s his eye?” Theresa held up the little button. “I had to eliminate the competition.” Misty laughed her butt off. “You are insane,” she held up a Barbie box that was in perfect condition. “How did you manage that one?” Sheridan asked, looking at her dented Harry Potter box. “I threatened to beat the hell out of any woman, or man, that touched the Barbie dolls before I had my pick. They backed off real fast.” Sheridan laughed. “Ok, can we get out of here soon?” she asked, as the woman behind the counter started to ring up her purchases. She caught the look of the one mother she tried to bite. If looks could kill… “I don’t know if I’ll make it out alive.” Theresa nodded and they all took their turns paying. Then they took the seven huge Toys R Us bags and headed to another store. The other stores were much tamer than the toy store, but they didn’t have a lot to buy in the others either. By noon, all three were exhausted and hungry… And looking for anything that didn’t contain turkey… After lunch, they all went back to Sheridan’s, the three bringing in the bags while Luis and Ethan diverted the attention of the kids. Then they all watched movies until the ladies fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of the day. Luis laughed. “I warned her this wasn’t a good idea.” “I’m sure Theresa would have made her go anyway. She was determined to go shopping today.” “My sister hasn’t missed the Thanksgiving sales since she knew what shopping was,” Luis shook his head. “Come on, let’s go make dinner." “Me?” Ethan asked. “No, my other brother-in-law named Ethan,” Luis rolled his eyes and went into the kitchen. Sheridan smirked, opening one eye took look at Theresa. “It worked." Theresa laughed. “Always does. Men are so slow,” she smiled. Misty snored in agreement and the two ladies giggled. The following year, Sheridan decided against shopping at the sales. However, she did discover Amazon.com which amazingly enough sold the same toys without the rabid parents fighting for them. But Sheridan would never forget the thrill of shopping in the mall. So she did it very often, but never on sale days. And so ends yet another American tradition that Sheridan Crane had learned to master… Shopping for Christmas :)
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