Hey, we’re done here,” Robert said on his cell phone, “Where are you? Great, we’ll be there in a second.”
“Come on, Caleb,” he said, “They are down getting panties for Jenny.”
“You so have a sister,” he said, “I can’t even say that word.”
“Panties?” Robert said, “Get used to it. Husbands have to say the word. And ‘pads’ and ‘period’, etc. etc. Now, are you ready?”
“Ready?”
“To hold her hand.”
“You mean, now?” Caleb said, and Robert hit him across the back of the head,
“Of course now!”
“Which hand should I hold?”
Robert stood for a moment in thought. “She’s shopping, so she will need to use her right hand, so take her left hand… with your right hand.”
He looked at his hands for a second, “Oh, Ok, I get it.”
“There they are,” Robert said, “go for it.”
And he did. Grace had looked up when the two of them came in, and seeing Robert’s eyes so focused on Caleb, watched him. Jenny hadn’t seen them come in and was standing in front of a rack of panties… cute little panties with all sorts of girlish designs on them, butterflies and things. It didn’t seem Grace had told her the boys were even coming.
So, anyway, Caleb walked right up to her, hesitating only a second as she moved right before he got there to reach for a pair. Once she had them in her (right) hand he walked up to her left side, and reached down, and took her hand. It took him a second to re-arrange it to so he could hold it appropriately, and then he just stood there, looking at the package in her hand.
Robert had never seem his sister so startled. Well, except for the time he put the toy snake in her drawer, but that doesn’t really count. She absolutely jerked, and would have pulled away, if he hand’t been far too strong. As it was she leapt out to the end of her ‘tether’ and was jerked back in… not by Caleb but just by the force of her own leap. She then stared at him incredulously. But he just stood there, stolidly staring at the package.
“Those are nice,” he said, eventually, as Grace walked over and took Roberts hand (and no, he didn’t leap away).
“What is going on?” She whispered.
“He asked me for some advice,” Robert said, chuckling.
“Good advice,” she said. “If a bit strong.”
“He is a strong guy, but rather dense when it comes to girls. I thought this would be clear.” He answered.
Jenny didn’t seem to know what to make of it. She stared at Caleb, then at the package. She reached over to put the package in her left hand, but that hand wasn’t moving. So she said, “Could you hold this for me, please?” And held it out to him.
“Sure,” he said, and took it with his left hand.
She looked toward Grace, but she just pretended to be talking to Robert, and Robert followed suit, so Jenny was forced back to shopping. For panties. With Caleb holding her hand. They watched her, Grace almost collapsing with giggles, as she reached out toward one package after another, only to jerk her hand back.
“What size are you?” Caleb asked.
“None of your business,” she said.
“OK,” he said, “I just thought it would make it easier. I like these,” he said, pointing with his right hand… and her left hand. “For you,” I mean,” he said, “I shop in a different department.”
“Well, those aren’t my size!” She said.
“What is your size?” He asked, calmly.
“I… well… you are holding a package of…”
“Oh, true,” he said, “silly me.” He held the package up, read it, and then looked at the rack, “These then. These are in your size.”
She took them, looked at them, and gave them back to him. “How many more do you need?” He asked her, holding the two packages up.
“That is plenty,” she said.
“Do you need anything else here?” He asked, “Bras?”
“No, thank you,” she said.
“OK,” he said, “I’ll…”
“No,” Robert said, coming up and taking them from him, “My treat.”
Jenny glowered at Robert, but everyone followed him to the checkout counter, where he paid for Jenny’s panties.
“My turn,” he said, “Come.” And everyone followed him down the hall, Grace holding his hand, and Caleb and Jenny following: Jenny glowering and Caleb placidly.
They soon came to the shoe store and Robert asked Grace, “What’s your size?”
“Six,” she said, looking at Robert curiously. They didn’t have a large stock of cowboy boots, and still fewer for women, but they did have a pair he liked, in her size, “Here,” Robert said, “try these on.”
“Cowboy boots?” she asked.
“Try them on,” Robert said.
Jenny was awkwardly walking around the store, Caleb in tow. Almost pulling him from place to place, but not quite. Trying to ignore him, but failing awkwardly. She came up to a rack of high heels, reaching out to one shoe. “I don’t like those,” Caleb said, and her hand jerked away like it was burnt. “I don’t like high heels at all, actually,” he said, as if talking to himself. “They make you look really funny, all mincing and everything.”
He moved over to the ‘pumps’ section… Jenny forced to follow like a can tied to a bicycle. “These are better,” he said. “What do you like here?”
“I…” She said.
“I suppose I could pick something,” he said, “but I really don’t know…”
Just then Grace came out. “Wow,” Robert said, “I like that! Not with that skirt, of course. You need a longer skirt, and some nice socks. Do they have those socks around here… Excuse me, Miss,” he said to the sales lady, “do you have socks to go with those?”
Grace bemusedly followed Robert and the lady, and Caleb resumed his speech, “I don’t really know what is in your closet. Although I suppose I should, I see you often enough. Does any of this,” he waved with his right hand and her left again, “Go with what you have?”
“Well, grey is neutral,” she said, pointing to a pair of grey pumps, “As is white and black. I kind of like neutral, because then I don’t have to worry so much.”
“That makes sense,” he said. “What is your shoe size?”
“Six and a half,” Jenny said, and he reached out to pair of grey pumps, “Try these on,” he said, handing them to her and letting go of her hand.
She took them and sat down. “They, they fit fine,” she said.
He knelt down in front of her. “Good,” he said, taking the shoes off and putting them in the box. Then he stood up and, in the most natural way imaginable, took her hand again. The look on her face was utterly unreadable.
Robert and Grace had watched the entire scene while she put on the socks and then the boots.
“Definitely need a new skirt,” Robert said, “but I think I know where we can get one. Give me those, Caleb, he said, then, with both boxes, the one holding Grace’s old shoes, and the other Jenny’s new ones, he went to the checkout stand.
“Jenny?” Grace said, bemused, “What do you think?”
Jenny looked at her, “I think he likes them,” she said, and Caleb in tow, walked past Robert and out of the store, Grace following.
“I have to use the ladies room,” Jenny said, when they were in the hallway, “do you want to come, Grace?”
“Sure,” Grace said, and the two went off.
“How is it going?” Robert asked Caleb.
“Well, I think.”
The boys stood in silence and waited. Eventually the girls came back, Grace going up to Robert and taking his hand, and Jenny moving past her and grabbing Caleb’s left hand with her right. “Where should we get the skirt?” Jenny asked.