"How about the store across town..."

Dan answered with a grimace. Laura knew Dan hated shopping when she turned up at his work. "No one at the other store knows me," he said as he made his way toward the car.

"I can understand that," Laura answered with a smile. It made her a little sad, but she understood. She hadn't wanted her mother to drop in at her work either when she was Dan's age. "I'll quickly type out a list of things we need. Oh, do you have a charger?" she asked as she looked at her phone.

"I've got the one in my car, but not a wall charger. I should have thought about that," Dan mused as he started up the car.

Twenty minutes later, they walked into the Big Bucks across town. She usually shopped at this store, so she knew where everything was. "I'll go get a few things," Laura said as they moved toward the clothing section of the store.

"I'll grab some stuff off the clearance shelves. I hope they have the same stuff my store has. I know sometimes these guys get stuff we don't. Socks... underwear," Dan muttered to himself as he wandered off.

It took an hour for Dan and Laura to finish shopping. Laura knew all of her sizes but lamented the limited selection of bras that would fit her. She had to choose one that was a little uncomfortable, one that was a little large, and two she honestly felt sexy in. They even fit almost right and gave her girls the right amount of support.

Luckily, both mother and son had spent frugally. They still had just under a third of the gift card left once they left the store. A pretty cashier that had a name badge declaring she was 'Alicia', complimented Laura's choices of clothes and bras. Alicia then smiled at Dan and asked if he worked at the other Big Bucks.

"I do. I do a little of everything," he admitted.

"Oh, I thought so! I live by that one but ended up getting hired here. I shop over there all the time. You looked a little familiar. Normally work in housewares and chemicals, right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"I'll say hey next time," Alicia grinned as she finished putting the last of their clothes in bags.

"She seems nice," Laura hinted with a ghost of a smile as they loaded the bags in the trunk.

"Maybe," Dan mused as he looked back at the front doors to the store as if he could see the pretty brunette through the brick and mortar of the walls.

"If you say so, dear," Laura laughed. "Now... where are we going?"

The question seemed to punch any humor out of the conversation. "I... don't know," Dan admitted.