It was her Mum’s 50th two days later and this was her way of saying thanks for everything and was a surprise precursor to the main event, on the day itself. Don, her Mum’s partner arrived after a few minutes in his white van.
“Sorry, have you been waiting long?” asked Don. “The traffic on the ring road is a nightmare.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s not like it’s raining.”
“OK, so where is it, do you want the big supermarket or…?”
“No, it’s OK; the one down the High Street is fine. I only want a drink and some nibbles.”
“OK, well I’ll give you a hand.”
“Ah right, thanks Don.”
Don and Lisa’s Mum had been an item for a couple of years and while it felt weird at first, Lisa had come to see him as a de facto father. Being 19, she was mature enough to accept things and see stuff in perspective. He was a good man and had done a good job with Lisa’s bedroom, putting her new shelves up and painting the walls just how she wanted.
Lisa was something of a tomboy at heart but was attractive enough, with her long red hair and cute splash of freckles at the sides of her nose. She rarely wore make up and didn’t follow the latest fashion. Soccer were her life, the latter a welcome diversion from her demanding law studies. She was in the second year of her degree and wanted to get herself a nice job with a law firm and with hope, get into chambers. Studying in her home town meant she was near her Mum, who was always on hand to advise. She had opted to share a house with her fellow students though, rather than live at home. As much as she got on with her Mum and Don, she needed do the whole student thing and anyway, they needed their space.
“I’ll just park up and I’ll find you,” said Don, dropping Lisa off outside the supermarket.
“OK, see you in a minute!”
Lisa entered the shop and placed her one pound coin in the slot of the first available trolley and headed inside. She began to browse the aisle with the potato chips and pretzels and threw a few packets into the trolley. She remembered she needed to stock up on provisions for the week and thought that she might as well get that, while she was here. Afterwards she went down the wine aisle and picked up a mini-crate of four bottles. Her trolley was getting a bit full and not wanting to squash anything she put the wine in the little partition at the front. It was then that Don joined her.
“Thought I might find you down here!”
“Ha ha! Ooh actually, I want to get Mum a gateaux. I was going to go to the cake shop, but one of those celebration cakes will do, what do you think?”
“I’m sure she’ll be over the moon,” said Don. “Not many daughters would go to so much trouble.”
“I know, but it’s a big birthday and I want to make it special.”
Don smiled and put a friendly hand on Lisa’s shoulder.
“What do you think Don? One of these or the pink one?”
“Pink for a girl…”
“Yeah and it’s got the nice silver bits on too.”
Her trolley almost full to brimming, Lisa made for the checkout. She unloaded, while Don packed the stuff into bags. The checkout lady, it turned out, was an old school friend of Don’s and he switched to auto pilot, packing things not quite as Lisa would have liked. She wasn’t so OCD to make an issue of it though. Lisa paid with her card and they headed out of the shop. Just as the automatic doors opened, an alarm sounded. That had happened before though and she continued out, onto the shop forecourt. Suddenly Lisa felt a hand on her shoulder. She and Don looked round and a stern lady store detective, in a dark uniform was pointing an accusatory finger at Lisa's trolley.
“I must ask you to step back into the shop please, Madam.”
“What is it!”
“I have reason to believe you have taken something, without paying.”
“No I haven’t I’ve got my receipt look!”
The woman looked at the chitty and then at Lisa, unimpressed.
Don stepped in.
“Really, I’m sure there’s been a mistake, I packed everything.”
Then Lisa burst in, her face red.
“Oh no the wine!!!’
“Indeed…” said the store detective, seriously.
“Where was it? I thought you had put everything on the conveyor,” said Don.
“I did, I did. It’s in this little part at the front. Oh shit, I’m so sorry… I’ll pay for it obviously," she said, turning to the woman.
“It’s a little too late for that!” the woman said. “Would you come with me please?”
The store detective was about 30, her blonde hair loosely tied into a little bun. Though not stunning, there was something about her. She was the kind of woman men liked, particularly with the uniform. Her skirt was knee-length and her jacket done up with little gold buttons. Her appearance was finished with dark grey pantyhose and black, standard issue shoes. Her demeanour gave her an aura of authority and she had a sharp, matter of fact way of speaking.
“Where are we going?” asked Lisa.
“Don’t worry,” said Don, we’ll sort this out.”
“We’re going to the office,” said the uniformed woman.
Lisa felt self-conscious, passing the other shoppers, as if she was a criminal or something. Then the magnitude of the situation hit her. What if…? In her line - training for law, she couldn’t have so much as a parking fine. Any kind of misdemeanour was a no no. She contemplated the worst case scenario. If it went badly, she would kiss her career goodbye. Her heart began to thump in her chest and she felt giddy.
“Through here please!”
Lisa with her trolley and Don, were shown through into a little office. It was painted white with a single desk and chair and a TV monitor with a split screen, divided into four images of the shop. A number of pens and pencils; a kettle; a cup and a telephone sat on the desk, otherwise it was un-cluttered.
The woman picked up the phone and began to key in a number.
“Who are you ringing?” asked Lisa, nervously.
“The police.”
“No! No, please don’t!”
“Surely, there’s no need for that,” said Don. “This is clearly a genuine mistake.”
The woman re-placed the receiver, before she had finished dialling.
“That’s what everyone says.”
“The thing is,” said Lisa. I’m at university. I’m studying law. I want to practice law and I can’t… I can’t have one blemish.”
Lisa began to weep. Don put a comforting arm around her.
“Look, you’ve made your point. She’s sorry. Can’t we just pay and leave?”
“If it were so simple,” said the woman.
“What do you mean?” said Lisa, sniffling, her face showing her distress.
“I mean, we have a situation here. I have to do my job. You’ve attempted to steal alcohol.”
“I know that’s how it looks," said Lisa. “But I didn’t, I just forgot it!”
“Not good enough.”
The woman reached for the receiver again.
“No! Oh Don, say something!”
“I don’t know what I can say, Lisa.”
The woman hesitated and replaced the receiver and sat on the desk, with one leg lower than the other.
“Maybe we can resolve this a different way,” she said.
Her manner changed as if someone had pressed a button and her voice suddenly became soft and soothing.
“You two? Partners are you?”
“Us? Don’t be silly,” said Don. I live with her Mother. Lisa’s my stepdaughter.
“When you say resolve it another way…?" Asked Lisa.
The store detective sat with her back to the wall and pushed the phone to one side. Her body language had become very relaxed and she ran her hand up and down one leg, absent-mindedly.
“I mean, perhaps we can deal with this, how shall I say, more imaginatively.”
“Can you be a bit more specific?” asked Don. "Do you want us to pay for the wine or not?”
Don ran a hand through his hair, which was flecked with grey and he furrowed his brow as he spoke.
“Oh, you still have to pay. I just wonder how you can make amends.”
“What do you mean?” asked Lisa.
The woman began to play with the buttons on her jacket as she spoke.
“I think you two can show me just how sorry you are about stealing the wine.