Grocery Shopping

The morning before going to the grocery was the most chaotic. Megan and Adrian kept on running around as the older brother chased his little sister to help her with her little dress. Dylan had always been the most behaved in the mornings, but he was occasionally caught glaring at some people in the streets and grocery aisles.

For this day, Megan was wearing a yellow chiffon dress that had a flared skirt. Her hair was braided and encircled around her head as if a crown. Her little feet were in shoes that would light up from pressure.

Adrian didn't like dressing up too much—only a hoodie was enough. The little mister would make excuses that he needed less time on himself, so he could help Megan. However, he also had a pair of LED shoes like Megan. He was also the one wearing a small backpack.

As for Dylan, he was donned in a multicolor T-shirt with faux long sleeves. His shoes didn't light up like those of the two because he would always walk next to their daddy. His only personal spices were his colored spectacles and cool orange watch.

"Remember not to run too far away." Darius rubbed his neck as he walked with his three children. He was getting gazes from the other parents in the streets because he was only holding the hand of that behaved child. As for the little girl and the boy who seemed to be the eldest, they held onto each other as they ran back and forth like the giddy children that they were.

"Daddy! Daddy! Dog!" Megan pointed at a big service dog guiding his partner. However, unlike normal children, she didn't rush to touch the dog.

"Yeah, but don't disturb him when he's working." Darius only walked past them, using his other hand to urge Megan forward. "Come on, he thinks you're cute, too."

Megan grinned from ear to ear before running into her brother in purpose, taking Adrian's hand and dragging him forward again. The dad would tell them to slow down, but Megan would often run back when she felt that she was losing her daddy's scent.

The streets of the port city were nothing too different from what Darius was used to. However, there were more people here, and that came with more trouble. It was good that his pups were obedient even at this age. If these were normal human children, he might have lost one of them already.

Warm was not what Darius would use to describe the weather. It was a little cool and humid, evident of a storm brewing up in the distance. Funny… three years ago, he was bathing in white rain the day before. He guessed the storm was late this year.

"Walking man! Walking man!" Megan and Adrian both prayed as they reached the crossing with some adults that were worried about them. Two preschoolers were at the crossing on their own… but they were praying for the sign to change into the 'walking man.'

"There's a timer somewhere. No need to pray for it." The dad arrived with the other kid that refused to leave his dad's side. When Darius held his other hand out, Megan quickly took it and waited patiently with a smile.

When the 'walking man' showed up, the two didn't dare to walk faster than Darius. Only when they finished crossing did the girl run forward again, her brother keeping up with her. The dad and the middle child kept their walking speed, occasionally chatting about the shops that they passed by.

Soon enough, they reached the grocery. Darius pulled up a big cart that could fit the three children. However, they only held onto the side to push it all together while it was still light. They would only run around again when the cart refused to move from their feeble force.

Darius would normally buy enough for two weeks, consistent with his paycheck schedule. He kept a list of what he had to buy, letting the three kids deal with the cart. After all, Adrian would lecture them if they got their fingers caught in the grid. It would mean that they would be banned from doing it for a while. However, that was also giving Darius a strange image in the grocery.

When Darius ended up standing nearby a nosy woman in the grocery, she took a look at the three children that were pushing the cart happily. She frowned and turned to the dad who was checking canned peaches. "You shouldn't let your kids push a big cart like that. Accidents could happen, you know."

"They do," Darius answered shortly before leaving the aisle. He placed three cans on the cart, whispering at the kids. "Adrian, there are free taste booths in the next aisle. Don't let any of them eat the food without my permission, okay?"

"Free taste!" "Okay, Daddy!"

At this, the three decided to give the cart to their daddy as Adrian gathered them to check the free taste booths. The dad only passed by the nosy woman, leaving her confused.

Adrian, Dylan, and Megan arrived at the free taste booths for some hotdogs and coffee. They were familiar with the smell of the two food items, but Megan only pinched her nose. She didn't like the smell of the coffee. She turned to Adrian. "Stinky…"

When she said so, the two boys also pinched their noses. The smell was too strong for them and their growing senses. Even if they want to take a bite of the hotdog, they were forced away by the black coffee. They ended up running back to Darius.

…

It took Darius two hours to finish grocery shopping. He had packed a carrier for Megan, who was knocked out from expending all her energy. Adrian and Dylan stayed next to their daddy, hands to themselves even if they see colorful things.

When Darius was paying for his groceries, he caught sight of a familiar person. It was Mr. Ross with a cart full of groceries. It was strange to find a boss of a big company to be shopping on his own. Then again, he could have been born into the working class, so some of his habits had yet to change.

It's just that… he saw a woman meet with him. Darius stiffened in his spot as he got a whiff of a werewolf. He took a look at the kids, seeing how Adrian stared in the woman's direction. It seemed that the eldest was becoming aware of the scent of his own kind.

"Adrian, no," Darius said as he brought his groceries to the big cart that he could carry to get a cab home. "Don't stare at people."

"But she's always here, Daddy." Adrian frowned his little brows. "I saw her the last time, too."

"She could be working here." Darius said so, but he was trying to walk faster to get them out of the grocery the soonest. It's just that when he looked at the woman again…

She and Mr. Ross were looking straight at him.