Everything She Wanted by Santino Prinzi

Gav went out that morning to go to the bakery to pick up some fresh bagels so he could make Jess breakfast in bed for her birthday. He had no idea he’d forgotten to bring any money with him. His hopes for today were as high as his smile was wide; he wanted to make sure she got everything she wanted today.

On his way to the bakery he was distracted by the European Market. At first it was the combination of different aromas; zesty fruit, spiced meats, freshly baked delights. The colours dazzled him, everything from handcrafted goods to the bright flag bunting hung around each stall so you knew which country the vendors were from. Gav thought he might find something a bit more unusual at the market – something which he couldn’t just pick up on any other day, something extra special – so he decided to check it out.

“Young man, step right up and look no further. Here’s everything anyone in the world could ever want, everything you could possibly need in life. I have for you what you’re looking for right here in my hand.”

Gav turned to the stall owner pointing at him holding a small jar of translucent liquid. Gav wasn’t one to wander towards brightly dressed men wearing bowler hats but the liquid seemed to dance inside the jar. It mesmerised him.

“What?”

“Come closer.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s glue.”

“Glue?”

“Glue.”

“What’s so special about glue?” Gav remarked, yet could not draw his eyes away from the jar. Without knowing what he was doing he went to caress the jar.

The stall owner pulled the jar away before Gav could touch it. 

“It’s sticky.”

“Of course it’s sticky – glue’s supposed to be.”

“Yes, to stick things to things, my good friend.”

Gav wanted to look up at the face of the man. He tried to lift his head but couldn’t. In a panic he placed one of his hands on top of his head and grabbed his hair, and the other he placed beneath his chin. He tried to pull his head up and away from the jar of glue – but he couldn’t. The stall owner laughed in triumph. Gav was transfixed. Stuck.

 

Jess woke up alone. No Gavin. Brilliant, she thought as she spread her limbs as wide as she could across the bed, peace at last.