"Can't your wife buy it herself?" Gloria asked to get the man talking.
The stranger gave a meek smile. "She's busy taking care of junior. She demanded I do something useful and kicked me out with a shopping list." He looked at Gloria, then glanced back in the direction they came from. "Maybe we should wait outside," he suggested.
"Yes," Gloria agreed and followed him back to the corridor outside where there were more shoppers. They leaned against the railing that separated the corridor from open space. Across the space, they could see the shops opposite on other floors.
"It's nice of your friend to help," the man remarked after a minute of quiet waiting.
"She's my sister actually."
The man turned to her. "Really? You don't look alike."
"Except for the eyes."
The man studied Gloria's blue eyes. "Maybe."
More time passed. Then the man pointed out Carrie, who had returned with a small paper bag in her hand. The blond sister quickly turned into the passageway leading to the back staircase.
"She didn't see us," the man commented.
Then Gloria's handphone played a short tune. She took it out of her handbag and saw that it was a phone call from Second Sis. "Yes, Sis?" she answered mildly.
"Where are you?" Second Sis demand with alarm. She stepped out into the corridor searching up and down frantically until she saw her sister. She hung up her phone and marched towards them.
"Is she always like that?" the man asked.
"First time I've seen her like this actually," Gloria replied.
"Where were you?" Carrie demanded once she was in front of Gloria.
"Here." Gloria quickly changed the subject, "Did you get it?"
"Yeah, I did." Carrie held the small bag up for the man and showed him the receipt.
The man checked the contents of the bag and the receipt and hid them in his jacket. Then he pulled out a note from his wallet. "Thanks. Keep the change." He walked away, satisfied.
"I noticed you tried to protect me back then," Gloria said.
"I can't have anything happen to you on your birthday," Second Sis told her.
"Even if I'm not really the sister you know?"
Carrie looked at her directly. "Look, you're my sister. Even if you had your head mixed up with someone else."
"It's still Annie's head," Gloria pointed out, "It's just that I am not really Annie."
"Doesn't matter. You're still my sister."
"But I'm not Annie," Gloria repeated.
"Doesn't matter," Second Sis insisted, "Look, Annie's gone and you're here. Nothing's going to change that, right? You said it yourself. So I may as well accept you as my sister."
Gloria gazed steadily at her. "That's the wisest thing I've ever heard you say."
"Why, thank you." Carrie giggled.
Then Gloria waited for Second Sis to say something really silly. Strangely, Carrie had not said anything stupid for the rest of the day. Had she suddenly grown wisdom?
Or could that cowled stranger have somehow replaced Second Sis' soul with that of someone wise?
Nah.
***
The following week, Gloria had a nice surprise waiting for her in school. In the latest edition of the Fernham Post was a short article written by a previously unknown freshman named Sally Crichton, Seeker of Truth.
Why must all of Fernham High's reporter-wannabes have such ostentatious titles?
Anyway, Sally's story was an entertaining read of how Keith McDowell interviewed people so aggressively that he could make little girls cry. Accusing him of being a bully was a nice touch.
Served that Keith McDowell right for publishing weird stories about other people for his own good reputation. Though there was a little concern if Sally Crichton would turn out to be a similar person who wrote bad reports of other people.
Strangely, there was no mention of Sabine or Connie's trial at court. Neither was there or had there been anything about their suspension or Connie's alleged transfer.
***
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