not his favorite moment

Ravi had gotten a job at Wal-greens in the photo department. Mainly, he ran the machine and other digital equipment for people who wanted copies of photos. Well, that was suppose to be his job. Sometimes, he felt like he ran the whole store and barely knew how to do anything. But that was just part of the drama at the drugstore. Someone was always not showing up, mad, sick, stranded or some strange thing. But after six weeks on the job, he was already an old-timer, well on his way to be an assistant of something. Of course, he was willing to put in a lot of hours no one else would work. Somehow, it worked out. Work. School. Sleep. Sometimes, he remembered to eat.

But it was on one of those nights. Or mornings. Yeah, two in the morning, when he saw them. Bridget and her old boyfriend, Stan. Practically, just the three of them in the store. Awkward moment. They were in buying prophylactics and gum. You couldn't have one without the other. Evidently. Ravi, assumed. Naturally, Bridget was all over Stan. Ravi couldn't be sure just who's benefit she was doing it for. Possibly her own. It was best to act like he didn't know her. She would want it that way. Wouldn't she? Of course, they knew each other. He knew Stan knew who he was. Perhaps that was why he kissed her back when he tossed the stuff on the counter for Ravi to ring up.

Ravi did his best to keep calm. Honestly, there was nothing he could do about it. He guessed. They weren't stealing. Just making out. But it was a sigh of relief to see them go. He guessed Bridget was happy now. He hoped so, even though there was a twinge of unhappiness stirring through him that made him want to scream. Just then he looked up to see an old woman hand over some vitamin cremes for youthfulness to buy.

"Aren't they just the cutest?" She gave him an easy smile. Ravi just nodded as he rang her up. "I bet they'll have cute babies."

Suddenly, a lump emerged in Ravi's throat. He thought he might choke. He didn't want to hear about cute babies. Not now. Not Bridget and Stan. Would he and Bridget not have had cute babies? He found himself thinking. He squinted hard, but the tears came, anyway.