Estranged, Chapter 4: Acquisitions and Favors

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I know there has been a lot of character development, and that might not be everyone’s bag, but thank you all for sticking with me. Roles will soon be reversed, and the road will get bumpier for these two down the road.

**********

Loki perused the storefront of a small antique shop, Oldetowne Treasures, searching for nothing in particular. He entered the store after several minutes, the front door jingled as it closed to announce his arrival. He continued to search over the merchandise in the glass jewelry case in the side counter. An old pocket watch with a bronze patina was the only appealing item among various necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and cufflinks that ranged in quality from handmade artisanal to trendy kitsch. He heard a bustle from the back.

“Well, go on, girl! I’ll be out shortly,” an older woman’s voice from the back storeroom fussed.

A lanky teenage girl with an olive complexion, long black hair, and brown eyes approached him from behind the side counter to greet him, but she kept her distance when he looked up to face her. General bashfulness rather than specific fear was the culprit, though, as was common for adolescents of her age.

“He-hello, sir. Please let us know if you’re looking for something.” The girl affected a nervous smile and fiddled with her hands awkwardly.

“Thank you kindly.” Loki’s voice was as smooth as a fine silk. “I shall call should I need your assistance, Miss...?” He waited expectantly for her to offer her name, but the fidgety youth only stared at him in awe until he raise an eyebrow.

The girl’s eyes shot open in understanding, and she squeaked, “Oh! I’m Alexis.”

“A pleasure, Miss Alexis.” He offered her the same half-bow he had given to Rowan only a short while before—he gestured wide with a gloved hand—in an attempt to solicit further reaction from the girl.

The girl’s eyebrows climbed higher in embarrassment at such a formal show of respect. She clenched her hands into fists near her waist to keep herself from trembling. Loki mentally timed her reaction. And she will run in 3...2... Loki straightened to see that the girl’s face had turned beet red. ...1. He flashed her a friendly smile, and her flight back to the storeroom would have made him laugh were he not here on more serious business. He smiled to himself instead. It had been years since such harmless fun had amused him. Scurry off, little mouse!

There was a clatter of several items falling to the floor once the swinging door closed behind the girl, and the older woman’s voice was louder this time, “You clumsy girl! Well? Was there a customer? Speak up, girl!”

The girl stuttered her apologies, “Sorry, Gran! A man— really tall— I’ll pick it all up, Gran! I’m really sorry!” More clattering could be heard as the older woman stepped out from the back storeroom. She sighed and shook her head before turning her attention to her customer.

Her soft black hair was touched with gray throughout, and she had the same willowy features and olive complexion as the teenage girl—very much her grandmother. She walked over to the back counter where the cash register was located and became all smiles and sweetness in the presence of a customer. She beckoned to him, and Loki walked over to join her.

“Good morning, sir! Please excuse my silly granddaughter. She is of the age where everything means nothing and nothing means everything. Her priorities will be set straight soon enough. What may I help you find today?” The shopkeeper smiled in a motherly way.

Loki took note of the various tiny figurines arrayed in the lighted display curio behind her. "Thank you, madam. I—”

“Please, call me Lia,” she interrupted.

“Very well, Lia. I came in merely to browse, but your figures seem to have caught my eye." He gestured toward the cabinet. The figures were only inches tall and made from various materials—milky white porcelain, ivory, metal, wood, and pigmented glass. All of the figures were female. Mothers, maids, queens, goddesses, dancers, and more were all represented aspects of the female form.

“Ah, yes. My little ladies. I have quite a fascination with small female figurines. Why do they interest you, if I might ask?”

Loki fingered his pocket where he still held the small, nymph-shaped Alfheim artifact. He hadn’t planned on bartering with actual items, but now that he was a human he could not longer use the artifact’s ability to appear as a mundane item. He removed the smooth, wooden nymph from his pocket and placed it on the counter in front of Lia.

“I am a collector of sorts myself, and I am willing to part with this figure if you are interested.”

“Well...” Lia sighed with wonder, “She is a beauty! It looks like wood, but it feels like something heavier. What is it?”

“The figure is an ancient representation of a wood nymph, believed by some to have powers over nature.” His explanation was not in the least a lie, although it was not the same context the shopkeeper would assume.

“Where did it come from? Do you know who made it? What is it made from?” Lia was eager to know as much as she could as she examined the figurine meticulously.

“I am afraid I was given a poor amount of information when the figure came into my possession. I know little more than what I have already told you.” Also not a lie, if not the entire truth.

“I’m not sure what to offer you for it, to be honest. I’ve never seen anything like her before. I am interested in it, though. Have you seen any items here you’d be willing to take in trade?”

“There is a timepiece in your jewelry case that I admire, the worn pocket watch. If you find the figure a sufficient trade, that is.”

“Okay, what else?” She said without looking up at him.

“That is all. Simply the watch.”

Lia eyed the jewelry case incredulously, “That’s it? Just the watch? Surely this figure is more than just an antique—”

Loki waved a hand dismissively and cut her off, “If you find the figure worth enough to trade for the watch, that is all that concerns me. I have no need of the nymph and wish it to fall into more appreciative hands. An appropriate watch is all I require at this time, and the timepiece I have indicated is the only item that interests me at this time.”

“Well, suit yourself. If you ever need anything or have any other items I might be interested in, come back and see me. Have a good day!” Lia continued to examine the nymph and traced a finger along its curves and smooth features.

“A good day to you as well, Lia.” Loki departed the shop with his new acquisition.

His next targets would receive less interaction and more observation if his plan proceeded accordingly. His goal? To listen and learn all he could of his new surroundings. One cannot make a move if he doesn’t even know what the board looks like or who he is playing with—or against.

He had begun to create a mental map of the shops and areas downtown, and slowly he would drop by each of them in turn simply to gather information. He was confident the rest would take care of itself.

So on he continued to his next two stops across the street: Carnegie & Sons Computer Repair and F. Ringley Clothiers, an upscale men’s clothing store.

*************

Rowan felt almost ashamed at the small amount of seafood she ate. She lived in a coastal city famous for its seafood, yet she ate fish or shrimp maybe once per month. Maybe.

Tonight’s menu was easy: Scallops and pasta in a simple cream sauce with a zucchini salad on the side. And no autumn dinner was complete without a warm dessert: apple crisp.

When evening came she easily prepared each part of the meal without referring to any recipes. They were all simple dishes she’d either made before or knew how to adapt with what she had. It was how she usually cooked and why it was so difficult for her to express her ideas to others. Unfortunately it left a lot of time for her mind to wander and worry.

What was I thinking offering to cook for him? What if he doesn’t like zucchini or thinks I’m a terrible cook? What if he’s a picky eater? What if I burn something? What if—? Her irrational worries grew as the sun sank lower in the sky.

When 6:45 rolled around dinner was complete and left warming on the stove. A few stray splotches on her shirt prompted her to retreat to her room and change. During meal prep she had mentally rehearsed many avenues of conversation—all pertaining to what kinds of activities, skill building, or jobs Loki might be interested in. She even imagined discussing personality types with him, but she decided it would be best to leave that out unless conversation happened to steer that way. Just because she enjoyed pinpointing a person’s dominant cognitive function didn’t mean everyone else would care to know about it.

Learning of Loki’s love for fixing systems had been a big clue in piecing together a picture of his personality. She couldn’t wait to hear more of his plans and wondered if she could help him with his ideas.

Her aim was to relax during dinner. James was working second shift at his second job tonight, so there was no danger that he would interrupt and ruin the meal as he had during breakfast.

She walked back into the dining area with her head down as she pulled her hair back into a less-messy-than-it-had-been ponytail. She made her way over to the cabinet to complete the last task of setting the table when she heard someone clear their throat from across the kitchen. She jumped, nearly dropping a plate.

Loki leaned against the pantry door near the table. He was wearing a new shirt, navy with a subtle pinstripe. She stood a moment and stared back at the blue-banded Pfaltzgraff plate in her hands, relieved that it was still there and not in pieces on the tiled floor.

“You really startled me, Loki. When did you come in? I didn’t hear you.” She quickly finished setting the table and retrieved trivets from a side drawer to hold the pans of pasta and scallops.

Loki crossed his arms casually. “I hope my punctuality has not gone to waste. Shall I return later?” He raised his eyebrows and cocked his head slightly in question. His tone was only in jest of the situation, though. He waited patiently.

“Dinner’s been ready for—” she glanced at the kitchen’s wall clock to see that she had lost the last 15 minutes daydreaming while she changed her shirt. “15 minutes. It’s 7 right now,” she declared in a deflated tone.

“And you are not ready. If you still require some time to—”

“No no, everything’s good to go now.” She surveyed the table, sure that she’d forgotten something, but she didn’t want to delay the meal any longer than she had to.

So much for relaxing during dinner.

They each prepared their plates and ate in silence for several bites. She was scared to ask what he thought of the food, so instead she got right down to business.

“So, what did you do all day? Did your idea work out?”

“My efforts were indeed met with success. Oh, I almost forgot.” He reached into his pocket and retrieved the watch. “I told you I would secure a timepiece. I hold it responsible for my promptness.”

“Did someone give it to you? You didn’t have any money this morning, did you? Unless you...” She couldn’t make herself suggest that he might have stolen it. She couldn’t fathom housing a dishonest person under her roof. Dishonest people usually gave her a terrible gut feeling, slimy or dirty was the only way she could describe it. Loki hadn’t felt that way at all, but the voice of doubt piped up at her uneasiness. What if he did steal it? What else would a thief be capable of? And you’re letting him live with you!

“I traded for it.” He seemed to ignore her implications. “I possessed a trinket the shopkeeper found interesting, so we made a deal.”

“Oh...” Rowan felt embarrassed that she had doubted his integrity. She quelled her paranoia quickly and changed the subject. “What about the shirt? It looks really good. Did you trade your other shirt for it?” She joked good-naturedly.

“Thank you. And no, this acquisition was not a trade. It required a little effort on my part, but it was well worth the two hours I spent to earn it.”

“Two hours? Doing what?”

“Are you familiar with F. Ringley Clothiers?”

“Yeah, I bought my dad a tie there for Christmas.”

“I dropped by this afternoon to inspect their selection among other things, and I overheard the store owner’s complaints. I found his complaints to be incorrect, so I made a wager with him. I won, of course.”

“Oh, you’ve got to tell me more than that.”

“As you wish. The store owner, Mr. F. Ringley, believed his lower sales figures were due to the poor economy. He blamed outside factors. But after observing his two salesmen, clearly they were the weak link. He balked when I mentioned this to him, doubting my analysis. So I wagered I could outsell the two men together. They did not understand basic rules of human interaction, so they performed poorly. I understood that a person who walks into a store wants to buy something, even if they deny it. Making a sale is simply discerning what they want, then selling it to them. Or for the indecisive ones, leading them to what you want to sell to them and allowing them to believe what they bought is what they desired. I easily outsold the other two men within a few hours and won the wager. This new shirt was my reward.”

“What would have happened if you lost?”

“I had no intention of losing,” he remarked simply as if he was telling her that water was wet.

“Well, no one ever intends to lose,” she laughed. “What was his part of the bet?”

“I offered to purchase a suit should I lose. He had no reason to question if I possessed the proper currency to fulfill the wager. My confidence implied I could easily procure whatever I desired from his store. I would not have made the bet if there was a chance I would lose.”

She wondered if he used such tactics when he spoke with her. Such cold tactics. She shivered at the thought and pushed it away so they could both enjoy the rest of dinner.

*************

Sunday passed more lazily than Saturday, and on Monday morning Rowan awoke easily. Loki was already awake as well, she wasn’t sure if the man actually slept. She enjoyed a quick breakfast that she cooked herself this time before heading off to work. As she walked to work, though, her heart sank. Heading back to work on Monday after a good weekend was always difficult, and this had been the most significant weekend she’d had in years.

Her day at Coastal Shore Interiors dragged on endlessly. She had no desire to be there and would have probably taken the day off if she didn’t have so much to take work on. Friday’s stale birthday cake had to be thrown away—it seemed as if she’d baked it ages ago. Her life had changed over the past three days, and there was no way everything was going to fit back together the same way. And she knew more would change before it settled again.

After a few days they fell into a silent evening routine. Following supper she usually sat in the living room chair and Loki would take the couch to read or research. She usually wrote in her notebook, but she had also been working her way through a collection of writings by Friedrich Nietzsche.

Through the next week Loki, now occupied with his new focus, kept most of their discussions to practical matters. While Rowan was at work during the week Loki busied himself with tasks she had constantly put off such as reorganizing the kitchen, bookshelves, and office space while he was at the apartment. She still wasn’t sure exactly what he was up to when he went out during the day.

During the second week he upgraded Rowan's computer. When she asked how he'd gotten the parts, he explained that he'd helped a repair shop downtown by streamlining their workflow processes. They increased their productivity by 25% so they could now help more customers. Store credit was the least they could give him in return, so he’d chosen better RAM for her aging laptop.

Another evening during that second week her neighbors Ned and Sophia, a retired couple who lived across the hallway, brought dinner over unannounced. When she answered the door, they swept into the apartment with two covered dishes and smiled broadly when they saw Loki sitting on the sofa reading a book.

Loki addressed them before Rowan had a chance. "Good evening, Ned and Sophia. I told you not to worry about that. Indeed it was nothing." Loki seemed abashed.

What was nothing? What happened?

"Oh, nonsense! We have to repay you for all your help." Ned shook Loki's hand and pulled him off the sofa to clap him on the back.

Rowan finally closed the door and found her voice again, "What's going on? What did he do?"

Sophia set her dishes on the table. "Oh, Rowan, your friend Loki overheard us complaining on our way in about our computer, and he offered to fix it for us for free. He found a virus and removed it. That place downtown charges you $50 just to look at your computer, and here your friend did it for free. For free! The least we could do was bring you some dinner.”

“And when he was done he helped me rework our budget. I’ve been working on that thing for years, but now I’m saving nearly as much money as before I retired!” Her neighbor’s praises sounded like testimonials from a bizarre infomercial where Loki was some popular new product.

She walked briskly over to Loki and pulled him aside. She spoke quietly, but intently, "Loki, how do you know how to fix a computer? Or help someone budget money?"

His grin cut off anything else she might have asked, "Internet. For the virus, at least. Budgeting is a simple matter of—I can explain later. For now do not be rude. We must entertain our guests, Rowan." He walked back over to Ned and left her standing by the kitchen, a picture of shock and irritation. She felt her skeptical voice chime in. He's going to get himself in trouble. How could he know what he’s doing?

Ned cornered Loki near the balcony window, "Young man, you’ll have to let me take you out golfing. You’ve got a great arm, there..."

Rowan shifted her foggy attention to Sophia who was now pushing silverware and plates into her arms to set the table. She was vaguely aware of Sophia pouring drinks for the four of them. She hadn’t even felt this confused the night she first met Loki.

She drifted through the rest of dinner. The conversation between Ned, Sophia, and Loki felt like a dream, and she barely registered that she was eating eggplant parmesan and steamed asparagus.

How did he learn so much so quickly? If he's really that intelligent, why is he still staying here? He could do anything rather than hang around me.

Anything...