Chapter 7 - Eastside

Shopping? Out of all the things I would have thought he could have said, that wasn't one of them.

I raised my brows in surprise. "Wait really? Just shopping? Nothing else?" Dean nodded his head somberly. "That is all princess, no other hidden strings attached. This year is my moms 50th birthday. So it's a significant birthday, and I would hate for her to feel like my dad and I didn't try."

He opened the other stack of papers which, upon viewing, was pictures and lists of things they have gotten for her in the past. In addition to that were lists of things she had a lot of or common patterns of stuff she owned.

It was a comprehensive list, quite impressive. Though the actual list was impressive, the gifts listed were something else.

Nothing was consistent. It was either something very grand but not practical. Or something meant to be sentimental but you could tell did not land the way it was intended.

Based on the things his mom and I used to talk about and what she has shared with me, they were on the wrong track. While she would still be appreciative of the gift. It was not something she would particularly enjoy.

"Ok I mean these gifts aren't that bad. Just seems more superficial. I am free today thankfully so why don't we head out and get started."

"Thank you!" said Dean as he clapped his hands and started to usher me out to his car. "Send your driver back I will drop you off when we are finished."

As we started to head out to the mall we began to talk details. "Ok so what budget are we looking at? And for the gift is it meant to be a shared one between you and your dad or something each of you give?"

"If we can each give her one would be ideal but if the gift is something big and grand then we can share it." Dean said as he drove eyes never leaving the road.

"Well I will try my best but it has also been a few years since I have last seen and talked to your mom. So I will do what I can but don't expect a miracle."

"You helping me is already a miracle enough." He turned over briefly to give me a teasing smile.

We then pulled into the nearest shopping district to start searching. I decided to enter a craft store first. From when we last spoke she talked avidly about the small projects she was crocheting.

I went straight towards the higher quality materials and began looking at the different wools and blends for the yarn.

"Knitting?" Dean said as he looked over in surprise, picking up a couple bundles of yarn.

"No it's crocheting. She used to make a lot of little things. She made me a scarf a few years back with a flower pattern on it. I still have it. Honestly I am not sure if she is still doing it but she seemed to enjoy it then."

"Well if you say so. I trust you." We went through the store and ended up getting a few patterns, some bundles and a beautiful wooden basket to store everything.

We continued to walk around each store in the district looking at clothes and shoes and accessories but nothing stuck out.

I continued to rack my brain of things she may like. Until I remembered, the other thing she also shared with me, which was her love for chess.

She used to be a very competitive chess player and even had won a few championships back in her youth.

She used to invited me to play all the time back when I was younger since I was not very good at it and she liked to teach me. But now when she sends an invite I have to decline because I rarely have time.

"Dean I have another idea for your moms gift. I am thinking we can get her a custom chess set but the pieces be made of ruby. It's her birth month stone and I know she likes chess."

"That's a good idea. The thing is would it be done in time?" He adjusted his hat before pulling out his phone to presumably look at the calendar.

"We can go to Gordon's shop on Eastside. He could potentially have sets done already and if not we can ask about a timeline."

Gordon was a really old and well respected chess set maker. His mom was huge fan in the past so a set from him already makes it special.

"Whatever you say princess, let's go before it gets too late." Dean grabbed the bags and we set off to Gordon's. After a small chunk of time we eventually reached the city limits for Eastside.

"Good old Eastside. This area takes me back. Our old high school is around that area right?"

I looked over at the small town just a bit of a ways down from where we lived in Grotto Creek. It was an affluent area and many kids from prominent families would send their kids here.

The town was perfect for a few reasons but primarily it was because it was just far away enough to allow for privacy but close enough to be able to come in and out easily if necessary. The town had a few shops with Gordon's being one of them.

The school system there was also all within close range to one another meaning kids can start and end their regular school years in the same place before university.

It was where Dean and I, in addition to most of my friends, went to school.

"Brings back a lot of memories." I said as we passed the high school. If you asked me when I was in high school if i enjoyed it I would have said yes. But now, honestly thinking back I don't think I really enjoyed high school.

I was under a lot of pressure at the time and it was the first time I felt really out of place regarding my growth compared to others. While every girl was seemingly dating and blossoming into young women. I felt left behind.

I wasn't allowed to date because my parents wanted me to focus on my studies. I had no outlet to talk to because I didn't want my parents to lecture me nor have my friends make fun of me. My only good experience was that academically I was doing well, and I got to be president of our associate student body.

"Well seems we have arrived." Deans words pulled me out of my thoughts and I recollected myself to work at the task at hand. "Coming!"