Chapter 19: Shopping to Market

"Ah, there you are. You've been waiting in line, haven't you? Sorry for making you wait."

"No problem, Nivea. I'm also... your customer."

Both of them laughed.

"You picked the right dress, Nivea. It's very sunny, just like today."

"Ah, really? So, would you like some chocolate jam bread?"

"Yes, I'll have just one. But, please wrap it up because... I'm going to enjoy it while walking around."

"Yes? Are you kidding?"

"I'm serious Nivea. Would you like to take a walk with me today?"

"Huh? Hmm... Where to?"

"I'll accompany you wherever you want to go for a walk."

"Hahaha... You're really kidding Matias!"

"No! I think... you know better where you want to go. And I, for one, would be willing to accompany you."

"Alright! If you're not kidding, will you accompany me to the... market?"

"Huh? Are you kidding me, Nivea?"

"No... no! I want to pick my own fruits from Mr. Robert's fruit stall."

"Ah, well, then, shall we leave right now?"

Nivea nodded happily, "Of course! Just a moment!".

The girl turned around and headed into her kitchen. She asked Seri to stand guard at the ordering table.

"David! Did you write down the list of groceries you have to buy at the market?"

"I have, ma'am."

"I can see it?"

David nodded and leaving his handiwork behind, he stepped to the corner of the room, taking a small notebook from the drawer.

"Here, ma'am. There are some fruits and other ingredients that are running out of stock.", as he handed the note into Nivea's hands.

The girl read with a slight nod, "Alright! I'll go to the market now."

"What?", David and Clara asked in unison as if in disbelief.

"Yes! Let me buy it. Why, is there... something strange about me going to the market?"

"Ah, no ma'am. It's just that it's our job."

"No problem! We can always help each other out."

Nivea walked away, leaving the two workers to wonder at her.

"Seri, please stay here until I return. Don't let the line get too long."

"Do you want to go out, miss?"

"You're smart Seri! I'll go for a while with... Matias."

"Ah, well, miss. Are you and Mr. Matias going to be escorted by Mr. Willy?"

"Hmm. Right!"

"Ah, thank goodness then."

Seri looked in surprise at Nivea who began to step out of the inner area of her shop. With Matias trailing behind her. Seri knew her lady as someone who was quite difficult for men to approach. But right now it seemed like her lady's defenses were starting to waver, even though she had insisted on avoiding and not wanting to see the man again.

In fact it was now the second time Seri had seen Nivea looking more cheerful around Matias, after previously Seri had watched the two people get drenched in the rain.

"Why do you want to go to the market so badly?", Matias asked the girl in front of him. By now they were already in the carriage, on their way to the market in the south of the town.

"That's because... it's been a long time since I went there. My mother once took me to the market without my father's knowledge."

"Ah, really?"

"Hmm. And now I'm really enjoying this trip. By the way, will you help me fulfill this shopping list later?", showing David the little note.

"Of course Nivea! I'll help you spend it all. Even if you want to buy something else, I can take you to the place."

"Really? Thank you Matias, you're... very good to me."

"Don't overdo it Nivea, you don't know much about me. I'm nice to everyone."

"Ah, so that's it. I hope so too. You can be kind to anyone you meet, regardless of their social status."

Time had brought them to their destination. Matias helped Nivea slowly get off the carriage. The two began to walk hand in hand into the market area which looked very clean. However, it was quite arid, as there was no greenery around the market.

They started by visiting Mr. Robert's fruit stall not too far from where they got off earlier.

"Hi Mr. Robert!", Nivea exclaimed to the middle-aged man wearing a cowboy hat.

"Ah, look who's here! Are you really Miss Nivea? It's a surprise, Miss!"

"Yes, sir! It's been a long time since the last time you delivered your fruits to my bakery. And we met there."

"That's right madam. And since my vehicle has broken down, I can't come to your shop to deliver fruit anymore."

"I understand, Mr. Robert. I want to choose some fruits for myself.", as her eyes roamed over the array of fruits in front of her.

Meanwhile, Matias only smiled occasionally at Mr. Robert.

"Of course miss! I'll get a basket for you."

"Here, Mademoiselle, please choose in no hurry.", Mr. Robert had returned with a rattan basket in his hand. And handed it over to Nivea while bowing politely.

"Ah, well, sir."

"Please sir. You can choose too.", he said then, kindly to Matias.

Matias nodded, "Yes sir, thank you."

After he finished putting the fruits of his choice into the basket, Nivea paid the amount to Mr. Robert. And walked out of the fruit stall with her shopping bag full of fruit. Each of Nivea and Matias carried one shopping bag in their hands.

"Where can I buy flour, Matias?"

"Ah, the ingredients for snacks are in the center. Let's go there!", the man started walking and Nivea balanced beside him.

"You know a lot about the market, Matias."

"Not really, it's just that I passed by it once when I accompanied Rodrigues to buy flowers for his mother. To get to the stall selling flowers, we passed by a lot of stalls. There were all kinds of vendor stalls that we passed by."

Nivea was still following Matias' steps, until they stopped.

"Well, you can buy some flour in there.", he directed Nivea's gaze to the stall on their left.

A few minutes passed, and Nivea felt that she had bought all the items on David's shopping list. And now, it was time to head back to the bakery.

"Come on Nivea, we can buy lemonade over there.", said Matias as he looked at the lemonade stand across the street.

"Lemonade?"

"Yes! Aren't you thirsty?"

"Hahaha... Of course! I'm quite thirsty."

"I know that, Nivea. How could you not be thirsty since a while ago. Let's go over there now.", the two resumed their halting steps.

They were now sitting side by side, at a stall that provided a place for shoppers to sit down for a short break to enjoy their lemonade, quenching their thirst after shopping at the market.

"Thank you Matias. You.... for befriending me."

With his best smile, the man nodded, "Sure Nivea! Just tell me if you ever need my help."