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Dad was never really the gift-giving type of guy. He doesn't like gifts, he doesn't give gifts—well, unless when it comes to my brother.
I watch the cars and buildings move through the foggy car window, feeling the car seat I'm sitting on undulate. It's the only thing keeping my eyes open right now. The sky outside is still a gloomy shade of blue; I mean, it's 6 a.m. Why are we going to a clock shop this early?
I sigh and rub my eye, it's kinda teary. I wish I could've stayed home. My eyes turn to glance at my brother, who's currently beaming. I hear myself chuckle unconsciously witnessing his excitement; now I get why Dad's taking us to the clock shop at 6 a.m.
He stops when he looks back at me, he then grins whilst swinging back and forth on his seat. "I still can't believe you finally agreed to go with us!! I have dreamt of this my whole life!" he says the last part in a dramatic way.
"Oh, stop being so dramatic," I say with a chuckle. Man, I laugh a lot.
He shifts closer to me. "Ahaa but I'm not!"
"Really, like—we never do stuff like this together. Not when it comes to clocks and the things I like. I don't know why you hate clocks so much, but you're gonna love them! Just you wait!"
I never hated clocks. I never hated the things he likes. I never hated moss, I never hated making mini bomb launchers that Dad taught him how to make, I never hated horses, I LOVE HORSES!
It's just... Dad's just never let me go with them. I don't know why... I mean, me and dad have done stuff together before, but he never seems to have as much fun as when Bdubs does things with him.
I'm really happy that I can finally spend time with Dad and Bdubs, but I can tell that I'm unwanted here.
not by Bdubs, of course.
I couldn't help but wonder, would Dad let me go with them if Mom wasn't away? What if Aunty Gem wasn't busy today? Will we all go together or...
"Are you boys having a good time back there?" Dad says, looking at us through the rearview mirror. I can hear his smile under that mask and muffled voice. Bdubs nods. "Mhm!" he quickly says before going back to his clock rant.
A few minutes later, I felt the undulation on my seat stop, And dad got off the car.
Is this... the clock shop? It looks oddly like a conv—
"You boys want anything?" Dad says as he holds the car door half open and peeks his head in the vehicle.
So it IS a convenience store.
"Berry jellies!"
Bdubs requests as he bounces in place on his seat. Dad chuckles and nods. He was about to shut the door before remembering something.
"Uh... what about you, Scott—Scar? Scar."
"Hm?"
"Do you want anything from the convenience store?"
"Oh, mmm..."
I thought for a moment. It isn't every day that Dad would offer to buy or gift something to me.
"Come on, kid, I don't have all day."
"Elven cookies."
"What?"
"Elven cookies. The ones with the purple sugar crystal on them."
"Right." He still seems unsure.
Dad rolls one of the car windows down slightly, then shuts the car door close, and enters the store.
I turn my head back to my brother, to find him staring at me with a grin. He then starts gushing about horses.
A few moments have passed and Dad got back in the car. I couldn't help but notice that he was bringing... more things than what he said he was getting. Was there a sale? We should really talk to Mom about Dad's shopping addiction.
He handed us our snacks, well, Bdubs's snack. "I couldn't find the elf cookies you were talking about. But I found these." He handed me buttercup cookies. "Oh." I mean, it's still cookies, and the sticker on it says 50% off, so it's good enough.
He started driving again, and Bdubs lets me try some of his berry jellies. After I ate it, I now realize why he's constantly on a sugar rush. I lean my body back on the backrest of the car seat, looking down at my box of buttercup cookies. I should try it.
...
We arrived at that clock shop Bdubs was gushing about, "Space & Time" is the name of the shop. I like space.
We got out of the car and walked inside the store. I don't know what to expect, but I wasn't expecting the shop to be a Willy Wonka clock factory.
"Awesome, right?!" My little brother shakes in excitement. Is he always like this?
"It's... magical!" I say in awe, looking around the shop.
The clock shop looks really vintage, but it's spacious. The walls are painted a warm beige, with a bronze accent color. There were clocks everywhere! Different kinds of clocks. Watches, pocket watches, granny clocks, digital clocks, wall clocks, so many mechanical clocks! There was this cool night lamp that projects out the illusion of a bunch of stars, or like a galaxy on the ceiling. It accompanied the main warm orange-y light source that shines down the floor.
"Okay, Bdubs, what clock do you wanna get?" My moment of astonishment was broken by Dad's voice. "I want a cool watch that I can bring everywhere with me!" Mm, I wonder why he has an obsession with time.
"Alright, look around, find one you like." He ruffles Bdubs's silvery hair. "Then come back here and look for me so I can pay for it."
Bdubs does a quick salute. "Aye aye, captain." Then pulls my arm away to the depths of the store shelves.
...
"I thought you were getting a watch?" I say as I look at the many small clocks on the shelf.
"I am!" Bdubs grabs a clock that seems to not have anything to tell the time. It's just a blank golden circle; maybe the sun engraving tells the time?
He then pushes a button on top of the circular object, and the front part opens to reveal a clock. "This is called a pocket watch!" He says with his usual grin.
"That's so cool!" I said, inspecting the 'pocket watch.' It has a little chain attached to it. "Is it a necklace?"
"No! You're supposed to put it in your pocket, and this chain has a little clip attached to it, so if it falls out, it won't fall to the ground!"
"Ooo, that's awesome!"
"See? I knew you would give in!"
"What?"
"You don't hate clocks anymore!"
"I... never said I hated clocks...?"
"But Dad says that you hated clocks?"
"But—"
"Bdubs, have you found a clock that you liked?" Dad interrupts, peeking his head through the store shelf.
He quickly spins his head around the racks, looking for something. He puts the golden sun pocket watch down and reaches for the silver star one.
"This one!" He points at the silver pocket watch because he couldn't reach it.
Snickering, Dad grabs the watch from the shelf and hands it to him. "C'mon buddy, let's get the cashier to put this in a bag."
"Wait! But what about Scar?"
"Huh?"
"He didn't get anything yet!"
"Oh." Dad tenses up and glares at me. "Go get one that you want, kid."
If looks could kill... dad wouldnt hurt me obvuously, but Aunty Gem would've shot Dad.
I look over to one of the racks. I spot the pocket watch that Bdubs put down, the one with the sun engraving. There's a label on the watch basket that says '25% off'. I didn't want anything, but I can't say no to a discount.
"This one," I say as I pick up the golden pocket watch.
Bdub's eyes beam, he jitters, knowing that the watch I picked was the same watch that he used to teach me about pocket watches.
"Oh, nice" Dad's voice has a slight hint of impression in it. He reaches his hand out, and I put the clock in his hand. "Let's go get these checked out."
I've never gotten a gift from Dad. Well, not gifts that I genuinely want. He does give me gifts, but when he really has to. Maybe he has to buy me this clock for the sake of Bdubs. But I don't care; I got two things from him in a day, that's more than what I usually get in a year!
...
I sit back down in the car seat, once again looking out the window. The sky seems lighter now. What time is it? Then I remember. I look down at my watch, press the button. 8 a.m.