Apples to Apples

It happened over the apple cart at King Soopers.

Noodle and I went grocery shopping together - me to do the weekly Grotto shopping and he to get just a few necessities he'd identified while we were there. First stop for me: produce. It's located just inside the front door, after all. While I wandered around examining fruits and vegetables, I sent him over to check out the Chicken Wings By the Pound Bar over in the deli and unique to this particular store.

As I stood surveying the variety of apple types - seeking out the Fujis or the Galas Lex prefers - Noodle materialized beside me. I felt him before I saw him and, when I looked up at him, I saw he was grinning from ear to ear just as he leaned down to kiss me sweetly.

It wasn't one of those horrifying displays where everyone within sight was silently begging the offenders to go get a room. It was a simple acknowledgement of affection...the softest, quickest little kiss exchanged as we hovered near the apples and then, once again, parted ways to seek out our own grocery needs beyond that kiss.

I'd never done that before. I'd never so publicly, comfortably demonstrated a sense of togetherness with another human being in such close proximity to other human beings - especially ones who were just looking to pick up a few items for supper and didn't have time or the patience for a little love.

All of a sudden I felt included in some kind of strange, exclusive club to which I'd never been invited before. A club filled with affectionate couples who grocery shop together.

And it - that physical affection and acknowledgement of affection demonstrated during the most mundane of tasks - upset my proverbial apple cart.

And made me smile.

Clean up in produce.

Written for the GBE 2 prompt "upset". I'm sorry for the lateness. I have a doctor's note. This is the entry I was working on last night just prior to my unfortunate incident.