16
Adrianna skipped in front of Wanda and Natasha; they had gone into Forever 21, H&M, Burlington, and Footlocker. Now they were at Costco and they had mostly spent the day outside.
Natasha didn’t get how Adrianna was skipping through Costco’s parking lot when she had been sleeping just 2 minutes ago. And it had been a batt;lle to get her up and now she was skipping as if she had drunk 20 monsters in one sitting,” Hurry up slowpokes!” Natasha shook her head as she saw Adrianna with her hands on her hips waiting impatiently by the carts.
“Some of us didn’t wake up energized. We just got more tired.” Natasha said as she took out one of the carts,” Yeah sounds like old people's problems." Adrianna shrugged her shoulders, slipping her hand into Wanda's hand and slightly tugging at her hand,” Relax, we'll get into Costco no matter what pace we walk at.”
Adrianna scowled at her,” It's Costco. Everyone loves Costco.” That was debatable but Natasha hadn’t stepped into a supermarket in months and all the groceries were delivered so they never bothered to go to the actual stores,” You do have a Costco card right?” Natasha rolled her eyes pulling out the Costco card she barely used,” We should get a second cart. Wanda, can you run back and grab another cart?” Wanda nodded, running back to the carts and taking the first one out.
“You’ve never taken her outside the walls of the compound? You didn’t even know she was living in the same clothes for what a month because you were all too wrapped up in your own self-pity and fear to grow some balls and be adults. You’re all pathetic.” Natasha was stunned at Adrianna’s words; she had thought everything was going fine but maybe because Wanda was there holding her tongue back,” She put us through hell. And we thought she was an adult.” Adrianna scoffed watching Wanda walk back,” Being 18 doesn’t make anyone an adult. She’s a child no matter what any law says. And yeah what she did was wrong.” Adrianna turned back around and started skipping toward the entrance as if she did nothing.
Natasha followed Adrianna with Wanda's cart clacking behind her against the gravel,” Come on people, the fridge isn’t going to be filled on its own.” Natasha saw the briefest smile grace Wanda's face and now that she thought about it Wanda started smiling more now that Adrianna had appeared. Natasha didn’t think she ever really saw Wanda smile. Natasha never really saw Wanda much before a couple of weeks ago.
She had a list that she could follow but instead, Natasha went wherever Adrianna went which ended in her buying 3 cases of water bottles because the little miss didn’t drink sink water no matter how well filtered Natasha promised it was. And they did manage to pick up everything on the list and extra things that Adrianna insisted must be brought because she also lived there too, she even managed to get Wanda to pick up things for herself as well.
Natasha let out a relieved sigh as they checked out they had needed another cart and now they could go back to the Compound. Natasha didn’t think she was going to leave the house for another week. Today had been enough time out for her. She never thought she could spend so much time outside, especially just shopping alone.
Did she get carried away when she went shopping on her own? Yes, but shopping with children was such a bigger time spender than Natasha thought it was. Now she understood Laura when she threw a fit every time Lila and Cooper grow and she had to buy them new clothes. The exhaustion and annoyance were understandable and not something Natasha looked forward to doing anytime soon.
Checkout was stressful. At one point she had lost sight of Adrianna just to see the girl trying to order some food. She had to drag her back to the checkout kicking and screaming,” Kids adorable little demons.” Natasha chuckled at the cashier's comment Adrianna glared at her and the cashier. Natasha paid once the cashier was done with leading cries from Adrianna to let her get a hot dog from Costco. Natasha had to place her in the cart to prevent her from running off.
“I’m hungry!” Natasha sighed, feeling a headache coming from all of Adrianna’s whining for a girl that was supposed to be 14 years old. She didn’t act like it,”I’ll get you Mcdonalds!” Adrianna smirked,” You just gave her exactly what she wanted.” Natasha turned to see that it was a black woman with 4 kids, 3 girls and 1 boy shaking her head disapprovingly,” Mama can we get Mcdonalds'' One of the girls, maybe 9, asked,” You got Mcdonalds money?” The girl shook her head,” I thought so.``
“Here.” Adrianna was holding out a 20 dollar bill towards the girl and she looked at her mom nervously.
“No sweetheart, it's fine. Keep your money.”
“No, it's okay. I have more.” The girl who got her mom's nod took the money,” Thank you.” Adrianna didn’t seem to hear her as she turned around in the cart,” We’re next.” Adrianna pointed to the ticket checker who was waiting for them.
Loading the car was definitely an effort and it took all hands to do it, Natasha thinks they might have spent at least 20 more minutes in the parking lot yelling between her and Adrianna on how they should load the car. As she promised Natasha did stop by the drive-through and get them Mcdonalds.
This time both Adrianna and Wanda fell asleep in the car Mcdonald's warpers littered the car floor but as long it was quiet Natasha wasn’t complaining. It was weird having company in the car. It was just Natasha, sometimes Sam or Steve but it was only quiet conversations between them or blissful silence with the radio humming lowly as background sound. But having Wanda and Adrianna in her car was different and Natasha wasn’t sure she liked it.
As Natasha got close to the gates of the compound she shot Steve and Sam a text they would need all the help they could get so she was more than happy to see Mack, Hunter, and Fitzs. Bobbi and May are waiting for them,” Hey didn’t know you were stopping by so soon.” Natasha pulled May into a hug closing the car door,” How was shopping?” Natasha groaned in response, opening her trunk, Sam chuckled as he opened the door to Adrianna's side in the car,”It can’t be too bad. They’re out like lights.” Natasha saw Mack tapping Wanda but that wielded no result.
“We’re going to take them upstairs and get them settled. Then we'll come back down and help.” Bobbi scoffed and Natasha rolled her eyes,” Yeah right you guys just don’t want to carry anything.” Sam shrugged his left shoulder clicking the up button for the elevator,” Maybe, maybe not. You’ll just have to see Morse. And Yasll should be grateful we're taking the heaviest loads off your back.” May raised an unimpressed eyebrow in their direction,” When did a 90-pound 7-year-old weigh more than groceries?”
“Well be back,” Mack said as he shifted Wanda once more she had curled up close to Mack clutching his shirt, Natasha thinks this is the first dreamless or peaceful sleep Wanda has had ever since she came to the compound with them. And Adrianna looked the same as she had when she had been brought in by Vision.
True to their word both Mack and Sam came back helping bring everything in vision appeared from whatever dark corners he's always hiding in to help as well Natasha wonder how he knew since she hadn’t seen him in days,” Why is there more food then I remember us ever buying?” Steve had asked after what felt like the 50th run to bring stuff upstairs,” We have teenagers Steve, they eat faster than you can blink.” Sam said as he jogged over to get the last bags out the car sweat dripped down from his forehead to his shirt.
“Okay that's everything. Now to wash and put everything away.” Natasha chuckled at the groan that escaped from Steve, yeah grocery shopping was a pain in the ass