Saturday.
Shop was quieter than the last few days, most of Friday's rush already sorted into bags by the time Carol came in.
Her usual — fish oil, and the probiotics, the one she goes through faster than anything else on the shelf. Three weeks since the last bottle, if that. Grabbed an extra fish oil for her mum while she was at it, and a probiotics for a woman at church who doesn't get down to the shops much these days.
Told me she does a run like this most weeks. Someone always needs something picked up.
We ended up talking longer than the order really needed, the way we do when there's nobody behind her in line. Somehow it got round to tomorrow night. She asked what I'd sorted for favour bags in the end, and I told her — fifteen roll-ons, ordered Friday, not even here yet. Cutting it fine. Nothing to do about that now except wait.
Mentioned, without really planning to, that I can order the Nu Skin things properly now. Told her if she ever wanted anything, she could just go through me. Said it plainly, the way I've been practising it — not signing anyone up, not building anything, just ordering it the way she already does with the fish oil.
She lit up a bit, then said the thing I half expected. Knows the brand. Has for years. Just never liked the feel of it — the parties, the recruiting, people she used to know turning every conversation into a pitch. Said that was always what put her off, brand aside.
But she'd heard the supplements were actually good. Properly good, not just good-for-what-it-is. Said if I ever ordered any for myself, to just let her know — she'd go in on it too.
Swapped numbers on WeChat right there at the counter, her phone case still that photo of her kids from years ago.
On her way out, almost an afterthought, she asked if I wanted to come to church with her tomorrow morning. Said it the same way she'd asked about the fish oil — no weight to it either way.
Formal's not until the evening. There's no real reason I couldn't.
Told her I'd think about it. Haven't decided. Wasn't expecting the day to open up in that direction at all.