Chapter 33 Part II Tasin-14

shopping with luke Suitcases! Trunks, suitcases, things like that.As I browsed through the assortment of suitcases, looking at Louis Vuitton suitcases and calfskin bags, I was rather distraught and appalled.Suitcase? Why on earth have I never thought of a suitcase before? I should explain.For years, I followed a regular shopping cycle, sort of like a crop rotation system on a farm.Just instead of wheat-corn-barley-fallow, there is clothes-cosmetics-shoes-clothes. (I generally don't advocate fallow.) Shopping is actually very similar to plowing a field.You can't keep buying the same thing—something has to vary.Otherwise you will get bored and lose the enjoyment.

And I thought I'd been as varied as anyone else in my shopping career; I thought I'd dabbled in everything.Frankly, I'm pretty tired of this.But look what I've been missing out on; look at the kinds of shopping I've been missing out on! It's debilitating to realize how many opportunities have been missed over the years.Suitcases, weekend bags, monogrammed hat boxes... I dragged my limp legs to a corner and sat down on a carpeted pedestal next to a small red leather vanity bag. How could I have neglected suitcases for so long? How can I live a comfortable life without a whole shopping area?

"Hey, what were you thinking?" Luke walked up to me, "Anything worth buying?" Now, of course, I feel cheated.Why couldn't he just want to buy a really nice white shirt, or a cashmere scarf? Even hand cream.This way I can give him authoritative advice and even quote him the price.But suitcases, I'm a total novice at this. "Well," I stalled, "it depends. They all look good." "Really?" He followed my gaze around. "But which one would you choose? If you were buying a suitcase for yourself, which one would you choose?" It's hard to say, I can't talk nonsense.

"Honestly," I said, "this is really not my field." "What?" He sounded disbelieving. "Shopping isn't something you're familiar with?" "It's a suitcase," I explained. "I haven't spent much time on it. I know I should, but..." "Oh...it doesn't matter." Luke smiled, "As a non-expert, which one would you choose?" That's another matter. "Well," I stood up and said slowly, "then let's take a closer look!" OMG, we were hilarious! We lined up eight boxes and rated them for style, weight, lining, quality, number of inside pockets, and wheels (I was Strides around the store lugging boxes. At this point, the salesperson backs down and lets us do it).We then look again to see if there is a matching suitcase, also giving a point.

Price doesn't seem to be an issue for Luke.Which is a really good thing, because they're both incredibly expensive - at first glance, they're so expensive that I want to run away.But surprisingly, it didn't take long for £1,000 to pay for a suitcase—especially since Louis Vuitton's monogrammed trunks were more than ten times more expensive.In fact, it didn't take me long to find myself seriously considering whether I should also be spending some money on high-quality cases instead of just old canvas bags? But today it's shopping with Luke, not me.Oddly, picking things for other people seems to be more fun than picking things for ourselves! In the end, we narrowed it down to a dark green leather case with really nice wheels; and a light beige calfskin case, which although It's a bit heavy, but it has a soft silk lining, and it's so pretty, I can't stop staring at it.It also comes with a matching carrying case and a small vanity bag - and they're just as pretty.God, if it were me, I would...

Well, it's not for me to decide, is it? Luke is going to buy the case, and he's the only one making the decision.We sat side by side on the floor and looked at the two boxes. "Green is more practical," Luke said finally. "Well," I said noncommittally, "I think so." "It's lighter and has better pulleys." "Ok." "That light-colored calfskin case might wear out quickly. And green is a standout color." "Yeah!" I tried to sound like I agreed with him. He looked at me strangely and said, "Well, I think we've made our choice, haven't we?" Then, still sitting on the floor, he called the salesman over.

"Have you chosen, sir?" the clerk asked, to which Luke nodded. "I'd like to buy the light beige calfskin case, thank you." "Oh!" I couldn't help but have a happy smile on my face, "You bought my favorite!" "That's the rule of life," Luke said, standing up and straightening his pants. "If you bother to ask for advice, then you should bother to listen." "But I didn't say which one..." "You don't have to say it," Luke said, stretching out a hand and pulling me to my feet. "You uh uh uh, that says it all."

His hand took mine, and it was surprisingly strong.I felt a constriction in my stomach as he pulled me up.He smelled wonderful, some expensive body lotion, some brand I didn't know.For a while, neither of us spoke. "Well," said Luke at last, "I figured I'd better pay the bill." "Yeah," I said, feeling incredibly nervous, "yes, I think you should go." He walked up to the cash register and started talking to the salesperson, and I was resting next to a display area of ​​a suitcase, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed.I mean, shopping is over.What will happen next?

Well, we'll both say a polite "goodbye," won't we? Luke might have to go back to the office.He couldn't just hang out and shop all day.If he asks me what I'm going to do next, I tell myself, I'm going to say I'm really busy.I'm going to pretend I have an important meeting to attend or something... "Solved," he said back, "Rebecca, I really appreciate your help." "You're welcome!" I said cheerfully, "Now, I have to..." "I was wondering," interrupted Luke, "would you like to have lunch with me?"

Today turned out to be my most perfect day ever.Shop at Harrods and have lunch at Harvey Nichols.What could be better? We head straight to the fifth-floor dining room where Luke orders a chilled bottle of white wine and raises his glass to offer a toast. "Cheers to the suitcase!" he laughed. "Cheers to the suitcase!" I responded cheerfully, taking a sip.It was literally the tastiest thing I've ever eaten.Luke picked up the menu and I picked up mine—to be honest, I couldn't see anything.I am immersed in the joy of happiness, like a child in Vita oatmeal.Looking around at the beautiful women who came to eat, I made a mental note of what they were wearing, and I wondered where the girl over there got her pink boots.Now, for some reason, I'm thinking about that fancy card Luke sent me.I don't know if it means friendship, or...or something else?

Thinking of this, my stomach turned over and I almost threw up, so I quickly took another sip of wine.Well, swallow it.Then I put down the glass, counted to five, and said in mock casualness, "By the way, thank you for the card." "What card?" He raised his head, "Oh, you're welcome." He picked up his glass and took a sip of his wine. "It was a pleasure meeting you that night!" "It's a nice place," I said, "it's great to meet people you know in a restaurant!" As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I felt my face turn red.But Luke just smiled and said, "Exactly." Then he put down his glass and said, "What would you like to eat?" "Ah..." I glanced at the menu hastily, "I just want...fried fish cakes and arugula." Damn, I just found out that there is calamari on the menu.I should have ordered it.However, it is too late now. "Good point," Luke said, smiling at me. "Thanks again for coming today. It's always nice to have someone with an idea." "Nothing." I said softly, taking a sip of the wine, "I hope you like that case." "Oh, it wasn't for me," he said after a pause, "it was for Sassie." "Oh, really?" I asked, still happily, "Who is Sassie? Your sister?" "My girlfriend," Luke said, turning to greet the waiter. I stared at him, completely stunned. His girlfriend? I've been helping him pick out suitcases for his girlfriend?