It was easy to follow her through the aisles of the department store. She had her list and paid little attention to anything else. Without fail, she came to the store every Monday shortly after lunch. Working at the store helped him go unnoticed, free access to her habits.

He noted that she was an animal lover always buying dog food and chew toys. That she preferred aerosol deodorant to roll-on, ibuprofen over aspirin, and white bread trumped wheat bread. Seeing she had a passion for gardening and loved to scrapbook. Counting on her to buy cherries, popcorn and Coca-Cola every week.

He took inventory of the little things that showed him when she was ill, celebrating, even when she was menstruating. He could tell she didn’t have children there were never any kid's meals or toys.

Having left her debit card at home, she had to write a check, giving him access to her name and address. He had noticed the diamond solitaire that she wore on her left ring finger, but this didn’t discourage him, knowing one day she would make a wrong turn and then she would be his.

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