Character Encounters: Let's Go Shopping!

Amazon takes forever to load, just as most things on my laptop don't like to load quickly whenever I decide I want to do something quickly. I tap my fingers anxiously on the keyboard and survey the living room while I wait. From my vantage point in Dad's reclining chair, I can see the whole room. 

The tree in the opposite corner is tall and beautiful, almost scratching the ceiling and filling the room with a cheery atmosphere, decked out in more ornaments than any tree should be able to hold. I smirk as my eyes land on the single strand of lights near the bottom of the tree, where half of the strand has given up its glorious light from old age and much use. 

Of course it would burn out the day after we got the tree all decorated! I think, allowing the smirk to transform into a grin at the irony.

My eyes flit back to the screen of my laptop. As the home page of Amazon appears, I let out a relieved sigh. Finally! Scurrying around crowded stores was never very appealing to me, so shopping off the internet I find much easier, faster, and cheaper. Besides, it's nice to get gifts for every member of my family all on one shopping trip and in one order. I absolutely love anticipating the expressions of joy on their faces as  they unwrap what I purchased for them.

"Ooh, what's that?" A soft voice comes from behind me. 

I never felt the person sneak up behind me, but now I am all too aware of her presence. I know it's a girl, because the voice is too high to be my dad's or brother's. One of my sisters, no doubt, trying to sneak a peek at my Christmas shopping.

But when I turn around to see the teenaged girl behind my chair, my eyebrows fly up. The brown locks and soft eyes I don't recognize. But there's a familiarity in her that tugs at my mind. Although I'm certain I've never seen her before, I know I know her.

"That necklace is beautiful!" She says, pointing to the laptop screen.

My eyes dart to the designated object, then back to the girl. "Are you..."

Her focus is completely on the necklace. "May I see it?"

"Judalily?"

"Please show it to me!" She pleads, unaware of my question. "I'd love to see how it goes with my dress!"

Her gown is one of brocade scarlet, a deep, shimmering fabric, intertwined with glittering gold accents, pretty and proper as any dress worn by a princess should be. I can see at a glance that the necklace she is gazing at would match wonderfully. 

"Please may I hold it?"

"Judalily, I can't let you hold it. It's only a picture."

"A picture?"

I rub my fingers together, releasing a sigh at the same time. How do you explain the internet to a medieval princess who has absolutely no conception of any type of modern technology?

"My laptop can only show me pictures of the actual items, not the items themselves."

Her fair face clouds with disappointment. "But what good to you is a simple picture?"

"It's easier to go shopping this way."

"Oh, shopping! I do enjoy shopping, and I haven't been able to indulge in it in the longest time! Might I accompany you?"

Perfect! So much for quick shopping on Amazon. But how can I say no to a princess? And of all twelve princesses from Findenland, Judalily I know would be the one who would enjoy this experience the most. It's no wonder she was the one that showed up. 

"Are there more," she pauses, "pictures of necklaces?"

I click on the link that takes me to the jewelry section. Judalily lets a proper, excited sigh as the screen loads more pictures of sparkling necklaces and bracelets. 

"Oh, Reuthellen would love that one!"

One click brings up a larger image of the silver chain, and another loads a thick, ruby bracelet that Judalily declares perfect for Gadrienne. 

As much as I don't want to be enjoying myself, I can't help it as a smile crosses my mouth every time Judalily gives a exclaim of delight and wonder. From the jewelry, my laptop takes a journey through a boatload of fashion scarves which Judalily alternately loves and despises. She insists that Simeanna would go crazy over the gray and blue argyle one.

Shoes are the next thing to appear on the screen, and I join Judalily in giggling over some of the bizarre, modern styles. Rosy ballet slippers seem perfect for Danyelle, but I'm sure that Aleevity would much rather enjoy the fancy, silver heels. Eventually we find ourselves in books where she points out several that Ashrynn and Zelburna would enjoy reading. 

"Oh, Bethjasmine would love that!" Judalily cries, pointing out a fuzzy teddy bear on the sidebar.

A quick trip through the virtual pet shelves of Amazon convinces her that Nattalaris would would love the western saddles and bridles. The cute puppy kennels would suitably house every one of Issachella's dogs. 

"But what would Josette like?" Judalily muses, leaning closer to the screen. "I'm afraid that I don't know her as well as my other sisters. What would you suggest, Kiri Liz?"

"Kiri!" My mom's voice drifts from the kitchen, cutting any response I might give to Judalily. "Can you please help me put these dishes away?"

"Coming, Mom!" I turn to apologize to Judalily and explain that our shopping spree was over, but the girl is gone. 

They all disappear too quickly. I sigh and shut my laptop.

Once I'm in the kitchen with a dish towel in one hand and a clean, dripping mug in the other, my mom asks, "What were you doing online for so long?"

I look at her increduously. "I wasn't on for very long."

"You were sitting there for over two hours." She replies.

I was certain I could have been knocked over with a feather. "Two hours?"

"What were you doing?" My mom prompts me back to her original question.

I smile, thinking of all the items Judalily and I looked at together. "Shopping for my characters."

My mom lifts an eyebrow. "And did you get all of them gifts?"

A frown tickles the corner of my lips as I recall Judalily's last statement. "No, I didn't. I couldn't find anything for Josette."

"From what you've told me about Josette," Mom says, "I would think she would want something that you also would want. I think you two are quite similar."

The solution sounds wonderful, until another thought hits me. 

"What do I want for Christmas?"

Don't forget to read more Character Encounters at Kendra's blog! God bless!