It's Not Just Any Old Shopping Day (Closed)

[Simon Ward]

(Closed for Renee, and eventually open to Cristian and employees at her Wedding Shop)

Simon was in the metronome working at the forge that was available for interested and skilled parties. He had been working there for many nights now. His days were becoming routine. Wake. Kiss Renee. Work. Forge. Sleep Little. Rinse. Repeat. This was Simon’s routine now. Sometimes there were added variations thrown in like showering, feeding, loving and that sort thing, but it stuck to the schedule.

Weapons were starting to pile up near him on these nights. The weapons were crafted with care. Some were given goofy names. Then they were quickly destroyed to make more parts. This was a destructive, but educational tactic.

One night someone tried moving Simon off the forge to get their own to. His retort was quick, loud and scary confusing. Simon practically whipped around to face the person before yelling, “I BREAK YOUR BACK MAKE YOU HUMBLE!!!!” He heard it on a Robot Chicken sketch recently.

When someone who looked strong, was hot, sweaty, had very hot metal and a hammer at quick disposal and yelled that at people, individuals gave this crazy person a VERY width birth even if he didn’t quote the Iron Sheik. A metronome worker came to him and asked what was going on.

Simon shrugged, “I was working. It was my way of saying ‘Wait your turn.’”

And sure enough if Simon was waiting on others he’d wait patiently. Once Simon was up he was usually at the forge for as long as time would allow. After that he’d head back home to begin the process again the following night.

A progression showed itself. Eventually the man went from weapons to finer things, delicate things. The process was a bit more…difficult. Metal bars were melted down and ruined. He learned the hard way that these projects needed a more precise hand.

Simon kept at it though. Every failure was seen as progress, or an opportunity, much like a scientist. Why he was at the forge so long was to make something. Honestly, what he saw could have been bought or purchased online. He didn’t want to do that. That was a cheap way out.

Time passed and a lot of it. Valuable goodies were often ruined until he had it just right. The man screamed with triumphant when it was. All of that work for something that fit within the palm of his hand. People still thought he was crazy, the scream didn’t help.

Cleaning his mess Simon rushed back to his home. His feet couldn’t have carried him fast enough. Plus he was so overjoyed the man didn’t think to teleport. Making it to his apartment he stifled his movements. The man walked in like it was every other night. Even though the place was empty he wasn’t sure if Renee wasn’t going to randomly show up. Taking the coveted item he hid it within a small safe that could have only been opened with a key or a high enough knowledge in lockpicking. Renee had neither of these things. He knew that much. There was only one step left. It required shipping out his finely crafted item.
Three more weeks had passed. Renee wanted to go suit shopping with Simon. Luckily the item came back four days prior thanks to various rush shipping fees. Getting ready Simon had started to make the plan in his head. Work was called off so he wasn’t expected to be in.

Showering he tried to make himself smell good. He wore a little extra cologne, and what he put on vastly differed from the norm. Renee was sent a text a good forty-five minutes before they were supposed to be at his Mother’s shop.

“Hey. I’m out and about. Meet me,” Simon put the name of a business. He didn’t bother checking the reply. The man waited just outside of said business. To anyone that passed him by Simon just looked like a well-dressed loiterer.

Wearing a crushed red velvet jacket that resemebled a lot of his old three-quarter length coats in style and cut, just the material was different. His vest and slacks were black, simple stuff that matched and the shirt underneath the vest was white. The man just waited for Renee to show. Whether she was meeting him early, which even Simon admitted he had a one-in-three chance of that happening, or if she was going to be here a few minutes after their scheduled time to shop, it didn’t matter to him. One way or another, Renee was going to be in this spot. Then his plan could have been set.