9.Exploring Amsterdam

Blair

We finished eating, deciding to leave that subject aside. After splitting the bill, we were soon back on the streets of Amsterdam.

" What I mean is that getting married in the same church as her parents is important for your friend," he resumed the initial subject as we walked side by side.

" Again? " I groaned " I shouldn't have told you.”

" But you did," he teased me.

To my relief, I spotted something that could distract us from the subject.

" A market! Let's go shopping, Dimitri." I ran ahead, leaving him behind.

He shook his head with a half smile on his lips before following me. I passed all the stalls, scanning the products for anything of value.

This was one of my favorite parts of every trip. I loved to find souvenirs that reminded me of the destinations I had already visited, and usually it was some decoration for my apartment. Which perhaps would eventually turn me into a sort of international hoarder.

" Look, Commander. I need those boots! " I exclaimed, picking up a pair of printed boots, which looked like one of those tacky Christmas sweaters. 

" Blair, these are the ugliest boots I've ever seen," he laughed, taking the shoes from my hand, "what do you want these for?” 

" These are ugly boots from Amsterdam," I returned, deciding to walk away as I noticed the frown on the sales girl's face in our direction.

I pulled him over to the opposite stall, which sold costume jewelry, and began to pick out a few. 

" Did you like it? " he asked as I looked at a necklace that had a flower pendant trapped inside a resin.

" It's a nice souvenir of Amsterdam, don't you think? 

Dimitri took the necklace from my hand, looking at it before walking away, leaving me to pick out some rings. I picked up a masculine ring made of black metal and carved with animal images. I twirled it on my finger wondering if it was a good idea. He didn't even look like the ring-wearing type. 

But why not? 

" Here, let me help you" he pushed my hair aside to fasten it around my neck.

" What?” 

" I bought it for you," he warned, taking me by surprise.

I touched the pendant, containing a smile as I felt it.

" Really?” 

" You liked it," he shrugged.

" In that case.” 

I held his hand, sliding the ring I had chosen earlier onto his little finger. 

Dimitri frowned as he watched the piece on his finger, not knowing how to react. 

" Blair, I already told you I'm not going to marry you," he pointed out with a serious expression, before smiling.

I rolled my eyes, holding out a note to pay for the ring before walking away.

" I don't…”

" I'm just saying, we're just friends, it's not going to happen," he commented following me, "you better stop fantasizing about this.” 

" You better be quiet before I get me a drink to throw at you!” 

He laughed, but stopped teasing me as I struggled to remain serious. The two of us moved on to another stall selling lamps and chandeliers.

" Look how beautiful they are, help me choose one," I asked. 

Surely my loft would look much nicer with a Dutch lamp.

" Choose? How do you plan to take it home? " he crossed his arms and stared at me.

" I want a souvenir to leave at my place," I explained, though I admitted that probably wouldn't be a good idea.

" Take a snow globe," he proposed, pointing to another stand.

" A snow globe? You really have no imagination. Come on.” 

Some time later the two of us were walking side by side along one of the city's canals. I looked with satisfaction at the cloth doll in Dutch clothes that I had bought.

" So you have problems with shopping," Dimitri broke the silence that had formed between us. 

I stared at him, not sure what he was talking about.

" At the market, you wanted to take everything," he explained.

" I don't have a problem with shopping, I just like to take souvenirs home. Don't you keep souvenirs of the places you visit? " I watched him, noticing how beautiful he was, especially with the colorful houses of Amsterdam in the background.

Dimitri frowned, thinking about what I had just asked. I think I already have my answer.

" Not exactly, my mom likes snow globes, so sometimes I bring some to her.” 

" Snow globes... "I stopped walking," so that's why you wanted me to buy one?"

" Sounds like a good souvenir for me," he shrugged.

" Dimitri, do you see me as your mother? " I teased him.

" Definitely not," he laughed, "you are nothing like my mother, Blair.”

" I don't know if I can take that as a compliment.” 

" It's not a compliment or an offense," he moved closer, standing a few inches from me, "it's an observation.”

I held my breath again, watching his beauty, thinking about everything that was happening that day. I didn't expect to meet him, and the way everything is happening makes my body react to every detail, my heart races, I feel anxious whenever he gets too close. 

But that doesn't mean anything, right? We are friends.

" You should go back and buy her a globe," I warned.

" No.”

“Come on, Dimitri, your mother deserves a souvenir.”

" She has enough memories, Blair.”

I looked across the canal, spotting several barges packed with flowers.

" Flowers! You should give her flowers! " I dragged him across the bridge toward the market.

 " We really need to discuss your shopping problem," he laughed, following me.

" I don't have a shopping problem. I just think she'd like flowers.”

I approached one of the stores, leaning over to smell one of the tulips on display.

" Why are you trying to find a gift for my mother? " he looked amused.

That made me realize how ridiculous the situation was. I shouldn't be pushing the issue, it was his mother for God's sake! Maybe I was allowing the anxiety to take over.

" Sorry, I get carried away when choosing gifts," I entered the store, looking at all the flowers. 

They were everywhere, there were bouquets ready, vases, solitary buds ready to be bought, and cascades hanging from the ceiling.

" Choose the colors," he indicated the tulips on display.

" Are you going to do this? " I approached him excitedly, taking one of each color " How will you get them for her?” 

" I'll take care of it," he assured me.

I held out the makeshift bouquet in his direction, and Dimitri quickly caught it before picking up three more tulip buds, one yellow, one pink, and one red. The red one he added to the bouquet, before explaining to me.

" We can't take an even number of flowers to her, that's for funerals," he winked before placing the pink tulip next to the doll I was still carrying. “Pink suits her, don't you think?”

" I didn't know she liked flowers," I returned.

" I bet she does, and so do you " he handed me the yellow one.

" Why yellow? " I smiled and accepted.

" A bright, cheerful color, it suits you," he winked before going to the cashier.

I held the tulip up to my nose, inhaling its scent, containing a smile that threatened to reach my lips.

I glanced in the direction of the cashier, watching Dimitri, who returned the look by nodding to me.

I couldn't deny it, I was loving every detail of this day and I didn't want it to end.