I travel the length of the store looking up and down each aisle, thinking Charlie must have left, when I see her again. She’s not pushing a trolley full of vegetables and kids so she has an advantage over me. Swinging the trolley around to face where I last saw her, I push my load. I must look like a mad woman running down the aisle with two kids in a trolley, one laughing his head off, the other screaming at me. Thankfully, being Monday, the shop is not too busy. When we get to the checkouts, I see the white jacket again, leaving already. She mustn’t have bought anything.

‘Charlie. Charlie,’ I call after her and she turns to see who it is. Pushing past the tills my hands grip tightly to the trolley.

‘Charlie,’ I call out again but this time she quickens her step, to get away from me. Why the hell won’t she stop? I arrive at the exit still calling her name and push the trolley outside. Where has she gone? I need to ask her about that photograph. I need to see it again.

My eyes search through the faces walking up and down the pathway but I can’t see the white jacket with the embroidered tiger. I can hear a voice though… and something bleeping.

‘Going somewhere?’

‘What?’ I turn to see a tall security guard standing beside me. His hand is on the trolley. Cian is staring at him with his mouth open. ‘Oh sorry, I was trying to catch someone.’ I take one more glance across the car park. ‘There was a young girl with the white jacket, she just walked out of here, did you see where she went to?’

‘Could you come back inside, please?’ the tall man says.

‘Yes… I was just trying to…’

‘Inside, please.’

This guy is not at all friendly, avoiding eye contact as his left arm directs me. Keeping his focus on the door he turns the trolley around and pulls it.

‘I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t realize I…’

‘Can you come over here, please?’

‘Shit.’

Trying to explain that I had no intention of stealing two bags of lettuce, a bunch of bananas and a bag of apples took almost twenty minutes. Two more judges joined the court. The manager and a second security person. Aaron looked mesmerized by the commotion. Cian looked scared. I had to keep reassuring him that everything was okay.