Sorry everyone! I noticed some errors that were important to the story! I also fixed Brooke a bit. She was too confident and playful for the abuse she suffered. I made minor adjustments to her interactions with Spencer!

I also added a new chapter! Thanks for reading! (6/25/2018)

(xxxxx)

The moon was shining brightly on the cold December night. The sound of arguing echoed through the two-story brick home. Two kids huddled together in the corner of the bedroom. The girl wrapped her arms tightly around the larger boy, who shook as much as she did. A loud explosion caused them to flinch and clutch one another tighter. Both crying and praying to be rescued.

(xxxxx)

The rain was pouring down steadily as Spencer ducked into his favorite bookstore. The clerk gave him a nod and a smile as he headed toward the coffee station. He hung his jacket up on the nearby coat rack before approaching the counter.

A young woman stood with her back to him. She was wiping one of the machines down, when Spencer cleared his throat and softly said, "excuse me." The woman jumped and knocked a stack of cups over. As she tried to catch them, her hand bumped into the stirrers, which went flying everywhere.

"Oh, oh shoot!" she said completely flustered.

Spencer went around behind the counter to help her clean up the mess. He began grabbing handfuls of stirrers off the floor as the woman grabbed the cups. Her dark brown hair was in a ponytail, but there were many pieces that strayed from the band.

"Thank you, I'm so sorry," she said as she tossed the items into the trash can.

"I'm sorry I startled you," Spencer said as he dumped the sticks.

When the two of them stood up, the woman finally looked at him. Her eyes were dark brown like her hair, but they held a gentle reflection. Her pale cheeks began to darken as she averted her eyes.

"It's not your fault. I'm clumsy," she replied. "What can I get for you?"

Spencer gave a small chuckle. "I was just going to order a regular coffee," he said.

"How much do I owe you?" he asked as he pulled his wallet from his pocket.

"It's on the house," she said as she waved her hand at him.

"But – "

"Please, consider it a thank you for helping me clean up my mess," she said.

"It wasn't much, but you're welcome and thank you for the coffee," he said holding up his cup.

"Enjoy," she said as she turned her back to finish cleaning.

Spencer smiled as he walked off to find some books to purchase. He was so engrossed in searching for new stories to read that he lost track of time. As he pulled another book off the shelf, he heard a sound behind him that made him turn.

"I'm sorry," she said as he closed the book. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I was asked to put a few books away."

"No need to apologize. You didn't disturb me," he said as he glanced at his watch. "Oh geez, I didn't realize the time. I'll get my things and be on my way."

He bent over and picked up a stack of books. The girl's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, that's a lot of books. Are they all for you?"

"Uh, yea. I love reading," he said as he balanced them in his arms.

"Me too," she said softly. "Do you have a favorite author?"

"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, though I do enjoy Proust, Hemmingway, Pedulla, Tolstoy, Mark Twain, Poe … I could probably go on and on," he said blushing at his rambling. "How about you?"

"Growing up I loved reading stories that would transport me to fantasy worlds. Places of the imagination like Where the Wild Things Are or Harold and the Purple Crayon. I liked the idea of being able to change the world into something else," she said with a mixture of nostalgia and sadness in her eyes.

"I used books to transport myself as well," Spencer said.

"Yea, but it seems like you transported into a more educational world than myself," she said with a chuckle.

"Sometimes children's books are much deeper and complex than they seem," Spencer said. "The author many times tries to make a complicated life experience more relatable and understandable by writing it for children. For example, Robert Munsch, the author of Love You Forever, wrote that book to deal with the loss of his two children that were stillborn.

Today this book is frequently read by mothers to their children to express their love for their child. Munsch was sharing his eternal love for his children even though he never got to be with them. Obviously, this is too deep for a child to understand, but the message is there all the same."

"Wow, I had no idea. How sad," she replied frowning.

Spencer nodded as another girl came around the corner.

"Five minutes and we have to close down for the night," the other worker stated.

"Yes, sorry. I'm on my way," Spencer said.

"Sorry, I kept you. It was nice talking to you," the coffee woman said.

"Likewise, and Spencer," he said.

"Hmm?"

"My name … it's Spencer," he repeated.

"Oh," the girl blushed. "Brooke."

"It's nice to meet you, Brooke," he said before walking off with a smile on his face.

That was the most normal conversation he ever had with a woman he didn't know. It was strange to meet someone so easy to talk to that didn't seem to judge him for his quirks and ramblings. In fact, she seemed intrigued with his knowledge. He hoped that he'd run into her again soon.