Chapter 1: Wrapped Up in Books
"Did you hear me, darling?"
Emma nodded in her boyfriend's direction, "Of course, Aug. You were saying that you think it's a shame that someone didn't get elected because of money or something…" Emma shrugged.
"So, you weren't listening?" he frowned.
"I'm sorry, I'm just tired this morning, maybe I didn't sleep well." She responded with a guilty sigh. Hoping that he would continue talking and allow her time to retreat to her office.
"Of course. So, I was saying that…"
Emma wandered around the bedroom, putting away her clothing as he continued talking, stopping in the bathroom to brush her hair. "Uh huh." She replied to whatever rant he was currently on.
August was a wonderful partner; they had shared an apartment together for the past year and everything was perfect. He was clean, honest, and a good man. Except that he wasn't actually all that interesting to her. She was with him because everyone thought they were well suited for each other. Because it was the next logical step in her life, to live with a man. So, she moved in with him. Because that's what you do when you're an adult.
He spent most of his time working on his podcast, "The Underdog" where he used his voice to speak for the "little guy". August felt that it was only fair that those less fortunate individuals had someone to fight for them against the "scum of corporations". It was a lofty goal but one she supported.
However, while she was content with August, she couldn't say she was happy in her life. Perhaps that's how she ended up online, on her 32nd birthday, trying to figure out the internet. She had found herself in an over 30's discord chat room, talking to other people who like her seemed to be living their life without actually enjoying it.
So, while August droned on and on about the disproportionate tax liability on small businesses versus the Amazon Corporation, Emma focused on the updates from usernames on the screen in front of her. Nodding as necessary, offering an occasional mumble of assurance, but reading each of the comments that popped up in front of her with an exuberant interest. Suddenly the red dot lit up on the side of her screen and she practically dropped her laptop on the bed.
She bit her lip, glanced at August beside her, who was still lost in thought and preparing to get up and shower, she clicked the little icon to enter the private chat room she shared daily with JR10. She had first spoken to him a few months back when a discussion had started about online dating in your 30's. She had added a few non-descript nuggets about her life, nothing personal, but enough to join in the conversation when she got a private message from JR10.
She never intended to talk to him again, she blamed the extra glass of wine she had consumed that evening for even gathering the courage to reply to his private chat. Their initial conversation began simply to discuss how ridiculous and eager the group in the chat room were behaving. JR seemed to think that dating online showed a sense of desperation and made him feel like he was giving up on real life. Emma, who went by the name Lonelygirl on discord, told him that while she agreed with him, perhaps talking to someone online was actually more personal because you didn't have to hide behind the disingenuous behavior you have when you are in a relationship with someone in person.
If you don't like someone online, you simply block them. But in real life, you pretend to be interested in them, offering fake smiles, and casual responses without actually listening. The exact thing she was currently doing to the man who just walked into their bathroom.
But online, if you found someone that was interesting, you would bare your soul to them. She found she could talk about anything with JR10 and maybe that was a bit more personal than what she was doing with August. It wasn't like she was having an affair. She'd never even met JR10. But still, every time she got the notice of a new message from him, her heart would race, her cheeks would warm, and the butterflies in her stomach would start to flutter.
She knew she should stop talking to him, but what could it hurt to have a friend to talk to online?
JR10: Was thinking about what you said last night. I agree, why is it required to laugh at someone's joke in person when it's clearly not funny? Even online everyone types LMAO to anything even remotely meant to be funny. What if I'm not actually laughing my ass off? Is there something that's just in between? I'm laughing but my ass doesn't think it's that funny! LBMADTITF. Perhaps that's a bit much and could be interpreted incorrectly. Bloody hell, why can't people just say what they mean anymore?
Emma smiled reading the message. She had no idea what JR10 was like in real life, they had agreed from their first conversation not to include any personal information. They had 3 rules: never use your real name, don't talk about your specific occupation, and never discuss any family connections.
She knew he had a dog named Smee and that he enjoyed talking about the ocean. She also thought that he was funny even when he wasn't trying to be. Like her, he was confused by technology and had a hard time keeping up with the lingo of the new generation. She found each of those things endearing.
Lonelygirl: Exactly my point, if you can't say what you mean, what is the point of saying it. Why can't there be a mute button for real life people? Wouldn't it be easier than pretending to pay attention to someone? Does that make me an awful human being? I can't decide which is worse behavior…
pretending to listen to someone or not paying attention to them at all? God, I really am a terrible person.
She sighed and closed the lid of her laptop as August returned to the room, brushing his teeth, and mumbling to her. She nodded once again and then kissed him on the cheek. "I gotta get to work."
He returned to the bathroom and Emma took her chance to leave the apartment before he started asking her any questions about the story he'd been telling her for the past 30 minutes.
She bounded down the stairs of her apartment, practically skipping along the sidewalks toward her favorite coffee shop. She stood in line, smiling politely at the other guests waiting for their orders, trying not to focus on the excitement of coming home to yet another response from JR10. She grabbed her drink order and walked through the streets toward her store.
Emma owned a small bookstore named The Golden Swan. It was the last thing she had left from her mother, Mary Margaret who had died when she was a young child. She was very proud of her store, which focused mostly on children's books. She loved reading to children, watching their faces light up as she introduced new characters. Sometimes she wondered if her bookstore gave her more pleasure than the children it was opened for.
As she approached her store she saw her employee, Ruby Lucas sitting on the bench in front of the shop window. Ruby was a good friend, honest with her opinions, and had the liberty of being guided by the ignorance of youth.
"Good morning, Ruby."
"Hey boss."
Emma pushed the chain fence up over the door and unlocked it, inhaling the scent of books as soon as she entered. "Isn't it a lovely morning, Ruby?" Emma sang as she flitted through the shop turning on the lights.
"You sure are happy this morning." The girl groaned.
"Why thank you, Ruby. I suppose I am happy today." She smiled to herself.
"Must be nice to have someone at home that you are so in love with that it even makes coming to work a happy chore." She said with a sigh.
"Oh, um sure." Emma shrugged, taking the money bag from the locked office, and putting it in the cash register. She loved hearing the click of the drawer and the ding of the bell when she pressed the button on her old register. Someone had stopped by the store and tried to sell her an iPad to complete her transactions on, but she simply shooed them away. Technology ruined everything.
"That's not a ringing endorsement for August." Ruby chuckled.
"Who?" Emma said haphazardly, realizing that she was barely listening to the girl.
"Wow, now you've forgotten your own boyfriends name. What's going on with you, Emma?"
Emma stopped walking and stared at the girl. What was going on with her? She was happy, almost jovial this morning. She knew it wasn't August, she had barely heard a word he said this morning. It could only mean one thing.
JR10. She had gotten a message from him this morning and her mood always brightened after that happened. She paused and leaned over on the counter.
"Can I tell you something?" She said with a grin.
"Oh my God you're having an affair."
Emma frowned. "No of course not. Not really."
"How do you not really have an affair?"
"Well, it doesn't really count if you don't know the person, right?" The girl stared at her in confusion.
"How do you have sex with someone you don't know."
"Oh God, Ruby, no one said anything about having sex. I'm just…" She thought about it for a moment, "talking to someone online."
"Oh really? I thought computers scared you?" She laughed. "So, who is he?"
"I don't know his name. We agreed not to tell each other our real names. But I think maybe it's getting confusing."
"Why?"
"Because I feel like this after I talk to him, and I ignore August because I'm thinking about my next reply or message from him."
"I think it's sweet."
The bell over the door chimed and her stock boy, Will Scarlet came stomping into the store. "Morning." He said with a slump of his shoulders.
"Hey Will, what do you think about dating online?"
Emma smacked Ruby on the arm as Will sat his bag on the counter. "The internet is just another place to get rejected by a woman." He offered with a frown.
"Ok his opinion doesn't count." Ruby laughed.
"Why are you seeking Will's opinion on anything?" Ruby's grandmother, and the store's bookkeeper, shut the door behind her as she entered.
"Nothing you would understand, Grans."
"Is that so? You know your old grandmother knows a lot more than you think she does."
"Ok fine, opinion on internet dating." Emma watched the two interacting, missing her own connection to family but thankful for the friendship they offered her.
"Why would anyone date on the internet? If I'm going to date a man, I want all the bells and whistles that go along with it. If you know what I mean."
"Gross." Will says with a sour face, turning away from the women and carrying a box of new books to the back shelves.
"Don't listen to them Ems, I think its sweet that you have an online friend." Ruby smiled.
"What happened to that August boy?" Granny asked.
"I'm still with August. I'm just talking to someone online. It's nothing."
"You aren't having that cybernetics sex are you?"
"It's cybersex Grans." Ruby said with a chuckle before turning toward her and narrowing her eyes. "But are you?"
"No, of course not. It's nothing like that. I just think he's sweet." Emma smiled, ending the discussion while excusing herself to her office. She wasn't doing anything wrong. They were just talking. And it wasn't cheating if she didn't know his name, Right?
Killian tossed the ball across the room toward his dog, bouncing as it hit the wall next to him while the dog jumped up and chased it toward the bathroom.
"Did you hear anything I just said?"
Killian looked up from his laptop, slamming the lid shut. Shit. "Sorry, I was playing with Smee."
Milah hurried out of the bathroom, grabbing her jacket, and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I said, I have a late evening. We are trying to finish a story before the morning deadline. But we can get Chinese if you want to wait up?"
"Uh, yeah sounds good. I'll probably be late at the new store tonight anyway."
"When's opening day?"
"Two weeks."
"Ok, I have to run, I'll see you tonight."
Killian nodded and clicked his laptop open again. His mouth turning up in a smile when he saw the red dot and her screen name. Lonelygirl.
He read through her message. Smiling to himself as Smee returned the ball to his lap. "She thinks she's a terrible person, Smee. But she's not, she's lovely."
JR10: You are definitely not a terrible person, just now I did the same thing to someone I know. I sat through an entire discussion and had no idea what they had said to me until they asked me a question. Maybe we just pretend to be interested until we get tired of pretending? Maybe my response makes me a bad person. But not you, you're too lovely to be a bad person.
He closed the lid of his laptop and patted Smee on the head. Perhaps he should feel guilty about his discussions with Lonelygirl, but what was he truly doing wrong? They were just talking, sharing stories, like he would with any other friend.
He shouldn't feel guilty for making friends, right?
It's not like he was married. He'd been living with Milah for the last 2 years. They were like two ships passing in the night. She was an editor for the New York Times, and he rarely saw her on nights when he was home, but their life made sense. He couldn't be a bachelor his entire life, but he wasn't ready to marry either. His father was on girlfriend number four after 3 marriages, and he had no intention of following in his footsteps in that regard.
Killian was currently the owner of Jones Books, his father, Brennan Jones was the CEO of the corporation, running the business from his penthouse office in New York City. His current store, opening in Manhattan, would be the first Jones Books in the area. It was the 14th store in New York City and a huge success for the company.
He entered the small door at the side of the scaffolding that was hiding the store front from the public. There was an immediate atmosphere of busied workers and painters readying the store for its opening day. He spotted his best friend and branch manager of the newest store, Belle French.
"Where's the contractor?" He asked as Belle saw him enter the building.
She exhaled loudly. "It's been one thing after another, the bookshelves for the second floor are going to be late, the contractor hit a deer with his van last night, he won't be in until tomorrow, and none of the electrical outlets are working…"
"That's great news." Killian said absentmindedly.
"What? Are you even listening to me?"
"Of course, I am, so where's the contractor?"
"Killian, I just told you he hit a deer with his van."
"Oh." Killian stopped walking and looked around the store. "Where are the shelves?"
"Ok what's going on with you?"
"I'm sorry, I guess I am just not hearing anything today except for the beating of my heart and the fresh breeze in my ears. It's beautiful really."
"Did you and Milah get engaged?"
"Bloody hell, of course not. Why would you ask that?" He chuckled.
"I thought you loved Milah?"
"I do, I suppose. She's tough as nails and one of the most talented women I know." Belle looked at him suspiciously. "Besides you, of course." He tapped her on the cheek. "So, where's the sign? I think it's about time we announce that we are coming, don't you think?"
"This is Manhattan, the moment you do that they will be lining up around the block." Belle laughed.
"Yes to picket the big bad chain store that destroys civilization. We've been here before, they'll hate us when we open but we will win them over with our sweeping square footage, our luxuriously comfortable armchairs, our deep discounts and self-checkout lanes, as well as the…"
"Cappuccino?"
"Exactly." He winked. They finished their walkthrough of the building, signing all the documents he needed to complete before heading toward the downtown office that housed his father.
"Son, how is the Manhattan project coming along?"
"Well, it's got a few bumps, but it will open on time."
"Very well. We will have time to celebrate." His father announced with no fanfare.
"Celebrate what?"
"I'm getting married."
"Again, really father?" Killian couldn't believe his father needed to marry yet another woman.
He father shrugged and carried on. "So, let's talk about the Manhattan store."
Killian's attention drifted off, ignoring the musings of his old man until he was back in his apartment, alone.
He opened his laptop with an almost anxious glee.
Lonelygirl: No one has ever told me I was lovely before. Except maybe my barista at Starbucks, but I only think she said that because I ordered the simplest drink you could ever order. Don't you think that Starbucks requires too much from a person?
Killian laughed loudly, petting Smee's head as he rested his chin on his knee. "She's a funny lass."
JR10: That's a shame, love. It should not be the first time you've ever heard that. Perhaps your barista is smarter than most, though you have a point about Starbucks. You are forced to make at least five decisions at once when stopping at a Starbucks. Size, taste, sweetener, type of milk, straw or lid, it's ridiculous if you ask me. What happened to black, strong, and in a cup?
He sat waiting for a response, staring at the screen until his eyes began to blur. He slammed the lid of his laptop shut. He was being ridiculous. He had no idea who Lonelygirl was, who she was with, what she did with her time. And yet, he waited on her reply like it was the air he needed to breathe. When the door opened and Milah entered, a delicious smelling bag of Chinese takeout in her hands, he tried to imagine that he was just as happy to see her as he was to hear from the woman online.
But even his imagination wasn't that good.
Emma sailed through another day, zipping straight to her laptop the moment she got home to read the newest message from JR10. She snorted as she read the text, quickly typing out a new reply with glee, a small smile spreading across her face at the personal term used for her, love. It was a small thing, it meant nothing, but still it made her heart flutter.
Lonleygirl: This morning on my way to work, the man in front of me ordered a Venti Soy Quadruple Shot Latte with No Foam. All I could think of was how sad that man's life must be. Do you think you are what your coffee order is? I don't even drink coffee, but it concerns me that all these people with complicated coffee orders are going through their day with just as complicated as a life.
She heard the front door open and August returning home from work. She bit her lip watching the screen. JR10 is typing popped up and her heart raced. "I'm back here." She hollered.
August popped his head into the room. "Was thinking we could just order in tonight?"
"Sounds great." She smiled. "I'm exhausted."
"Chinese? Italian?"
"You pick." She offered and he headed back to the living room.
JR10: Wait, you don't even drink coffee? Can I trust a woman that doesn't drink coffee? How do you stay awake? Perhaps you are onto something though. My coffee order is simple. Tall, black, no sweetener or sugar. My life is generally uncomplicated. Take my father on the other hand. He can't decide if he wants whole milk or soy. Sometimes he orders it with Splenda and other times cane sugar. It's like his life. He's getting married again for the 4th time. It's like he can't decide what he wants in that regard either.
She bit her lip, tapping her fingers on the keyboard to return a reply before August came back to the room.
Lonelygirl: I order hot cocoa, whipped cream, with a dash of cinnamon. It's like breakfast in a cup. Which sounds much more appealing than black coffee.
She frowned at the screen. She didn't want him to think she thought he was unappealing.
Erasing what she had written, she typed again.
Lonelygirl: I order hot cocoa, whipped cream, with a dash of cinnamon. It's like breakfast in a cup. Perhaps a simple life is one worth living? I can't imagine having four husbands. Well not all at once I hope but having four at all. I feel guilty when I wear a different jacket than the one I fell in love with six years ago. It's like I'm cheating on the red one when the black one is calling my name.
He started typing and she considered waiting for the reply, but instead she closed the lid of her laptop, hopped off the bed and joined her boyfriend for dinner. JR10 would have to wait until tomorrow.
"Belle and I are concerned about the neighborhood reaction to the superstore." Killian was walking around his father's office.
"Dad is too concerned about his upcoming nuptials." His brother Liam joked from the other side of his father's desk.
"Why are you marrying this one?"
"I have no idea. Why does anyone get married?"
"Love?" Killian mused.
"I suppose that could be one reason."
"I think you're a damn fool." Liam shrugged.
"Liam is four, it would be nice if his father were married to his mother." His father retorted.
"Now you're worried about semantics, but naming your son after your other son, didn't seem like a problem?" Liam complained with his arms crossed in front of him.
Suddenly his father looked up from his laptop and hollered. "Sad news boys."
Killian sat on the couch and ran his hands over the material. "What is this fabric called?"
"Money." His brother said succinctly.
"Merry Men Books on 23rd are going out of business." His father announced and Liam held up his hand to high five him.
"Another independent bites the dust." His brother cheered.
"What's left in that part of the neighborhood?" His brother inquired.
Killian opened the file on his lap. "Small bookstore on Amsterdam and 86th, and then there is something called The Golden Swan, a children's bookstore."
"Ah yes, Mary Margaret's daughter, Emma."
"Mary Margaret?" Liam inquired.
"Not another wife." Killian groaned.
"Mary Margaret Blanchard, lovely woman. I tried to date her once, but she only had eyes for this hot-headed detective. Ah the one that got away. I believe she died of cancer a few years ago. Her daughter, Emma owns the store now." He sighed.
"Tough luck for her." Liam frowned before diving back into his work on his computer.
Killian hated talking about the ugly part of business. Putting people out of business, while necessary, seemed hardly jovial discussion.
When Killian returned to his apartment he rushed to his laptop, clicking into his discord to get his messages. She wears leather jackets. Somehow he feels like that is a sign screaming to him to find this woman. He knows that's ridiculous but still…
JR10: There was a lot to unpack in that, love. Somehow red leather jacket stuck out the most. I think a leather jacket suddenly makes someone 1000% times more attractive. Perhaps that's just me.
Emma hurried on her way to work, grabbing her cocoa from Starbucks before opening the shop. Ruby walked in shortly after with Will hot on her heels. "But she was beautiful." He was saying with a far-off daze.
"Who was beautiful?" Emma inquired as they approached the counter.
"Will's in love." Ruby announced dryly.
"Who is she?"
"I have no idea. She was standing outside my apartment with the police and reporters."
"Oh my, why were they there?"
"Someone died."
Emma stood shocked. "Who died?"
"I wasn't paying attention to all that bloody mess."
"Well, that's terrible, but also great, I guess. You fell in love. Congratulations." Emma laughed as Ruby gave her a sneaky grin.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Will continued. "You better come with me." He added seriously.
Emma stood between Will and Ruby staring up at the large sign on the building across the street from them. "Coming soon, A Jones Books Superstore."
"Well, this doesn't concern us." Emma turned back toward her shop.
"Doesn't concern us? Are you barking mad?" Will remarked.
"They are just a large, impersonal, box full of ignorant salespeople and don't care a thing about the books, the people…"
"They discount, Emma." Ruby exclaimed. "A lot."
"No one will care when they can come to Golden Swan and hear a tale that makes their child's eyes light up and their hearts soar with joy."
"They'll care when it will cost them 60% less to read the same story." Will snorted under his breath.
"So, what, this will be the book district. If they don't have it, we will. This block is big enough for the both of us." Emma put her hands on her hips, glaring up one last time at the large bookstore before turning and walking away.
When she returned home that night and told August about the Jones Books moving in across the street he was furious.
"Corporate America will be the death of us all." He paced the room in front of her. "You know what you're gonna do, Emma? You're gonna take that Jones Books down. Show them what you're made of."
"You really think so?" Emma smiled as August wrapped his arms around her.
"I know so. You will be the savior for all the little guys. You just need to believe in yourself."
"But what exactly is it that I do?" She mused. "I mean really all I do is that I run a bookstore."
"You really think that's all you do? Because I don't. I think you have a noble profession."
Emma narrowed her eyes. "The savior, huh? Yeah. I'm going to the be the savior for all the little guys." She repeated with gusto.
"Good for you, Emma." August said before turning to his phone and reading the comments on his latest podcast. "Sorry I need to take care of this." He wandered away from her mumbling as he read the comment that had apparently angered him.
Emma sighed, looking at her bookshelf, stacks of children's novels lining each one. She raked her fingers across the bindings, her heart feeling sad for reasons she didn't understand.
She sat down at her desk, pulling her laptop toward her.
Lonelygirl: Have you ever wondered about your life? More specifically why you do what you do? I lead a quiet life. But sometimes I wonder why I do it. Do I do it because I like it or because I haven't been brave? Sometimes I wonder if I'm living my life or just remembering something I read in a book. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I guess I'm not really looking for an answer. I'm just sending it out into the void. So, goodnight, void or JR10. Whichever reads this first.
In the morning she met Ruby at Starbucks. Watching her flirt with the man in front of them was almost a treat. Ruby was the best at flirting. It was something Emma was terrible at.
"What if they put us out of business?" Ruby said turning around and facing her.
"No, they couldn't." Emma protested.
"Last night, I went on their website, you know you can order any of their books online and then pick them up in the store. Maybe we should get a website."
"Absolutely not. My mother would have hated the idea. You know what she used to tell me? She would say, Emma, every book you sell is a gift from the heart. You can't do that on the world wide web. You need to do it face to face." Emma smiled at the memory. She looked over at the papers in Ruby's hand. "What are those?"
"Dating service." She laughed. "You fill this out, turn it in and they match you with people who are similar to you."
"That's a stupid way to date."
"You mean opposed to meeting someone online?"
"That's just something I do for fun." She shrugged.
"So, you're still talking to him?"
"I am, but it's not like it's going to go anywhere, not like we're going to meet or anything." She read the paper over Ruby's shoulder. "No cigars?" She pointed.
"Oh yes, I could never date anyone who smokes cigars."
"Oh, that's the worst. I could never date anyone who has a sailboat." She offered.
"What is the point of sailing anyway?" Ruby laughed. "I couldn't imagine just sailing up and down the coast, doing what? Where are you going?"
"Exactly, and then you're just sitting on the top of the boat, trying not to lose your lunch over the edge. Makes no sense at all."
Down on slip 10, Killian bent over, pulling the ropes free from the dock to free his boat, the Jolly Roger. "Killy." He stood and watched his little brother running toward him.
"Hey Liam, are you ready to go sailing, lad?"
"Hello, Killian." He looked up as his future stepmother sauntered down the pier.
"Cora." He responded with a nod.
"Don't I get a kiss, dear?" She leaned forward. "After all, I am going to be your wicked stepmother." Killian pecked her on the cheek with a groan. "Do bring him home safely." She added.
"Goodbye, Mother." He rolled his eyes before picking up his brother and setting him in the boat.
They spent the rest of the day on the water. Liam was a joy to be around, something that could not be said of his future stepmother. He had no idea what his father saw in the woman, but he was also sure that whatever it was wouldn't last long.
"So, Liam, what do you want to do now?"
The boy put his hand on his face and pursed his lips. "Carnival."
"Carnival. Where am I going to find a carnival?" The boy pointed behind him and Killian turned to see children coming from the streets with large handfuls of candy and toys. He seemed to remember a street fair being advertised near the new store, that must be where they were coming from. "Well then. I guess we are going to a carnival, lad."
He wandered through the streets, providing his brother with cotton candy and a small stuffed dog that he won at the fishpond. Looking up his eye was caught by the sign on top of one of the store fronts. "The Golden Swan."
Curious about the competition, he directed the boy toward the store. "You want to buy a book?"
"Jones Books." The boy parroted; he was sure that was something that was taught to him by his father.
"No not Jones Books, we're just going to check out this little store over here." The bell over the door jingled as they entered the small shop. It was like he had entered a fairytale, full of trees and lights and children everywhere running throughout the shop.
In the corner of the store, the children had gathered on the ground, listening to a woman reading a story. He was immediately drawn to her golden hair, fair skin, and the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen.
"There was once a mother duck. This mother duck had no children, for none of her eggs had hatched." The woman spoke in a soothing sound, the children all mesmerized by the sound of her voice, staring at her with expectant eyes and curious faces. "She waited patiently day and night for her babies to hatch. One day, as she was sitting on her nest of eggs the mother duck felt something move beneath her."
The woman turned the page, holding up the book to the children. "CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!" She said in a booming voice and all the children squealed with glee.
"Can I help you find something, Mate?" He turned to see a man standing by the counter.
"Is that a first edition?" He questioned and the man reached into the glass cabinet, pulling the book from its shelf.
"Yes, all of the illustrations are hand drawn and the spine is the original binding which is why it's so…"
"Expensive." Killian said with a laugh.
"Worth so much." He said with an air of annoyance.
Liam came running up behind him, grabbing him around the waist. "Can I get this one?" He held up a book in his hands.
"Um, sure, we can get this."
"Nice choice." He turned to come face to face with the woman who was reading the story. She handed him a bundle of books.
"I want these too." The boy squeaked.
"That's a lot of books." Killian's eyes went wide at the boy with his arms full of books.
"Maybe your dad will let you pick one." The woman said to the boy.
"He's not my dad." Liam pouted.
He smiled at the woman. "I'm the brother."
Her mouth was held slightly agape. "Really?"
"Dad likes them young." He joked. "Um, we'll take these." He grabbed a few books and handed them to the woman.
The small boy sneezed into his jacket and the woman reached behind the counter and grabbed a small object, passing it to the boy. "What do I do with that?" He stared at the cloth in his hand.
"It's a handkerchief. Children really don't know anything anymore, do they?" She sighed. "It's a tissue but you don't throw it away." She explained to Liam. "My mother made this one for me. See it has my initials and a snowbell on it. Because snowbells are my favorite flower." The woman was speaking quickly, and Killian was mesmerized for a moment just listening to her voice.
"Who are you?" He asked, staring at her face.
"Emma Swan. I own this place, and who are you?"
Shit.
"Killian." He offered before reaching into his jacket for his wallet.
"Well Killian, that will be $83." He choked, handing her cash from his wallet. How could anyone charge this much for books? "These books are something that he will grow up with. A good book is like a good friend." Killian nodded. "You'll be back right?"
He nodded, "Of course."
"And that's why we aren't going out of business." She offered defiantly. "Because our customers are loyal."
A woman in a short top came up behind her, "Jones Books is moving in down the street."
"Jones Books." Liam shouted and Killian put his hand over his mouth quickly. "Daddy…" He mumbled.
"Daddy likes to buy books at a discount." Killian chuckled. "That's nothing to be proud of. Shh." He mumbled.
"Not everything is about discounts." Emma added. "You can't put a price on good literature or memories. My mother used to own this store. I would help her after school. She put her heart and soul into this place. She wasn't selling books; she was selling dreams. There is something about reading a book as a child that shapes your identity in a way that no other time in your life can do." She stopped and looked down with a look of embarrassment on her face. "I'm sorry I think I got carried away."
"You have, and you've made me feel…" Staring at the woman, he looked behind her, a photo of a woman sitting on the shelf. "You mother was enchanting."
"Yes, she was. Wait, how did you know that?"
"Well, if she was anything like you." He offered with a shy smile.
"She left me this store. And one day I'm going to leave it to my daughter."
He wanted to crawl in a hole and disappear. "How old is she?"
"Oh, I don't have a daughter."
He narrowed his eyes. "Didn't you just…"
"Oh right, I mean in the future. Goodness, I'm not even married, I can't have a child." She laughed.
"Jones books…" Ruby stated again.
"Can go to bloody hell." The man who showed him the ridiculously expensive books chimed in and Killian felt the need to run.
"Jones Books." Liam sang.
"Ok gotta go." He lifted Liam into his arms and nodded at the woman behind the counter. "Nice meeting you."
"Have a lovely day." Emma said with a wave.
When he returned home feeling tired and frustrated, he was happy to see that Milah was still at work. Pushing his laptop open, he checked his messages for something to brighten his day. Reading his newest message from Lonelygirl brought a smile to his face. She was lovely. That was the only way he thought to describer her. And she truly seemed to understand him.
JR10: What a beautiful sentiment. However, I struggle to believe that you are capable of being anything but brave at any time in your life. Oddly enough, tonight I met someone who made me wonder if perhaps I have been afflicted with just living my life because it is what I do and nothing else. Sorry I know you weren't looking for an answer, but I guess I didn't actually provide you one, but I find that its easier to talk to you than anyone else I know. Is that weird?