Chapter 202: Bookstore

Thursday, January 19th, Morning

The early morning snuck through the curtains in the room. At first, Ellie pulled the covers over her head. That moment, a pure moment of bliss, where you get five more minutes before you have to start your day. After a few relaxing breaths, sleep was beginning to return, and her smartphone alarm went off.

Reaching out from under the covers, she shut off the alarm. Pulling the smartphone under the covers, and she clicked open an app. Looking over the information in the app, which had everything Ellie had to do today. Shaking her head, she threw off the covers and got out of bed.

Looking around the bedroom of Beaulieu Manor, Ellie nodded. She was here, and not the small apartment she had been assigned to her in the Carriage House at Leighton. Aunt Brooke insisted she stay at Beaulieu. Ellie knew because Brooke wanted to keep an eye on her.

They serve breakfast here, Ellie reflected, but she needed to dress for it. That's Brooke's rules. Ellie nodded and went to her suitcase and dug out her clothes. Most of the clothes were what she'd wear down here. Ellie slipped out of the clothes she wore to bed and put on the clothes she chose.

Once dressed, Ellie headed down to the family dining room. As she walked into the dining room, she found Brooke already up. Ellie noted that Brooke sat at the head of the table.

"I didn't expect to see you down here first," Brooke said, looking up from her papers and tablet.

"It's best not to stay down once you're awake," Ellie said.

Brooke nodded, "Well, help yourself, the rest of the house should be down soon," she said.

"Thanks," Ellie said and headed to the buffet table. She started to make up her breakfast plate. Slowly, Ellie began to head back to the dining table.

Ellie heard footsteps in the hall; she stopped and looked at the doorway. A short brownish-brunette teenager walked into the room. They looked at each other and smiled.

"Hey Ellie," Keni said, walked over to the buffet.

"Hey Keni," Ellie said and started back, heading towards the dining table.

Before Ellie could reach the table, someone else came into the room. Ellie's blue eyes locked onto the new girl's green eyes. This teenager stood about the same height as Ellie, and they had the same curly light blonde hair. The teenager smiled and took a step towards Ellie, and then a second which soon accelerated to a run.

"Ellie!" Sawyer said; in an excited tone almost in the volume of a yell and hugged her big sister.

Ellie held her plate out of the way so Sawyer's attack wouldn't spill it. A smile broke on Ellie's face as she wrapped her free arm around her baby sister.

"Sawyer," Ellie said, in not as excited tone.

"I didn't know you were coming home," Sawyer said.

"Neither did I," Ellie said.

"So, how long are you staying?" Sawyer asked.

"I don't know," Ellie said.

"Well, I have two games coming up, you have to come," Sawyer said.

"I'll try," Ellie said, "How about you get breakfast, and we'll talk."

"Okay," Sawyer said, her voice in a squeal, and she let go of Ellie.

Sawyer went off, bounced like Tigger was a better descript Ellie noted, towards the buffet, and Ellie took a seat at the table. Looking across the table, Ellie saw Keni sitting at the table. The younger of the two teenagers sat in the chair, one foot, on the chair, and milk was dribbling down her chin.

Sawyer came bouncing over to the table and took her seat next to Keni. Ellie studied the two girls across from her. Keni looks like she had just rolled out of bed, while Sawyer looked impeccably dressed.

Ellie just smiled; she didn't understand her sister and sister-in-law. Some of that was the age difference, but part of it was their personalities. Ellie knew them well enough to know they weren't just the two girls they presented themselves and sat before her.

"So, Ellie, how long are you in town for?" Keni asked, repeating Sawyer's question and in-between the dribbles of her milk.

"Probably until sometime in February," Ellie said.

"Oh, needed a break from New York?" Keni asked.

"Yeah," Ellie said, "You can say that."

"Where's dad?" Ellie asked.

"He gets up early and heads to work," Sawyer said in a low voice.

"Oh, okay, I didn't get to see him last night," Ellie said.

"Well, that's dad," Sawyer said.

Ellie nodded, "Sadly, yes, that's him," she said.

"You have to come to our games, Ellie," Sawyer said.

Ellie nodded, "Do you still pick apart the games?" she asked.

Sawyer's cheek took on a shade of the color red. Keni laughed and looked at Ellie. "Yes, she does," Keni said.

Ellie smiled at her baby sister. Sawyer nodded; Ellie had caught her in her habit.

Before Ellie could say anything, two younger people came through the door. Ellie turned to the door, looking over her shoulder, and saw a ten-year-old and a six-year-old standing in the door. The ten-year-old, a girl smiled, tentatively.

"Aunt Ellie?" Nomi asked.

Ellie nodded, "Yes," she said.

"Oh, My God!" Nomi screeched, "Aunt Ellie!" The little girl ran towards the sitting Ellie.

Ellie smiled as her niece hugged her. With a nod, she noticed that Nomi was a tall girl. They separated and smiled at each other.

"Nomi," Brooke said.

Nomi looked over Ellie towards Brooke, "Yes, Nana Brooke?" she asked.

"We don't use language like that," Brooke said.

"I'm sorry, Nana Brooke," Nomi said.

Nomi's little brother came over to Ellie. He looked at Ellie and smiled. "Auntie Ellie," he said.

"Ellis," Ellie said.

"You're here," Ellis said.

"Yes, I am," Ellie said.

"Nomi, Ellis," Brooke said, "eat breakfast, you two have school."

"Yes, Nana Brooke," Nomi said.

"Yes, Nana Brooke," Ellis said.

Ellie turned back to her plate to finish breakfast. There seemed like typical banter between the occupants at the table. Slowly, everyone finished up and would leave for school or in Brooke's case, the West Range.

After finishing breakfast, Ellie returned to her borrowed bedroom. Looking through her stuff, finding the things she needed, and her jacket.

Ellie headed out to the East Range parking area. Her dad pulled a car out of the Carriage House for her to use. Looking the car over, she wondered when this car came into the family's possession. She'd been in New York for a while, and her dad had sold her old car.

Climbing into the car, she headed out of Beaulieu. Since moving to New York City, Ellie rarely came home, except for spending most of a year down here, four years ago. So, the changes to her hometown were stark to her. She noted a parking pass, so that meant Ellie could park in specific lots without paying for parking. That will come in handy today.

As Ellie reached downtown Tree Hill, having taken an along that all too familiar route. Finding the parking lot she wanted, Ellie parked the car and headed over to a strip of stores. The air was cold; it was colder than she remembered. It was almost as cold as New York City.

Ellie looked over the store she stood in front of, a simple bookstore named The First Story. There were many hours she spent inside the store. Taking a deep breath, Ellie pushed open the door and walked in. Looking around, she took a deep breath and smelt the smell of old books. The memories and love of independent bookstores returned to her thought as she looked around the store.

As many things indeed change, they remain the same. A few sections have moved around, and there were a few new shelves. Also, Ellie noted some of the other furniture is new.

"Ellie?" someone asked.

Ellie turned around to look at the counter. A brown-haired woman was standing behind the counter. They locked eyes, and the brown-haired woman studied Ellie.

"Yes," Ellie said.

"I thought that was you," The brown-haired woman said.

"Jolie?" Ellie asked, tilting her head slightly.

The brown-haired woman smiled. "So, you didn't forget about me," she said. Ellie looked at her, the woman's name is Jolie Morgan, and she was Ellie's oldest friend.

"No, I can't forget you," Ellie said.

Jolie smiled, "I figured that living the high life in New York City, you'd forget us small folk," she said.

"No, it's not glamourous," Ellie said, "Not glamourous at all."

"So, is this big to do for your dad bring you home?" Jolie asked.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah, with Keith being away, I figure I needed to be here for my dad," she said.

"He's not the only one away," Jolie said.

"JP is away too?" Ellie asked.

Jolie nodded, "Yeah, he is," she said.

"Oh, I didn't know," Ellie said.

"Yeah," Jolie said, "one moment."

"Okay," Ellie said and watched as Jolie clicked her microphone that hung by her chin.

"Mark, come up to the front counter," Jolie said.

Ellie canted her head, "What's going on?" she asked.

"Just something," Jolie said, "So, how long are you in town for?"

"At least sometime in February," Ellie said.

"So, did you come down looking for hours?" Jolie asked.

Ellie shook her head, "No," she said, "Just wanted to visit someplace important."

Jolie smiled and looked past Ellie. "Mark, could you bring me all the Anna Becca's," she said.

"Sure," Mark, a young sales associate, said and headed off.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked.

"Well, two things," Jolie said, "One, there are three authors from this city, and I need to have the third sign their book. Two, my dad would kill me if I let you go without signing."

"It's all business?" Ellie asked.

Jolie shook her head, "No," she said, "Just mostly business."

Ellie shrugged, "I guess, I deserve that," she said.

"You think," Jolie said, "You disappear eight years ago, reappear four years ago, to disappear again, just to reappear today. One would think you're running for President."

"Life took me down a different path than I expected," Ellie said.

Jolie nodded, "Damnit Ellie, you and I were going to take over this store, you went to New York just to visit Trin, and you didn't come back," she said.

"My book sold, and I had to stay in the city," Ellie said.

"Not because of Trin?" Jolie asked.

"No, it was because of that damn book," Ellie said.

"It felt like I lost to Trin, again," Jolie said.

"It was the book," Ellie said.

"So, why did you stay in New York?" Jolie asked.

"When I came home four years ago, I knew I couldn't stay, and you know why," Ellie said.

Jolie nodded and looked over to Mark, coming over with three books. He put them on the counter. "Thank you, Mark," she said.

"You're welcome," Mark said and headed off.

Jolie looked at Ellie and held out a pen.

Ellie nodded, stepped forward, and took the pen. "Just generic?" Ellie asked.

"One for the store, please," Jolie said.

Ellie leaned forward and signed the books and made the last one out to the store. She slid the books back to Jolie. "Tell your dad, I stopped by," Ellie said and handed the pen back to Jolie.

Jolie took hold of the pen. "TRIC, Tuesday night," she said and took the pen.

Ellie nodded and turned to walk away. Jolie collected the three books up.