Sorry I have not written in awhile, folks :'( hope I can still get reviews!
Elvina had to force herself to get up that morning. She was very thankful that today wasn't her shift at the Boulanger Bakery, considering what happened last night. Besides, she could use a break. Elvina got dressed slowely, afraid of the mood her mother will be in.
What if she grounds me? What if she starts yelling at me? What if she makes me work at the Boulanger bakery today as punishment?
After she was dressed, she slowely creeped down the stairs into the kitchen. The table was still lopsided on the ground, and the pills were still every where on the ground. Elvina peered into the living room to see that her mother had fallen asleep oln the couch. She's been doing that alot, ever since her husband had left her.
A lump formed in Elvina's throat at the thought of her father. But she quickly shook it off and went into the kitchen. With some difficulty, she put the table back into it's place and cleaned up the pills, throwing them out.
Elvina propped herself on the counter and looked out the window. The sun was out for once, and there was no snow falling from the sky. A fresh blanket of snow could be seen out in the yard. Elvina had this urge to go outside. But as she was getting her coat on, the phone rang.
She jumped, and quickly ran to answer it, in fear it might wake up her mother. "Bonjour?" She whispered.
"Bonjour, is this Elvina?"
"Oui?"
"It's Isabelle."
Elvina bit her lip. "Good morning, Izzy." She whispered.
"Why...are you whispering?" Isabelle asked her. Elvina explained how her and her mum had a bit of a disagreement last night and she didn't want to wake her.
"Oh, alright...well...you aren't working at your mum's bakery today are you?" Isabelle asked her. Elvina quickly answered: "No. Why?"
Isabelle continued. "Well...and I know we had our disagreements yesterday but...I need your help..."
Elvina leaned against the kitchen table. "I'm listening..."
"I was supposed to help papa Georges in his toy shop today but...I've...got oher things to do...so I can't. Will you please do the shift for me today? Pretty please?" Isabelle begged. Elvina sighed. "When you say you have other things to do...you mean?"
"Nothing really..."
"Helping Hugo and his notebook, hmmm?" Elvina pressed.
Isabelle sighed. "Oh, El, please don't be mad!I know he stole from you and Papa but...I...I just need toi help him. Please?"
Elvina was silent.
"El?" Isabelle pressed on. Elvina took a deep breath. "Fine. But I'm not doing this for you...I'm doing this for Georges...when shall I be there?"
"Oh thank you so much, Elvina!" Isabelle gushed. "in about an hour."
"That'll be just enough time for me to get there. Bye, Izzy." And Elvina quietly hung up the phone. Before leaving, Elvina took a pen and paper and wrote a quick note to her mother, letting her know where she'll be. She stuck it on the fridge, put on a coat and headed out the door, biking to the train station.
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Hugo nervously walked around the train station that morning. He was feeling rather bitter, about the weather, his notebook, his hunger...
But at least, he thought, there was some hope for his notebook. With a deep breath, Hugo marched forwards and headed towards the toy shop. He had to get it back.
Sure enough, Georges was there, at the counter as usual, attending the shop. Hugo just went out and said it to him: "Give me my notebook."
Georges narrowed his eyes. "No."
"I know...I know you still have it." Hugo gulped.
"Oh? And how do you know that?" Georges asked him.
Hugo was a little bit speechless, just then, a girl appeared from behind the counter. The one with long brown hair, glasses and was holding a broom. She was the girl from the bakery. Elvina.
"Georges I finished up in the back but I'm having troubles cleaning out the cupbard...it appears to be stuck."
Georges took his eyes off of Hugo and faced Evanna. "Oh, yes, that old cupbard is always getting stuck."
Elvina took notice of Hugo. "What are you doing here?"
"I want my notebook back," Hugo said looking at Georges again. Georges sighed and Elvina leaned on her broom. "Don't do it, Georges. He's a theif, and he got his own medicine."
Hugo felt a jab of pain inside of him. Why is she so cold?
"Look...I'm sorry if I was stealing from your bakery, Elvina, and your toyshop Georges...but...I really need that notebook back." Hugo said.
"Well, unfortuately for you, I don't have it with me rfight now, Mr. Cabret." Georges said.
"If you really want it that badly, Hugo," Elvina piped in. "Maybe you should earn it back...you know?" She looked at Georges. "Make him work for it."
Georges nodded and considered it. "I like that idea...well boy, what do you say? Either that or nothing." Georges said.
Hugo hesitated, feeling a little unsure, but soon gave in. "OK."
The old man opened up a nearby drawer and took out a napkin with broken pieces in it. "Fix it." He said. Hugo took it and opened it. Inside was the remaining contents of the broken toy mouse he tried stealing.
"I need my tools." Hugo said.
Georges brought up a tin can of tools. "There."
Hugo hesitated but got to work. he could feel Elvinas and Georges' eyes on him as he worked. he screwed parts back together, hammered edges and glued things together, when finally, he was done. He set it onto the counter.
Georges picked it up and wound it up, setting it back down ontoi the counter, and the mouse began moving around. Hugo smiled slightly and Elvina's eyes grew and she looked at Hugo in shock.
"Good, now come in, and go help Elvina at the back with the cupboards." Georges said motioning Hugo in. Hugo shyly came through the door and entered the shop, looking around. It was a small toy shop, with shelfs and open cupoards full of old toys, trinkets and books.
"This way," Elvina said heading to the back. Hugo quickly followed after, and realised they headed into a little storage room.
"Here," Elvina said kneeling infront of a cupboard on the ground. Hugo looked down at her. "What are we doing with it?"
Elvina looked up at him. "We need to pry this bad boy open."
Hugo looked at her with confusion. "But...why?"
"Georges says that there are some new toys in here that he wants to desplay on the shelves. Now, c'mon, are you gonna help me or what?"
Hugo quickly went down on his knees and went beside Elvina. The two both grabbed onto the cupboard door.
"Ready? One...two...three!"
The two pulled as hard as they could, but it didn't budge. Elvina let go and let out a frustrated sigh. "Ok...we'll try it again."
Hugo nodded and gripped the handle tightly again, along with Elvina. They pulled again, and this time "Pow!" It budged.
They both stumbled over onto the ground, Elvina landing on Hugo.
She let out a groan and opened her eyes, quickly realizing what happened, she scrambled oof of him and stood up, her cheeks burning red.
Hugo propped himself up and could feel his face burning, aswell. "Well...we got it open."
Elvina quickly turned her attention back to the cupboard. "Yeah, we did. C'mon, let's bring these toys to Georges."
They each to a handful and brought them over to him.
"Ah! Wonderful, you two got it open." Georges observed. Elvina nodded in response.
"Okay, now, over there there's an empty shelf that I want you to put them on, afterwards, make a sign that says "New Toys" Got it?"
"Yes, sir, c'mon, Hugo." Hugo followed Elvina to the shelf and they got to work.
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An hour went by and Elvina was feeling a little exhausted. Now Hugo and Elvina had to clean the top of one of the bookshelves in the shop. Hugo brought out the ladder and placed it against the shelf.
"Hold it steady," Elvina told him putting her foot onto it. Hugo nodded and gripped it tight. Elvina looked back at him. "Because if I fall - "
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Hugo interupted her.
"-I will sue you-"
"I get it." Hugo said rolling his eyes.
Elvina rolled her eyes back at him and climbed up, wiping nthe top shelf, thinking to herself:
Why does he have to be so darn annoying at times? Gosh...
After she was done, she jumped down and handed Hugo the bucket of water and sponge. "Ok, now it's your turn, c'mon, this shelf." She lead him over and carried the ladder.
"Yes, ma'am." he muttered under his breath. Elvina placed the ladder against the shelf and held it firmly as he climbed up.
Georges came in. "Well, very well done...it's almost closing time...so you're free to go." Georges said. Elvina took the apron off and hung it up. Georges paid her. "Thanks, Georges."
Hugo turned to Georges. "Can I have my notebook, now?"
Georges shook his head. "You haven't worked it off yet. Come back tomorrow, you too, Elvina."
Elvina looked at him. "You want me back?"
Georges nodded. "You've been an excellent help...you wouldn't mind, would you? You would still be paid."
Elvina smiled. "No, not at all...I could use the extra money, I'll try to be here as much as I can."
"Whenever you're done at the bakery, your shift ends at 3, right?"
Elvina nodded: "Most days."
"Good, I'll see you then." and Georges led them out.
Haha, I decided to give Isabelle the nick name Izzy ;)
So please tell me what you think? And I'm trying to write more! xx