Chapter 2
2400 Words
Venus
I put the last book on the trolley and pushed it to the shelves. Storing them one by one in alphabetical order. The strong scent of coffee entered my nose. The smell of paper and ink. My favorite scents here.
Books had been my life.
They taught me a lot. I knew a lot through books. And I loved to be surrounded by them. I could forget about the reality even if it was just for a while.
“Hey, Venus,” someone approached me and I looked to my left.
“Ryan,” I addressed him and he smiled.
“Has my order arrived yet?” he asked.
“Yes, it has. Um, wait for me, okay? I’ll get it for you after I finished this.”
“I’ll help,” he volunteered and was about to grab a book until I stopped him.
“No, Ryan. It’s fine. You’re a patron here and I can’t let you do this.
“I insist. You’ve helped me a lot before,” he said and put the book on the shelves. Without listening to my instruction, he knew how to put them in order. I sighed and positioned the remaining books.
Ryan was a regular here. He was a university student studying journalism at Columbia University. He must be smart as Einstein for able to get there. Well, he usually doing his papers here. “You don’t have any class today?” I asked.
“Just finished this morning,” he answered and we finished putting the books. I pushed the trolly to the register when he asked, “You know? I think you will get tired to listen to what I’m about to say.”
“Then, why bothered, Ryan?” I jokingly asked and he laughed. Honestly, his laugh was kind of cute. It made him look younger despite he was only twenty-one.
“Are you okay working with your condition?” he questioned, stopping me.
I looked at him. “I’m fine, Ryan. And I have to be grateful to your mother for letting me.”
He laughed, sounding nervous. “She’s not my mother, Venus.”
“Oh, right. I’m sorry. It’s just easier to say it.”
“I know.”
I was working in this café bookstore, Bookpresso, the place was owned by Ryan’s stepmother. Maybe that was the easier way to say it because as Ryan told me, Clara was not his mother. Said she met his father when Ryan was a child and he sadly passed away five years ago. Clara kindly took him in. Ryan said they never got married but he knew they loved each other so much. Of course, they were. If not, Clara wouldn’t take Ryan to be her son. Although he never called her mom.
“I was the one who begged Clara to let me work,” I explained.
“I thought your brother is working as the famous salesman,” he said.
“He is but I don’t want to depend on him too much and I am legal to work.”
“Well, speaking of your brother, one of my classmates just bought a car from him.”
“Yeah? How about it?”
“Said he’s an asshole.” I cracked.
“Everybody said Nathan is an asshole.” He laughed again. I reached the register. “Wait here,” I asked him and entered the storeroom. “Hi, Samuel,” I greeted. He was one of the staff here. He was the one who took care of the books that just got here, including the patron’s preorder or new ones. This bookstore provided a service where the patron could ask us to order a book that was not available here. As long we managed to get it and the patron was okay with the price, we would stock it for them. And in this case, Ryan’s order. “I want to take Ryan’s order,” I told him.
“Sure. Wait for me here, gorgeous.” He went further inside. Returning with Ryan’s book as I thanked him.
I went back inside and saw Ryan was talking with Clara. He looked at me first and followed by Clara, meeting her stunning hazel eyes. She smiled. “Hi, Venus.”
“Hi, Clara. Here you go, Ryan.” I handed the book to him.
“Thanks, Venus.”
I looked back at Clara again. Honestly, if Ryan never told me she was not his biological mother, I would be fooled instantly. They looked almost identical, especially their brown hair. Although Ryan’s eyes were brown. But I was glad to see their relationship was fine and they were so close.
Clara turned to me again, meeting her hazel orbs. Warm like the sun. Like the color of the sweet honey. They were just so pretty and hypnotizing. And when she smiled, the color enhanced. Making them even more gorgeous. “Have you had your break already, dear?” she asked, breaking me from admiring her.
“Oh, mine is at one.”
She nodded. “It’s five past one now.” What? I looked at the clock hanging in the back. She was right. Five past one. “Why don’t you take a break with Ryan, dear? What do you want for lunch?”
I looked back at Clara. “No, it’s okay, Clara. I brought my own.”
“Ah, must be Judith’s.”
“Yes. I’ll get it now then.” I headed to the staff room. Grabbing my lunch box. Judith made it for me. She made two for me and Nathan. Well, for her as well. Since it became a habit for Judith to wake up earlier, she made lunchboxes for all of us. That was very nice of her though.
I went back and saw Ryan was waiting for me. Clara was nowhere to be seen. Must be greeting the other patrons. Ryan and I went to the café and took a seat near the window. He had ordered the burger and a latte. I opened my box and saw brown rice with grilled chicken on top and some salad. Ryan whistled. “They look yummy.”
“They are. I can share them with you.”
He shook his head. “Thanks, Venus. But that’s your lunch. I already have my order and I will continue working on my paper later. I’m going to need to drink more than food.” I smiled thankfully. “Go on. You can eat first. Don’t feel bad to eat first before me.”
“Okay then.” I spooned the rice with a small piece of chicken. Oh, this was so good. It didn’t take long for Ryan’s order to arrive and he started his lunch as well. The smell of the smoky beef burger together with the latte. They looked tasty too. I hadn’t tried most of the menu here but they were delicious. I liked the bagel. The coffee was great as well. I remembered Nathan came here before to meet up with his client and he complimented the coffee.
“Are you okay eating meat?” Ryan asked, returning my eyes to his lovely brown orbs.
“Yes.”
“Good.” And he put a big piece of his beef patty to me.
“Ryan—”
“The beef is delicious,” he cut me first. “This must be Clara’s idea.”
“It is. She’s a great cook.”
“She is.”
“Well, thank you, Ryan.” I cut the patty into a smaller piece and pushed it into my mouth. Feeling how juicy and tender the meat was. So delicious. All the menus here and including the drinks were Clara’s idea. Ryan told me she loved to cook and bake. She built this bookstore because of his father. Said he loved to read and to honor him, Clara opened Bookpresso.
Ryan’s father used to be a reporter. He mostly involved in politics which Ryan thought was the reason he got himself killed. He told me he went to cover news about a certain politician involved with a murderer. Instead, his father came back in a body bag. No one knew the cause of his death until now. Even the police pulled up the white flag. Clara and Ryan knew, the government must be hiding the truth from them. Even to his family. There was nothing they could do. That’s why when I came to know Ryan and we talked a lot, he said he didn’t want to report anything about politics. Said the world was too dirty for him and he didn’t want to get in there. Clara agreed too.
I looked down and scooped some of the rice and chickens and gave them to Ryan. Made him dumbfounded but then he laughed. “Maybe this is how I could get your food,” he joked and I laughed.
Ryan was with me until my break was over. I went back to the bookstore while Ryan remained at our table doing his paper. I spent most of my day at the store. Arranging the books and sometimes behind the register.
I loved this.
I loved my new life.
I loved this job.
And maybe one day, I could forget about Micah completely.
***
I didn’t realize my working hour almost ended when I looked at the clock. Almost eight.
Nathan had texted me saying he was on his way here. “Okay,” I murmured until someone rang the bell as I saw a man with a woman.
“Excuse me, Miss? We would like to play,” the man said.
“Yes, sure!” I immediately went there and grabbed the books they wanted to buy. Scanning the barcode and putting the books inside the paper bag. Receiving his credit card to pay, I handed the bag once everything was completed. “Here you go.”
“Thank you, Miss. Have a lovely night.”
“You too,” I said, watching them leaving me. Her hands around his arms. The man was smiling at her. Showing the eyes full of love and adoration. The woman was looking at him like he was the center of her world. And something panged inside of me. I looked away. You can do this, Venus. Seeing couples will not bother me anymore.
“You’re okay, dear?” Clara appeared behind me, looking at me in worry.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
She walked closer. “You must be tired.”
“No, I’m fine, really.”
“Ah, you envy looking at them?” Direct hit. I looked down in shame. “Venus, I understand how you feel, to lose someone you love.”
“Yes, but yours is more devastating than mine. I can’t compare that.”
“You can’t but I understand your pain. But you have to stay strong for now. Luke’s death is devastating to me. But I can’t stay in my sorrow forever. I have Ryan I need to take care of. He’s the one who keeps me going. I made a promise to Luke too before he died that I would treat Ryan as my own son. And I don’t want to stay in the darkness where I used to be.”
“The darkness?” I asked.
“Yes. My life was completely different before I met Luke, dear. He brought me out and I want to stay like this even when he’s gone already. I have to move on.” Move on. Something that I kept telling myself to do but was still unable to. Clara touched my shoulders and said, “It’s not easy but it’s worth it in the end.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Clara.”
Her lips formed a smile too. “Don’t forget to grab the remaining pastries before you go home. I’ll prepare them for you.”
“Okay.” Clara left me and I looked at the clock again. Eight on the dot. Time to close.
I went to the door until it was opened and a man walked in. He was wearing a light grey suit jacket with black shirts underneath. His hair was dark blond with the same color stubbles. His eyes were bright blue. And then he smiled. “Good evening. Are you about to close?” he asked.
“Y-Yes. Are you looking for a certain book?”
“I do. Stephen Kings’ novels. Do you have them?”
“We do. Please follow me,” I asked as I guided him to the S section. “There they are. Our Stephen Kings’ collection.”
“Thank you.” He scanned the books. This guy was quite tall and he smelled like musk and freshwater being combined. And he reached out. Seeing his long and delicate fingers grabbing the book he wanted. For a man’s size, his fingers were beautiful. Did I just think about that? He looked back at me. “I want this.” I looked at the book. IT.
I smiled. “Is there anything else?”
“No.”
“Okay.” I guided him back to the register. “Do you like Stephen Kings?” I asked when we’d arrived at the cashier.
“He makes the best horror novels.”
“I agree.”
“And I love IT. I’ve seen the movie but reading it makes it better.”
“Why?”
“Because the clown shows the children what is their greatest fear and uses it as their weaknesses. I guess it reminds me of what society really is. To never show our weaknesses or we will be killed by it.”
To never show our weaknesses or we will be killed by it.
Somehow, I understood what he was saying. However, I didn’t know why, the way this guy was saying that…it became scarier. His voice was cold. Bitter. There was no emotion. And the weird part was he sounded like he liked that.
Snapping my mind away from it, “Thank you for your patronage, sir,” I thanked him by handing the bag to him.
He grabbed it while smiling. His eyes, however, were not. “My pleasure.” He finally left and I instantly could breathe easily.
Who is that man?
- Writer
