Broken Inside

28 - The Bookstore

Alex was on her way out for a lunch date with Ethan in the city. She decided to use a different purse to match her outfit. She was standing over the breakfast counter, moving items from one bag to another. She fished out a card from the bottom of the bag and realised that it was the name card of the man from the bakery. 

Andy Williams. Hmm...

Alex turned the card over in her hands, wondering if she should take him up on his offer. After all, one can never have too many books.

She glanced at the time. She has to leave now otherwise she will be late for Ethan. She stashed the card into her purse and hurried out. 

Lunch with Ethan was long and entertaining, as usual. So many juicy gossips, stories and anecdotes to share within a small time frame. After lunch, they bid their farewell, with kisses on each cheeks, and went their separate ways.

Alex walked past Barnes & Noble and she paused in front of the display window. Books. She reached into her purse and retrieved the name card. Williams' Books. Perhaps it won't hurt to have a quick visit. Having made up her mind, she turned away from the window and flagged down a taxi.

An hour later, the taxi stopped right in front of Williams' Books. Alex paid the driver and stepped out from the car. She looked up at the faded green and gold letters shop sign. The shop must have been here for years, she thought. She looked up and down the street. Most of the shops are aged, except for a few with shiny new signs, which showed the maturity of the area.

When she entered the shop, the sound of a bell rang out. She looked up and noticed the old fashioned shop doorbell mounted on the wall above the door. She couldn't help but smile. A touch of vintage in a used bookstore. How quaint. 

The bookstore itself was not big, but it was crammed with shelves filled with books from floor to ceiling, up against the right wall, from the front all the way to the back. The cashier counter was built against the left wall, and beside it, towards the back of the shop, was a small office. 

When the bell rang, a little girl exited the office and approached Alex with a smile. She was no older than twelve. Her long red hair was tied into pigtails, her eyes were green and she had freckles on her cheeks. She was quite pretty.

"Hi, welcome to Williams' Books. How may I assist you?" the little girl greeted her.

"Hi," Alex greeted back, "What's your name?"

"Ashley," the girl replied with a smile.

"Hi Ashley, I'm Alex. I'm looking for-"

Before she could finish, Ashley interrupted her. "Like Alexander the Great!" she exclaimed excitedly. Ashley rushed towards the counter and grabbed a book. She held it up for Alex to see. "This book is written by Jane Bingham," Ashley shared, "I'm reading it for extra credit in English."

Alex smiled and took the book from her. She flipped through the pages. "Are you enjoying it?"

Ashley shrugged. "I prefer the Harry Potter books."

"I like them too," Alex said and Ashley grinned.

"So who's your favourite author?" she asked.

"Jane Austen."

"Ooh! We have them over here!" 

Ashley took Alex's hand and pulled her to the closest shelves. Standing on tiptoes, she grabbed a book and handed it to Alex. It was a hardcover version of Pride and Prejudice. 

"This one is in good condition," Ashley said, pointing at the book. "Dad bought it from a garage sale in New Haven."

Alex flipped through the book and nodded in agreement. "It's almost like new," she remarked.