March 22, 2015
A S P E N
When I get in the book store this morning, the last thing I expected is to see my mum in the office, crying her eyes out. Without hesitation, I run through the door to get where she is, and hug her. She hugs me back, comforting me as I comfort her.
"Aspen. I can't handle owning this place. I don't know anything about being here... Unlike you. I think... I think you should be the one that the bookstore is passed down to." She says.
"What? No." Tears are streaming down my round face, just from seeing my mum distraught. "Grandma opened this shop to pass it down to you. Not me."
"Chloe doesn't want to own it. And I don't either. You're like Grandma, you have a passion for this place. You won't admit it, but you do, I can tell. You would've quit a long time ago if you didn't like it here."
My mind is reeling and spinning, like a tornado has just started to rev up inside my brain.
My voice barely a whisper, "I- I can't. I don't know anything ab-about owning an actual store."
"You can do it. I believe in you. Dad and I will help. So will Chloe."
Nodding, I hug her again. A few sniffles and nose wipes later, Mum let's me go. She doesn't say anything, she just leaves a kiss on my forehead and stalks out the shop. The shop that's now mine. At age eighteen, I'm the owner of a bookstore. It's too unreal. And scary. But, I'll make sure Grandma Lil's Bookstore stays alive, to keep Grandma's spirit alive with it.
I don't know how to feel. All of a sudden, a big bag of bricks has been dropped on top of my head, yet the bricks are like feathers in a pillow.
I call the first person that I know is free at this hour of eight o'clock in the morning. He answers at three rings.
Practically shouting I say, "Calum! Calum! Guess what?"
"What?" Groggy as hell, Calum replies.
"You are talking to the owner of Grandma Lil's Bookstore." I say, tears still pouring, but in happiness, actual happiness... and a portion of fright.
There's a possibility I'm not ready to own a franchise and I fail, making Grandma's shop and legacy fail along with me. But, I push those thoughts aside, deciding to be positive for once.
"Really?" Calum perks up. "Grandma left it to you?"
Him calling my grandma his grandma fills my heart up with a warm and fuzzy feeling. It shows me that everyone loved her- enough to call her Grandma when she wasn't their grandmother at all. It makes me smile.
"Well, no. But Mum said she really didn't want it, and neither did Chloe, so she gave it to me..." My breathing gets slower as I just think of my future in this place. This us what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, I know it. "Calum..."
"What?"
A moment passes by, as I'm just in the moment.
"I haven't been this happy, or scared, since she died."
Calum's chuckle hits my ear drum in the most pleasant way anything can hit the organ in my ear. I smile along with the small laugh.
"I wish I could share this moment with you... Are you alone?" Calum asks.
"Yeah." It makes me a little sad, thinking about how I'm this happy and no one gets to see it.
"I'm on my way to be happy with you." He says and hangs up.
Ten minutes later, the bell on the door rings, and I know it's Calum since I haven't opened up yet. I step out of the office, who's door was opened since I wanted to hear the bell, to see Calum, who's still in plaid pajama bottoms.
"Wow, you're still in your pajamas." I laugh at his dorkiness.
"Yep. Now come here, you professional woman, you." He smiles , and opens his arms.
I start walking to him, and meeting me halfway, Calum hugs me, wrapping his arms tightly around me, making me suffocate.
Loosening his grip on me, "Aspen, it's Sunday. Why don't you take the day off?" His head rests on top of mine, his chin jutting the top of my head with each word he utters.
"Because one day lost is money lost. There's so much to do now that I'm the boss." I can feel my normal rambling starting. "Fuck." Another ton of bricks hits me.
"I need to hire people. I need to see how to get books, and how to order those bags we need to package the books in, and if I should change anything. Maybe I should make the store more modern, younger people will come. Don't you think Calum?"
When I look up at him, pulling away slightly from our hug, all I see in his eyes are humor. Though he's not laughing, his eyes are still wrinkled from the toothless grin on his lips.
"Aspen, I'll work here if you want. I need another job besides the band." He says, still softly chuckling from my bantering. "And don't worry about anything, okay?"
Again, he lets out a small laugh before saying, "Have no fear! Chummy's here!"
[an]
haha caspen...,
make a prediction: when do you think caspen, our favorite ship, will sail? soon? or nah?
(double update bc this chapter is small and ily)
