The Hurt Game

❧ forty-three

I waved goodbye to a customer before walking around the counter. It was, as usual, a quiet hour at the bookstore. Sometimes a regular customer would pop in, browse the stores. Fewer of them would actually buy a book. Then there were the ones who would stroll in, laugh and mess around, recite quotes to each other and eventually leave the store. They would be the teenagers, probably skipping school―or was it vacation?

I strolled through the aisles. The gentle noises of a conversation between mother and daughter echoed through the shelves. It was comfortable, peaceful. A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I listened.

"Sage, did you hear what I said?" the mother asked. "You can have only one book and you've chosen that one. You've plenty unread ones at home."

"But I want to read this one, too. I will read them all, mom," the daughter complained.

"No is no, Sage. Your father has spoiled you too much."

"Da cannot say no. That's all."

"I know and that has always been the problem."

"He means well, mom."

A deep sigh was followed by an 'I know'.

I walked in the aisle they were standing in. The daughter, about eleven years old, was skimming through another set of books while clutching a book in her hands. Her mother was scanning the shelves, picking a book, reading the summary and placing it back.

The girl noticed me and gave me a tiny smile. I returned a bright smile and walked up to them. The mother looked over her shoulders and showed me a smile in greeting.

"Hello, can I help you with anything?" I asked.

"Well... I am actually searching for a Lucinda Riley book, you see," she responded while placing a book back on the shelf, not in the right place.

"I see. They must be here," I said while walking down the aisle. My fingers trailed the backs of the books till I stopped and faced the section with the letter 'R'. Multiple books by Lucinda Riley, one of my favourite authors, were displayed. "Here they are. Is it any book in particular?"

"No, I'm only searching for a stand-alone book. No series."

"Oh, well, these are from a series. And the others are stand-alone."

"That's great. Thank you," the woman replied with a smile.

"You're welcome." I smiled back at her and walked towards the front of the store. Another customer walked in, but he didn't look at me and continued towards the back of the store. I furrowed my eyebrows a little yet shrugged my shoulders and went around the counter.

I jumped up on the stool and opened the book I was currently reading: 'The Royal Secret' by Lucinda Riley. As usual my pen and notebook were lying beside me. Every now and then I would write down a quote or the way the author described a scene, an emotion or something else I liked.

Eventually the woman and her daughter walked up to the counter, both carrying a book in their hands. They placed them on the surface.

"Found everything you wanted?" I questioned.

"Yes, we have. Thank you," the woman replied with a smile.

"Great." I scanned the items and watched the register count up the money of both books. "That will be 23.95 dollars. Do you want a bag with it?"

"Yes, please," the girl chimed in before her mother could even speak. A smile grew on my lips.

"We don't really need one," the mother told her daughter, but I could hear the reluctance.