Clover Village

Chapter 4 - Literary Tourist

SUE

"I'll be in the backyard. I will be back in time before you go to the bookstore," Jesse says before he heads downstairs.

I look at Eric, who is sitting in front of me. He is deep in thought while playing with the rests of his oatmeal.

"Eric, are you okay?"

"Sorry, yeah, I am. Well, sort of. I was last night at Donnas and a friend of hers came by to visit. She turned into a mess because she just found out that her boyfriend has another woman. It opened my old wounds."

"I'm sorry," I say, holding his hand over the table.

Eric rarely shares his feelings. He is good natured and sweet. You would never guess that something is bothering him. His ex took advantage of him and it left a deep mark.

"I can't say that I'm unhappy. I have you and Jesse and Mom and Dad wherever they are traveling now. It's just that I see Evan and Donna and that is the life that I want."

"It will happen. You know that I also hope to marry and have children one day,"

"There is always Harry," he says with a wink.

"Last option, I guess," I say, laughing.

"I need to go by Donna again to check the other two coops. It was too dark to inspect them properly. I'm sure that the last one I built is fine, but the rain of the last weeks has eroded the ground a bit. I will then go by Cloverfield to make some repairs."

"You are a busy bee."

"The calendar is filling with jobs here and there. We have the food festival and the town celebration coming up, so the store should do fine as well. What time is the book presentation?"

"At four, but I will go earlier to help a bit. Jesse will cover for me at the store."

"Enjoy," Eric says while bringing his bowl to the dishwasher and kissing my head before leaving.

I head down to the store and open the doors and windows widely. I refuse to have air conditioning as it makes my work damp. I look around our place and feel proud. We turned the ground floor of our parents' house into the store, but it still looks like a giant living room with cupboards and comfy chairs, a few tables here and there.

What used to be the garage at the back is now Eric's workshop and when Jesse is not in his room, turning clay, he practically lives in the shed at the end of the backyard. Mom and Dad are retired and are enjoying the world in their camper. From time to time, we get a call or a postcard telling us how much fun they are having.

I serve a few local clients throughout the day. Most come to pick baby clothes, a toy or some pottery as birthday gifts. I also receive a few requests to mend clothes or shorten hems. Knowing my way around a sewing machine comes handy to earn extra money.

A man enters the room and browses around. He then stops by the till table and leans on it.

"Good morning, sir. What can I help you with?" I say.

"I can't make my mind. There are so many beautiful things in this village. The prettiest one is looking at me right now."

Did he really say that? The cheek!

"What brings you to Clover? Doing the touristy thing before heading to the sea," I say, changing the topic and taking in his posh appearance.

He is dressed in a light cream linen suit. His black hair is carefully combed to the side. Bright blue eyes set in a tanned face look at me.

"Well, I'm sort of a tourist. The literary kind," he says.

"Are you here for the book presentation?"

"Yeah, I will be present, but is not my kind of activity to be honest," he says, gazing around the store.

"What do you enjoy doing, then?"

"Driving fast cars with a beautiful woman next to me. Her hair dancing in the wind."

"Poetic, aren't you?" I say and he flashes me a bright smile.

"You inspire me," he says, trying to take the hand that I have rested on the counter.

I remove it quickly and walk around the counter.

"Talking about inspiration. Have you had a look at the Garnett pottery? It is made here at this house. The glaze work colors of the Village line are inspired by the mint green mountains and pink clouds in the afternoon. The Marine line is more masculine with its beige and navy colors."

"The wine glasses have my preference. Do you like wine... Eh, I don't think that you told me your name."

"Sue."

"Lovely name. Mine is Robin... Robin Delaney."

He makes a pause. Almost as if he expects me to say that I know him or something.

"Anyway, Sue. I will take the wine glasses. Are you also going to the book presentation?"

"Yeah, I'm heading there later."

After charging his purchase and packing it, I hand him the bag. He then grabs my hand and kisses it. I wait until he has left the store and then wash it.

Jesse comes to replace me a bit later and I walk towards the bookstore. I don't go out much, so even walking around the village feels like a treat to me.

"Sue, thanks for doing this," my friend Daisy, who manages the bookstore, says.

We arrange chairs and make sure that the author table is ready with stacks of books, pens, water and some decorations. I look at the cover of the book, which features a couple in a passionate embrace. Not my kind of thing.

"Hello Sue."

I turn around to see the Robin guy again.

"Hello Mr. Delaney."

At that moment, Harry enters the store with a cart stacked with boxes. The moment that he sees me, he trips and the boxes go flying.

"What a fucking loser," Mr. Delaney says loud enough for Harry to hear him.

Harry blushes deeply and starts gathering the boxes from the floor.

"He is my friend," I say and go to help Harry.

"Thanks," Harry says softly, without making eye contact as I hand him a few boxes. "But he is right," he says, standing up and bringing the shipment to Daisy's office.

I'm puzzled by his words. Mr. Delaney comes to stand next to me and I'm feeling irritated by his presence.

The book presentation starts and the crowd is wowed by the author of the book.

"But none of this would have been possible without the love and support of my dear husband, Robin," the author says while the people applaud.

I look at him and feel furious. If there are any losers in this room, it is certainly the one with the cream linen suit.