Awakened

Thirteen

As I walk through the front door it feels as if I have stepped into an entirely different world. What once was surely a beautiful and grand home has been transformed into something of my dreams. There are rows and rows of bookcases each full of every genre imaginable. One interesting touch is that none of the furnishings are the same. The entire space is filled with a plethora of different styles and finishes of furniture. Paintings and vintage photographs decorate the walls, and the dim lighting adds to the overall effect.

"This in incredible." I say in awe.

"I know right? When I found this place I could not believe that something like this even existed, let alone in THIS town." Sam replies. She waves for me to follow her, "Come on, you have to meet Esther." She leads me through the main room and down a narrow hallway. I can smell coffee and baked goods, and a kitchen comes into view. An elderly woman is sitting at a small dining table, and she looks over to us as we enter.

"Hello dear," she addresses Sam and then her gaze meets mine. "Oh, you've brought a new friend. Welcome!" Her eyes are kind, and I smile.

"This place is amazing," I tell her. "I mean it really is unlike anything I've ever seen!" Esther nods, and I can tell she is proud of what she has here.

"Thank you dear, this place is a labor of love." The woman is small in stature, but I can tell her personality is larger than life. She offers us cookies and coffee, and I am starving so I happily oblige.

"So the name of this place, what was it again? Sam, you mentioned there was a story behind it." Esther grins, and I know she must look forward to this when new patrons walk through the door.

"Come on, lets head back to the front and I'll tell you all about Vellichor."

Sam heads to search through a few stacks of newly acquired books and I sit with Esther by the register.

"For any true lover of books, there is nothing more moving in the world than the moment we see books and smell that parchment." She smiles, and says "That is Vellichor." She can obviously recognize my confusion, and she points me towards an excerpt from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.

Vellichor (n.) is the strange wistfulness of used bookstores, which are somehow infused with the passage of time—filled with thousands of old books you'll never have time to read, each of which is itself locked in its own era, bound and dated and papered over like an old room the author abandoned years ago, a hidden annex littered with thoughts left just as they were on the day they were captured.

What an absolutely beautiful sentiment. I spend the next few hours searching through this treasure trove of antiquities, slowly adding a few books to the counter that I plan on taking home with me. Throughout the bookstore there are nooks created for the sole purpose of allowing a reader to hide away and dive into a book. I learn another thing about this place that make me love it even more, and that is whenever a book arrives or is returned whoever read it last leaves their mark in some way. I have come across highlighted passages, bookmarks, signatures, and even letters. There is no possible way to discover everything hidden here in one day, and now it makes sense why Sam was so excited to bring me here. I am already looking forward to my next visit. As I am looking around a book catches my eye. I pull it from the shelf, and run my hands over the cover. It is a red hardback novel sitting inside a golden slipcase. The detailing on the case is beautiful, and the title is not familiar.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez

I am intrigued, and decide to take this book as well. I meet Sam at the counter, and Esther places our books into canvas bags. She hugs us both as we leave, and we promise to return soon. She reminds us that if we want to bring the books back once we are finished, she will let us trade out for new things to read. I look forward to the potential hidden messages from the ones who read these books before me, and also to leaving my own for someone else to discover one day.

"Thank you so much for taking me there," I say as I slide back into Sam's car. "I am so excited to check out these books." I place the canvas bag at my feet and buckle my seat-belt.

"Where to now?" I ask. Sam shrugs, and I ask if she wants to come back to the condo and meet my aunt. She agrees and I send Shelly a text letting her know. Our ride back is filled with Sam showing me her favorite playlists and blaring them through the speakers in her car. Our taste in music isn't quite the same, but I don't hate it. When we pull up to the condo, Shelly is outside talking with Cynthia. They both turn and greet us as we exit the Bug.

"Oh Katherine! Come on over, you have got to meet my Abigail!" I had almost forgotten about the third Dalton child that would be back from camp today. I turn to Sam and she nods, so we follow Cynthia into their home.

I see her long blonde curls bouncing as she runs from her older brother Thomas as he playfully follows behind her, and it makes my heart flutter to see him dote on her that way. He had made it clear that he adored Abigail, and now I get to see that in action.

"Sam!" Abigail has seen that Sam is here and she runs over to us. She looks up at me and introduces herself like a little lady. She seems mature for seven, but her eyes are still full of youthful energy. They are bright blue, just like her mother and her brother Thomas. We ask her all about camp, and she explains that this year she was given more responsibility than ever before. She was in charge of all her horse's grooming and the best rider in her age range.

"Of course you are." I hear his voice and turn in time to see Beau and Mr. Dalton coming around the corner.

"Beau!!!" Abigail exclaims and runs to hug her brother. He wraps an arm around her and plants a single kiss on top of her head. The way her big blue eyes look up at him with such affection make me wonder how he is with her. Is he kind and tender with her? I look at Sam and try to signal her for an escape. She winks and we start to walk towards the door.

"Hey, what do y'all have planned for tonight?" Thomas asks.

Before either of us can answer my aunt replies, "Speaking of plans, has anyone got any ideas for the birthday girl tomorrow?" Oh great. I scrunch my face and groan.

"What? You didn't tell me your birthday was tomorrow! We have to do something, throw a party maybe?" Sam says in an excited voice.

"Oh crap, I remember you mentioning your birthday being soon the other night. Yeah, we could throw something together!"

I shake my head, "Guys, it's on a Monday. Nobody will want to party on a Monday!"I hear Beau scoff, and then Sam answers.

"Katherine, it's summer! We can do it on any night." Everyone is staring at me, so I just exhale loudly.

"Okay, I guess then let's have a party." I try to avoid Beau's intense gaze, but all I can hear in my mind are his hushed words from the night before.

"When is your birthday?"
"Two days."
"I can deal with that."

I have chills again, and the heat is rising to my cheeks. I know he can tell I am blushing. He must know why I am blushing. No matter what happens tomorrow, I have to avoid Beau Dalton.