Chapter Text
The thing is, it's usually lonely in the shop. She's used to the creaking of the floors as someone walks in; she's used to hearing people's deep breaths as they read the back cover of books. She can tell if they like the books or not by the way they bite the inside of their cheek or narrow their eyes. That means it's capturing their interest. So she'll get up and walk towards the client and try to sell the book in front of them. It usually works, oh her charm.
But she's bored of this. She's bored of nothing spectacular and she's bored of the quietness in the shop. It seems too dark and she doesn't need to be reminded of the past.
Ashlyn is her name. She's a fairly tall blonde woman with hazel eyes and a tomboy look. She's into women and it seems pretty clear by the style she chooses. Tattoos are present as well and she's built, quite built.
So she decides to change things around. She's 30 years old and single, out of a relationship for 3 years and she's finally ready.
"I'm gonna make weekly storytelling sessions in the summertime" She puts down her coffee and shares her idea with one of her employees.
"I mean it's so damn quiet in here and I think some cheery children would help. Plus we have that corner over there" She looks towards the backspace, where she's already created a nook for kids to read while they're at the shop but it's barely used.
"The point of a bookstore is to be quiet, no?" Jenna is 18, it's her summer job.
"That's a library. Plus, it'll only be like an hour a week!" Ashlyn gets excited. She's on to something.
"How are you even gonna get them in here? It's been this quiet for a while, no? We're gonna have to advertise or something" Jenna picks up a pile of newly received children's books. The first one on the pile reads Oh, The Places You'll Go!. It's by Dr. Seuss, extremely famous. Ashlyn decides this will be the first book.
"Give me that" Ashlyn completely ignores the girl's concerns and grabs the first book on the pile. "I'm keeping this aside. This is starting Monday" Ashlyn smiles. First bits of excitement in a long, long time.
Over the weekend, she buys decor for the shop and places an ad online. Her bookstore is set on a side street in Georgetown. There is quite a community of children living in and around D.C, though she hasn't seen many for some reason. I guess children aren't so much into books anymore. iPads, iPods and iPhones it is.
Free storytelling at Harris' books every Monday at 3PM starting June 6th until August 29th.
That's her ad. She also has a folded stand that she places on the sidewalk sometimes with promotions, but this time, she'll announce the storytelling and hope it's a hit.
She's decorated the back corner with giant green leaves from Ikea and bought bean bags; all sorts of colors. She already has a carpet with cute sharks on it that she bought from her hometown in Florida a few years ago. Surprisingly, the kids that do enter the shop love the carpet. It ain't scary one bit. She also bought cute plastic buckets that the kids can put their chosen books in for the reading sessions. She decided she'd choose the first book but she would let the children that attended place a book in the bucket. It seemed like a more cozy place now. Not to mention the new stickered pathway from the front door to the back corner on the hardwood floor.
As Monday rolls around, Ashlyn is excited for this day. She's been waiting for this, not only to meet new people but to share her love for children. She thinks a summertime change is well needed and hopes at least one child shows up.
She lives in a cute semi-detached home not far from the shop. The bricks are dark red, almost like a burgundy, but all the homes on the street are of different colors, yet somehow all fit together like a beautiful puzzle. Her home is tidy. It wouldn't be expected, though the inside is completely remodeled and sports a modern feel.
Ashlyn gets ready for work that Monday and decides to wear black jeans and a blue button down short-sleeved shirt with white polka dots. She puts on a fedora too. She's got quite the style and she knows it.
She grabs her bag and her coffee mug and walks to work. It's a little cloudy and she hopes it won't rain. The kids definitely don't come out when it rains.
At work she meets Jenna who's waiting outside and begins giving her the news for today. There's always something she needs to know before she begins her shift. Today, it's the storytelling session and Jenna's been assigned to stick at the cash for that hour.
As 2:50PM quickly makes its way, Ashlyn is getting nervous. She wants this to be a good start to the summer and she's crossing her fingers in hope of an audience.
"Cassidy! Let's go!" A frustrated brunette woman is heard from outside. She runs her fingers through her hair and groans as the little girl is trailing behind, whining. Oh boy Ashlyn thinks. No good.
And of course they're coming to the shop.
Well, Ashlyn already knows the name to one of the girls there, but there's two and they look damn well the same.
"Hi" the brunette lets off a smile. She sighs as she walks in with both of the girls in her arms. She's picked them up, even though they look a little too old to be carried. But the woman, who definitely is the mother since the two girls look like a spitting image of her, has built arms. She can handle the carrying, that's for sure.
Ashlyn's eyes seem to have drifted from the little girls to the mother's biceps for a few seconds.
"Hi! Welcome to the bookstore!" Ashlyn greets them. She walks out from behind the counter and puts out her hand to shake, but the mother can't exactly do that, holding the two girls. The awkwardness of that situation leads to Ashlyn pursing in her lips and wiping her own hand on the back of her pants. She places her hands in her back pockets.
"Sorry, can't shake hands with these two." The woman apologizes.
One of the little girls is wearing a dark blue cotton dress with a little bit of embroidery on the top part. She has white sandals and a matching white bandana with a pretty flower. The other little girl, who looks just like her is wearing black shorts and a shark t-shirt. She's also wearing red converse. These two are a little different in styles.
"I like your t-shirt, little one!" Ashlyn points to the girl on the right and the little girl hides her face in her mother's neck.
"Charlie, it's okay" Her mother kisses her head and smiles politely at Ashlyn.
The girls both have long dark brown hair and matching brown eyes. They are beautiful and they indeed look just like their mom. Not sore on the eyes at all.
The mother puts her girls down and Cassidy, the one Ashlyn's already learnt her name is already messing around with the books on the shelf in front of her. Princess dressed and personality to go with it.
"Cassidy! Please. Just stay still for a second" Ashlyn walks up to the young girl and leans down next to her. She takes Cassidy's hand and shakes it.
"I'm Ashlyn, the storyteller. Do you want to get lost in fun world today?" The blonde bookstore owner smiles at the young girl who simply stares at her and then to her mom for social advice and back to Ashlyn. Cassidy nods a yes.
"Awesome! Come with me!" Ashlyn picks the girl up in her arms, figuring she could show off a little bicep too. But the real reason was simply because she found the girls to be too adorable not to spoil them with having to walk.
"Thank you, uh" The mother tries to thank the woman but doesn't know her name.
"Ashlyn" She smiles.
"I'm Alexandra, I go by Ali. Um, nice to meet you" She finally puts out her hand to shake. She's still holding who's now known as Charlie.
Ashlyn replaces Cassidy on her hip and then shakes the woman's hand.
"My pleasure. You're here for the storytelling?" Ashlyn asks as she grabs the book from the counter she was just behind minutes ago.
"Yes, yes of course. The girls wanted to come. They told me their dad has taken them here before and they like it" Ali smiles slightly. The thought of Liam wasn't pleasant. Liam was Ali's ex husband, father to the twin girls. But Ashlyn doesn't know that yet, nothing of that sort.
"Oh! Haven't seen these angels around. Must of not been here or I'd remember them." Ashlyn walks towards the back corner and puts Cassidy down onto a pink bean bag, set for a princess.
Ali follows and sits down on a green bean bag, placing Charlie on her lap.
"Mommy, why Charlie sit there?" Cassidy looks up and wonders why she isn't on her lap either.
"Ms. Ashlyn gave you your own special pink chair! You don't want to show Ms. Ashlyn how big you are to sit in your own seat?" Ali ruffles her daughter's hair and Charlie kicks and whines.
"Mommy! I'm big girl too!" She squirms to get away from Ali and climbs into a red bean bag next to Cassidy.
Ali rolls her eyes and smiles, sighingly.
"Twins" she mouths to the woman who seems to be enjoying the interaction between twin girls and a mom.
"Well, it's 3! she breaks the silence You guys are the only ones here. What a special day for the two princesses. And of course, their queen" She flirts. Shit. Is that too much? When Ali said "their dad", Ashlyn figured Ali was a single mom. Why would she say their dad and not daddy? Seemed a bit too professional in front of toddlers.
She can see Ali's blushing from the corner of her eye. She's also beaming a large smile. Good move, Ashlyn, good move.
"I picked out a book for you three special girls today. It's called: Oh, the places you'll go!" Ashlyn puts a little bit of enthusiasm and excitement into the beginning of her session.
"Ms. Ashy, the teacher at my school she reads that sometimes" Cassidy says. She points to the book and smiles. Seems to be a good hit.
"Great! Do you like it? Or should I pick out another book?"
Cassidy shakes her head no and tries to comfortably sit in the bean bag to listen.
"Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to great places, you're off and away." Ashlyn begins to read. Ali giggles a bit at how adorable the reader is.
Ashlyn can feel Ali's eyes burning right into her as she reads and Ashlyn blushes at times. But she knows Ali is smiling and she already loves her smile. Oh her smile.
The girls are fully interested in the read and they giggle at times when Ashlyn reaches forward and tickles their tummies. "Ashy!" comes out sometimes.
"So, be your name Cassidy or Charlie, you're off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting so get on your way!" The story ends. She's changed some of the words. The end of the book normally ends with more than 2 names, none of which are Cassidy or Charlie, but it works for them and definitely mommy Ali.
As Ashlyn reads the names, Ali shakes her head and smirks.
"So, girls! It's done. How was your magical journey?" Ashlyn sits down on the carpet now and puts the book down.
"Good!" Charlie yells and Cassidy exaggeratingly goes "shhhhh!" in her sister's ear.
"And mommy, good?" Ashlyn looks up at the beautiful brunette. Her sunglasses are keeping her hair back and everything about her face and smile are perfect. She's wearing jeans and a plain white v-neck t-shirt. The white of the shirt looks incredibly crisp and white. She looks like an angel to Ashlyn.
"Very good. Girls, thank Ms. Ashlyn for taking her time to read to you, please" The two little girls dance in their chairs. "Thank you!" They say in semi-unison. It's a little messy and forced but adorable nonetheless.
Ali gets up first and puts out a hand for Ashlyn to grab onto. Ashlyn does. Wow, she has soft hands Ali thinks. Suddenly she feels warm. This woman gives her a warm feeling.
Ashlyn is pulled up a little too quickly and lands unsteady on her on two feet, a little too close to Ali.
Ali smiles and giggles softly. What a beautiful laugh.
"Thank you for coming, Ali" Ashlyn gently thanks the mom of two.
"We'll be back, don't you worry" She winks.
"Come on girls, we have to go home now okay?" Ali looks back at the two girls who are still seating in their bean bags and talking to each other. Ali and Ashlyn are still a little too close for the first meeting but it doesn't seem to bother them, that's for sure.
"Mommy!" Charlie runs up to Ali. She taps her leg. She has a secret. So Ali bends down and leans towards the little girl.
"Why is Ms. Ashy so pretty?" Charlie puts her two hands on her mouth and screeches excitingly.
Ashlyn definitely heard the question as a child doesn't actually know what quietly whispering means.
"Well, because she's a princess just like you and Cassy." Ali whispers back a little too loud. She kind of wants Ashlyn to hear and she does. Ashlyn smiles and stares at the beautiful woman crouching down in front of her.
Ali gets back up and blushes, biting her lip slightly.
"I'll see you next Monday" Ali notifies her.
"Next Monday it is, my queen and her princess!" Ashlyn tilts her head and smiles largely.
"Cassy, Charlie" Ali motions for her daughters to follow her. She puts her two hands out and they each grab a side.
"Bye Ashy!" They both look back and yell a little too loudly for a bookstore.
"Bye girls!" She smiles. These babies are killing her already.