Books and Rainy Days

The first drop hit her nose, making Hayden pause. She’d been sweeping out in front of the bookstore, but it seemed like there was no longer any point to that–the rain would either wash away the dust, or it would make the problem worse, but she couldn’t do anything about that until the sidewalk was dry again. This, she told herself, was fine. She didn’t particularly like being idle at work, but Edmond hardly cared what she did when the shop was empty…and rain usually meant they would be empty for quite some time. Another drop landed on her hand, then another struck her cheek, and Hayden retreated under the safety of the shop’s small, tan and green awning as the few droplets quickly turned into a frenzied downpour. She couldn’t help but a little flash of personal amusement that crept up as both humans and Gleamstic on the street took notice and ran for cover, some scattering like startled birds. It was just a little water, and she’d never quite understood the theatrics some people went into when they were caught out in it.

Her plans for the afternoon now dashed, Hayden finally turned and opened the door to the little bookstore. The tinkling of a small bell attached to the door filled the narrow space, and immediately, she was enveloped in a dry warmth and the smell of new books. Most of what they stocked were runs from the publisher that Edmond worked editing for, as well as a collection of works written by local authors. Anything beyond those categories she often had to make trips out to a more “proper” bookstore for, but she hardly minded…and once again, Hayden remembered that proposal for a book exchange box she’d been meaning to ask her boss and “distant uncle” about.

“Hmph…another time, maybe,” she murmured to herself, shaking the thought away with a few quick turns of her head. Instead of writing the idea down, Hayden headed over to the cash register, and pulled a small paperback romance out from a shelf behind the counter. It was the latest in a series that she’d been tearing through, and she was nearly finished with it. The sound of the rain drumming on the roof overhead made the perfect background noise for her to read to, and the store had a few chairs scattered about the space for it’s customers. These, combined with the wide front window made it the perfect place to read–Edmond really had outdone himself when he picked the store’s location.

Knowing that the rest of her duties had already been taken care of, Hayden tucked her book under one arm and grabbed one of the chairs so that she could drag it over by the window, then settled into it. Opening the paperback, she smiled ever so slightly at the sight of the pressed flower and lace bookmark tucked between the pages–a rare gift from the girl who worked at the gothic interests store down the way that actually seemed thoughtful, instead of one of Tirza’s random whims. That wasn’t to say she was unkind, she was just…a little airheaded at times. Chuckling, Hayden plucked the bookmark from between the pages and slipped it into a position towards the start of the book, where she wouldn’t lose it, then quickly lost herself between the pages. After all, there was just something about books and rainy days…