The Bookshop Full of Glory

“Wren Bella Rose, all is fair and love and war,” Isaac Waterstorm enunciated to me in our bookshop, where we met six years ago. His feet were glued to the bookshop’s ladder that let him reach all the way up to the top shelf. His long, thin arm weaved through the newly released section. He glanced down at me as I glanced up at him. My hands gripped the ladder- in fear that he would have lost his footing and slipped, but Isaac was a professional; he was damn good at that ladder. Scoping the shelves all day long. Helping me, helping the customers.

We clicked the moment I started working at Old Morning Glory’s Bookshop. And by clicked, as in best friends- he was the yin to my yang, the calm to my storm. I told him everything, and he shared everything with me. Isaac was the manager at the shop, while I assisted with customers and other tasks. But Isaac kept the job interesting, that was for sure. I’m surprised he was able to help me today; it was jammed-packed.

He was twenty-six, and I was twenty-four. He had gorgeous, brunette, fluffy, wavy hair. And large brown eyes. His large, square, black glasses made him look like a superhero dressed in incognito apparel during the daytime. He had a cute button nose, and he was skinny and pale. I had jet-black hair, with streaks of red filtered through it. I loved the darker look for the fall season. I applied my dark maroon lipstick early this morning to make my darker alter ego stand out. I called my alter ego’s name Angel Spices, only because I was a lover of irony.

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about, sir, but I’m keeping busy here, and you’re simply distracting me. Like a lot. Stating quotes I know nothing of. Don’t you have better things to attend to? Additionally, I forget where that quote originates. Even though I’m sure you remember, since you’re the literary genius here.”

“Wren and Isaac- quite the yappin’ and get crackin’!”

The bookshop’s owner yelled from inside the office that was tucked away behind the classic volumes. Our bookshop smelled of vanilla cupcakes and pumpkin spices. I named the scent- a combination of Fall Love. Christmas time approached rapidly, and customers were rushing to buy gifts.

Mr. Glory shouted at us, and he was for sure a force of nature. I jumped up, and Isaac hurried down the ladder, with the novel in his hand, for our customer who waited patiently.

“I got it, I got it, no need to fret!” Isaac shouted.

“I will no longer fret if I fire both of you! Due to slacking!” Mr. Glory said.

“Isaac! I told you! You’re the manager! I hit his arm in a love tap kind of way. You’re supposed to behave better than I am!” I laughed even though Mr. Glory, or Old Man Glory, or Grumpy Gill Glory (our favorite nickname we called him)- scared the living daylights out of me.

“Oh, calm down, Miss. Angel and Spice and everything not nice,” Isaac said sarcastically.

“Oh, haha. Not funny, and I can’t get fired! I need this gig. You know I own like four dogs, and can barely afford one! My sister dropped off another one because her husband is allergic!’ I shouted at Isaac out of frustration.

“Yeah, you got the kennel at your house. I forget, calm down.”

“I can’t ever forget! My sister is crazy! And why in the hell does she have to rescue all of these damn dogs? Then hand them off to me! All because her baby, wimp husband, Cory, is allergic! I am flat broke! So yeah, I need this job!” I shouted. I knew Cory couldn’t control the fact that he was allergic- but my sister sure could have controlled her addiction to rescuing dogs!

“It’s okay, I’m sorry- you’re right, I got carried away, okay- I’m sorry, take a deep breath, Angel Goddess, is that better? I just have so much fun with you, and I want it to continue.”

I knew he wouldn’t have had any intention of getting me in trouble with Grumpy Gill Glory, but I was always on edge here. Isaac had it easy —he took this job for fun. I mean, his family was loaded, he was twenty-six, and this was his first real job.

“Gill, I’m sorry, sir, I apologize- I blame Isaac!” I shouted back to the boss, who was hidden behind his desk lamp, which had a giant, round, beige shade that lit up his antique, vibe-decorated office. He had white hair that stuck up in all wacky places, and between the lamp and his stack of books on his desk, I wasn’t able to see one spike of gray hair. The stacks of books on his desk were piled high, almost piled up to the low ceiling in that office. He was a busy man. I did my best to help out as much as I could.

“It’s okay, just help the customers, okay? I have bookkeeping to do.” Gill Glory stood up, and his long, brown slacks covered his black loafers. His spiky gray hair shone under the soft light of his office. He closed the door to shut out the business of the shop.

Grumpy Gill Glory.

I kind of felt bad for him- he was alone in this shop, and he had us two idiots to work for him- I mean, I didn’t blame him for being cranky. But it didn’t mean I enjoyed it.

Well, Isaac wasn’t an idiot- he was actually wicked smart. An intellect, and I enjoyed his bright mind. I wished there were more guys like him around. Isaac was a rare find, a needle in a haystack- but we were platonic friends, nothing more.

“I feel bad for him, Isaac- I mean, his wife died not too long ago, just be kinder to him, okay, for me?”

“Okay, okay, I know- sometimes it’s just so easy to tease you- but okay, I know, his wife died- you’re right, I have to show empathy, and not be my immature self. But it’s hard, you bring out the kid in me, Angel Goddess,” he gestured with his hands in praying motion to me. For me to forgive him.

“I know, but really- I’m going to go help those customers over there- so we don’t get distracted by each other. Sound good? Grumpy Gill Glory has no more patience left for us today- clearly,” I said.

I saw a group of senior citizens who needed my help reaching for things and collecting more novels for them to purchase.

“Oh, there you are. Could you assist us with that section over there?” An older woman said to me as I hopped over a little stack of books on the wooden floor. We really needed to organize this place. It was bad.

“Oh sure, of course, what are you looking for?” I asked her. She seemed nice and the same age as Grumpy Gill Glory - maybe we could set Mr. Glory up with this nice customer, I thought to myself.

“Jane Austen, my favorite- I’m in search of Pride and Prejudice- I never tire of Mr. Darcy,” she told me.

“Oh, that’s right by the classics section!”

I almost shouted, since I was so excited that that section was right in front of Mr. Glory’s office!

Maybe they’ll have a meet-cute! But I really didn’t want to bother Mr. Glory again; I was terrified of him today. I needed to let him be. Hopefully, this woman will come back.

I reached up to the third shelf and pulled down the paperback version of Pride and Prejudice. I saw Isaac helping out by the register; finally, he was distracted by work. I needed to help this group here.

“Oh, thank you, I love reading it around Christmas time- it gives all the romantic feelings, doesn’t it?” She asked me in a genuine, sweet tone.

I wish I could have chatted with her about the novel, but Isaac was a more avid reader than I was. I was busy taking care of my collection of dogs.

“Thank you, what was your name again, sweetheart?” She asked me.

“I'm Wren, and he’s Isaac over there at the register- and Mr. Glory owns this shop, but he’s super busy today,” I said.

Between the noises of the shop and the constant chatter between the customers, I hoped she heard me. It was hard for me to listen to her.

I wanted her to come back.

“Oh, thank you, thank you. Maybe I’ll come back next week to meet him. But for now, I’m going to re-read my favorite novel in that coffee shop down the block,” she said kindly.

“Oh, and before I leave, my name is Celeste.”

“So, nice to meet you, Celeste. Come back anytime! We’re open until six every evening, and nine at night on Fridays! But unfortunately, we are closed on the weekends,” I explained to her.

“Thank you!” Celeste said.

And I went back to attending to customers, hoping Isaac would stay busy, as I kept myself preoccupied with daydreams of Mr. Glory and the customer Celeste, a potential love story. I may have to buy my own copy of Pride and Prejudice. I was now super curious to learn more about that Mr. Darcy character. My dogs will have to self-soothe themselves for a while as I get lost in the pages of the novel.