Callie
The morning rush lasted a bit longer than normal, tourists coming in, browsing the bookstore and luckily buying quite a few of the books that I had been trying to push off the shelves for months.
It definitely wasn’t a morning where Willa and I had a lot of time to talk, at least not until the rush was over and we were done cleaning up the mess that was left behind. Most of our regulars had already left, usually not sticking around when the tourists came to town. I didn’t blame them in the least. They weren’t the quietest people, and it definitely changed the mood of our bookshop.
I wiped off the last of the coffee makers and set the half-full carafe back on the warming plate. Willa wiped the remnants of coffee off the counter and turned around, leaning against the desk. “I don’t think it’s been that busy in years. I like it. Of course, I’m not going to have a voice by tomorrow if I keep talking to everybody like this.”
Chuckling, I tossed my rag over my shoulder and crossed my arms, leaning back against the counter. “You have to pace yourself. I didn’t mind it, though it is nice to have a breather every once in a while. And if I had to explain to people that the items on the menu was pretty much the only choices they had one more time, I was going to lose my mind. It makes me think that maybe we should expand our coffee menu.”
Willa shrugged. “We’ll revisit at the end of this year when we do our accounting. We did last year because it just didn’t make sense to carry that stuff all year round. But maybe we can do some sort of event special. Buy it for the big tourist days and then use up what we have until it’s gone and not order again until another event is going on.”
I took in a long deep breath and looked around the shop, smiling at the empty slots on the bookshelf. I hadn’t seen empty slots in a really long time. Then again, we had enough books and storage to never buy another book again. Of course, that wouldn’t keep us from buying them. Willa and I both had a problem with picking out books. Willa just bought all the weird ones that I wasn’t exactly sure why she felt they would be good on our shelf. They were old, but not old and valuable, just old.
My phone alarm beeped, and I pried it from the sticky countertop. “Ugh. I gotta go to my dentist appointment across town. Gotta be there in an hour.”
“Dr. Rogers?”
I rolled my eyes and nodded. “Who else?”
Willa chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know, one of the other half a dozen dentists in the area? I mean, heaven forbid you shake things up a little bit.”
“Yeah, but I’ve been going to Dr. Rogers for like…”
Willa crooked a brow. “Since you were two years old?”
I pursed my lips, shoving my phone in my pocket. “No. Just like eighteen years. Since I was around twenty-two and my pediatric dentist told me it was time to grow up.”
“And the salon you like?”
I could see where she was going, and I wasn’t going to budge. I mumbled as I opened the cabinet next to her and grabbed my keys. “Like fifteen years.”
Willa smiled sweetly at me, the kind of smile that showed tough love. “I know that I should be preaching about you going out and doing something unexpected, but I figured starting small would be better. Live a little, go to a new dentist, get your hair done by the new salon. You know, take a chance here or there.”
“My teeth are kind of important,” I pointed out. “Chances aren’t supposed to be taken when it comes to dental hygiene.”
“Chances can be taken anytime,” Willa replied, crossing her arms. “You know, like when you took a chance on that orange paint for your bathroom.”
I cringed. “Yeah, we all know how that came out.”
Willa looked perplexed. “I like the color. It’s refreshing.”
“Blinding. It’s blinding to the poor souls that use the guest bathroom.”
“And how many poor souls use your guest bathroom? Besides me.”
I pursed my lips. “That’s not the point. You never know who could drop by or need an emergency pit stop in the bathroom. Look I appreciate your desire to spice up my life, keep things interesting, but I’m good with my routine. It’s stable. Not everyone wants to be the hero of the story or have an adventure.”
She reached out and touched my hand. “You’re like a real-life Hobbit. Look, all I mean is that you shouldn’t be afraid to live a little. Make some memories. Have some stories to tell your grandkids one day. Or my grandkids one day.” I smirked but before I could reply, she continued. “Your parents wouldn’t want you hiding away from love and adventure just because it’s safer that way.”
And there it was.
The kick in the stomach.
The one thing I tried not to think about, but failed miserably, every day - my parents.
My parents grew up there in town, loved the ocean, and more importantly, loved me. We were really close, especially since I didn’t have any siblings. They always looked out for me, and I hated being away from them, even in the middle of college when I was living the life. At least I was living the life until I got the call from the town’s hospital. My parents had been heading home after one of their adorable weekly dates to the beach, a beautiful warm day, and a tourist missed one of the stop signs and plowed right into them.
From the report, the marks on the road, and knowing my father, he tried to get the vehicle under control, but it launched them right into a tree. It had been the worst day of my life, the day that changed everything for me. It changed who I was deep down inside. It was a trauma that I couldn’t seem to get past. And ever since then, I had kept it safe. Followed the normal and mundane, and I was okay with that.
My eyes shifted toward the floor and I felt Willa’s hand cup my cheek. “Hey, everything’s gonna be okay. You know that. Besides, Dr. Rogers might come after you if you don’t show up.”
I felt a wash of warmth move through me, something that always happened when Willa was around. She had always had a crazy way of knowing exactly what I was feeling. She was the one comfort I allowed in my life. The one person I let myself stay close to after all these years.
I scrunched my nose, the sadness subsided. “I know, right? The man is freaking terrifying. All dentists are terrifying. I saw that one movie about the singing, man-eating plant and I was done for.”
“Feed me, Seymour,” Willa roared, her voice low, trying not to laugh.
Sticking my lip out, I shook my head. “Exactly. One day I’m going to come to from the laughing gas and be face to fauna with a huge man-eating plant.”
Willa laughed and put her arms out, pulling me into a tight hug. As she did, her cheek pressed to mine, and all the anxiety and angst inside of me suddenly felt lighter. I didn’t know how she did it, but I was totally down for my best friend’s unknown powers. Just thinking about the green framed glasses and pink hair made me smile.
“Here,” Willa said as she pulled away, taking her bracelet off.
She clasped it around my wrist, and for a moment I was lost in the tinkling and clinking of the beautiful piece of jewelry. Willa had worn the thing for as long as I could remember, a twist of metal into Celtic knots, vines, and other strange but beautiful symbols. My mouth dropped open and I thrusted my wrist toward her. “No. Uh-uh. No way. This is totally your lucky bracelet. In fact, I’ve gotten so used to it, it’s like an extension of your body.”
Willa scoffed, stepping back. “It’s just a bracelet. Besides, you need it today more than I do. It’ll be good luck for you. You know, since I know how nervous you get when it comes time for a dental appointment. It’ll ward off the man-eating plants.”
I eyed the sparkling bracelet and then Willa before smiling and hugging her once again. “Thank you. I’ll give it back to you as soon as I see you again.”
Willa smiled, watching me walk around the counter. “No rush. Are you coming back here afterward?”
I shook my head. “Nah, since we have Elvis and Ava coming in to close up tonight, I figured I’d just take the rest of the afternoon off. I mean, it’s almost three anyway. That way I can get it over with and get to your place to set up the movie marathon.”
Willa pumped her fist. “Yessss. A whole night of sci-fi and fantasy movies. I am so ready for some fun. I’ll get out of here as soon as they get here to take over. Call me if you need anything.”
I gave her one last grin before sliding out of the door and onto the sidewalk. As soon as I did, I let out a deep breath. I did it. I managed to stand face to face with my best friend and lie about where I was going and what I would be doing. There was no dental appointment, I had just been the month before. No, I was actually going to be able to pull off a surprise party for Willa, for the first time ever. I had thrown her parties before, but I had always struggled with the whole surprise aspect of it.
But not this time. This time, I was going to perfect every last thing before she arrived home. She would be greeted with a dozen or more happy faces, all ready to wish her a very Happy Birthday.