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Emilia
The morning light spilled through the colorful stained-glass windows of my bookstore, casting mesmerizing patterns of reds, blues, and greens upon the old wooden floors.
The scent of aged paper mingled with that of freshly brewed coffee, a comforting blend that had become the signature of Emilia’s Nook & Crannies.
Do I wish I had named my book shop differently?
Damn right I do!
It seemed cute at the time.
Now, half my customers come in wearing long brown coats and ask for “The room at the back.”
Rows of tall bookshelves towered above me, each crammed with tales of adventure, love, and mystery from across the universe.
I ran my fingers across the spines of the new arrivals, relishing the sensation of crisp pages and unbroken bindings.
I loved every book in this store, but the science fiction romance section held a special place in my heart.
Picking up a newly arrived sci-fi novel, the metallic sheen of its cover reflecting the morning glow, I felt my heart race in excitement.
The blurb promised an epic space adventure of a brave heroine, navigating through uncharted galaxies, deciphering ancient alien languages, and unearthing forbidden love on a distant planet.
Sinking into one of the cozy reading chairs nestled between the shelves, I lost myself in the book’s opening chapters.
I could almost feel the hum of the spaceship beneath me, the vastness of space stretching out in every direction.
As the heroine met beings of different worlds and discovered secrets of forgotten civilizations, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.
While she journeyed through the cosmos, I was rooted to this little corner on Earth.
My daydreaming was interrupted by the soft clearing of a throat.
Looking up, I met the amused eyes of Mrs. Henderson, one of my regulars, a sweet elderly lady with an insatiable appetite for paranormal romance novels.
“Lost in another world, are we, dear?” she teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
I chuckled, setting the book aside. “Every day, Mrs. Henderson. Every day.”
She picked up the novel I had been engrossed in and examined its cover. “Ah, another space adventure. You always did have a head full of stars.”
I sighed wistfully. “Sometimes, I wonder what it’d be like to live a life as thrilling as the characters in these books. Exploring galaxies, meeting aliens, and maybe, just maybe, finding a love that transcends the stars.”
Mrs. Henderson gave me a thoughtful look. “Life has a funny way of surprising us dear. Who knows what adventures await you? The universe works in mysterious ways.”
I smiled at her optimism, appreciating the warmth and comfort she always brought with her. “Thank you, Mrs. Henderson. Even if my feet are planted firmly on the ground, at least my head can soar.”
The chime of the doorbell announced another customer.
The day’s responsibilities beckoned, and I was, after all, tethered to reality.
But for a few fleeting moments, I had tasted the vastness of the cosmos and the promise of adventures unknown.
And somewhere, deep inside, a small flame of hope kindled — the hope that perhaps, one day, the universe would have a story for me too.
* * *
After the rush of the morning, I took a brief respite in the back room of my bookstore, a quieter, more cluttered space compared to the carefully arranged shelves in the front.
