Julia scrunched up her face in utter confusion, as though Aurelia had said something deeply strange. Which, she quickly realized, she had. Aurelia said odd things in public all too often thanks to spending time with nineteenth-century characters.
“Oh… Well, it’s an old-fashioned term for bags and suitcases and things.”
“Then yes, these are all my traveling articles.”
Julia gave extra emphasis to Aurelia’s out-of-date phrase, then waved at the bags at her feet. Aurelia shook her head at herself. Using antiquated terms, being shocked by Julia’s makeup—she wasn’t sure she’d ever reach ‘cool aunt’ status.
“Let’s get you home, shall we?”
After a Tube ride, during which Julia kept up a steady narrative with hardly any breaks for oxygen, they arrived at the shop. Inside, Julia abandoned her things to greet Biscuit, who had run to the door at their arrival.
“Do you think he remembers me from Christmas?” Julia asked.
They’d all spent the holiday at her father’s house in Yorkshire. It was the first time Oliver had spent Christmas with them, which had put Johanna in a minor strop until they’d promised to spend several days with her and Oliver’s stepfather over New Year’s.
“Maybe? He’s not the brightest dog, but he’s awfully sweet.”
Julia stood, calling to Biscuit as she walked around the shop, running her hand along the bookcases and getting her bearings.
“Everything looks just the same as the last time I was here.”
“Not much changes here. That’s part of why I like it.”
“Me too,” Julia said with a grin. “It’s really hot, though. Don’t you want to open a window?”
“Well, the windows don’t open. But when I’m working in the shop, I usually prop the door open to let some air in.”
Making their way upstairs and dodging Biscuit as they went, Julia began dramatically fanning herself with her free hand.
“Are you serious, Aunt Aurelia? It’s even hotter up here!”
“I know, I’m sorry… We did put a fan in your room, though. See?”
Aurelia opened the door to the guest room and pointed inside.
“It’s so cozy in here!” Julia declared happily as she dropped onto the bed. She looked around the room, taking in the old concert posters that Marigold had left behind, the fan that was working as hard as it could, and the bureau with an antique mirror above it. “What’s this?” she asked, plucking at the old tapestry Aurelia had thrown over the bed.
“That was Aunt Marigold’s. I found it the other day and thought you might want to take it home with you? It’s from the seventies, like the posters,” she said, pointing at the walls. “Very rock and roll.”
Julia snorted out a laugh.
“What?”
“Nothing… It’s just funny to hear you say ‘rock and roll.’”
“Why?”
“Never mind,” Julia said, laughing again.
Aurelia frowned. She’d clearly failed another ‘cool aunt’ moment.
“I can really have it?” Julia asked, stroking the fabric.
“You can. You could put it on your bed at home, or hang it on your wall. It seemed like every dorm room had a tapestry hanging on the wall when I was at university, so you can bring it back into style.”
Julia smiled to herself as she gave the tapestry another long look, then stood up.
“Should we go downstairs and open the shop?”
