Page 21 of Lift Me Up

“You weren’t crazy…” I reassure her.

“I—”

“Well would you look at that,” The shop owner’s voice echoes, startling us both.

Georgie’s eyes snap open and her cheeks flush that gorgeous pink. Our fake phones drop away, but my eyes don’t leave her face. The rise and fall with each breath, the slight tug on her lip where she bites it in the left-hand corner while concentrating.

“Hi Abi,” Georgie says.

“Sorry about my nipping off there, I had to do a quick interview and oh gods she was terrible, she didn’t even know the difference between cotton and acrylic. Honestly Georgie! How could she not know?”

Georgie’s eyes brighten, she sits up straight and clears her throat, “I didn’t know you were hiring,”

“Ah, I just started looking tentatively for the right replacement. I’m getting older, Georgie. My grandkids don’t want to come visit me anymore, and I’ve got a grey hair coming in,” she points to her head as if it’s offensive to her, and Georgie laughs.

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind applying...” Georgie says softly, looking anywhere but Abi’s face waiting for a response.

Abi gasps beside me, “Georgie, I had no idea you were even an option. You’re hired.”

“Wait, don’t you want to interview me?” Georgie laughs incredulously.

“Do you know the difference between cotton and acrylic yarn?” Abi snaps, and Georgie rolls her eyes.

“Of course.”

“Hired. What about you?” She turns to me. I freeze.

“What about me?” I flounder.

“What’s your name?”

“Noah.” I can't help but notice the shift in Georgie’s expression, but can’t read the meaning behind it.

“Noah, Georgie here is a great reference for you. But tell me, do you know the difference between cotton and acrylic?”

Is she offering me a job? Is this happening? Georgie widens her eyes, and gives a tiny nod as if to tell me to say yes. I scoff, “How could I not know?”

“Hired. Oh, this is so exciting!” Abi claps, standing from her seat. “I’m fully staffed and planning my retirement all before noon!” She walks away, and I wonder if this is all some kind of joke, but Georgie looks bright-eyed and excited.

“Did that really just happen?” I ask.

“I… I think so?” She covers her cheeks with her hands, a grin growing with every second that passes.

“And you think she’s serious?”

“God, I hope so,” She says wistfully. She looks around in wonder, “Who wouldn’t want to work here? It’s like a hobbyist paradise.”

“But Georgie,” I reach for her hands. She stills, wide-eyed glances between the places our hands touch, then back to my face. “I don’t actually know the difference between cotton and acrylic.”

“Oh,” She giggles, and I mean giggles, and oh god, I want that as a ringtone.

What is wrong with me?

“Don’t worry. I can teach you all I know,”

If this means what I think it means, I will get to see her again after today. I refuse to admit how happy that makes me. Something about this… it feels right. It’s terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

“Oh, mighty yarn wizard, teach me your ways,” I bow down to her, relishing in the “It might take a while,” she tells me.