‘I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday at lunch.’
‘I said lot of things yesterday, which one are we talking about?’ Deb asked.
‘Well, I think you’re right, about her. I guess I want to know.’
‘If she’s interested?’
Laura nodded, her stomach knotting. ‘Yep, if she’s interested.’
Eve shimmed her way along the tower she had made out of cardboard boxes in the room upstairs. She wanted to see if she could make a life-sized Jenga tower before lunch. She stacked another parcel on the top of the tower, making sure it didn’t topple. Eve hummed along to a string of forgotten lyrics, when the yell of a customer wanting service peaked through the tinny soundwave.
Eve took the stairs two at a time. She smiled at the customer. ‘Yes, Sir, how can I help?’
‘Well, being served would be a great start,’ he answered.
Eve bit her tongue and took the four records from his outstretched arms. He handed her his credit card without a word. Eve could tell by his fidgeting that he wanted to say something to her.
‘If you keep customers waiting like that, you won’t have any customers to wait on.’
Eve nodded. ‘I do apologise.’ She wanted to say more but knew it would just make things worse. She hoped he left quickly.
‘Well, that was impressive.’ Al smiled from the doorway, his profile lit by the early sun.
‘That took too much of me to not throw a paperback at that guy’s head.’
Al set a heavy delivery box on the counter.
‘Are they always this angry this early in the morning?’ Al asked, as Eve signed for the package.
‘I think I just bring out the best in people.’ She handed him back the pen. ‘You still good for the deliveries this afternoon?’
‘I’ll be back. With more attitude, if you can handle it.’
‘You’re a life saver.’ Eve called as he got into his van.
Laura strolled down the New York street, towards Central Park a strange anticipation of seeing her again overwhelmed her senses. She didn’t know what had got into her. All she knew was that no one, especially a stranger, had ever had this type of effect on her so quickly. Laura had always been the type to take a long time to warm up to people. Even when she was a child, her mother constantly worried that she would never make any childhood friends as she was so mistrusting of other people. Her right boot rested on the lip of the entrance, her eyes blurring as her vision tried to acclimatise to the darkened setting. Laura tried to hide her smile when she saw her leaning up against the counter, reading something on the computer monitor. Her black hair fanned out from her pale skin. A blue chequered shirt hung loosely on her small frame, the long sleeves rolled up slender arms. For the first time, Laura noticed a deep scar on her temple, close to the hairline. She watched with curiosity as Eve clicked away at the computer, her slender fingers enveloping the mouse with a mix of white skin and black nail polish.
Laura tried to steady herself, annoyed that a stranger could make her feel so nervous. She waited patiently at the counter for Eve to look up at her. After a few moments, Eve finally noticed.
‘How can I … hey, it’s you.’ Eve smiled. ‘Oh and don’t worry, I cleaned the steps after yesterday.’
Laura caught a coy expression tug at her lips. ‘Oh yeah, thanks. Could you maybe help me with some suggestions?’
‘Of course.’ Eve eagerly moved out from the counter and headed for the upper level.
Laura followed, trying once more to get a peek at the tattoo on Eve’s arm under the loose material of her shirt.
‘Here,’ Eve said, ‘are the good classical records.’ She motioned to a small selection. ‘Wait, that’s what you were talking about, right? Because yesterday you wanted to know …’ Eve trailed off, talking with her hands.
Laura nodded quickly, not wanting to embarrass herself again. ‘You’ve listened to these then?’
‘Most of them.’ Eve pursed her lips, she ran a finger along the shelf and nodded, not knowing what to do with herself.
Laura nearly smiled. She seemed off balance, too.
Back at the counter, Eve puzzled over the woman from yesterday. She wondered what had changed to make the vague and somewhat agitated version who had appeared this afternoon. Eve wracked her memory for a reason why she was acting so strange towards her. Was she still embarrassed from yesterday?Eve hit at the keys on the computer. Had I been rude?
Eve tapped her hands on the desk, then noticed the empty cardboard box on the counter. She came up behind Laura, who was flicking through a book on Tuscany. ‘Do you wanna see something really cool? I have to show someone.’
Laura nodded, sliding a collection of Beethoven’s symphony’s back into the shelf. ‘Then I guess I don’t have much of a choice,’ she joked.
Eve placed a finger over her lips and motioned for Laura to follow her, even though there were no customers on the floor. Laura laughed at the childish gesture.
Laura stepped into the quaint room after Eve. She took a step towards the tower in the centre of the cramped room.
‘Behold, my Jenga creation.’
‘You made this?’ Laura gazed at boxes layered together like the children’s game.
‘Those are all customers orders.’
‘I’m guessing you have a lot of time on your hands.’
‘A healthy amount.’
‘Eve!’ Al called out from the front of the store.
‘Shit, well, now we have to knock it over.’ Eve fished her phone out of her pocket and motioned for Laura to stand beside the tower. ‘I need something for scale.’
Laura smiled, looking at the lens. ‘How are you going to knock it down?’ she asked.
‘Like this.’ Eve pushed at the left side. The parcels began to topple and smack against the floor. ‘Get the other side.’ Laura shoved at the right side, parcels spilling at their feet. Laura looked at the pile the tower had become.
‘Something takes me nearly all day to make, takes seconds to crumble. Figures.’ Eve laughed as she picked up parcels and shoved them under her arms. Laura followed her to the door, her own bundle under her arms. Eve handed them over to the delivery guy. ‘Make yourself useful, Jeeves. The rest are upstairs.’
Al grumbled, annoyed he had to walk the flight of stairs.
By the time they had finished loading and stacking the parcels in the back of the van, they were covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Al even made a point of exhaling with exaggeration in front of Eve. He staggered through the doorway. The outline of his plump stomach rose and fell, making Eve hide a smile behind her hand.
‘You need to hit the stairs more often, old man,’ she called.
‘Bite me.’
Eve waved him off as he pulled away from the curb. She wiped sweat from her forehead and nodded when a customer asked if they were going to be served. Laura made her way back to the upper level where she waited for the customers to die down.
At closing time, Laura thought she had read most of the titles in the classics section. She hadn’t even wanted to buy, she just wanted a chance to talk to Eve again.
Eve sighed and, visibly relaxed, shut the door after the last customer. ‘I just wanted to say thank you for helping me today.’ She leaned against the staircase banister.
Laura put back the book she was pretty sure she had nearly