The Book Store Series, Part 4

Part 4 is here!
If you've missed any:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
------------------

We walked into the store and up a few flights of stairs to a floor we hadn’t explored yet. We split up; ‘divide and conquer’ Sophie had said, but I had a hunch she was hoping to run into one of the guys that was at the checkout the weekend before. I turned down an aisle, running my finger along the spines of the books as I walked. Science fiction, magic, mythical creatures. Right up my alley. I browsed the titles and before I knew it, I had a stack of books in my arms. I walked to the end of the row, turned the corner and SMACK! I was on the floor, books everywhere, my cheeks burning in embarrassment. I looked to see what had knocked me on my rear, and Milo knelt across from me, picking up the scattered books. He smiled shyly, offered me his hand and helped me to my feet.

“Um. Sorry…I…I was distracted,” I muttered, taking my books from his arm.

“It’s okay, I was distracted too. Inventory,” he said, waving papers that seemed to have lists of book titles on them.

“Well, since this place will probably become my second home, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Lily Stone and I’m addicted to books.” I smiled, hoping my humor wasn’t lost on Milo.

He smiled back and replied, “I’m Milo Trussman, and me too. Um, I’m ready for a break, do you want some hot cocoa?”

I hesitated. This was my chance if I wanted to get to know more about him and this store. “Hot cocoa? What are you, ten?” I smiled and quickly added, “Yes, of course I’ll have hot cocoa, I hate coffee.” Milo smiled at me and I followed him down a flight of stairs to the little coffee cart Sophie and I had found. I ordered a salted caramel hot cocoa and Milo and I walked to a little corner fireplace and sat down in some comfy armchairs. I decided just to go for it. “So Milo, what’s your story?”

He paused, shifting in his chair, took a sip of his cocoa, and looked at me. “I’m 28, graduated from a small community college up north with a business degree, and when my dad opened this shop, my brother and I wanted to move here to run it. He has a couple of other stores, but New York City had a draw that none of the others had. There’s just so much more here to experience than some of the smaller towns that have our stores. I guess that’s the great thing about our dad branching out so much. We had our choice of where we wanted to be. I haven’t had a very exciting life really. A lot of working.” He stopped and shot me a quizzical look. “Wow. I’m generally not so chatty with strangers. Did you slip something in my cocoa?”

“Haha, no. I’m not normally talkative either.” I squirmed in my seat and drank some cocoa, staring into the fireplace. I wanted to know about him, but I hesitated to spill my guts to him.

“Well…okay. Now you know more about me than anyone in New York other than my brother. Spill it. It’s only fair.” He sat back and waited for me to reciprocate the information download.

I stiffened, but it was unfair of me to expect him to tell me all about himself without at least giving him a peek of my life. So I cleared my throat and started. “I’m 25, and I moved here to get away from my tiny little town. It was so boring. I needed to find some excitement, make my own path. I’m also from upstate and graduated from a community college with an accounting degree. I work for a firm downtown. Reading is how I escape the extremely boring life I lead, which is how I ended up here in your store last weekend.”

“Accounting, huh? No wonder you read so much.”

I smiled. We sat quietly for a minute, watching the fire and analyzing each other’s stories. I wanted to know more, but I didn’t want to pry or seem disrespectful. But again, I brazenly dove into interrogation territory.

“So what is your dad like?” I watched him, trying to gauge a response. He had an excellent poker face. I couldn’t tell if I overstepped my bounds, and I waited expectantly for him to speak. He finally looked at me and smiled.

“Ah, Theo Trussman. He’s always been a great dad, a great man. He loves his business….a lot. He’s quirky, some might say eccentric. He’ll be here in a few weeks, actually. He’s going to come check on the store and hang out with us for a couple of months. It’ll be nice, we miss him.” He seemed to get a little reminiscent at that point, and I could see the love for his father right there on his face.

I pushed the boundaries even more, “What about your mom?”

Milo’s face dropped and he stared at his feet. I thought that maybe he’d get up and walk away, hating me for digging into his personal life, but he surprised me by answering. His voice dropped as he said, “She died in child birth a couple of years after I was born. I was supposed to have another sibling, but the baby didn’t survive either. That’s about the time dad opened the bookstore. From what I can tell, he dumped his heart and soul into raising us and managing the store, trying to drown out the pain of losing my mom and a child all at once. Vin and I pretty much grew up in the book store; did our homework there, learned everything about business and books from my dad. He doted on us and that store. I think when we went to high school, dad started feeling lonely and that’s when he started branching out and turned Trussman’s into a franchise. He has four now, all owned and operated by relatives, two by uncles, one by my dad, and this one by my brother and me.” He took a deep breath in and slowly pushed it out, and I could almost see him releasing the sadness in his exhale. He perked up a little, straightened his back and smiled at me. “Well, that’s about enough of that for today. I…I’m not sure why but it’s been very easy opening up to you. I hope we’ll be good friends.”

“I hope so too. I feel surprisingly comfortable too. It’s so strange. But you’re right, enough deep thought for today.”

He stood and tossed his empty cup into a nearby trash can. “Come on, let me show you some books I think you’ll like, judging from that stack you dumped all over the floor.”

“Hey! It’s just as much your fault! You ran into me too!” We laughed and after I ditched my empty cocoa cup, we walked around the store for a while. We kept the conversation light, and by the time I was ready to leave-a couple of hours later-we had built a good foundation for a great friendship.

I said goodbye to Milo as he returned to his inventory and I headed toward the checkout with my books. When I got there, I saw Sophie sitting at a barstool at the far end of the checkout counter, obviously flirting with Vin. I walked up next to her and gave her a little nudge in the ribs. “Hey, you ready, lovebird?”

Sophie’s face turned red, and she giggled as she said goodbye to Vin. He rang out my purchases, glancing back at Sophie the whole time. I dragged Sophie away from the counter and we headed back to my apartment.

“Lil, I’m definitely spending the night at your apartment, you have to tell me what you were up to. We saw you walking around with Milo.” Lily’s cheeks were still rosy, and I doubted it had to do with the snow falling around us.

I smiled, but set her straight. “I think I have made a great friend in Milo, Sophie. He was so easy to talk to. Let’s order a pizza, and we can talk.”

Sophie took out her cell phone and ordered the pizza as we walked. I thought about my afternoon in the book store and the new friend I had made. I don’t know why it was so easy to become friends with him, and I’m glad we broke the ice because who knew that we would hit it off so well? I couldn’t wait to go back and talk with Milo again. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to move on, here's Part 5

Thanks for stopping by!!