Other side

Ch 3// This woman...

Crossing the street Kerry and her parents went inside the small shop. Doorbell rang and a woman appeared in front of them. She smiled gently and asked:

"How can I help you?"

The woman had black, bushy and curly hair that reached to her shoulders. Several front strands of hair were gray. The lady's skin was slightly brown. She had a slender neck. Earrings with peculiar stones swung easily along the neck. Strange as it may seem the woman's face was covered with very few wrinkles. Dark eye shadows highlighted the woman's green eyes. The light brown lipstick highlighted the lady's small but full lips. A simple dark blue dress with gold ornaments reached to the knees. The matched shoes showed the woman's slender legs. The ring on her finger caught Kerry's attention. It seemed to attract the girl, Kerry was about to ask something about the charming ring, but then her dad spoke.

"Yes, please. Could you tell us where to find a set that includes a calligraphy basics book, ink, a suitable pen and the rest?" 

"Of course, please follow me!"

Before the woman began to walk she looked at Kerry thoroughly from head to toe. Looking into the girl's eyes, she reminded her of something, she remembered something. It could be noticed that the woman's eyes lit up a bit, but for a short time. Because before Kerry looked more closely, the lady had turned and moved forward the next moment. The gait was straight and smooth, the body looked tight at every step. The woman may have been under fifty, maybe not. It was difficult to say because there were relatively few wrinkles on the face, there were almost no protruding veins on the legs which would indicate age. Only if you looked closely at the woman's hands you may say that the woman is definitely over forty.

The woman led the customers through the room to the second room where there were all kinds of stationery: ink pens, ink, markers, pencils, various brushes, paints and other similar things. The area was filled with a benevolent aura. This place was very nice, you could even say cozy. The woman asked to wait her at the table with freshly brewed black tea.

"Wait for me here. Please, have some tea, I'll be right back with your product."

Comfortable club chairs were placed around the small table. Their cover matched the surrounding room. The cups looked very old, with Egyptian patterns on the ashes, plates. The charming aroma had already affected Kerry's mother, she was already gracefully sipping a delicious tea. There were also biscuits on the table, one of them were already eaten by the Kerry's father. The girl didn't want anything. Sitting in a club chair she looked more closely at the room.

The room was full of all sorts of things, only thanks to the excellent order and price instructions it was possible to understand that it is a shop. The walls were covered with sand-coloured wallpaper, on which, in some places, there were small paintings made of small shells and broken glass in dark frames. There was a bookshelf in the corner of the room, there were no prices for it so she decided nothing there were for sailing. Kerry was interested. When she got closer, she looked at everything. There were no inscriptions on the covers of the books, everything inside was written in the old print. The vases on the shelves were quite peculiar, they looked like they were made of stone. The girl picked up one. It was unusually heavy. The vase was light gray with dark spots, the surface was unusually smooth for a stone. If someone asked, she would answer that it is made of one stone, handmade. For the price there would not even have anything to talk about, definitely that twice more expensive than ordinary decorative vases. The other vases looked exactly the same, only this one was relatively lighter than the others.

"Please just don't drop it. This is the last vase of this colour - the lady entered the room, put the things on the desk she carried. Then she slowly approached the girl, carefully took the vase out of Kerry's hands and put it back in its place, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to it."

"Sorry, I was just interested in its material and the unusual smoothness of the vase. A stone, isn't it?"

"Yes. I have inherited these vases for a long time. It was made by my grandmother's older brother. Of course, there used to be more. Over time, they cracked or were accidentally torn," said lady. She smiled at Kerry's side.

“How many times is it not said do not touch other things?” said the mother, “teach or not teach, always the same thing."

"Children remain children," she replied calmly.

"The children's time is over, isn't it?" the mother said looking at her daughter menacingly.

"Well, in the heart we were and always will remain children. What we want - we want to get. We don't pay attention to what we don't like. Men difference from small boys only in the size and price of cars. Women need a variety of things, jewellery and amenities in both their childhood and adult life. The most characteristic qualities and the essence in a person do not change, only the attitude and feelings change towards the surroundings."

"I agree, but the norms and accepted courtesy must still be respected."

"That's why I said a child remains a child. The girl's spout pulls out to find out new things, - the woman turned to Kerry, - "don't lose it, my child. Curiosity within measure of course is always a useful thing everywhere."

The lady walked towards the desk. There were several flat boxes on the table. The woman removed a few boxes from one pile, looked at them carefully and placed with them another pile. Holding one box in her hand for longer, the lady turned and continuing to study or read something came to Kerry and said:

"Yes, this will be the one!"

Woman handed a box to girl and before going to her parents whispered in the girl's ear:

"Guard it as your life. It is rare and one of the last ones."

Girl was surprised and could not add anything because the lady with a smile on her face was already going to her parents side. They didn't notice anything and asked for a price. Kerry didn't understand anything. Why should a woman say something like that to her? After a moment young girl thought that this lady had just played a bad joke with her. Despite her small misunderstanding, the girl joined the group which had been talking for a while.

"I usually sell these kits for $ 26. But as far as I understand, this gift is for this lovely girl who if I understood correctly has a birthday tomorrow, huh?" Kerry nodded, “I think I can sell this to you for $ 20."

"Thank you very much! Here it is!" saying this father took a twenty dollar banknote from his wallet and gave it to the woman.

The lady took it and went to put the money in the cash register. Meanwhile, Kerry rushed to hug Dad for a gift. She liked it very much. Dad hugged his daughter tightly and after that said:

"I guess we can go now."

The family went through the room to a first room from where you can get back to the street. The parents were already on their way to the door, but Kerry approached the lady. She wanted to ask exactly what this woman had meant by what she whispered before. But in the end just thanked:

"Thank you... ummm... I don't know what's your..."

"Leokady Jones. But you can call me Lea."

"Thank you... Lea."

"Just don't forget what I said. If you have any questions feel free to ask me. Anytime."

I wanted to object, but she didn't let me to:

"Now go."

In that moment Kerry's mother called her:

"Kerry, let's go. And thank you very much again!"

"Thank you for your purchase! Goodbye!"

After a moment of silence Kerry as she had just returned to earth quickly muttered goodbye. Following her mother she went out of the shop. The bell rang again and the door closed.