And the story begins

Book Talk

Em's cafe 'n' bookstore on right, says the direction board and... google map.

Rule 1 of taking a walk in a new town, specially one as busy as Victoria Sands : Never fully trust your google map. Check direction boards and maybe even ask locals. I have often heard stories of how google map could get you in trouble.

Pushing my mobile back in bag, I took right, entering in yet another packed brick street. Gift stores and restaurants on both sides. Aroma of baked products from two bakery stores on opposite sides filled my nose while fragrance of tulip, roses, daises, daffodils, peonies and many other flowers coming from a flower shop made me want to sit here. Two years ago flower collecting used to my hobby, Kyle and his friends thought it was stupid.

"Welcome miss, which flower would you like" a man in his late forties said to me when he saw me touching daises, a kind smile decorating his face.

"uh-no, I was just passing by..." I said pulling my hands back.

Giving me a small node, he went back to sit in counter, while I followed Em's cafe n bookstore's small neon board.

Pulling the small glass door with thick wooden frame, I stepped inside the cafe which is bigger than it looked from outside. The cool air welcomed me with coffee smell, mixed with aroma of chocolate and cakes. A large coffee bar located on the left side of the door, with baked items placed tidily on the transparent glass cabinet, lining up and waiting for me to eat them all. My mouth watered and for a second I considered to eat something first, but then I decided against it. I hate eating alone and specially in a place that is packed with people either in pair or in groups. 

Aunt told me to go to Em's cafe 'n' bookstore and a girl name Gabriella, she'll help me with books. But who should I ask where could I find her? I looked at the boy wearing a baseball cap siting behind the coffee bar.

Walking up to him I tapped on the black wooden bar to get his attention but he didn't look up "Hey" I said tapping again.

"God this i***t" a girl who has just come out of kitchen said keeping the tray of three espressos down on bar "Hey" she slapped his shoulder which made him jerk and he looked up at her plugging earbuds out.

"Yes" 

"Take care of customers at least" she said pointing her thumb at me.

Boy looked at me and laughed nervously "I am so sorry"

"As you should be" she glared at him and then looked back at me with a sweet smile before leaving.

"Yes miss, how may I help you" boy asked adjusting his baseball cap. 

"Umm I am looking for Gabriella" 

"Gabriella? umm...oh-ok wait" he said before getting up from his chair and disappearing through the door few minutes ago that brunette girl came out. Must be a kitchen back there.

I stood there for next few minutes admiring cafe's interior. Clean wooden floor with maroon brick walls and ceiling. Wall on my right have a vintage photo of a woman standing outside this cafe. Her redhairs and skrit flowing with air, a young girl standing by her side looks her carbon copy.

"Selen?" when I heard my name I turned around to find the woman from the photos on wall coming out of the kitchen, except she's wearing glasses with golden round frame and looks much younger than the one in photos. 

"Yes, Gabriella?"

"Hi" Gabriella said smiling and wiping her hands on her sky blue apron "Please help Marcos and Steve in kitchen" she said looking back at the baseball cap guy.

"Yeah I'll" he said taking his seat behind the coffee bar once again.

"And" she picked up his earbuds "no earbuds"

"Hey that's not fair" the boy protested but Gabriella shook her head "yes it is, Rhett look around this place, it is packed, which means our responsibility to make sure that every customer is satisfied enough to revisit us increases" she said removing her apron.

"Let's go" she told me and started towards the door.

"Gab?" someone called Gabriella when we reached door, when I looked back I saw same brunette hostess I saw few minutes ago standing with another girl who must be in her late twenties "what happened" brunette hostess asked looking between me and Gabriella.

"Maisha meet Selen, aunt Sarah's niece" Gabriella gently patted my shoulders "Selen, meet Maisha and Tara" 

"Aunt Sarah have a niece...wow that's a surprise" Maisha exclaimed looking at me before giving me a once over "I hope you enjoy your holidays here, Selen" she extended her hand for a shake "Thank you" taking her hand I replied grinning from ear to ear.

After a little meet and greet with Tara and Maisha, Gabriella took me to her bookstore right next to cafe.

As we walked through the glass door I found myself in a large brightly lit four-cornered room. Each wall was painted light blue with black book and shelf designs on it, white ceiling and chairs to sit makes the store look more lively. To my left, a cashier around my age sat behind a counter, reading a yellowing book. An overflowing amount of magazines were on the opposite side waiting to be read. Three most probably middle school boys sitting in the far end of the room around a wooden table reading and writing something.

"So this is kind of library too" I asked Gabriella. 

"Uh no but I do let people I personally know use it like one" she shrugged "anyways you would like book of which genre"

When boys noticed Gabriella, they grinned and waved at her. Gabriella waved back with same enthusiasm .

"Mmm Fantasy" 

"Wow that's my favorite genre too. Whenever I have time which I don't have these days I prefer fantasy. I mean it is really is helpful, specially when your life is totally black and white" she said chuckling

"Couldn't agree more. Fantasy and Romance really helps a lot" I said and I scanned shelves for the book to choose as we walked through the fantasy section. I don't have a specific book series in my mind, I just wanted to go out and maybe even get a new book.

"Eh, romance novellas are too cheesy for my taste." she said with certain disgusted tone which made me look up at her. She was scanning bookshelf on our right "This one" she tapped on a book with red cover "this book is quite old. I mean it released back in 2015, but its still highly demanded" she said pulling out the book with a girl in red dress and long red hairs and boy in red hood crouching down in front of her with a sword 'An Ember In The Ashes' 

"Of course if you haven't read it already" she said showing me the book.

"No, I have heard about this book. But I haven't read it yet" I replied taking book from her hand and directly opening the the page from where Laia the protagonist's point of view started.

"Ok then take this one and let's take a look on the other books my little bookstore have here"

"What's your favorite fantasy book series" Gabriella asked me after few minutes 

"There are so many. But if I have to tell you one then Hush Hush saga, I simply love that book series. It's a paranormal romance and I have read it like five to six times. And lemme tell you I am not a kind of person who re-read books....Usually. But Hush Hush and The mortal instruments are simply different " I said grinning from ear to ear. Talking about the books always cheered me up no matter what. After the big revelation of my pregnancy books helped me survive my father's wrath for two weeks. 

"I completed Mortal instruments last year and yeah, It was pretty good. Totally worth your time and money. As for Hush Hush, I don't know I am not into romance, like at all" she said shrugging "Anyways why don't you sit here. I have some awesome books for you"