More Than Words

It was now March, and Nick and I were… good. Everything was going well and I just kept waiting for something bad to happen. It just seemed too good to be true, and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We’d wake up, eat breakfast together, joking around about coffee dependencies and culinary skills, then go to the shop, where work would be more fun and just all around better than ever before. After the shop closed for the day, we’d go home and just… be together. It didn’t really matter what we were doing, we just enjoyed each other’s company.

I’ve never really experienced that. The feeling that you could be cleaning bathrooms or walking through a sewer, literally anything and you’d still enjoy it, just because that one person was there. Nick was the most important person to my life right now, and if he was gone… I don’t know what I’d do.

So there would be no other shoe dropping. I refused to let it happen. I convinced myself that maybe, some relationships really are perfect.

Maybe.

“Hey, El, do we have any more of that new YA book? Apparently it’s popular.”

“The display’s empty already? Wow, awesome, kids are reading.” I said, looking up from where I was restocking. “Yeah, we’ve got a bunch back in the stockroom. I’ll go grab ‘em, okay?”

“No, you go man the register. Deal with your customers. They really love you, you know.”

“Well, a lot of them have known me since I was too short to see over the counter, and the others grew up with me, so, you know… we know each other.”

“Well, get out there, slacker. Aren’t you supposed to be the boss?”

“Oh, shut up.” I said, then kissed him softly.

I went to the front and smiled out at the people swarming around, which happens every once in a while when a new, popular book comes out.

“Ellory, there you are.” Mrs. Everett said, dropping her book and purse onto the counter. “I don’t know if I’ve told you, but that boyfriend of yours is a keeper. He must be the most helpful, kind, handsome person I’ve ever met. Well, besides you.”

“Oh, I know, Mrs. Everett.” I said. “And you don’t have to lie. I know he’s far too good for me.”

“Ellory, you deserve him. After all you’ve been through, all your hard work… you deserve him more than you recognize.”

“Thank you.” I said, smiling and handing her the books. “But I still think I’m just lucky to have him here.”

The crowd had thinned considerably, and eventually it was time to close. Nick had gone back into the storeroom to check stock of our new bestseller for tomorrow while I checked out our last customer of the day, Dolores, who’d been my mother’s best friend in town.

Halfway through ringing her up, there was a crash from the stock room.

“Nick?” I yelled, concern lacing my tone.

When there was no response, I threw a quick apologetic look at Dolores before practically running to the stock room.

I was met with a sight scarier than anything I’d seen in my whole life.

Nick was lying on the ground, eyes closed, arms and legs sprawled out at awkward angles.

“Nick?!” I ran to his side, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him lightly, careful not to move him in case he was really hurt. “Nick?”

Dolores ran in behind me and looked down at where I was.

“He’s not waking up.” I said, my voice catching in my throat as tears threatened to surface.

“I’ll call 911. You stay with him.” She ran into the front room, leaving me there, holding Nick's body close to mine.

“Stay with me, Nick. Just hang on. We’re gonna get you help.”