Silberman's Books: Happy Working Song (IC)

[Heritage]

Sunday, July 27th 2014. Silberman's Books, the corner of Pratt and Frederick. Early morning.

 

For the second time in living memory, Lynn Epstein's hand shook as she tried to fit the key into the front door of her grandfather's...of her bookstore; it had been almost three years Earth relative since she'd set foot inside the place, but of course it felt longer, two or three lifetimes ago at least. The last time she'd been in here it was to tidy up after her and Bill's wedding (still hurts, of course), which had been relatively quick due to most of the decorations being glamour, other than Stesha's amazing floral arangements.

 

The ageless fey finally managed to get the blasted thing open and made her way inside. Today her hair was longish and curly, the way she currently favored it, and she wore big plastic sunglasses, a light short-sleeved cotton blouse, khaki shorts and open-toed leather sandals. Her face and body had filled out a bit since last she was in town; no longer a girl, she now looked to be a young woman.

 

Tucking the building's keys back into her small leather purse, she carefully closed the door, then paused to take in the place with all her senses: beneath the dust, it was like the wedding was just yesterday, with all the flowers, hair spray and aftershave lingering like olfactory ghosts. Bill was still here, as were Erik and many others; Grampaloo's spirit puttered around by the back office, keeping himself busy as in life.

 

Small tears appeared in the corners of Lynn's eyes as she turned back towards the door, arm stretched out and back as she smiled and spoke to no one.

 

"Come and see."

 

After a few moments, she let her hand drop as she moved over behind the long wooden counter and put her purse down next to the vintage cash register she has every reason to keep using, just as her grandfather did; with a sigh, she realized her new staff would soon grow to hate her strong sentimental streak. At least there would be new computers for inventory and everything else, and who knows, in time she might even be able to let the register go. Maybe.

 

On to more practical matters; tomorrow Lynn had appointments with the gas and electric people to have all the utilities switched back on, then Tuesday the IT people descended on the place like a biblical plague, with their miles of optical cables.

 

"This is going to work." The tiny heroine nodded to herself. "I know it will."

Edited June 17, 2016 by Heritage

[Heritage]

Monday, July 28th 2014. Silberman's Books, lunchtime.

 

 Lynn was seated at one of the several comfortable wooden chairs that now dotted the store floor, along with three small round tables to join the old rectangular one from Grampa Lou's day. "Now I know it's a lot to take in..."

 

"Well, yeah, kinda!" Her old friend Kiki snorted as she shook her head and continued to pace around the room, fiddling nervously with her straw hat. Lynn swore she'd never seen her wear the same headgear twice; just how many hats did the girl own?

 

"But I'm still the same girl who shared the apartment with you in Riverside all those years ago; the same girl you met back when we both rode around like idiots for the Fleet."

 

The willowly blonde looked unconvinced as she chewed her lip; finally, the shorter brunette threw up her hands in frustration as she hopped out of her chair.

 

"Dude, who was the one who rode with you to the hospital when you had that nasty compound fracture? I was the one who called for the frickin' ambulance, remember? I'm still the same Lynn! "

 

The tales of their shared bike messenger days seemed to finally be thawing the glacier of mistrust and disbelief that had formed the minute Lynn had (perhaps foolishly?) decided to tell her old friend and roommate the truth about herself. As in all The Truth. Well, most of it, anyways. Kiki slowly slid down into one of the new chairs before bouncing right back out of it again in alarm. Lynn buried her face in her hands.

 

"It's a real chair, Keek, for all intents and purposes; it's not going to go away unless I want it to, and I don't want you be sprawled out on your ass, so please just...sit."

 

The former dance major mutely did as she was told, though she squirmed a bit, as though there was sand in her jeans.

 

"Okay, I get it; you'e still the same you I knew back when...whatever. But you have to allow me to be freaked out a bit, okay? It's not every day you find out someone you've known for years is a magical pixie superhero person. This is a big deal."

 

"I know, I know. And maybe it's unfair of me to tell you, but I think at least one person other me needs to know this stuff, okay? One other person of authority in the store, in case, y'know, someone has to cover for me now and then."

 

"I guess..." Kiki rested her head in her hands, elbows on the table. She was quiet for a few moments. "And it's not like I can't use the money; I'm about to age out of my dad's health insurance, and dancers get hurt all the time, so..." The young blonde finally lifted her head up and met her old friend's gaze with a crooked smile. "Alright, fine; my answer is 'yes'."

 

In an instant, Lynn was up, vaulting through the air and landing on the floor next to her former roommate to give her a warm hug. "Yes, yes, oh thank you so much, Keek! You won't regret it!" She suddenly frowned thoughfully as she stroked her chin. "Actually, you probably will, but that won't be 'til years from now..."

 

Kiki laughed nervously as she slugged Lynn in the arm; sure it was weird as hell having a superhero for a friend, but it was kind of cool, too. "Alright, knock it off, you little freak! So, what do we do next?"

Edited June 17, 2016 by Heritage

[Heritage]

Tuesday, July 29th 2014. Silberman's Books, 2pm.

 

The IT people were almost done, though there stuff was still strewn all over the place; Lynn and her new assistant manager stopped for a quick lunch break in the boss's office for a bit of privacy. Lynn sat behind the big wooden desk and playfully swiveled around in her grandfather's old chair (no, great-grandfather's actually!) like she was maybe five, while Kiki munched on her chicken schwarma wrap, pausing occasionally to sip her mango black iced tea. 

 

"What's are those?" Keek indicated a pair of guns hanging above and behind Lynn's head, one a rifle and the other some sort of odd revolver; both looked to be antiques and were mounted on an elegant wooden frame.

 

The petite brunette stopped her childish play briefly and looked over her shoulder. "Oh those? Uh, 'family heirlooms' I guess you could say." A pained expression clouded her face.

 

The taller blonde noticed it and looked stricken as she reached across to grab her friend's hand. "Oh s###, is that from before...?"

 

Lynn waved a hand like it was no big deal, but she also reached across to snag one of Kiki's napkins to dry her eyes. "Don't worry about it. I just cry at random nowadays; everything sets me off. You remember Wreck-It Ralph, that scene when he destroys her car? I was bawling." She watched her friend take a long sip of tea, and licked her lips. "Uh, not that I really get thirsty anymore, but that looks really good. Do you mind if I make myself something to drink?"

 

Kiki shrugged. "Hey, you're the boss, do what ever you like." Then she smiled. "But thanks for asking anyway." The feyling returned her smile as she gestured towards the desk and large frozen strawberry margarita appeared in a ridiculously tall glass with a bright plastic curly straw. Kiki frowned. "Hey, no fair making yourself a better drink than I have!"

 

And now it was Lynn's turn to shrug. "You said it yourself; I'm the boss. Besides, I probably won't even finish the damn thing; I made it way too darn big."

 

Kiki pouted as she noisily slurped her iced tea; Lynn merely rolled her eyes as she opened a manila folder on her desk and looked over the stack of job applications for the umpteenth time. As she did so, she took a big draw of her frozen drink, but then she had to stop as she clenched her forehead in pain.

 

"Ahhh, brain freeze! S###, that hurts!"

 

Kiki could only stare at her in disbelief. "Did you just give yourself brain freeze, from a drink you just made up?"

 

The changeling angrily waved a hand at the blonde, as though she was swatting at a fly, though she also appeared to be on the verge of busting out laughing. "Shut up, it's a magic thing; your puny mortal mind wouldn't understand!" She blinked a few times, then forced her mouth and eyes wide open as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Oh, damn that hurt! Begone, foul beverage!" With a wave of her hand, the tall glass disappeared in a burst of frightened vapor.

 

The assistant manager shook her head as she bit her lower lip. "So, did you want to go over your final choices?"

 

Lynn nodded vigorously, her brows still somewhat furrowed with residual pain. "Yes, please, let's..."

Edited August 2, 2014 by Heritage

[Heritage]

Tuesday, July 29th 2014. Silberman's Books, 2:20 pm.

 

"Okay, so if you've already interviewed and hired them, why do you need my opinion? It's a done deal!"

 

Lynn rubbed her face with oth hands, then peered between her fingers at the four resumes spread before her. "I know, I'm just getting cold feet and second-guessing myself as usual." Then she placed both hands on her desk, palms down. "Actually, that's not true; in combat, I never second-guess myself, because there's just no time. It's just everyday life when I twist my guts in knots."

 

Kiki rolled her eyes. "Well then, pretend this is combat; pretend you've been going through top secret files to assemble the perfect 'retail recon squad', and go from there."

 

The ageless fey looked at her old friend with newfound wonder. "Omigod, that's brilliant! You so deserve the raise I'm about to give you!"

 

The blonde laughed at waved her hand. "Ah, it's noth- a raise?"

 

Lynn nodded vigorously, a huge grin on her face. "Oh hell's yes! You are now earning 13.50 an hour!"

 

Keek held up her hands in triumph. "Sweet! Oh, I've got lots more ideas where that came from!"

 

- - - -

 

Stephen Marcus Lang, aka Cred0 - Computer Operations

 

"He wants to be called 'Credo'?"

 

"Yes, spelled with a zero; it's completely pretentious and stupid, but the guy is a genius. An extremenly annoying genius. Also he'll work for super-cheap if we don't charge him for espresso."

 

"Weird."

 

"Yeah."

 

Gretchen McDaniels - Communications

 

"Wow, this girl just screams 'bitter FreeSA grad'."

 

"Yep. Tons of retail experience plus an encyclopdic history of pop culture hardwired into her brain. I think she changed majors like three times."

 

"Is her music any good?"

 

"Eh, it's okay..."

 

Lance Bettendorfer - Heavy Weapons

 

"Kansas State grad, majored in journalism, got hired by one of the local networks, than lost his job due to cutbacks. Great with tools and the sweetest guy you'll ever meet. Knows his s### and pours a mean espresso shot, too. In short, he's perfect."

 

"Too perfect?"

 

"Pretty much, yeah."

 

"So is he...?"

 

"Y'know, I can't even tell! The guy loves both college football and Moulin Rouge, so it's anyone guess. Personally, I think he's either gay, an alien or a robot."

 

"Can't he be a gay alien robot?"

 

"Actually, that could be it..."

 

Madelyne 'Maddy' Evans - Target Acquistion

 

"The girl is like a machine. Has most of her masters in English Lit, read every book under the sun, sales experience up the ying-yang...plus, she came in with her girlfriend and baby and I was like, 'awwww!'"

 

"Awwwww!"

 

Mrs. Nussbaum - Supply

 

"Everyone loves cookies."

 

"Fair enough."

Edited August 3, 2014 by Heritage