My Winters Tale

It’s a perfect cold day. Perfect because I will be starting my day going to the bookstore I seen last week when I moved here. I get to see the beauty the city is in winter, I get to absorb it all in and the best thing, I don’t have to share. It seems my love for winter is rare. But it’ll start with a new book, then I’ll go home make some hot chocolate, sit by my window that is cracked open, wrapped in my big mink blanket and reading a new book. I stop to take a few photos of flowers, trees, a duck and her ducklings, anything that catches my eyes really.

There it is ‘Raven’s Corner’, it’s cute and rustic. I smile and walk in. I have issues with speaking confidently so I always carry a pen and notebook. I walk to the counter, no one is there but that’s ok I can wait. I write down ‘hello I would like a book that you recommend that has Strong female leads please.’ And I draw a smiley face on there as well.

I look around it’s actually really quite there is one customer that isn’t me, but that’s normal no one appreciates books anymore. I roll my eyes t my own thought and go looking for someone who works here. I see some movements through a few shelves and as I walk around the corner I see this beautiful woman dancing with her headphones in. I step back out of sight just to watch for a while. She moves with happiness and confidence. I lean onto the shelf but my hand slips and I fall knocking a few books off the shelf, causing her to turn around in shock.

“Oh, my gosh are you ok?” She asks as she races over to help me up. I’m ok physically but I’m so embarrassed and I hi to run but she grabs my hand and says “please don’t go.” For some reason her soft velvety voice was calming and I stayed. I slowly turn to look at her and with a bright red face I smile shyly And wave.

I bite my lip and grab my notebook and start writing. Once I’m done I look up and she’s looking at me confused and I sigh and just hand her the note. It reads ‘I’m sorry for the mess I’ll clean it and pay for any damages.’ I’m already picking up the books by the time she had finished the note. “Don’t worry about it sugar. If you know how many times I have knocked books off the shelf you would question why I even own this place.” She laughs this beautiful laugh and I can’t help but laugh with her. “Why don’t you talk?” I freeze and ignore the question and put the books on the shelf.

I turn the page back to the first question I wanted to ask and smile politely. She sends a small smile back and reads it, she looks back at me and smirks “you can always read me” I laugh because that’s funny I shake my head no and point to the books to say I want a book book. “Try Fried Green Tomatoes. It was just a great book, I cried like a little kid, it just has so many women that struggled with life, men and time and racism... The story goes like through 70 years... You would have to read to understand.” The way she explained it was just beautiful and heartfelt. I will read it and cherish it.

“Th.th.thank you,” I say quietly “I’m Raven,” I say with a smug smile. Her eyes open wide a little and I hold my hand out, she takes it “I’m Lucy, Lucy Raven.” I giggle at the coincidence. I take my notebook back and start to write but Lucy places her hands on top so I would stop. I look at her confused and she shakes her head “please don’t. You have a beautiful voice, you should let people hear it. You can start with just me hearing it. I don’t know what made you stop using your voice but please don’t let it continue holding you back.” I bite my lip nervously and nod my head “do you want to be my friend? I’m new to town and besides this being named after me I have I am meant to be here. You and I were meant to meet.” I blush and am shocked with myself for speaking so much. Lucy smiles wide and says “please, I would love to be your friend.”

My day changed course, it wasn’t the perfect I had planned but it turned out to be a better perfect. I gained a friend and over the course of our friendship I gained more confidence, I learnt to speak more she even helped me with dating issues. Lucy and I are great friends and I hope we stay that way.

Four weeks later I’m running as fast as I can to the bookstore, I barge through the door and scare the daylights out of Lucy “Lucy Lucy Lucy. You need to close the store for the day.” I say breathlessly “what’s going on?? are you ok?? what happened?” I smile wide “everything’s is perfect look” I point outside and she looks confused “ITS SNOWING LUCY” I yell as I take her hand and pull her outside “Raven what the heck has gotten into you?” She laughs and I shut the door behind me. “I have never seen snow in my whole life. I woke up this morning and ran all the way here.” She looks me up and down “yeah I can see that. Now go home or you’ll get sick” I look down I’m still in my pj’s and I cross my arms and groan “who are you, my mother?” I roll my eyes playfully “I don’t care. It’s too late for that. I need you to close your eyes and trust me.” I smile with a slight smirk “no way that devil smile is showing Sugar and I’m not going to move from here.” I giggle “don’t worry you don’t need to move.” Lucy reluctantly covers her eyes and I pick up some snow and make a small ping pong ball size and throw it at her “HEY, you little menace. That wasn’t fair.” I smirk “yeah but the snow is” I retort back and Lucy shakes her head “such a child.” I nod and crouch down “build a snowlady with me. Please. Then we can make snow angels.... well I’ll make snow angels you make snow devils” I giggle and next minute I’m covered in snow “gotcha” is all I get in reply. “Warrrrrr” I cry out and we start having a snowball fight.

We spent all morning out in the snow before Lucy went all mum on me and we went inside had hot chocolate and read books wrapped up in nice warm blankets. Lucy is amazing, caring and one of a kind, I was lucky to have found her and even luckier to call her my friend. She truly is magnificent, a queen as she likes to call herself. She really is just amazing.