Chapter Three
Effie had always been drawn to the sea, pulled by its power as if she too was part of the tide.
All her teenage angst and woes had been worked through whilst wading through the shallows, the waves rippling over her toes, but she’d never quite dared to venture in above her knees.
The sea was powerful, and like a lot of things, Effie was afraid of that power.
As she’d grown older, she’d come to respect the sea, accepting it as a part of her Cornish roots, and now it was as much part of her as it was the landscape.
She’d started sea swimming after she’d come home from London.
The city had clung to her skin, got under her nails, dulled her shine.
The only way she knew to cleanse herself was to go, full body, into the sea.
Effie still recalled the first wince as the cold water closed in around her, how on the count of three she’d submerged herself, leaving only her head above the surface, teeth chattering, gasping for breath, but feeling more alive than she’d ever felt before.
Effie always felt a little mad to say the sea had purified her, but she truly believed it had.
However, that Friday morning she didn’t have time for a dip before work.
Instead, she stood on the promenade, takeaway tea in her hand, half a nibbled almond croissant in her pocket, staring out to sea.
She breathed in and out with the tide, her gaze focused on St Michael’s Mount further round the bay, and allowed the ebb and flow of the waves to soothe her.
It had been quite an emotionally stressful week as she’d considered Clive’s offer, turning it over and over like sea glass in the sunshine, looking for imperfections, checking out its beauty.
It had been difficult to keep the proposition from her colleagues and guilt over hiding such a large secret had niggled at her.
Effie knew she had her parents’ blessing, and it was their unwavering support that had helped her make her decision.
Effie now held that response in her heart, all she needed to do was to gather up the courage and share it with Clive.
After crumbling the remaining half of her croissant for the circling gulls, despite knowing full well they shouldn’t be encouraged to scavenge, Effie tossed her empty cup in the bin and made her way across the road and around the corner towards Books by the Sea, which was tucked just away from the seafront in the main shopping street.
Pausing briefly outside, Effie took in the dark blue sign, the window display she’d spent an afternoon setting up with Zoey, filling it with an assortment of children’s books for World Book Day.
They’d had a lot of fun dressing up as their favourite characters, Effie having chosen Alice in Wonderland, and greeting the children as they came in to choose books with their vouchers.
Eight years she’d been here, unpacking boxes, filling shelves, listening to customers and holidaymakers share their stories.
Monday morning coffee and pastries with Maddie and Zoey, the occasional quiz night and after-work drinks.
A whole community bundled into one small shop.
A life and contentment an eighteen-year-old Effie had thought she’d only find if she spread her wings.
And now? Well, there was only one thing for it.
Time to seize her destiny. Pushing open the door, she stepped into the shop with its well-worn shelves filled on one side with brightly coloured new paperbacks and on the other, crammed with tattered, well-loved second-hand books.
Effie breathed in the aroma of old paper and furniture polish, followed the light filtering through the window towards the counter, which was stacked with postcards, notebooks and pens.
She’d loved visiting the shop as a child, had enjoyed getting lost within its eclectic collections.
She still had her first ever Jane Austen that she’d picked off one of the shelves as a teenager, so finding a job here had been a dream come true.
‘Good morning,’ she greeted Zoey who was setting up the till for the day’s trade, before making her way through to the little storeroom that doubled up as a closet and break room.
Effie hung up her coat, put her bag in her locker, then, smoothing down her mermaid braid, clenched her fists and made her way down to Clive’s office. This time she knocked firmly.
‘Come in!’
Effie pushed the door open, stepped inside with more confidence than she’d had on Monday, and closed it. She didn’t sit down, instead she stood, her back to the door.
‘Effie! How are you? Have you thought any more about my offer?’
Effie nodded. ‘Yes, yes I have.’
‘And?’ His face was hopeful.
‘I have a question. Is this temporary or will I be there running the shop permanently?’
‘I’ve taken the lease on for a year, so we can see how it goes, no pressure, but your future there will be based on the shop’s success and since you’re such a hard worker, I don’t have any fears that we’ll be closing after a year.
So it’ll be a year in the first instance.
That’s why I want you at the helm, to give it it’s best chance.
Of course, if things go awry, we’ll all have to reconsider, but I’m confident that won’t happen. ’
Satisfied with his response, Effie continued, ‘Will I be running it alone? What about breaks and holidays and things?’
Clive swallowed. ‘Well, as I said, to begin with, setting it up, you’ll be doing it alone. Just do what you need to, shut for half an hour. When it gets to high season we can employ someone in the holidays to help out and stuff. How does that sound?’
It was a vague answer but the excitement of opening the shop overruled any sensibilities over running logistics.
Effie bit her lip, counted to ten and said, ‘I accept. I’d be delighted to run the Polcarrow shop, it’s too close to my own dream to turn down.
’ A joyful smile spread across her face, a smile Effie felt right to the core of her being.
She knew she’d made the right choice. Her future glittered before her and rather than being anxious, Effie found that she was excited and hopeful.
‘So, what’s all this for?’ Maddie narrowed her eyes at the tray of doughnuts Clive was hovering behind in the staffroom Friday lunchtime.
Jigging on the spot, Clive ignored her, instead asking, ‘Is everyone here?’
Effie wanted to shrink into herself as Maddie performed a head count.
‘Me, Zoey and Effie, so yes, unless you’re expecting someone else?’
Clive checked his watch. ‘Only Zach.’
Effie and Maddie exchanged a glance. Zach had been a thorn in Effie’s side whenever he decided to grace the shop with his glowering presence.
Thankfully, he was rarely present, only dipping in and out in-between travelling or pursuing his next mad scheme.
Maddie just thought he was a spoiled brat, living off his dad’s hard-earned money and that was why he was rude, but Effie knew differently.
‘What’s up?’ Zach asked, as he stepped into the room, taking up all the remaining space. He ran a hand through his hair, the stubble on his face more from laziness than style as he cast his eyes around the room, narrowing them at Effie.
She tried not to squirm under his scrutiny, but it was difficult, they had history she’d rather forget.
They’d been at school together. He’d been the popular head of the football team, all the girls had swarmed around him, but still, he hadn’t been able to leave Effie alone.
It was like her indifference challenged him.
He’d enjoyed taunting her quiet bookish ways, but even though his cruel jibes had cut deeply, she’d never allowed him to see how much he’d affected her.
She hadn’t known he was Clive’s son until she’d been working at the shop a few months and Zach had waltzed in like he owned the place, destroying a display Effie had spent hours working on.
Her heart had jumped at the sight of her teenage adversary but once again, she refused to let on that he was getting to her.
The sly looks, the undermining of her efforts, were all tiresome, at least going to Polcarrow, she’d be out of his way.
Effie just feared that her promotion would unleash a new level of torment.
Effie reached for a pink glazed doughnut and nibbled nervously, avoiding catching Maddie’s eye.
Maddie had been trying all week to wheedle out of Effie why she’d been in Clive’s office on Monday morning.
Effie was exhausted with the constant dodging of questions.
Lying wasn’t in her nature, and she’d started to run out of excuses.
‘Right, OK.’ Clive clapped his hands together. ‘You’ve all got a doughnut? Good.’ He offered the box to Zach, who shook his head.
Maddie rolled her eyes at Effie, who buried her face in her cup of tea. Why on earth was Clive so nervous? He wasn’t the one moving across the county to open a new shop.
‘Anyway, the reason I’ve gathered you all here is that I’m expanding the business.
A property has come up for rent in Polcarrow and I’ve taken on the lease.
As the longest reigning member of staff, I’ve asked Effie to go over and set the shop up.
Effie has such a good vision when it comes to this shop, so she’s perfect for setting up a new one.
I’m excited to see what she has in store.
So, if we could all raise our, erm, cups.
’ Clive lifted his branded Books by the Sea mug.
Maddie and Zoey followed suit, chinking their mugs against Effie’s, both looking as baffled as they had when they’d come into the staffroom.
‘Sorry I didn’t discuss this with you all, but I wasn’t sure if I’d get the lease and I didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up. I considered asking all of you, but Effie has the least commitments,’ he explained awkwardly.