Chapter 56
Afew hours later, Aurelia was so deep into her writing that she didn’t register the knock at the shop door until it happened a second time.
She looked up, confused. Once she saw that it was Mark, peering in the window at her, the pieces fell into place—it was just past ten in the morning and she hadn’t opened the shop yet.
Jumping up from her desk, she nearly knocked over her chair. She rushed to the door to let Mark in, apologizing before it was even fully opened.
“Mark! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize how late it was.”
He looked concerned as he took in her tired eyes, her rumpled clothes, and her general state of disarray.
“I hope everything’s alright?” he asked.
“Yes! Everything’s great. I’m just on a writing jag and I lost track of the time. Please, come in.”
Mark had been hovering uncertainly in the doorway but took a few hesitant steps inside.
“I’ll make us tea,” Aurelia said as she disappeared into the back room.
“Is this the same book you’ve been working on?”
“It is!” she called out. “I’m nearly done now.” She emerged again. “Well, I was done, but then I realized it wasn’t actually finished, so I’m adding a bit more.”
After she brought out their tea, they chatted for a few more minutes before Mark began his wander around the shop. Aurelia looked longingly at her desk but knew that if she sat down to write again there was a good chance she’d be too distracted to remember he was even there.
When Mark eventually left, she stood at the shop door, debating what to do.
She wanted to write and she wanted to sleep, and she couldn’t do either while running the shop.
She walked to her desk and typed out a note on the typewriter that read, ‘Very sorry! Temporarily closed to write a happy ending.’
After posting the note on the door, Aurelia turned the lock and went back to her desk to keep writing.