Page 26 of More Than Words
Finally, Quinn turned, gave a noncommittal shrug, and headed toward her usual chair in the corner without a word.No sarcastic remark.No little smile.Just a tired exhale as she flopped down and tucked her legs under her.
It was a sharp contrast to the bright and fun-loving girl from yesterday.
I walked over and crouched beside her, resting my hand on the arm of the chair.“You usually have a lot of opinions around this time of day.So this quiet version of you…it’s a little unsettling.”I tried to keep my voice light.“Did something happen at school?What’s going on?”
She let out a half-laugh, but it didn’t touch the sadness in her eyes.Whatever it was that was on her mind, I could tell it was heavy.“It’s nothing.”
“Quinn.”
She glanced at me, then at the hem of her hoodie she was worrying with her fingers.“It’s just…my mom was going to come for career day next week.She promised and everything.”
My chest squeezed.Quinn rarely mentioned her mother.“And now she’s not?”But I didn’t need to know the details to know that mother-daughter dynamics could be hard and lead to heartache.Especially for a twelve-year-old girl.
“She texted this afternoon, during last period.”She didn’t look up.“Something came up.Again.”Her voice cracked a little on the last word, and she blinked hard.
I sank onto the ottoman beside her.“I’m sorry, Quinn.That sucks.”
“It does suck.”
“It really sucks.”
Finally, she looked up and offered me a small smile before it disappeared again.“She always tells me she wants to come, but it’s like…I don’t know, something more important always comes up.A meeting.A trip.Whatever.It’s always more important than me.”
My heart cracked for this girl who deserved to be the most important thing in her mother’s life.
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Quinn continued.“I just thought…maybe this time…”
“You were excited,” I said gently.
She nodded.“And now I don’t have anyone to come.”
“What about your dad?”Ethan did seem like the obvious choice.
“He makes beer,” she said simply.“That’s not really a school thing.And my uncles, well…everyone in town already knows that Uncle Brody runs the Peak to Path and Uncle Gray manages the hardware store—that’s so boring.And Uncle Reid…well, he’s way too big of a grump to agree to come.”
I didn’t bother hiding my smile.She was right.“And your Uncle Preston?”
“Does he evenhavea job?”
It was my turn to shrug.
“I’m going to be the only one there without anyone.”
I watched her shrink further into herself.“You know,” I said after a moment.“Bookstores are kind of a school thing.If you don’t think it’s too boring.”
Her head shot up.“What?”
“I mean…running a bookstore is a career.I order stock, manage inventory, handle customers and all that stuff.I don’t know what your mom does, but if you don’t think it’s too lame, I could?—”
“You’d come?”She sat up straight and pulled her shoulders back.“To career day?Really?”
“If you want me to,” I said.“You’re kind of my favorite regular.”
That got a real smile out of her.
“Thanks,” she said after a moment.“That would be really cool.”
“I’m glad you think that inventory management and fictional worlds are cool.”
