forget me not
Mary was standing before a bookshelf, not sure which book she should buy. The bookshop was nearly empty, only a few peope lingering between books and vinyls. Her eye caught a particular book, a poem collection. It was by Emily Dickinson. Though Mary didn`t read those type of books, she picked it up. She knew someone who did.
“Mary,” a voice, that certain someone, whispered. Mary startled and looked around the bookshop to look at her. Lily was chuckling now and Mary was still searching when she noticed a hand that was reaching through the bookshelf to touch hers.
“I`m here,” Lily whispered. Mary crouched down to look at her. The smile on her lips was immediate.
“Lily, what are you doing?“ Mary whispered and then: „and why are we whispering?“
Another chuckle. So contagious.
“I found something,” Lily answered, still whispering, „You have to see it,”
Mary went around the bookshelf to see Lily sitting on the wooden floor, her back to the shelf and an old book in her hand. She was gesturing Mary to sit down with her, a mischievous smile on her lips.
Mary raised her eyebrows at her. Then she sat down next to her, their knees touching.
“What is it?” she asked. Lily seemed distracted for a bit, but then quickly looked up at Mary again.
“Oh, it`s brills, Mary, look!” she said and opened the book in her hand “Someone left letters in this book,”
“I don`t think we should- “
“Oh, it`s fine, they seem very old,” Lily said and Mary still wanted to protest, but Lily was looking at her with those eyes again and Mary couldn`t say no.
Lily unfolded another letter so that both of them could see and read it out loud.
“My dearest Linda- oh wow, that`s-“
“What do you think you`re doing?“ a deep voice said warningly. Mary and Lily were startled by the grim shopowner who looked at them sternly, clearly not amused with them. Steve didn`t like customers in his bookshop even though he depended on them. Mary sometimes thinks Steve would love to just always have the closed sign hung up and just stay in his bookshop alone all day. Honestly, she can respect that.
“We weren`t doing anything just-“ Mary tried to argue, but Lily tucked at her sleeves. She clearly didn`t want the shopowner to know about the letters.
“Whatever you troublemakers have in mind, you better do it outside. I don`t like you sneaking around my shop. Now get out!“
Mary quickly put down the poem collection she still had in her hand and Lily and her left the shop, not making eye contact with Steve.
“Oh god, that was embarrassing. Do you think he saw-?” Mary started but stopped herself when she noticed Lily was distracted. She turned around to find Lily still reading the letter.
“Lily! What are you doing?“
“My dearest Linda, these last two weeks without you have been agony. I-“
“Lily, it`s private, you shouldn`t-“
“I spent my days waiting to fall asleep to see you in my dreams because I hate to wait so long- “
Mary tried to snatch the letter, but Lily held up her hand so that she couldn`t reach it.
“Loving you has never been painful- it couldn`t be. It is the only good thing I cling to in this madness: like a sailor in- Mary, stop it!“ Half-laughing, half-serious, Lily tried to get Mary off her shoulders, but couldn`t.
“It´s what got us into this mess in the first place! Steve probably won`t let us in ever again, “ Mary told Lily. Though Mary knew Lily read more books than she did, she didn`t seem as nervous about all of this as Mary was.
In fact, Lily seemed to find it kind of amusing. She folded the letter and made a point by slowly putting it in the pocket of her jeans. How could she be so cool about it?
“Ach, don`t you worry my darling! Everything will be fine,“ Lily exaggerated.
“Darling? Really?“
“No?“ Lily asked, her head tilted.
Mary shook her head while she was smiling. She could feel her cheeks had gotten warm, but she was not sure why. Lily was beaming at her, seemingly having fun messing with her.
“You`re impossible,“ Mary said, but before she could say anything else, she woke up.