The Kidnapped Promised

Chapter 5 (Namiko's POV)

The ride to wherever we were going was quiet. It was an extremely comfortable silence though. I'm not real sure what it is about Jeremiah that makes me feel so safe but he does. Maybe it was because he treated me like fine China and he actually made an effort to be my friend.

Soon I began to recognize the neighborhood; the familiarity of the houses and shopping centers hit me like a slap in the face. It completely overwhelmed me; it upset me. No sooner than Jeremiah pulled his car into the parking lot of what was supposed to be my little bookstore, I was balling my eyes out. I wasn't sure what kind of sick joke this was but it wasn't funny. I had worked my whole life to obtain my own store only to have it snatched away the day before the Grand Opening.

"Nami, it isn't want you think." Jerry stated softly.

"Then wh-wha-wh-what is I-it, Jerry?" I hiccuped and stuttered as I tried to regain my composure.

"Dax told me to let you go."

I slowly lifted my head so I could look at him.

"What kind of game are you getting at, Jeremiah?" I asked.

"I'm serious."

"Why bring me here though? All of my inventory is gone. I have nothing."

"Actually, I might have pulled a few strings." He shrugged.

"Why do you work for Dax, Jerry? You're so sweet, so.... Different."

"Dax is the only family I have left. We grew up together."

He was keeping something from me but I wouldn't push the subject. If he wanted to tell me then he would.

"Come; lets go inside."

After getting out of the car and walking to the doors of the Store, Jerry took a set of keys out of his pocket and unlocked the doors of my store.

When I walked in my shelves were completely bare but boxes of books where stacked about 5 feet high, just waiting for me to place them on a shelf.

I walked around taking it all in. This was why I had gotten my business degree for; to live and bask in the presence of paper, ink, and words. Books. This is what I lived for.

I could feel Jeremiahs eyes follow me as I walked around.

A lot of people didn't understand why I wanted a bookstore because people can read ebooks off of their kindles, iPad, and phones. I believed that there were still people like myself who valued a real book. A book you could smell, touch, keep until the pages tore apart. My bookstore wasn't about money, my bookstore is going to change the community.

I opened one of the boxes and the first book I saw was the book that started all of my book madness; A Great and Terrible beauty by Libba Bray.

"This place really means a lot to you, doesn't it?"

"Jerry, I've waited my entire young adult life for this place. Books are everything to me." I sighed as I dug through the box more, revealing more books I'd read back in my younger days.

"I'll help set up if you tell me what belongs where."

"Now?!"

"Now and everyday until the Grand Opening."

"You're an amazing person, jerry." I smiled.

6 hours later and my bookstore wasn't even close to being ready.

Jeremiah and I had gotten distracted so many times.

He was completely astonished by how many books I'd actually read. Although, I only remembered the plots of the really good ones.

"You're an amazing woman, Namiko."

"Thank you. It's getting late. I think it's time for us to get going. I'm sure Dax will be furious with you when you get back."

"He was furious when I left."

"Dax is an asshole."

"He may be but he's my boss and my friend. Now lets get you home, your real home."