Jerrie Oneshot Book

In Every Universe

Summary: Perrie, a hot air balloon pilot from the future, drops into Jade's bookstore, and her small town life isn't the same again.

The doorbell rings. Jade spares a glance up and takes quick note of a head of blonde and a long blue trench coat before returning to serve the customer in front of her.

"Welcome to Books & Hooks," she greets the entrant without looking, fingers continuing in swift movements.

The brown paper crinkles as she folds it into neat corners, tucks and tapes, and finishes with a sticker on top. With a genuine but practiced smile she slides the wrapped books over, along with the receipt, and wishes a pleasant day.

After two more customers and two more stickers, Jade finally gets a breather after a busy morning in the bookstore/café. But then remembering the new arrival, she steps around from behind the counter to make way toward where the girl is browsing.

"Hi, is there anything I can help you with?"

Her tone is friendly. The question is ordinary. Both are met with a faint but audible hitch of breath. Then, silence.

Back turned to her, the figure stiffens mid reach to the pile of Bestsellers in the center of the table. The hand retracts cautiously then retreats into the coat's oversize pocket out of view. A curt head shake is the answer after a long beat.

Before Jade can follow-up, the girl turns on her heels and makes a hasty exit out of the shop.

Jade doen't catch a glimpse of her face. The last visual is of muddy soles leaving muddy footprints on hardwood floor.

Two and four days later, the same thing happens in the Fantasy and the Non-Fiction sections, respectively. The latter time, Jade observes the girl with curious interest. Blonde hair gathered in a bun and plopped precariously atop, wrinkled blue coat that hangs down past the knee, and white sneakers stained at the toes with what appears to be soft, sticky earth. It hasn't rained in days and the nearest dirt road is a good few hours' drive away. Must be an out-of-towner, Jade thinks.

Once more, back turned to Jade, the girl's face remains a mystery. But the halting and the hesitation when Jade approaches is becoming well known.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" Jade ventures. She stands patient, several steps back, hands clasped in front ready to be of assistance.

Books & Hooks sells novels, comics, niche magazines and miscellaneous and obscure objects. Located at the town's western edge in a converted 1920s building, overlooking the main street through two-storey tall windows, it's a neighbourhood favourite for cultural products and all things related to upkeeping the little town's heritage. The back of the shop features a self-serve, in-house coffee bar. White baseboard trim and warm oak shelves complement exposed brickwork walls painted ash-colour. One sleepy dog with a thumping tail short of being a bookshop cliché, it's a soothing space to curl up with a book in one of the window boxes or to stare longingly over a cup of coffee along the twill-covered banquette.

Most customers either idle among the variety of nooks or are in a quick rush out the door with their caffeine hit and a new purchase tucked under their arms. Jade knows them all by name.

The stranger is neither an idler nor a purchaser. Rather, Jade notes, a searcher looking for a specific yet unspecified title.

Registering the row of printed works where they stand, she suggests, "There's more on aviation biographies in History section. Is there someone special you have in mind?"