Always | ✓

40. A Letter

There was also the fact that I couldn't resist going back to see Rocky, our dog. Since I'm an only child and I left the nest, I thought it was nice that my parents still had Rocky with them. He was like their other child.

Plus, he gets so excited when I go back to visit. Jumping up and down and tail wagging. It's always a warm welcome back.

Within these last couple of years, I've actually learnt a lot from my Aunt. There was a lot associated with having your own business, it wasn't just about selling things.

At first I did most of the legwork for my Aunt, running around for errands or making calls. But then slowly, she started getting me more involved in all aspects.

I was quite comfortable at handling things, so when my Aunt met someone around six months ago, she basically left things for me to deal with.

Aunt Kat didn't really stick around the store as much as she used to, after meeting her new man. According to her, she's still in the honeymoon phase and since she'd already shown me the ropes, it shouldn't be hard for me to manage on my own.

I thought she just had way too much faith in my skills.

But all this time later, the store was still running and we hadn't gone bankrupt. So, I guess that was positive.

***

This morning I kept up with my usual morning routine, grabbing two cups of coffee and something to eat, before heading to the boutique.

A short while after, as I passed the store-front, I smiled. It was probably a little weird, but seeing the boutique always gave me a good feeling.

When I first started working here, the store window always looked a little mundane to me. It was pretty, but it didn't really feel like it was the place to find 'that dress'. One of the most important ones you'll wear.

However, later on, my Aunt gave me a little more creative freedom to change some things about and the first one my list, was the window.

With some flowers and fairy lights, a simplistic but detailed approach, I felt like it looked a lot better. At least, I felt as if someone were searching for a dress, they'd come across our store and just have a feeling they were going to find it here.

As I walked in, the little chime on the door signalling my entrance, I immediately spotted my co-worker.

"Hey, Arya," I greeted her.

We had needed some more help with the shop, since my old worker was moving away and I was only one person, who couldn't handle everything.

The first time I met her, Arya didn't exactly scream, 'welcome to our cute little boutique'. She had jet-black hair, with a few red streaks in and a couple of piercings. She also always wore black. However, I wasn't one to judge her by her appearance.

Before my Aunt interviewed her, I had a little chat with Arya and I knew she'd be a great fit. She was funny, sarcastic and very sweet.

When Aunt Kat wasn't sure about hiring Arya because of her 'look', I did my best to convince her. I truly thought she was the best person for the role and Arya had yet to prove me wrong.

"Hey, Serena," she smiled at me.

I handed her the extra coffee and one of the croissants, causing her to sigh in relief.

"I needed a coffee so bad. Thank you," she told me.

I laughed at her words and also her expression, as she took a large bite of the croissant.