Chapter 5

The cart squeaked along the long strips of bookshelves which each contained hundreds of paperbacks, hardcover books, and instruction manuals. Using the Dewey Decimal System, the thin man placed the latest shipment on the shelf and carried on. The bags under his eyes played witness to the sleepless nights he’s had for the last three weeks. He simply couldn’t stop himself from thinking of her. She was his everything.

Done with the mystery books, he took a few more steps and found himself at the Romance section. He picked up one of the novels and turned it over in his hands. On the cover, a woman’s fingers were pressed against a shirtless man who had a rather muscular chest. A look of pure lust was etched into the woman’s pursing lips, the only part of her face that was visible. Her long black hair danced to the small of her back. She looked so much like the girl he knew. The real man holding the book tossed the novel haphazardly onto the shelf. He had to stop himself from thinking of her. His wrists started shaking as he held onto the cart packed with other books to restock.

Why did he go so far away that day? He often wondered that among other questions. The first time he saw his love, it was far from this town. Hours away. Maybe it was fate that led him to drive that neighborhood or the call of true love. All he knew was on his week off, he needed to head out from his home to see something new. And when the man saw her, he was captivated by her beauty. She was perfection itself.

“Mr. Clover?”

The man turned at being called. It was Alice, an older employee who had worked there since before the man took over the store six years ago. Her eyebrows were knotted together and looking over a packet of paperwork that should have been sent out yesterday.

“What can I help you with,” he replied with as much enthusiasm as he could collect. “Is something wrong?”

Alice nodded her head and pointed to the papers she held. “You forgot to sign here.”

Mr. Clover took the pen that was held out for him and scribbled his signature. But before he could carry on in looking dismally through the unwanted, mocking books to reshelf, Alice placed her withered hand on his back.

“Are you alright,” she asked. Her dull sea-green eyes looked him up and down, hinting at his state of attire. His shirt was untucked and the tie he usually wore was missing. He hadn’t been himself lately and the woman definitely knew something was up. “How is that girl of yours doing,” she tried. “I haven’t heard you talk about her in a while.”

“She’s um…” He wasn’t ready to talk about it. Even though nothing else ran through his mind but his empty home, he refused to speak his true emotions. “She’s gone,” he answered. “I don’t think she’s coming back.”

“Oh,” was Alice’s response. “But you two had been dating for so long. Five and a half years! What went wrong, might I ask?”

Mr. Clover took another book and tried to ignore the question. But Alice was like an aunt to him and one of the only true friends he ever had. The man sighed and turned around to face her. “I wasn’t what she wanted,” he told Alice. His voice cracked from the weight of his words.

“Shame.”

The old woman took back her pen and went to the office to find an envelope. She addressed the papers and walked back to the front, planning to mail them later. Her eyes couldn’t help but notice the man still staring down at the unshelved books. Taking another chance, she returned to Mr. Clover.

“That girl was a fool for not knowing what she had,” Alice told him. “You’ll see. She’ll be begging to come back sooner or later. Perhaps you’ll bump into each other on the street. And when she looks into your eyes, she’ll realize her mistake.”

The man let out a breathy laugh through his lips. He was going to ignore the advice but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. In seeing him again, she’d be able to tell if she wanted him still or not. The store owner turned on his heel and thanked his employee.

“No thank you,” she responded cheerfully. “It’s not often I get to hear your true self with you being a quiet man and all. But you deserve that Annabel girl. And she’d be a fool not to notice the great man you’ve become. Your parents would be proud, Mr. Clover.”

The man laughed a little at her lighthearted sentiments. “How many times have we gone over this Alice,” he asked her. “Please, call me, Charlie.”

The library’s entrance bell rang making them both look to the front door. Alice winked her wrinkled eye in his direction before going to help the woman who walked up to the counter. Charlie watched for a little before returning to the romance novels he still had to sort through. His head started to nod as a smile spread on his lips.

She’s right, he thought to himself. Forgiveness or not, I have to see her. Then she’ll realize she still wants me. I have to find my Annabel Lee.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here he is! And he is coming back. But who will see who first? I hope you liked the insight into Charlie's world outside of the Kingdom. :)