Lady Kaiden's 24-Hour Bookshop

chapter one

"Have you placed all the novels on the shelves?"

"Finished just an hour ago."

"Are the books all in correct sectors and organized alphabetically, not by the title—"

"—But by the author and the genre. Yes, Miss. Kaiden, I have."

"Well, have you inspected if the register is of performance because I spilt my tea over the board this morning and the buttons might be treacly—"

She cranked the lever and the satisfying ding of the bell rang and she gave me an obeying nod and a thumbs-up. "It is still working like a charm."

"Have you washed the floors, then? Because I remember precisely requesting a ground that I could see my reflection in, am I correct?"

"Yes, my lady, you are. I scrubbed the floors this morning as thoroughly as I could, but it is admittedly hard to get a mirror effect on hardwood."

"Well, I guess this will do then. Now, what else is there?" I muttered to myself with my fingers grasping my chin, pacing across the corridor mentally checking off every point of the shop, making positive everything is in order. "Well, how about the—"

"Oh, for God's sakes Adeline! The poor girl is as ready as when she was born, the books aren't going anywhere."

I sighed in contempt, maladroitly gathering the infinite layers of my gown and pivoted towards the voice. "Mother, today is still the grand opening, even at six in the evening. Our first customer will come right through that door and if we do not have the adequate extremities they will procure their book-buying needs somewhere else. And if there is a possibility of insufficient amenities that will just be extremely discouraging and downright unacceptable on my part." I haggardly dropped my dress and ran my hands over my face trying to remember anything, I could have missed.

My mother exhaled and sauntered towards me, "Breathe, my daughter." The natural sound of her voice placated my endeavoring anxiety and perfectionist psyche. "You are my child, but this shop is yours. I recognize that you care deeply for this store and I find it mightily humbling that you have found something to believe in so dearly." She stepped around me to tuck in the loose wisps of hair that splayed over my nose behind my ear and she skimmed her hand around my cheeks. I leaned into them, enlightening at her appraisal. "But you have been such a prude lately. Snapping at every person and just awful to be around—"

"Thanks, mother,"

"—I even heard you cursing at your own dress for not being able to walk without tripping."

I pursed my lips, knowing very well how I have been the past few fortnights and yet I still immaturely mumbled, "Well, I would not call it prudish."

"Adeline, I love you, but you need to leave and go outside every once in awhile. You are growing paler and paler by the day, you might as well become one of those ladies who dreams of being bitten by the vampyres."

"Okay, okay." I held my hands up in the air. "We can leave now." I submitted and hooked my arm in between her's. "Charlotte, please take care of my baby."

"Yes, Miss Kaiden."

My mother and I both walked out the door and towards our awaiting carriage. I peered over my shoulder and gave one abiding look to my new home and inwardly wished it well.

The carriage ride was usual, meaning my mother stuffed etiquette lessons and my eligible suitors' names down my throat. But the very moment we had arrived, my mother had vanished from my side saying something about, "Go have fun, dear. It is peculiar if your party with your mother," and then she left me to fend for myself while she walked towards another group of mothers over in the corner of the ballroom.