The key to locked hearts

2

Naomi wandered through the store, her eyes scanning the shelves for intriguing titles that might be on sale. This thrift store was a treasure trove of secondhand goods and heirlooms, each item carrying stories from past generations. The condition of these items varied, but depending on who you asked, they were good.

Her steps kept her within the confines of one particular section: romance. There was something about a well-told love story, the way it crafted its characters and their journeys, that captivated her. These stories offered an escape, a glimpse of love as she wished to experience it, even though she remained on the sidelines, too apprehensive to seek it herself.

Her reluctance stemmed from her parents' relationship, the template of love she grew up observing. They remained married in name, but their lives were as separate as could be, embodying a partnership that was more about convenience than affection. They placed their jobs above each other. Their example instilled in Naomi a deep-seated fear of love, causing her to cringe at the prospect of intimacy. Her first kiss was a moment she wanted to share with someone significant, not just any date, leading her to recoil at the mere thought.

So, she turned to her books, immersing herself in narratives where love always triumphs, where the prince and princess find their way to each other. Real-world stories, with their real-world expectations and complexities, unnerved her. In the realms of fantasy, however, the boundaries of imagination were boundless. After all, isn't that what a book is for?

Naomi caught a glimpse of a familiar book and reached for it, her fingers stretching towards the top shelf where it sat. At 5'5", her average height fell short, and she strained to grasp it. Determined, she fidgeted, refusing to give up. Stepping onto the lower shelf for leverage, she found herself still falling short to the shelf that peaked at least 2 meters above her.

With a final push, she managed to get the book to the edge of the shelf. As she reached, the book tilted slightly, and then something hit her leg. Startled, she turned around to find a child tearing up over a broken toy airplane, the fan on the front detached.

Squatting down, a little shocked, she inspected the toy. Luckily it wasn't broken at all. She smiled slightly and dusted the little boy off, lifting him up to stand as she placed her knees onto the carpeted floor.

"You wanna see a magic trick?" she asked, the child dried his tears, and nodded eagerly.

"Close your eyes," she instructed. Though reluctant, he obeyed, bringing his little hands up to cover his eyes. She reattached the fan to the airplane and handed it back to him.

"Open!" she exclaimed, and his eyes lit up with joy as he saw the fan reattached. His smile was infectious, and she couldn't help but smile along with him.

"Daddy, look! The lady fixed my plane with her magic!" the child exclaimed, and Naomi looked around, expecting to see his father immediately. Yet she couldn't see him. Instead, she followed his gaze upward to find a man holding a book above her head. It was the book she reached for—had he stopped it from hitting her?

The man lowered the book to his side, revealing his face. He towered over them, his height reaching well over six feet, his gaze a piercing blue, bordering on a deep grey. His eyes locked with hers and she searched them, seeing the darkness that seemed to sit behind them. She held her breath, waiting for the words to escape his mouth.

"It seems she did. Did you say thank you to the kind lady?" He observed the plane then, addressed his son. His eyes lit up slightly. He probably becomes weak when it comes to his son.

"Thank you!" the child said, beaming.

"You're welcome," Naomi replied, smiling warmly at the child. The man extended his hand to help her up, but she stood up on her own and dusted off her long, black skirt. His gaze was fixed on her, intense and piercing, almost like a glare, as if he could see through to her bones with the intensity of his stare.

She returned his gaze, and he continued to look directly into her eyes. How was that possible?

"I think this belongs to you." Confused, she followed his gaze to his hands, where he held a book.

"Thank you." She noticed a ring on his finger. Her eyes weren't exceptionally captivating, so she wondered how he maintained such intense eye contact.

He squatted down to speak to his son, his tone surprisingly gentle, which was a relief. Standing back up, he seemed like a pillar of strength. She had to adjust her neck slightly to look at him properly. Whatever emotions she had felt dissipated the moment she noticed the ring, not that she would have tried anything anyway.

He asked her to watch his son while he fetched the other one. She didn't mind watching for a while.

Sebastian walked back with Noah, overhearing her conversation with James.

"Do you like reading books?" she asked.

"I like to watch the pictures, but the words are hard for me," James replied.

"I see. Does your daddy read them to you?" she inquired.

"Yeah, all the time! Grandpa was a pilot, so he always tells me stories about that too!" James exclaimed.

"You want to be a pilot too, right?" She smiled.

"Yup! Just like grandpa!" James replied enthusiastically.

As he continued to walk towards them, she continued, "Well, pilots should be more careful how they fly if they want anyone to trust them to fly them. They should definitely not run as fast as you do."

She was lecturing him? A complete stranger, lecturing his son? The maids in the house wouldn't dare. He stood still, not upset, but conflicted. Is this how the people down here are? It was intriguing, to say the least. He felt Noah tug his pants, which dragged him out of his thoughts. She looked up at him and quickly went to the counter, ringing up her book, he thought. She hid her hands behind her back as she squatted to be on eye level with them. Were they playing a guessing game with her hands? They both touched opposite hands, which both had candy.

Before he could ask her to let him pay for them, she interrupted him.

"I have to go now," she said. The kids said their thank-yous, and he couldn't properly establish how thankful he was. She just left.