Snow on Christmas

A Rainy Day in France

With quick steps Liora walked across the narrow streets of the small town. She knew the way better than anything, as she had been walking it every week since she was eleven years old. A turn to the left, another left turn, and then only a few meters to go. There it was! The tiny old bookstore, now owned by her childhood friend Mathieu. She dried her shoes quickly on the doormat and opened the old wooden door. The lovely sound of the doorbell and the smell of wood, books and coffee made her smile, and the warmth inside the store felt like a welcome hug. She placed her backpack next to the jacket rack behind the counter, then took off her raincoat and hung it up next to Mathieu's coat. A glance out the window showed the dark rain clouds and the empty streets. In all honesty, not many people wanted to go out on such a rainy and cold day. But it was her last chance for a hot coffee with her friend, and who could say no to a bit of book shopping in the coziest bookstore in France?

She looked around for Mathieu, wondering where he might be. At that moment she heard him: "Bonjour. Un instant, je vous prie." This made her realise he didn't recognize her.

"It's just me! Take your time", she said. [Author's note: don't ask questions about why they talk in English - it's just easier to follow the conversation]

"Liora! One moment, my dear. Do you want coffee or tea?"

Liora couldn't hold back a slight laugh. Mathieu was always so caring. "A coffee, please. But don't put yourself under pressure."

Smiling, she turned to the wall high bookshelves. She was drawn to the fantasy section of the store. It was the section where she and Mathieu had spent all the rainy days of their childhood. Reading, chatting, dreaming of fantasy worlds. Her fingers wandered over the book spines, gently and slowly. She closed her eyes, sped up her movements and counted in her mind. Three, two, one; then she stopped and took the book her finger had landed on out of the shelf. It had a matte red cover with a golden dragon flying above a castle. "This must be new, since I've never seen this cover before," she thought. She turned it around to read the text on the back.

"I see you still choose your books at random?", Mathieu said from behind her. "This one is new I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but the recommendations are good."

In a swift movement, she turned around to hug her friend. He was a lot taller than her, slender with black hair and big, round glasses perched on his thin nose, hiding his coffee-brown eyes. After she let go, he handed her a small cup of coffee. It smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. His secret ingredients.

"Thanks Mathieu. A hot drink is just what I needed right now", Liora said quietly and blew on her coffee before she took a sip. Even though Mathieu's job was this bookstore, he was a great barista as well.

"So, what are you looking for, dear customer?", he asked, almost laughing. And Liora couldn't stop a smile either.

"I'm looking for a book to read on several flights. A fantasy book, maybe about friendship." She was about to continue when the doorbell rang again and an old man with an umbrella stepped in. He wore a classy suit and tie, but the wild grey hair and the friendly smile made him look like the type of grandpa who tells bedtime stories in front of a chimney.

Mathieu gave Liora an apologetic smile and turned to the customer. "Bonjour, comment puis-je vous aider?"

She turned back to the shelf and read the text on the back again. It seemed promising, a story about a knight who had a big secret and teamed up with a witch to defeat the dragon. But everything was not as it seemed. And the best part about it was that it said 'part one' which meant there were more! Intrigued, she opened the book and started reading the first few pages. Occasionally, she took a sip of the coffee, so it wouldn't get cold. It was way too tasty when hot, that cold wouldn't do it justice.