The Missing Gem

04 | Not So Closed

Lucas

"What time should I pick her up?"

"3 P.M. I'm sorry again, Luc."

"Don't worry about it, really. It's fine."

I hung up the phone and looked at the time - it was nearly thirty minutes past twelve. After a quick glance at the store from my small office in the back, I noticed it wasn't too busy, maybe three people looking through the different jewelry we had on display while Henry was finishing a client's purchase. So I got my wallet, and decided to go out to grab some lunch.

Fast forward to seven o'clock at night and I was still in my tiny office working on some designs I should have gotten ready during the day.

The fact that I had to pick up my niece in the middle of the afternoon and then bring her back here and help her with her homework slowed me down a little and I guess these just weren't gonna get done today like I wanted to. 

Could I just go back to my place with Lexi and finish my designs there? I could. But to help my situation the tube station was going to be closed until tomorrow, the traffic was insane with the rainy weather and I really didn't want to walk home with a small child at night so, I called my sister and told her we'd wait for her at the store, no biggie.

Melanie had been called in for an extra shift so , she couldn't pick up Lexi and that was how I came into the picture. Or, better saying, she came into my picture.

"Uncle Luc?" I heard her small voice call out for me as she walked into the office.

"Yeah, sweetie?" Looking up from the sheet, I turned my attention to her.

"There's a lady outside asking for help."

I frowned at the girl's words but didn't hesitate to get up from my seat and walk out into the store, not missing my chance to caress the top of her head on my way. 

I saw a small figure in the dim street light standing in the sidewalk with her head pressed against the glass door, her eyes searching the store. 

"We're closed." I said from the inside, yet loud enough that she was able to hear me.

"Please? I think I'm lost and it's pouring rain!" I sighed, feeling sympathy for the tourist who was carrying more bags than I own and who was dripping wet. So, I nodded in agreement and I saw her backing away a little when she saw me approach the knob and I turned it around, opening the door and letting her walk inside.

"I'm so sorry to bother." She said, sounding as apologetic as she could sound, after she managed to pull all her bags inside the store.

The bright lights on the ceiling allowed me to see her, really see her, and I suddenly felt very grateful for having installed them a couple of years ago. 

Wow.

She was so beautiful. She looked so... exotic. And yet she looked like a perfectly ordinary girl at once, in all its simplicity. 

Tanned skin.

She literally looked like the sun had permanently kissed her silky skin, turning it gold. It was like the little rays of sun that she'd felt on her body for all these years had tattooed her forever, making her a carrier, some sort of transporter of all those memories in the sun.

With ripped jeans and black boots that matched a white top she had on underneath her open flannel shirt, her dark brown hair glued to the sides of her face in the most adorable way... She was out of this world beauty. 

I noticed her clothes were wet too, clinging to her body perfectly as they hugged all her curves and I had to push the thought away before it got too hard to simply let go.