Artful Dream

Chapter 4

Maggie looked back towards the bus as it pulled away from the bus stop. She gave a half-embarrassed smile as the elderly gentleman blew her a kiss. Laughing, she averted her eyes, composed herself, before she met Richard.

The shop was now in sight and could see the down lighters illuminating the shop front signage. ‘Picture and Book’  It was Richards’ idea and Maggie liked it because if you looked at it quickly it could read like 'Picture Book'. Which seemed to fit both sides of their business, fine art and antique books.

She pushed open the door and the little bell above it gave its charming tinkle. Richard looked up, glad to see her breeze in. Maggie had the charm that could brighten the dullest of days. He missed not seeing her over the course of Sunday. Working six days in the shop meant that Sunday was the only day both of them could get personal things done like visiting relatives. But now was Monday and they would have the whole week together.

“Morning, Just in time for your coffee and croissant.”

Still chuckling, she said thanked him. “My turn tomorrow.”

“What’s so funny?”

“I just told an old man on the bus I loved me.”

Richard choked on his croissant “You said what?”

"I... Eh.. " Maggie floundered. She couldn't tell him the real reason. So, she made up some story of reading aloud on the bus.

He seemed to accept the lie and Maggie let out a sigh of relief as Richard took her latte and re-heated it in the microwave. While she went behind her desk to put her heels on,  she began to tell him the story of her exploits that morning.

When she reached the part about the chocolate buttons, Richard was in hysterics with tears rolling down his cheek. Maggie liked it when he laughed it showed off his white teeth and his smile always gave her a warm glow inside. She liked this, sharing intimate moments with him even if it was how she mistakenly thought she had diarrhoea.

Just when Maggie had finished her story, the doorbell tinkled as a delivery man came in with a package for her. She leapt off her chair and rushed over to sign for the parcel.

As the delivery driver closed the door, Maggie was ripping into the packaging. This was the rare hand-rendered watercolour book that depicted the works of the painter John Constable. She brought it at auction for a snip of £9,000. Its worth was £15,000 and she had a buyer already lined up willing to pay £20,000!

People underestimated Maggie as a successful antique bibliophile, because she didn’t have a university degree in antiquities. However, she was a natural at spotting the genuine article.  As one auctioneer put it: 'she had a nose for such things.'

After their coffee break was over, Richard helped her get the book away to her client. He had to admit that her buying and selling of rare books was what was keeping their business going.

She reached for her phone and emailed the client to tell him that the book would be leaving her this afternoon. The client thanked her and told her the money would be in her business bank account by midday Pacific Standard Time tomorrow.

The packing cases for all the books’ transportation were high up on top of a book self. Richard went to fetch the ladder but because of his fear of heights, it was Maggie who had to retrieve it.

She placed the ladder against the book shelf and with Richard holding the ladder she started to climb. Richard was immediately treated by seeing her bottom wriggling in front of his face  and it was intoxicating.

Then the backs of her legs, clad in black nylon, came into view. This close proximity to her was too much. He felt giddy and soon began to loosen his grip on the ladder.