The Vintage Bookshop of Memories

by Elizabeth Holland

  ‘I just wanted to see how you were doing.’ He shrugged, refusing to make eye contact with her. Prue wondered if he felt guilty for moving on so quickly, or perhaps he felt guilty about what he had said to her last time they had spoken.

  ‘I’m fine.’ Prue’s answer was short and she ensured her disdain towards him was obvious in the snappy tone that she used. Perhaps he would get the hint and leave her alone.

  ‘I heard you found your father.’ It wasn’t a question, it was a statement and an opportunity for Prue to speak. However, she had no intention of speaking to Elliot about any of this, he would only use it in an argument against her in the future.

  ‘I did. Now if you don’t mind I’m going to leave. I’d like to eat something during my lunch break.’ Without even saying a proper goodbye Prue turned and started walking towards the cafe, it took every ounce of self-control to stop herself from breaking into a run. She wanted to be as far away from Elliot Harrington as she possibly could be. After all that he had done and said to her how could he possibly stand there trying to encourage her to speak to him? He was as mad as his father.

  After her encounter with Elliot the contentment that Prue had been feeling had completely left her. Prue got herself a sandwich from the cafe and took it back to the shop, however even food couldn’t improve her mood. The afternoon dragged by slowly as she kept replaying her conversation with Elliot, over and over. Every now and then her mind would wander to how beautiful his eyes were or the memory of his hand in hers. She would then shake her head to rid herself of the memories and a sense of anger would come over her. Elliot Harrington had proven himself to be a disloyal and downright rude person, she had to stop thinking about him and make the effort to avoid him in the street.

  That afternoon Prue’s sense of determination grew even more, she would be happy. It might take time and a lot of effort but she would find her happiness again and enjoy life. Never again would she allow another person to influence her life or her mood.

  Chapter Thirty One

  The week went by surprisingly quickly, perhaps because Prue was somewhat dreading Sunday. Her determination to be happy relied on her forging a relationship with her father and so Sunday’s meeting would be pivotal. As she locked up the shop on Saturday evening the sun was high in the sky but she knew she had another hour or two until it set. Prue set off towards the village shop and purchased a bunch of peonies, her grandmother’s favourite flower. With the bunch of flowers in hand she jumped in her Mini and drove towards the cemetery. Her family were not buried at the village church, instead the Clemontes had a small mausoleum in the local cemetery, which had been there since before the church had been built.

  As Prue stepped out of the car at the cemetery she felt a calmness wash over her. Some people were afraid of cemeteries, however Prue found them peaceful places to visit. Perhaps it was because she had been coming for so many years, her grandmother was adamant that they made a weekly visit to her mother’s grave. Prue knew that even after she had left to go to university her grandmother had kept up that weekly ritual. A sense of guilt flooded Prue, she had neglected her mother and her grandmother with everything that was going on in her life. As Prue picked-up the bunch of flowers from the passenger seat she promised herself that she would come and visit more often.

  Without even needing to think about where she was going Prue walked over towards the back of the cemetery where her family’s mausoleum stood. There must have been almost fifty Clemontes buried here. Prue laid her flowers at the entrance and sat down on one of the steps. For the first time since her grandmother’s death a sadness fell over her. She remembered coming here with her grandmother, they would both sit on the steps with a flask of tea and they would tell her mother about their week. It was a rare glimpse into Elizabeth Clemonte’s heart and it was a moment that Prue would treasure forever. She hoped that her mother and grandmother were sat together now, drinking tea from a flask and watching over Prue as she sat there trying to find the right words to say.

  ‘I miss you both.’ Prue hadn’t meant for the words to slip out but they did. It wasn’t until that moment that she realised just how much she missed her family, particularly her grandmother. She hadn’t been the kind of grandmother to give her endless cuddles and treat her to cinema trips and bags of sweets but she had been there for Prue. There was a hole in her life that would never be able to be filled by anyone else. Despite the sadness Prue was happy and felt lucky to have so many memories to look back on. For the first time in a while Prue felt content with her memories, she didn’t want to focus on them but she was happy she had them to eventually look back on.

  ‘I’d love to know what you would both tell me to do with my life right now.’ Prue let out a wistful sigh as she tried to imagine what her family would say.

  ‘Gran, you’d tell me to stop being so emotional and to show everyone who is in charge. I’m not very good at doing that though, you taught me everything you could but I’m just too much like mum.’ Prue had heard endless stories about how her mother had always followed her heart rather than her head. Prue had inherited her mother’s passion for life alongside her grandmother’s headstrong attitude. It made her determined to live her life and seek happiness. However, that was proving to be rather difficult right now, not that Prue was about to give in.

  ‘What would mum say? I think she’d try and put a romantic spin on everything. She’d tell me to mend bridges between myself and Elliot, to welcome my father into my life and to put my heart and soul into her bookshop.’ Yes, that was what Dorothy Clemonte would have said and Elizabeth would have rolled her eyes at her daughter and yet a small part of her would have yearned to have the same outlook on life.

  What would Prue do though? That was one question that Prue really didn’t know the answer to. She had spent so long in the shadow of her grandmother’s strong personality and the memories of her mother that she had forgotten to find herself. Begrudgingly she had to admit that Elliot did have a point, she needed to look towards the future. She had to grow into her own shoes and be the controlling force behind her life. Nobody else would do it for her and nobody else could make her happy. The burden lay firmly at Prue’s feet and it was only now that she realised how much work she had to put into herself to truly be happy.

  Sat here in the silence of the cemetery Prue felt at peace. There were two things that made her truly happy; being at work in an auction house and her time spent with Elliot. Unfortunately, spending time with Elliot was not an option, however she could begin to try and forge a career for herself here. Prue loved the bookshop but it was her mother’s, not hers. The first step to being happy in her own skin was to do what made her happy and to forge her own future, starting with continuing her career.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Sunday morning Prue woke with a new outlook on life. Her visit to the cemetery the previous evening had made her realise a few things. Prue did know a little about who she was, she enjoyed 40’s fashion and she loved working in auction houses. It wasn’t much but it was a start. With that in mind Prue dove back into her old wardrobe and threw on the navy tea dress that she had been dying to wear a few days ago. On Monday she would begin the search for some help in the bookshop so that she could go back to her own career. The Vintage Bookshop of Memories was her mother’s project and Prue was incredibly happy to have it back up and running for everyone to enjoy. However, the bookshop held too many memories and Prue knew that if she stayed working there then her life wouldn’t move on, she would still be living in the shadow of her mother’s memory.

  Prue Clemonte had to stop living in the past, she had to start living her life in the present. Starting with her father coming today; she wouldn’t think about their last meeting and she wouldn’t jump ahead to thinking about the kind of relationship she wanted to create. Prue was going to live in the moment and see what the day brought. She had planned ahead (that kind-of counted as living in the moment, right?) and had decided to bring a selection of books to
dinner. She wanted to see whether reading was her father’s achilles heel.

  Every time someone stepped foot into the bookshop Prue’s heart hammered in her chest but each time she was disappointed to see it wasn’t Robert. As the hours ticked by Prue began to give up any hope of them actually popping in, perhaps something had happened and her father had been forced to cancel. In an attempt to distract herself Prue went into the little kitchenette whilst the shop was quiet to make herself a coffee.

  ‘This place looks just how I expected it to!’ Prue heard her father’s voice from the shop floor, she was so excited she managed to slosh milk all over the counter. That didn’t matter though, all that mattered was that he was here.

  ‘Do you like it?’ Prue asked, holding her breath. She hadn’t realised just how important his reaction was to her. The bookshop had been a little bubble for her parents to be together and so she wanted to ensure she had done their memory justice.

  ‘Prue it’s amazing. You’ve put your own stamp on it whilst still preserving everything. Did you know I made the balcony and the ladder? That was how your mother and I met.’ This was the most animated that Prue had seen him and she could see Carol stood behind him with a huge smile on her face.

  ‘I did know that. Can I get you both a drink?’ Both declined and so Prue nipped back into the kitchenette to pick up her coffee and to wipe up the milk that had been spilt. Prue wondered whether she should tell Robert about her mother’s diary. However, deep down she knew she wasn’t ready to part with it yet and so she decided to keep it a secret for now, after all it was the only insight she had into her mother’s mind.

  When she walked back into the bookshop Carol was sat in the old chair flicking through one of the romance novels that Prue had just put out on the shelf. Meanwhile her father was stood talking to Maggie and to Prue’s shock stood next to Maggie was the blonde woman that she had seen Elliot with in the pub.

  ‘Prue, I just popped in to ask you something when I bumped into your father. It’s been years since I last saw him.’ Maggie smiled warmly at Prue as she walked over to the little gathering. Prue felt a little awkward as she came to a stop next to her father as everyone’s eyes were on her, including the mystery woman who had the cheek to be smiling at her. Prue dug her nails into the palms of her hands to stop herself from calling the woman some rather unpleasant names.

  ‘Robert’s come down to have dinner with myself and Carol this afternoon.’ Prue explained, she felt the need to explain his sudden presence back in the village. There were bound to be some people who wouldn’t be happy to see him back.

  ‘That sounds lovely. I won’t keep you long, I heard from Mrs Patterson that you’re looking for someone to work in the shop and I’d like to put my name forward. I don’t have much experience but I do love a good book.’ Prue was slightly taken back, Maggie had been the last person she had expected to apply for the role and yet she couldn’t think of anyone better suited. Her bubbly personality and love for reading was just what this little bookshop needed.

  ‘That sounds perfect Maggie. Why don’t we meet for lunch on Monday, my treat, and we can discuss it in a little more detail?’

  ‘Yes, I’d like that very much, thank you Prue. Oh, how rude of me. Prue, this is Charlotte, my niece. She’s studying law at university and so has been staying with us for a bit to do some work experience with Elliot.’ Prue’s mouth opened and closed but no words would come out. She was Maggie’s niece, not Elliot’s new girlfriend.

  ‘Anyway Maggie, it was lovely to see you again.’ Robert had noticed that his daughter was struggling to find the words to say and so he jumped in to save her. Prue couldn’t have been more grateful if she had tried. Perhaps there was such a thing as an instant father-daughter bond.

  ‘Bye Maggie!’ Prue managed to splutter out just as the two women had walked out of the shop. She had judged Elliot and been so upset that he had moved on already and yet there he was trying to do a good deed and help a family member’s career. However, that didn’t change what he had said during their argument, his words had hurt her. They had made her come to some revelation though and helped her move forward with her life - he didn’t need to know that though.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Robert asked, his eyes searching Prue’s face for some sign as to what was going on.

  ‘She’s head over heels in love with Maggie’s son but the pair of them are too pig-headed to admit they want to be together.’ Carol called from the comfort of her chair.

  ‘There’s a bit more to it than that.’ Prue sighed and went to put her cup down on the counter, the last thing she needed was to spill it with all these books around her.

  ‘Why don’t you tell me while there’s nobody else in the shop?’

  Prue thought about it for a moment, perhaps it would be nice to hear someone else’s opinion. After all, surely Robert would have her best interests at heart and so he would be one of the best people to confide in. Prue took a deep breath before telling Robert the whole story, including the argument that herself and Elliot had when he told her to stop living in the past.

  ‘I think Carol is right, you are head-over-heels in love with him.’ That wasn’t really the reaction that Prue had been hoping for from her father. Why wasn’t he offering to go round and tell him not to mess with his daughter? That was what fathers were suppose to do, right?

  ‘Not anymore.’ Prue huffed, breaking eye contact and staring down at the cold cup of coffee in front of her. Robert seemed ridiculously perceptive today.

  ‘Prue I’m not saying Elliot was right in what he said to you but I think his heart was in the right place. I think deep down he thought that what he was saying to you was what you needed to hear. Perhaps he was right? Prue, don’t make the same mistake that I have. I was never able to move on from your mother and I’ve not lived at all, I’ve just been re-living my memories. Be brave and go and live your life. ’

  God, parents could be so annoying sometimes. Even after a lifetime apart Robert could hit the nail on the head and preach parental advice as if he had been doing it her entire life.

  ‘Okay, perhaps Elliot was right but that doesn’t mean I should just go and forgive him.’ Prue conceded.

  ‘That’s exactly what it means, you need to make things right with him.’ Carol called over from her chair, she’d stayed quiet up until now.

  ‘It’s not just us though, is it Carol. Arnold hasn’t exactly been helpful towards us getting to know each other.’

  ‘You leave Arnold to me. He and I go back a long way.’ Robert looked confident that he could change the man’s opinion and Prue didn’t have the energy left to argue. Prue glanced at the clock behind her, she only had fifteen minutes until closing time.

  Robert and Carol waited with Prue until she had closed up and the three of them made their way back to Carol’s for dinner, Prue with a large pile of books in her tote bag. Prue was trying not to think too much about the evening, she didn’t need to add any additional pressure to the situation. She couldn’t force a relationship or a bond between herself and Robert and so she just had to sit back and see what happened. It was incredibly scary to have no control over your own life but in that moment Prue knew that she just had to accept it and see what happened.

  As Carol let them into her cottage the smell of dinner hit them, she had left a casserole in the oven.

  ‘Carol, that smells amazing! Casserole is my favourite dinner.’ Prue inhaled the smell again and felt her stomach rumble, lunch seemed so long ago.

  ‘It’s my favourite too.’ Robert had a smile on his face as he made the confession. Finally, Prue had found something that they both had in common, of course it would be food related.

  Carol instructed them both to take a seat at the table while she dished up, they both offered to help her but she wouldn’t let them. Prue took her bag of books to the table with her and unpacked them onto the oak top.

  ‘If you had to pick one of these, which one would you pick?’ To some people this might
be a strange way of judging someone’s character but to a reader someone’s book choice can reveal a lot about who they are.

  Prue watched Robert as he took in the cover of each book and then turned each one over to read the blurb. He wasn’t making any snap decisions based on the image on the front of the book, nor did he seem particularly drawn to a specific genre. Instead he was concentrating on the story and the content of the book. It was refreshing to see someone taking such care over what they read.

  ‘This one.’ Robert finally settled on one book. Prue was somewhat surprised to see that he had opted for the rom-com.

  ‘Really?’ Prue asked in shock. If she was honest with herself that was the book she would have picked.

  ‘Yes. There’s nothing better than a book with a big romance and a hint of comedy. It reminds you that there’s still happiness and hope in the world.’

  Prue thought about Robert’s explanation for a moment and as she let his words sink in she realised that was just how she would justify picking the same book. Everyone needed a little more happiness in their life and for some people that kind of happiness could only be found in the form of a book.

  As the night went on Prue found that Robert came out of his shell and they had a number of things in common, including their intense dislike for mushrooms. Carol kept apologising for putting mushrooms in the dinner but they had both laughed and told her it was fine. Not once did they talk about the past, they firmly kept the conversation in the present and their hopes for the future. Prue told Robert about how she wanted to pick-up her career again and he had encouraged her to follow her heart.

  ‘I’m thinking about going back to Brighton for a few days to have a chat with some of my old contacts. I’m hoping they might be able to put me in touch with some people in the area.’ Prue had been mulling this over in her head for some time now. Not only did she want to find some new contacts but she also yearned for the bright lights of a bustling city. She needed to go back and see the city again to make sure that staying in Ivy Hatch was right for her.