Free The January Wish by Juliet Madison Page B
Authors: Juliet Madison
more time with Mia in the afternoons after school.’
Sylvia nodded. ‘How old is she now?’
‘Five. She’s just started kindy and loving it, thank goodness.’ Olivia seemed happy, but weary, her eyes sheltering dark shadows. ‘You seem to know a lot about books,’ she said to Grace. ‘Sorry, I overheard you talking.’
‘I’m an avid reader, always have been. If I could get paid to read books all day I would.’
‘Would you settle for being around books all day?’
Grace eyed Olivia curiously.
‘We need a casual assistant at the store. With me reducing my hours, and another staff member off on maternity leave as of tomorrow, we need someone as soon as possible. You interested in applying?’
Grace looked at Sylvia in surprise, then at Olivia. ‘Um, I might be, I mean I am, I’m just not sure how long I’ll be in town, that’s all.’
‘Will you be here at least the next two weeks?’
‘Yes, I can’t see myself leaving just yet.’
‘And if you liked the job, could you see yourself hanging around a bit longer?’
‘It’s possible, I’m just getting to know the town, see where I want to be and what I want to do. I just finished high school last year, and I’m taking the year to figure out what to do next.’
‘Would you have time right now to answer a few more questions, out back in our storeroom—slash—office?’ Olivia gestured to the door behind the counter.
Grace looked at Sylvia with enquiring eyes. ‘Go ahead,’ Sylvia said, gesturing to the door as well. ‘I’ll wait out front.’
Olivia asked a very pregnant salesperson to take over the counter and led Grace to the office as Sylvia went to walk outside.
Then she stopped.
Why not?
She walked back to the shelf of books she’d been looking at before and picked up the two books Grace had recommended, taking them to the counter. ‘I’ll take these,’ she said to the lady.
‘Good choice,’ she replied.
‘First baby?’ Sylvia asked.
‘No, my fourth. I’m an old hand when it comes to having babies!’
Sylvia could barely get over having one, let alone four, and she didn’t even keep hers! It was the most pain she’d ever experienced, such a shock to the system. She wouldn’t go through it again in a hurry, but part of her ached for a second chance. A chance to do it right from day one. Be a proper mother. Which was why she’d also wished for that when she tossed the coin into the Wishing Fountain at the festival.
But maybe this was supposed to be her second chance—getting to know Grace and being some kind of mother-figure in her life. Sure she’d missed the early years, but mothering didn’t stop when the child grew up. That’s what her mother had said, when sixteen-year-old Sylvia briefly wondered, ‘What if I could bring this baby up myself?’
‘You’ll never be able to become a doctor if you keep this baby,’ her father had said, and he was right. Maybe she could have done it later on, but being a young single mother would have been hard enough. Although her heartbreak grew as her belly grew, Sylvia knew it was the best choice. The only choice. If she’d missed out on her dream she would have resented Grace, even though it wouldn’t have been her fault.
A few minutes later, Grace walked victoriously out of the bookstore. ‘Looks like I will be staying here for a while!’
‘You got the job, already?’
Grace nodded and smiled. ‘Like she said, they needed someone right away. They’re going to start training me tomorrow.’
Even though her life had already changed in the few days since Grace’s arrival, there was no doubt about it, Sylvia’s life was about to change even more.
Chapter 11
‘Nice house,’ Grace commented as they walked up the steps to the front porch. ‘Who’s that?’ She discreetly eyed the house next door.
‘That’s Nancy.’ Sylvia chuckled as Nancy took up residence in her usual position. She tried to be inconspicuous, but was always visible through the
Sylvia nodded. ‘How old is she now?’
‘Five. She’s just started kindy and loving it, thank goodness.’ Olivia seemed happy, but weary, her eyes sheltering dark shadows. ‘You seem to know a lot about books,’ she said to Grace. ‘Sorry, I overheard you talking.’
‘I’m an avid reader, always have been. If I could get paid to read books all day I would.’
‘Would you settle for being around books all day?’
Grace eyed Olivia curiously.
‘We need a casual assistant at the store. With me reducing my hours, and another staff member off on maternity leave as of tomorrow, we need someone as soon as possible. You interested in applying?’
Grace looked at Sylvia in surprise, then at Olivia. ‘Um, I might be, I mean I am, I’m just not sure how long I’ll be in town, that’s all.’
‘Will you be here at least the next two weeks?’
‘Yes, I can’t see myself leaving just yet.’
‘And if you liked the job, could you see yourself hanging around a bit longer?’
‘It’s possible, I’m just getting to know the town, see where I want to be and what I want to do. I just finished high school last year, and I’m taking the year to figure out what to do next.’
‘Would you have time right now to answer a few more questions, out back in our storeroom—slash—office?’ Olivia gestured to the door behind the counter.
Grace looked at Sylvia with enquiring eyes. ‘Go ahead,’ Sylvia said, gesturing to the door as well. ‘I’ll wait out front.’
Olivia asked a very pregnant salesperson to take over the counter and led Grace to the office as Sylvia went to walk outside.
Then she stopped.
Why not?
She walked back to the shelf of books she’d been looking at before and picked up the two books Grace had recommended, taking them to the counter. ‘I’ll take these,’ she said to the lady.
‘Good choice,’ she replied.
‘First baby?’ Sylvia asked.
‘No, my fourth. I’m an old hand when it comes to having babies!’
Sylvia could barely get over having one, let alone four, and she didn’t even keep hers! It was the most pain she’d ever experienced, such a shock to the system. She wouldn’t go through it again in a hurry, but part of her ached for a second chance. A chance to do it right from day one. Be a proper mother. Which was why she’d also wished for that when she tossed the coin into the Wishing Fountain at the festival.
But maybe this was supposed to be her second chance—getting to know Grace and being some kind of mother-figure in her life. Sure she’d missed the early years, but mothering didn’t stop when the child grew up. That’s what her mother had said, when sixteen-year-old Sylvia briefly wondered, ‘What if I could bring this baby up myself?’
‘You’ll never be able to become a doctor if you keep this baby,’ her father had said, and he was right. Maybe she could have done it later on, but being a young single mother would have been hard enough. Although her heartbreak grew as her belly grew, Sylvia knew it was the best choice. The only choice. If she’d missed out on her dream she would have resented Grace, even though it wouldn’t have been her fault.
A few minutes later, Grace walked victoriously out of the bookstore. ‘Looks like I will be staying here for a while!’
‘You got the job, already?’
Grace nodded and smiled. ‘Like she said, they needed someone right away. They’re going to start training me tomorrow.’
Even though her life had already changed in the few days since Grace’s arrival, there was no doubt about it, Sylvia’s life was about to change even more.
Chapter 11
‘Nice house,’ Grace commented as they walked up the steps to the front porch. ‘Who’s that?’ She discreetly eyed the house next door.
‘That’s Nancy.’ Sylvia chuckled as Nancy took up residence in her usual position. She tried to be inconspicuous, but was always visible through the