It was a mild November Saturday and the warmer than normal weather brought people out in hordes. Suffice to say it was the best day my shop had ever seen, with people constantly packed into the shop, shoulder to shoulder quietly browsing. I would often catch Gretchen’s eyes and she would give me a happily surprised look, obviously as shocked by the overwhelming crowd as I was. As the day wore on her looks slowly changed to happily exhausted and I couldn’t help but laugh each time I looked at her.
The steady stream finally slowed to a trickle and then stopped shortly before 5 p.m., closing time. We both sat on the floor, leaning against the counter, our feet aching and our bodies tired but our moods light and satisfied with the day.
“I never thought I’d say this, but I can’t wait to lock the door” I said, laughing. “I can’t believe the day we’ve had.”
“It’s never been this busy before, I’m totally wiped out, not that I’m complaining” she said.
“Why don’t you go ahead and go, Gretch. I’ll lock up behind you.” Just as I finished my sentence the bells above the door softly jingled, signaling yet another customer. We looked at each other, both sighing dramatically and then laughed as we stood up.
As soon as I saw the stocking cap with wisps of black hair curling out my heart skipped a beat and my stomach filled with butterflies. It was him. Although I had made no real conscious effort to think of him the few days since he last appeared in my shop, I had occasionally caught myself wondering who he was and whether I’d ever see him again. As soon as the thoughts would enter my mind I just as quickly brush them away, scolding myself for being so silly as to think about a perfect stranger whom I’d only spent a few moments with.
“Gretchen, you might as well go ahead and go” I said as he walked towards the counter. “You’ve had a big day and I know you’re tired”
Gretchen looked to me, then the tall handsome man in the shop and back to me again. A sly smile spread across her face as she began gathering her things. I walked with her to the door and tried desperately to hide the smile on my face as she left, looking back at me and grinning. I locked the door and turned the sign so that it read ‘closed’ and turned my attention back to my final customer of the day.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were closing. I can come back another time” he said apologetically.
“No, it’s okay. I’m just going to lock up until you’re finished. It’s been so busy today that I might never get out of here if I don’t lock the door” I said, smiling apologetically to a small group of young girls who tried to open the locked door.
“How was your tea?” I asked, walking over to where he was standing looking at a small collection of incense holders.
He looked at me with a bit of a surprised expression on his face. “You remembered” he said with a smile.
“I drink that tea every morning. I don’t sell much of it, so I always remember when someone buys it” I said honestly. Of course I didn’t have the courage to tell that I’d never forget the green of his eyes or the way he so carefully handled the delicate things in the shop.
“It was very good actually” he said picking up a tall slender blue bottle that had been fashioned into an incense holder by having a small hole drilled near the base and a brass ring that nestled in the top so that an incense taper could be held in place hanging down inside the bottle.
“I’ll take this” he said, handing me the unusual incense holder. “And I need some more of those sticks like you gave me the other day”
I smiled at him and walked behind the counter. “How many do you want?”
“I’ll take every single one of them that you’ve got” he said with a grin.”
“That would be about twelve dozen” I said laughing. “I just got a new shipment in yesterday”
“I’ll take them all” he said, laughing with me.
I looked at him, trying to determine if he was serious, and upon deciding he was, pulled a new unopened box from beneath the counter.
“You must really like these” I said and he laughed softly. I handed him his change and slipping the incense into the bag with the holder he had chosen. He thanked me quietly as I handed the bag and walked towards the door. I unlocked the door and he walked out, turning back towards me as the door was closing behind him. I stopped it and held it open a few inches.
“I do really like these” he said, motioning towards the incense in his bag. “They smell like you”
I thought I saw a slight blush on his cheeks as he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there with the door still open a inch and my heart open a mile wide.