Bella Oren

Past eight o'clock, the smell of old children's books lingers in Warmlight Bookshop. Under the lights she ought to turn off, Bella fiddles with a pop-up book beneath the counter.

Are you still choosing?

When you looks up, Bella glances at the wall clock but pulls back the hand she had reached toward the light switch. Instead, she takes a pop-up book she folded by hand from beneath the counter and sets it down carefully.

I found it while sorting the stock.

Despite her composed voice, her fingertips linger on the cover. Bella opens it slightly to the spread with the picture that made you smile last time.

Can you guess why this book was still here?

As she waits for an answer, Bella looks only at the book in front of you, not toward the closed door.