Chapter 7 Mrs O'connell

• She had once had a similar connection with her twin, but she could feel their bond beginning to weaken with the way her brother distanced himself. She had to force her mind away from the earlier conversation she had shared with her best friend.
• Her slender pale fingers brushed across the spines of the books as she passed them, picking out books that she found interesting and skipping over books that weren't. After what felt like mere minutes of being lost in the world of books, Alexa finally left the fictional world to find her equally book-loving cousin so that they could pick up Gabriella from her dance class.
• She had to almost literally pull Jayden away from the shelves as she had also gotten sucked in by the magic of the words. The old lady that owned and ran the bookstore was not behind the desk as she normally was, so Alexa had to ring the cute silver bell that sat on the desk.
• "I'll be with you in a minute dear," she called from somewhere in the back, and if you listened carefully enough you could hear her humming a soft melody. Eventually, she popped her head out to look at her two awaiting customers, she smiled warmly, her wrinkled face scrunched up due to her smile, showing the wrinkles around her eyes which would have suggested that she had laughed a lot in her youth.
• She had strange eyes, the colour of lavender, which sparkled as her small hands came up to try and smooth back the pieces of silvery hair that were just too stubborn to stay where she had put them. The rest of her hair was pulled back in an elaborate bun at the back of her head.
• "Oh, why if it isn't the young Miss Winters, how nice to see you again my dear, I hope all is well. You are so sweet coming in to visit an old coot like me as often as you do. How is the family doing? Where is that marvelous baby sister of yours? What about your handsome brother? Oh, how nice it is to have a twin. Tell me, have you found out about that internship that you wanted? Oh, where are my manners, who is this beautiful young lady?" The woman rattled off questions and didn't seem to mind that she never gave the redhead a chance to answer any of them, as she rounded the desk to stand right in front of the poor brunette.
• "My, you are absolutely a vision, are you two related? Your eyes are so magnificent. Has anyone told you they look the deepest shade of golden brown that I have ever seen? I love your curls, I once had hair just like this, although it may have been a shade or two lighter than these wonderful chocolate curls. You too must be related as I have only ever seen such distinctive and unique colours on this young woman right here and her family, it's absolutely extraordinary," The kind old lady went on and on without a care in the world.
• "You haven't answered my question and I must say I am highly curious, who are you?" The silver-haired woman asked as she finally let go of Jayden's face, having grabbed a hold of it at some point during her rambling, in order to get a better look at her eyes.
• "My name is Jayden Montgomery Ma’am; I am Alexa's cousin Ma'am." The flushed brunette stated respectfully, a blush decorating her cheeks at all the compliments Mrs. O'Connor had given her.
• Alexa couldn't help but smile and think of her first meeting with the woman. She had peppered her with questions and observations just as much as she just had with Jayden.
• "Oh, what a pleasure, you're just as well-mannered as your cousin, how splendid. People could learn a thing or two from you young ladies," she laughed lightly, her eyes twinkled with joy.
• The woman moved away from the two girls and began to wrap up the books they had chosen.
• "Thank you, Mrs. O’Connor, that is a very nice thing for you to say," Alexa said with a smile on her lips.
• "Oh please, it's Charlene, my dear. I stopped being Mrs. O'Connor a very long time ago." She said sadly, a small smile on her lips, but if you looked close enough you could see the depth of the pain in her lavender eyes. It was the same look Alexa would see on her mother’s face when she thought no one was looking.
• "Well, then I must insist you call me Jayden." Jayden nodded her head as if agreeing with herself, trying to cheer the old woman up.
• "That'll be all, enjoy your books my darlings," and then she started to push the girls toward the door after handing them a brown paper bag that held their books inside.
• "But, we haven't -" Alexa tried to protest but was silenced.
• "No, no. It's on the house, my sweet. Please enjoy your purchases and do give my regards to your mother my dear," she said and pushed the girls out of the store, waved, and then closed the door, flipping the sign over to show the word closed and locked the door. Leaving the cousin's staring wide-eyed at the glass door.