Ink and Shadows(Secret, Book, & Scone Society #4)(56)
“I just need the tables we always use for sidewalk displays and a few sets of show-stopping doors between the tables. It’ll only be possible because I don’t have to build the doors. Remember that huge box we got last week? The one the publisher shipped by mistake?”
“The one you wouldn’t let me open?”
Nora grinned. “Yep. It’s full of life-sized cardboard cutouts of English phone booths, and the publisher doesn’t want them back. I’ve been meaning to recycle them, but I never got around to it.”
“Doctor Who would be delighted by your use of telephone boxes and your pacifistic attitude. It’s not easy to act like Mary Poppins when dealing with Daleks.”
“Don’t congratulate me yet,” warned Nora. “Just thinking about those women waving signs and shouting ugly things about books and our shop makes my blood boil. They can say what they want about me. But bashing books? Scaring off potential readers? How can anyone believe that chasing people away from a bookstore is a good thing? It’s the opposite.”
“That’s how I feel too,” said a voice.
Nora turned around to see Vicky Knapp looking through the ticket agent’s window.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping,” she said. “We got out of school early—there’s a gas leak—so I came to read. But I can help you, Ms. Nora. With the doors. I’ve worked on lots of play sets. At church and school.”
“That’s really sweet, Vicky, but you can’t get mixed up in this,” said Nora.
Vicky didn’t move. “Some of my favorite books have doors leading to other worlds. They’re supposed to be a bad influence because they’re fantasies. Because they have magic. But they’re also about friendship and courage. They make me believe that one person can change the world. Hobbits, a boy named Harry Potter, a girl named Lucy—I traveled with them, and I want to go through a million more doors. I never want to stop. So please let me help.”
“You know how your mom feels about me,” Nora said gently. “It’s one thing for you to read here. Helping me prepare for your mom’s protest is another. I appreciate the offer. I do. And I love your passion for books. I hope that never changes.”
“How about a hot chocolate?” Sheldon asked Vicky. “With triple marshmallows?”
After a long moment, Vicky said, “Sure.”
Sheldon made Vicky’s drink and then headed out to buy supplies. When he returned, he was accompanied by the two blondes who often hung out with Vicky in the YA section. Both teenagers carried jugs of acrylic paint.
“These lovely ladies would like to earn community service hours by working on your literary art project,” Sheldon explained. “Vicky sent them a text, and they flanked me in the craft aisle like a pair of hyenas on the prowl.”
“Steph did some sketches.” The girl named Sidney, who went by Sid, thrust a notebook into Nora’s hands. “She’s an amazing artist. And I love to paint. We have nothing to do for the rest of the day, and we’re, like, huge fans of the store. But you probably knew that.”
Steph gestured at the notebook. “We’re super excited about getting community service hours for painting. We did litter cleanup last month, and it was totally gross. Book art is way cooler.”
Nora frowned. “About the whole community service thing—are you sure this project qualifies?”
“The only requirements are that it benefits the community and is supervised by an adult,” said Sid. “We have a service sheet. Before we leave, you write in how many hours we worked and sign your name.”
“Sounds easy enough.” As Nora paged through the notebook, her eyes widened in wonder. “These are terrific.”
“Thanks.” Steph beamed with pleasure. “They’re not all doors, but there are lots of other ways to travel in books.”
Nora beckoned for the girls to follow her. “I’ll show you what we have to work with. I love your idea for The Phantom Tollbooth. And the doorways Will Parry makes with his knife in the Philip Pullman novels are incredible, but I don’t want any weapons in our display.”
“What about the door from Coraline?” Sid asked, pointing at another sketch. “Is that too scary because of the ghosts?”
“Nah. It’ll be Halloween on Friday,” said Nora. “Besides, they’re the ghosts of kids. They can be cute and cartoonish instead of creepy.”
The girls were bursting with ideas. They’d already come up with color schemes and were determined to use lots of glitter.
When they shared this with Nora, Sheldon wriggled his fingers in farewell and left the shop.
“He really has issues with glitter, doesn’t he?” Sid said to Nora. “He groaned when we asked him to buy the bulk-sized bottles.”
Sheldon loved glitter. It was Nora who hated it, mostly because she had to vacuum the floors, and glitter did not come up easily. Her gaze traveled over her tidy stockroom.
“Bulk-sized? Maybe you girls should work outside.”
After showing Sid and Steph the box of phone booth cutouts, Nora gave the girls a quick lesson on how to use safety box cutters.
“It has a ceramic blade with a rounded tip, which retracts when not in use.” Nora sliced off the corner of a flattened box. “If you get thirsty, there’s iced tea in the fridge.”