It was a call she couldn't seem to ignore. She would just peek in for a minute. If she ran to the pub, she could be there in six or eight minutes, and if she was a bit late in setting up, who'd be there to notice? It's not like the first customer walked in as soon as she unlocked the door. Besides, she was never late, so...
Jessica walked up to the window that flanked the door, trying to peer in through the grime. Too many things were piled up on the shelves on either side for her to see anything. Taking another quick look at her watch, she took a deep breath and turned the doorknob just as a sudden gust of wind blew loose strands of hair into her eyes.
It was either stuck or locked. Jessica pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked around to see if there was a sign that told what hour the shop opened. As she was distracted, a tiny creak sounded from the doorjamb. The creak turned into a rusty shriek as the door was pulled slowly open.
Jessica jumped back with a tiny shriek of her own. She stared at the old woman who stood in the doorway for a moment, then tried on a shaky smile.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" She had to push down an urge to curtsey--the woman, though shriveled with age, seem to almost require that kind of old-fashioned courtesy.
"Eh? What's that?" the woman leaned closer, looking over the glasses pinching her nose.
Jessica took a deep breath and spoke louder. "Is your shop open yet?"
"Hell, no, Missy! What ya think the door is locked for? Can't ya see that it's dark inside here? That's cos I'm trying to sleep!"
Once again, Jessica jumped back a bit, though managing not to shriek this time. The woman's attitude was so unexpected, so far against what her appearance seemed to suggest, that Jessica didn't know what to say for a moment. Then she shook herself, thinking, I'm not going to let this old woman intimidate me! Aloud, she said, giving the woman the courtesy that the aged had a right to expect, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm new in town, and didn't know what hours you kept. Can I come back later, when your store is open?"
At Jessica's polite tone, the woman seemed to soften a bit. She turned her bleary gaze toward the younger woman as she said, "Wellnow, I guess ya could." Then she slammed the door without warning just as Jessica started to speak.
"Well, that was strange." Jessica spoke aloud without meaning to, so startled was she at the old lady's eccentric ways. A look at her watch told her she still had eleven minutes to get to the pub in time, so she put the grim little shop behind her and headed for work.
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