You can’t shove me out of the way

Valerie’s POV

I stood behind the counter, the soft hum of the old woman's store filling the space around me. Light filtered through the large windows at the front, casting gentle beams on the rows of antique and odd trinkets lined up on shelves. I absently polished a wooden jewelry box, lost in thought. It was a quiet day, like most days, where only a few customers trickled in, browsing the shelves with curiosity but hardly ever purchasing anything.

I had grown used to the slowness of the store, such a good contrast to the chaos of my life before. Working here gave me peace, a strange, unsaid calm that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. The old woman had become even more silent than usual, busying herself with inventory and pricing in the background. I could feel it in my bones that something was weighing on her mind, but I wouldn't dare approach the subject. The old woman simply wasn't the type to share unless it seemed utterly necessary.

My thoughts drifted off to the un