Page 71 of Sweet Venom

With every reader that came to her table she acted the same. Sweet and grateful, a side of her I hadn’t seen since she was a little girl since before I hurt her heart and that is why I did all of this.

To get that sweet as fuck heart back.

Another girl, this one couldn’t be more than fifteen approached the table with her mother right at her side. Thegirl had pink strips of hair, too big of glasses on her face, a strawberry dress and a beige tote bag that read “My love language is books.” The moment Poe sees the girl her eyes spark just like when she’s lost in a book. I watched as Poe signed all her books. She took her time, offering small words of thanks to both mother and daughter and even engaged in more conversation. Her nerves slowly subsided as the afternoon wore on.

I wasn’t a man given to sentimentality. Before Poe I didn’t know how to feel, let alone how to show it, but after coming face to face with the reality that I didn’t want to live in a world where she wasn’t mine.

My heart never softened, at least not with people who weren’t my mother or sister, but with Poe it did. The heart inside my chest raced every time she smiled at a reader, every time she posed for pictures something inside me jolted.

She was so beautiful, but it wasn’t just her looks. It was the way she made the people around her feel, the way she quietly left an imprint on their lives.

A boy that looked like he was in his late teens was next in line and there was something off about him. He looked pale and his hair was shaved off. He approached the table with a tired smile and I noticed he looked like it was taking a lot of him just to stand up. Shit. He waited in line.

He was sick. I wonder what was it? Cancer? Something inside of me hurt watching the kid reminding me of a time my own mother had to battle that fucking disease.

I made it my mission to donate as much as I could to every project trying to find the cure.

This kid was a fighter just like my mother.

I moved to help the kid but Poe beat me to it when she quickly stood up, walked around the table, moved a chair and helped the kid down to it.

I watched in awe as she so sweetly asked the kid if she could give him a hug and with the same feeling in my chest as watching the kid’s face turned pink as Poe gives him all her attention. She talks with him and takes pictures and signs the book he brought with him. Lastly, she grabbed a book stack of all her works and signed each of them before handing them to him.

Fuck.

So sweet.

She said a few words to the kid and then watched him go and when she thought no one was looking she wiped tears from her eyes.

Dammit.

I hated that. I hated women’s tears but her tears made a bullet to the chest seemed like nothing.

She quickly went back to signing and giving all her attention to each person that came to her table. While I stood back, silent. Watching.

I didn’t need to say anything. This wasn’t my moment. But I was there. My eyes were on everything—the readers, their body language, their tone, their proximity. I don’t trust, and I trust even less when it comes to her.

Most of them were fine. Kind, respectful. The teenage girl with the quirky dress and tears in her eyes gave Poe a drawing of her main character— Maxim, one of her most popular villains—, hand-shaded and clutched like it was treasure. Poe lit up like a sunrise and touched the girl’s hand gently, trying not to show too much emotion. An older Latino man came through and said he was buying the book for his wife but planned to sneak-read it first. Poe giggled—actually giggled—and I felt something in my chest pull tight. Jealousy too when I witnessed another man make her laugh.

It was all going according to plan. This was all I wanted for her.

Then he showed up.

Late twenties, maybe. Smug grin. A black turtleneck that was a size too tight. The fucker looked like he spent too much time in front of a mirror. He walked up like he owned the bookstore and slapped a book down on the table startling Poe.

Strike one.

“Sister’s a big fan,” the motherfucker said, smirking like a weasel. “Thought I’d surprise her for her birthday.”

Sure. His sister.

He leaned a little too close. Strike two.

“Gotta say, you’re hot. I thought you looked like a tired out middle-aged mom. Suzy’s gonna lose it when she sees this.”

Poe’s smile faltered. Just slightly. Not enough that anyone else would notice, but I did. She laughed awkwardly and took the book. Her handwriting shook a little.

“Think we could take a selfie?” he asked, already pulling out his phone, like he knew she wouldn’t say no because she wouldn’t risk making a scene.

---