Page 48 of Bea's Book Wagon
‘It’s beautiful, Mum!’ said Bea. ‘Thank you!’
‘Jess gave me the measurements,’ Carol said, ‘so you should have just the right amount to hang along the walls.’
‘Thanks, Mum. Honestly, I love it, it’ll look gorgeous.’
‘Good, I’m glad,’ said Carol, smiling at her brightly. ‘I can’t wait to see it all finished.’
‘Me too,’ Bea laughed. ‘That’s why today’s quite important, I really want to get the décor right.’
‘I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. It’s brought me so much joy to see how happy books make you,’ said Carol, her eyes misting with tears.
‘Hey,’ said Bea, taking her mum’s hand. ‘My love of literature comes from you, and I’m so grateful for that, Mum, I really am.’
‘Well, let’s go and spend some of your dad’s money, shall we? Whatever you want… cushions, lighting, throws, it’s on us, okay?’
‘But, Mum, I—’
‘No arguments,’ said Carol, holding up a hand.
‘Okay. And thanks, Mum, honestly, I really appreciate it,’ said Bea, nodding.
‘I know you do, darling. Now let’s put this bunting away before Wordsworth gets back and rips it apart, shall we?’
‘Good idea,’ said Bea, wrapping it carefully back up in the tissue paper.
‘Where do you fancy for lunch?’ said Carol, picking up her handbag.
‘Depends…’ said Bea, thoughtfully.
‘On what?’
‘On whether that’s on you, too?’
* * *
‘Okay, I think I’m ready now…’ said Bea, clutching her hands together tightly, as Nathan peered through a crack in the barn doors.
‘You said that twenty minutes ago.’
‘It’s a big moment, I want to everything to be perfect,’ said Bea, finally swinging the barn doors open.
‘It will be,’ said Nathan, grinning at her.
‘You’re the first person to see it finished, Nate. I want you to love it as much as I do.’
‘I’m sure I will,’ he nodded.
Bea had been shut away in the barn all day, sorting and filling the shelves of the wagon with books of every size, shape and colour. New books, old books, books for every kind of reader imaginable. Whatever you were looking for, Bea was sure you’d find a story to fall in love with somewhere on her shelves.
Once the bookcases had been arranged and organized, she’d carefully strung the bunting her mum had made alongside the fairy lights on the walls, plumped the beanbag and cushions in the tiny reading area, hung macramé planters filled with succulents from the ceiling and finally switched on the neon pink Bookworm lamp Nate had rigged up to a car battery.
This was it; she was finished. The wagon was finally ready, and it looked… wonderful. It was everything she’d imagined it would be and more. She’d put her heart and soul into this project. She felt… proud, but also apprehensive. Would everyone else love it as much as she did, and, crucially, love it enough to buy some books?
‘So?’ she asked, cautiously, as Nathan stepped inside. ‘What do you think?’
‘Bea! This is…’
‘Good? Bad? Too much? What do you think?’ she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.
