My Boyfriend is a Monster (24 page)

What he was actually disappointed with was the fact of how much it reminded him of his store on the Almafi Coast. As much as he loved Chicago and being close to his family, it could not compare to the ageless city in southern Italy. No matter how close he painted it or how close that shelf was positioned it was never going to be that one. He missed it and all the books that were in it.

Walking over to the window he decided twelve minutes to nine was close enough. Switching on the open sign he let the familiar sound of electricity surge throughout the red neon sign
, cheering him up a little. Unlocking the door he walked behind the counter and dropped to his elbows. He was already recovering, he loved being surrounded by books and kind of hoped (as he did most days) that no one would come in. Nathan did not need money. Like his books he had plenty of that. He needed a front, to appear normal. And if pretending to be normal meant spending day after day reading books, drinking tea and talking to people about books, he could not think of a better way. So he decided to let his little Italy store go and be satisfied with the quaint little store he built in big Chicago.

It was a nice day and he would soon be opening the windows to let the breeze flow through. Then he would sit and read A Tale of Two Cities and pause to talk with customers, assuming there would be customers. Nathan never advertised or catered to spectacle such as grand openings. If customers passed and noticed the open sign and came in, that was good enough. He didn’t even care if they bought anything. He preferred talking about books rather than selling. Although selling a story to a customer was always fun too, if they bought it. Nathan enjoyed debating the meanings and stories behind books as well. They could agree or disagree with him. He enjoyed both. But he was always respectful of other people’s opinions and always kept an open mind. If nobody came in he was fine with that as well. It gave him the perfect opportunity to fully immerse himself into the story without interruption. Either way, he loved having a book store. The only thing that would make this day perfect would be a cup of tea from Sips.

He was faster and stronger than any Chakan he has ever met. But even with all his powers he couldn’t muster the courage to go back to Sips. Even though Lily said yes to a date he was still embarrassed. Or maybe afraid she might change her mind if she saw him again. It sounded silly even thinking it, but he thought that it was better safe than sorry.

Taking a sip of his own tea he scoffed inside his head. He had been drinking his own tea for almost a hundred years now, but since drinking Lily’s he had become a tea snob. It took him years to get over not having his Mother’s, and Lily’s was a hundred times better (taking a vow to never admit it aloud). Then a horrib
le thought went through his head, if the date did not go well, not only would he lose out on the women he had fallen for, but he would lose the tea as well. This started a heated debate in his mind that looked to get quite feverish when the little chime from his shopkeeper’s bell rang out.

Smiling ear to ear Todd walked through the door humming a Disney tune and looking like an early 20
th
century golfer. And it totally suited him. He wore golf knickers complete with four inches of additional length and patterned long golf socks that met his two tone spectator shoes. A white shirt and plaid tie under a matching cardigan jacket. He even had the flat cap on and turned slightly to the left with a pair of John Lennon round sunglasses that seemed to work. “Oh My God,” Todd said coming to a stop and taking his glasses off. “This is, fabulous.”

He walked deeper into the store taking it all in. Nathan could tell his eyes were grabbing titles off the shelves and registering them. Todd went a little deeper and noticed it right away. Under a glass box it sat
confidently. A little pot light in front of it lit its magnificence. Somehow fascine to the glass near the bottom was a beautiful golden plaque that read:

Treasure Island

A Novel by: Robert Louis Stevenson

1
st
Edition, May 23
rd
1883

Gazing at it in all its protected glory his
first thought was to touch it, as if grasping it would teleport him back to his tenth year of life. His father might not have gotten him a 1
st
edition but the cover was very similar and the words were the same. The words that he had just began to understand completely on his own and propelled him to another world. A world full of adventure and excitement that made him a junkie ever since.

“Go ahead,” Nathan said taking another sip of his disappointing tea.

Todd looked at him like a kid on Christmas morning not sure if it was real. He looked back at the book and then back to Nathan who was smiling.

Seeing it
in his face Nathan assured him. “It’s ok, no alarms will go off.”

“How?” he asked excited and scarred all at the same time.

Nathan just lowered his hand then raised it telling Todd it was ok to just lift the box.

“Okay,” Todd said standing above the glass box housing the book of his childhood.

Gently putting his hands on both sides of the box he applied pressure to grip it. He held his breath half expecting an alarm to go off, or at the very least a dart from some hidden hole in the wall. Imagining himself falling to the ground clutching his throat as the blood found a way past his hands he was already on his way to imagination land. Laughing in reality but bleeding out in his world of make believe, he became even more excited. Todd turned to Nathan smiling. “I feel like Indiana Jones.” Todd lifted unveiling the book. Joining him Nathan took the box from him and placed it on the counter. Todd leaned down to be face to face with the book. “A first edition,” Todd marveled. Admiring how well it had been preserved he continued his admiration. “To think someone all the way back in 1883 bought this book and took it home. Gave it to his son, or maybe bought it for themselves,” he said wondering, then turned to Nathan. “Maybe walked to a park and read it.”

Nathan smiled but inside his mind he laughed since it was actually him who bought this exact book in 1883 London England. He actually bought the book from a shop on Frith Street. He remembered he was quite excited about reading about the adventures of Jim Hawkins and pirates. His excitement didn’t wane even when the shop keeper told him it was more of a book for children. In which Nathan replied
.
“A good book never has an age requirement. A good book is just a good book”
That next day he returned to the shop keeper and proposed he seek out his inner child and read the book. Two weeks later walking down Frith Street the shop keeper yelled out,
“Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest.”
Then they both sang out,
“Yo-Ho-ho and a bottle of rum.”

Going to touch it Todd suddenly held back. It was if he was afraid to touch the book in the fear that it might somehow crumble into a pile of dust. Against all fear he gently grabbed onto it and held it in front
of him. “It truly is, awesome,” he said looking up at Nathan.

“Couldn’t have said it any better,” Nathan agreed.

Opening the book gingerly he slowly let his eyes soak in the words printed so long ago on pages so amazingly old. He gently turned page after page until he got to the beginning of his favorite story.
PART 1, THE OLD BUCANEER, CHAPTER 1 The Old Sea Dog at the “Admiral Benbow”,
was there in all it’s calling to adventure glory. Todd became instantly infatuated with it. “I must have it.” Not realizing or caring that he might have a copy at home and if not, ample resources to get a regular retail copy.

Nathan smiled and took the book out of his hands as if he was afraid when he told Todd no, he would make a run for the door.

“But I have money,” Todd said sadly as he let go. Determination soon took over. “I’ll give you a thousand dollars.”

“It’s worth at least thirty,” Nathan said putting the book back on the holder. He walked over to the counter and grabbed the glass box. When he turned around to place the box over the book he still half expected to see Todd running out the door with the book tucked under his arms. He laughed at the thought of giving the police a description of Todd and what he was wearing. At least they would
have picked him up fairly quickly.

“Wow,” Todd said humbled. Watching his new infatuation being imprisoned once again behind a glass wall of tyranny he mulled over the price. “Don’t think Martin would quite understand.”

“I also have the original leather dust jacket for it.”

Todd’s eyes lit up but then dulled again. “No, still would kill me,” he said putting his finger tips on the glass as if to say good bye to a lover in jail. Pretending to cry he turned away in true soap opera fashion.

“I do apologize Mr. Jacobson,” Nathan said politely, as if reverting into a cold hearted store owner, and Todd a customer with not enough money.

Todd turned around in soap opera disgust and changed the subject. “Please . . . just Todd. I am under no illusion that time ticks away sir, does not mean I can’t ignore it.”

“Sorry, Todd,” Nathan said amused.

“Actually Mr. . .” Todd paused for a moment about to call Nathan, Mr. Caesar. He looked at Nathan for help.

“Just Nathan,” he kindly instructed.

“Of course, just Nathan, I was actually here because when you came into my store the other day and asked my Lily out on a date – without asking my permission by the way. My partner was trying to ask you something as you were leaving.”

Trying to convey the same seriousness Todd was he found it extremely hard with him dressed the way he was. “My apologies Todd, both for not asking your permission and for walking out so suddenly,” he said. He then addressed the first concern. “I’m sure from my own observations that Lily is like family?”

“Oh yes Nathan, indeed.”

“An older sister perhaps,” he said raising his eyebrow.

Giggling like a school girl he waved his hand at Nathan blushing. “I like you just Nathan, your fun,” Todd said swatting him across the arm. “He was actually trying to invite you to our home this evening?”

“Oh, I don’t -”

“Give you a chance to see Lily. With whom I ran
by before coming here,” Todd assured. “She was quite excited,” he said leeringly.

“Really?” he asked intrigued.

“Well there was a lot of on the fence and off the fence. Back on - then hiding. Then off again before she told me to go and ask. And then ran into her bedroom screaming and slammed the door.” They were both quite for a moment. “Anyhoo, a couple other store owners will be there, nothing big.”

“Maybe,” Nathan muddled timidly.

“Fantastic,” Todd said walking to another wall of books.

The little bell over the door rang and Todd turned back noticing. “Love it
.”

Two w
omen walked through the door immediately noticing Nathan with a customer and quickly turned away to a corner. One was dark skinned and appeared very elegant. Her clothes were tight and revealed her toned body without showing any skin. Her hair was long and golden as it flowed out from under her black fedora. It glimmered with the light since there was just as long silver strands woven within it. The other woman was much heavier and plainer in appearance. She didn’t wear any make up or have any silver in her dark and scruffy hair that was tied with a red scrunchie. Her flannel jacket almost covered her very authentic looking 1979 AC/DC Highway to Hell tee shirt. Her jeans weren’t stained but worn and her demeanor did not scream out approachable.  They whispered and looked at Nathan then turned away and whispered some more.

Todd brought a handful of books to the front and then stepped back taking in the counter. “This counter is beautiful, don’t tell me,” he said looking for the answer.

“The oak is from Ireland. And the glass is from Egypt, a gift from my father,” Nathan told him.

Todd just shook his head as Nathan went through the books and rang in the costs on the antique cash register. Noticing the register Todd decided not to say anything but sighed in its exquisiteness. Nathan grabbed a bag for the books and Todd could tell even they were specialty made. “Oh my God
just Nathan, are you kidding me,” he barked getting his wallet.

“That’ll be -”

“I can read you son of a bitch,” Todd finished with a laugh.

As Nathan gathered the change from the register Todd noticed the two women in the corner eyeing Nathan. “I don’t want to alarm you honey, but those two lesbians don’t seem to like you.”

Nathan smiled at his concern. “There not lesbians, there sisters.”

“Well I know ones a sister, but. . .” he trailed off realizing what Nathan meant. “You mean your sisters,” Todd corrected looking back at them. Looking back and
forth Todd was second guessing. “Really?”

“Yes . . . adopted.”

“Nooo,” Todd said sarcastically rolling his eyes.

He put down his money and grabbed his books. “Bring them along. The
one is gorgeous chic. The other one,” Todd said leaning in. “Well, maybe we can have an arm wrestling competition.”

Nathan laughed. “She’d probably like that.”

“Although, I don’t think there will be anyone at the party who could beat her,” Todd said giving Nathan his sly smile and winked. Heading for the door he reminded him. “Tonight around eight then.” Opening the door and hearing the doorbell ring he yelled out, “I love it.”