was truly magical! August immediately recalled as his father buys him a Zorro mask and Frau Tomaco whose melodic voice and ringing laughter still stood in her ears, was smiling and inviting them to come again. She frightened, and at the same time attracted by her dissimilarity to the other.
But then he opened his eyes, and the fairy tale ended. The charm caused by the flood of memories disappeared.
August went up to the desk, which was an old cash register, and loudly cleared his throat. No one responded, and then he easily jumped over the counter, knocked on the wooden closet door of the back room in which Madame often went in the old days. There was no answer again.
Suddenly, a bell has rung and a soft yell made him look back. On the threshold there stood a very pretty tanned girl, in whose features he recognized Marianne, the hostess’ granddaughter. However, she does not seem to understand who he was.
– What do you want? – she asked anxiously. – What do you want from the two poor women? If you expected to steal something, take it and go away immediately!
August smiled.
– Marianne, don’t you remember me?
She peered doubtfully into him.
– I am August, and I lived nearby! We used to hang out here very often. – August came from the desk and stepped closer to her, caught in the beam of light, struck from the not cluttered part of the window.
Marianne suddenly sobbed, and rushed to hug him.
– I am very glad to see you again, August, – she said in a trembling voice, stepping back a few paces and peering with her attentive beautiful eyes, just like her grandmother.
– Yeah, and this certainly wet my shirt? – Ironically, but encouragingly he commented.
– I’m sorry, – said the girl, taking a tissue out of his hands. – You know, the business is not as good as we it should. The customers we had before are no more. Children do not come here to play. Only old-timers and we both know how good that time was.
– Where’s your grandmother? – The boy wondered.
Marianne silently walked to the door of the back room and pulled hard on the door, which was difficult to open. August saw a woman lying on the couch, or more precisely, her shape, since she was covered with some rags. She was sleeping. Nearby, on a small table a greenish bottle wrapped in straw stood. He understood everything.
Marianne looked at him with desperation.
– Since a toys shop “Tinkle” opened in the neighboring district, no one comes to us. Even thieves bypass our home, as they know that we have nothing for them to steal.
– I don’t believe this is happening… And what about our peers?
– Many of them left for other cities, as you, the parents in the neighborhood believe that we render a bad influence on their children.
– Bad influence? – August frowned. As far as he could remember, there were not only the children. Adults themselves often sat on sofas or were standing around, enjoying the unusual ideas.
– They believe that in “Tinkle” everything is modern and with a high quality. In addition, I and my grandmother are American Indians…
– Since when the blood indicates the personality?!
Marianne sighed.
– Everything changes. Let’s go outside, – she led him into a small outdoor cafe, a couple of blocks from the shop, where they drank coffee and shared news. August told her of Sebastian, Philip and about the school.
– I may be expelled, and I understand this… I can’t afford tuition and I failed the recent tests, so there are more worthy candidates for this place. – Marianne lamented.
– But then you don’t get a diploma!
– I know, but what can I do? Looks like, that is my fate.
– Marie, I recently realized it, – August said firmly. – But there are no miracles or destiny in the world.
August sighed, and a light breeze ran through the street, forcing the children’s hair and napkins on the table to stir.
– Are you sure? – asked the girl quietly.
– Unfortunately, – he nodded.
– But then everything becomes meaningless! – she exclaimed. The tape strapping her hair fell off and her hair scattered whenever the wind blew.
– What are you talking about? – August asked surprisingly.
– About our childhood, of course! – Marianne even blushed. – You know, we’re, perhaps, the last of those who remember the magic of our wonderful store! And I thought that we believe in…
– Believed, – corrected Augustus, seriously looking at her. – After the last few years my confidence has severely shaken.
Marianne irritably blinked.
– What is that?
– Your words sounded as if nothing can be saved. Either shop or childhood… Just nothing.
August paused and then decisively took her hand.
– You know, even if we can’t save our childhood, then at least we can try to save the store for new generations. I will personally help you to make this happen.
– Really? – Marianne looked at him with such hope and gratitude in her eyes, that the boy was embarrassed. – But just the two of us can’t cope! And when do we start?
– First, I have to go to the school camp, – he said. Noticing her downcast look, he hastened to add: – I’ll talk to the guys; maybe someone will agree to help us. I have great classmates. You’ll see.
Marianne nodded and smiled, and then rummaged in her bag decorated with the fringe and took a few coins.
– Wait, – August made a preemptive gesture and reached into his pocket for the money. – Never mind, I understand. By the way, I came here actually because of business, – he remembered, then they went back to the store, and he told her Philip’s request.
Marianne beamed:
– We have all the figures! Grandmother purposely left them in a special box, when things became bad. And she didn’t want to sell them, even for the interested buyers! Apparently, they were important to her. But does a painted plastic matter now?
Chapter 3
Runaway
The next day Sabastian and Philip came back. It seemed they had a poor catch, or simply didn’t get enough sleep, because at the breakfast Sebastian looked even angrier and gloomier than usual, pressing fingers to his temples.
During lunch, August literally felt the wave of hostility, emanating from her stepfather. But he tried to keep quiet so as not to attract undue attention.
– Enough! – Sebastian suddenly yelled. And he stood up so abruptly that a chair fell down with a clatter. – How can you sit there with such an innocent expression?!
– Herr, what are you talking about? – August was scared in the first second, then he immediately felt calm. It’s like fencing – to calculate all the possible moves after a sudden shock to excel again.
– As if you do not understand? – He was seething. – I know that you let go without my knowledge Griette and the security service reported to me that you were absent the whole day! Where were you, answer immediately!
August sighed, thinking to himself: “Just this one? Even if he accused me of robbery of a Swiss bank,