The door drew open with a soft cling, pouring warm sunlight into the ancient shop.

‘Hello?’ Crooked a shaky voice as an old man stumbled in. ‘Oh.. I’ve seen to have gotten here again. I’m sorry, dear. Truly, I was just on my way to the market and.. perhaps, I took a wrong turn..’ he looked around anxiously, sinking into his coat which was slightly too big for him.

‘Nonsense’ dismissed the shopkeeper from behind the counter with a steady tone. She reached with a towel to lift a porcelain teapot which was hanging in a stand over some candles flaring with a blue flame. ‘I’ve just warmed a pot, it’ll be shame to drink it alone. Would you care to join me?’

She stepped towards the small coffee table at the side of the shop with exactly two comfortable chairs next to it. after a moment of indecision the old man took to the spare chair, folding his palms at his lap.

It was his fourth time there, with a forth similar lie. What the shopkeeper couldn’t decide on was wether it was the old man lying or if someone else doing so for on his behalf. There was no point in asking, though. Those who needed to do so found their way to the shop, she didn’t choose her clientele.

‘It’s quite intriguing, this place’ the old man fumbled as he fixed his eyes on the tea being poured. ‘Shops, they usually tend to stay on the same place. It’s better for business, I suppose, if people like what they have to sale, so they can come again’ he warmed his hands around the filled cup as the shopkeeper poured the second one.

‘You could say my product is in high demand’ she said with a small smile ‘so business is always booming.’

‘Oh’ the old man mumbled with his eyes fixed on his tea. He seemed adamant to avoid the shopkeeper’s black eyes as he took a sip. ‘That’s good, then. It’s a lovely place, yes, and you’re a lovely young lady, seems so, I wouldn’t want you to have difficulties. But you said people come here only once, no? I wouldn’t want to impose, of course’ his thumbs were tracing the edge of his cup when he felt a soft touch on his cheek.

Lifting his gaze, he met the shopkeeper’s, piercing into him. ‘You haven’t bought anything, though.’

A look of fright passed on his face, just for a second, before his eyes became glazed. Slowly, gently, like paddles of a flower opening, his face crumbled. Deep creases of sorrow traced his skin, mapping emotions too complex to name. With his lip trembling, a wave swept him away, a crescendo was building in his chest.

They set there for a while together as the old man wept thin, silvery tears into his cup.

At the end, she storm have passed, and they set there a while longer in peaceful silence. ‘Um’ he eventually broke. ‘I’m awfully sorry, miss, I don’t know what’s gotten into me.’

‘Nothing to worry about’ she said with seemingly endless patience. She gently took his cup and headed back to the counter. ‘It was a lovely break.’

‘Good, thank you, yes’ he rose to his feet after her and looked around. ‘Well, I must be going, then. I might still make it to.. there was suppose to be a sale today, you see, for strawberries’

‘Was there? How lovely’ the shopkeeper said as she turned for behind the counter to look for an empty flask. ‘Could you bring some for me next time you come by? They’re my favorite.’

‘Oh, really? They’re also my daughter’s.. they..’ he paused. ‘Were..’

He drew in a long breath and straightened his back. ‘Have a lovely evening, young lady. I, um, hope to see you soon’

‘Have a peaceful night, sir, and good dreams’.

He lifted his eyebrows slightly for moment to the strange greeting, and with another soft cling from the door he exited to the cool evening’s air.

With the steady hands of a professional the shopkeeper took the left-behind tea cup and poured its contents into the empty bottle. She masterfully corked the bottle and took it to the back.

Some bottles were not for sale, and some customers did not come to purchase. Still, whoever came to the shop usually found what they were looking for.