1. Avery

Chapter 1

Avery

The bell above the door chimed as another group of tourists entered my shop. Their eyes widened in shock and amusement as they took in the colorful stained glass hanging on the walls. Each piece caught the afternoon sunlight in a different way, creating a rainbow of beams flowing in every direction.

I smiled to myself, watching their reactions from behind the counter where I was polishing my latest piece. It was a rather risqué mermaid with strategically placed seashells. A customer had commissioned one similar to it, and after posting the piece on their social media, I’d been getting calls for similar options, so they were my current projects, despite it being the dead of winter.

"Oh, my.” One of the women put her hand on her chest as she got closer to a scene with two men in the throes of passion. “How...interesting."

I bit back a chuckle. The juxtaposition of quaint Bavarian-themed Leavenworth and my decidedly un-quaint artwork never failed to amuse me. Gram would've gotten a kick out of it too. She loved everything I made.

A pang of nostalgia made me sigh. "Welcome to Avery's Little Treasures," I called out cheerfully. "Let me know if you need any help finding the perfect souvenir of your time here in our little town."

They nodded and continued to browse. We got a ton of customers window shopping every day, but more and more of them used their time in my store to get ideas and then they’d find cheaper, lower-quality versions online and have them shipped straight to their homes, leaving my store with a postcard or two-dollar ornament instead of a hundred-dollar glass product.

But I loved being here. The shop that had once been my great-great-grandfather's humble dime store was now my livelihood. The only place I got to interact with people and have conversations that didn’t involve stuffed animals and dolls.

Now, the shelves of my store overflowed with a mix of kitschy tchotchkes for the tourists and my own handcrafted stained glass pieces. It had taken months of renovation after Gram passed, but I finally achieved my dream of turning this place into a showcase for my art.

"Excuse me, sir. Are these all handmade?" A middle-aged man approached the counter and gestured to the stained glass.

"They sure are. I make each piece myself. They’re all one-of-a-kind."

He nodded as he slipped his hands in his pockets and stared at a nude. "Even the more…saucy subjects?"

I grinned. "Especially those. Life's too short for boring art, don't you think?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "My wife would kill me if I brought one of those home, but that landscape over there. The one with the lake and mountains reminds me of our lake house. I think I’ll take it."

“Sure thing.” I only sold one or two pieces a week, so every sale was a cause for celebration. “Thank you. I appreciate your support.”

As I wrapped up his purchase, I felt a familiar swell of pride. This little shop may not have been what Gram originally envisioned when she was running it as a scrapbooking store, but I liked to think she'd approve of how I'd kept the store in the family while pursuing my own artistic passion.

Leavenworth had given me a home and a fresh start after she died. The least I could do was liven things up a bit in return.

During the winter, the town glowed in twinkling lights as the community prepared for Christmas. It was my favorite time of year when I was in town, but when I went home, I was all by myself and it wasn’t fun at all. At the end of the night, I locked up the store and headed out to the street. Even after six months of having the store, I still felt a thrill seeing my name on the sign. Even though the town held so many memories from my childhood, I was excited for the time when it would truly feel like home.

I breathed in the crisp mountain air and started my short walk home.

As I walked the few blocks home, I couldn't help but compare the quiet streets to the bustling Seattle neighborhood I'd left behind. Part of me missed the energy and the active community of friends I'd built there. But as I approached the cute cottage I'd inherited, excitement blossomed in my chest.

"Finally, toy time!" I fumbled with my keys to get the door unlocked and then tossed all my stuff on the table by the door. My shoes came off as I shrugged out of my coat and dropped it on the chair.

As I moved deeper inside, I flicked on the lights and immediately felt the shackles of adulting fall off me. This was the only place I could fully relax and be…Little.

I hadn’t changed too much of Gram's decor since moving in. It just reminded me too much of her and my time here as a child. A time I desperately missed.

Her quilts still adorned the walls, but now I had a collection of framed photos of my friends from Seattle hanging beside them. My attention lingered on a group shot from my last munch before moving.

"I miss you guys." I sighed then shook off the melancholy. No sense in being sad. It was play time. A time to be happy.

I went into the spare room and dropped onto the floor. It was my special space. The shelves lining the walls were filled with colorful stuffies, dolls, and an assortment of toys. My heart lightened as I scooped up Mr. Snuggles, my favorite teddy bear, and cuddled him to my chest.

"Did you have a good day?" I nuzzled his soft fur, rubbing it on my cheek. "I sold that pretty lake piece we both liked. But don't worry, I’ll make an even better one for in here. You’ll be in it, for sure."

Playing in my room wasn't the same as having a caregiver with me, but these quiet moments helped soothe that little part of me that sometimes felt so far from home.

"What do you think, buddy? Coloring or blocks tonight?"