Chapter Text
When Amy Santiago was in high school, in a contest to see who could make the best senior project, she ran a book drive for a year and a half. She remembers quietly marching into the public library, scouring through stacks of used books for the perfect ones to buy. The staff came to know her by name, and learned to always have spare change on hand when Santiago was in the building.
When people ask how she could afford to run the book drive, ultimately storing ten or fifteen boxes of books in her cramped bedroom, Amy looks at the ground. She doesn’t buy books from Barnes & Noble. She keeps her eyes open, visiting used bookstores and city libraries in search of good deals and willing people. Amy isn’t especially proud, but she carries a sack of quarters and dimes in her backpack to buy books.
Once she runs out of coins, once she’s reduced to paying with pennies, Amy ups the ante on donations. Kylie helps her organize posters, promising service hours in exchange for books. People flood — no, they trickle — into the school library, offering lightly used copies of books the English teachers mandated.
Amy should be disappointed students never bothered to flick The Scarlet Letter or Great Expectations open, but she grows numb to the phenomenon. After all, a book is a book. She can’t complain.
She’s always been frugal. Once, she wore the same glasses for three years because renewing her prescription was too expensive. Growing up in a tight-knit family of ten as the youngest and only daughter, there hasn’t always been room for extra expenses. Amy recalls wearing hand-me-down school uniforms and reusing her brothers’ binders from school, in a desperate attempt to make ends meet a little more. With her mother staying at home and her father earning a policeman’s salary, life isn’t easy.
After high school, when all the books are donated, adversity does ease its grip on Amy Santiago.
For one thing, she can finally afford a nice pair of glasses. She studies art history in college, filling her small-but-orderly dorm (later, apartment) with used textbooks. Amy works at Foster High School in Brooklyn, spending half her day teaching art history and the other half working in the library. Her salary isn’t bad, seeing as she technically has two jobs, and she finally has time to breathe.
Amy stumbles into her apartment one morning, after staying up talking with the home economics teacher, and realizes she needs something new to fall in love with.
Charles Boyle is a good person. He’s excitable and friendly, more positive than he really should be, and Amy wishes she could be that energetic. She’d probably need two or three shots of espresso, or maybe a drink of straight-up vodka, to get on his level. New to the district and full of ideas, Boyle is the kind of person Amy has never met before. He brings all the teachers snacks when it comes time for staff meetings, and his creations are of the arcane sort: sourdough bread with a touch of tradition, cupcakes covered in lacy frosting flowers.
One quiet Saturday, Amy confronts Charles about this emptiness, stopping by his apartment to confess. She tells him of the dreams she has to do more than work two jobs, and he recommends she visit someplace new.
Come to think of it, Charles says in that hopelessly ecstatic voice, his best friend just started working at a store across town.
“Want to come with?” Charles asks, already grabbing his coat from a chair. “I’ve been thinking of visiting.”
Amy’s unsure of what kind of place Charles’ friend works, but he promises she’ll like it, so she races to the car and feels seventeen again. Not in the angsty, stressed way, but because Amy has long since wanted to experience breathlessness and awe again.
They spend half an hour driving there, battling bad traffic and the rising need to honk at the cars ahead, but Charles finally pulls up.
“It’s better than I thought it’d be!” Amy lets out a deep breath of relief. She knows, before ever stepping in, that this place is home.
Raymond Holt and Kevin Cozner have been married for ages, first in an emotional sense and legally a handful of years later. When Kevin earned a promotion and a bonus from the private college where he teaches, he and his husband made an investment for the long run.
A short commute away from their apartment, a small but beloved bookstore now stands where a video store once did. Raymond ‘Ray’ Holt is the proud owner of this establishment, looking out across the street as a Mustang pulls up.
McGintley, the most relaxed entrepreneur Holt’s ever met, recommended he hire the old workers for the bookstore. Kevin and Ray decided to do so, seeing as Jake and Gina weren’t making much more than minimum wage at the video store.
Raymond suggested they name the store ‘Shelf Life’, earning a laugh from his husband. McGintley feigned amusement before telling Siri to look up the meaning of the phrase.
Jake Peralta and Gina Linetti carpool to work, apparently a tradition they have from grade school. When they first began working at Shelf Life, they had trouble adjusting. In particular, Jake had some fixation on the Die Hard franchise. With time, though, both Linetti and Peralta adjusted to working at the bookstore.
The store isn’t especially large to begin with, but Holt instructs both Jake and Gina to memorize its layout. He and Kevin have saved for who-knows-how-long to afford this place, and they’re not giving it up anytime soon. Though Jake and Gina groan when asked to draw maps of the store as a test, they later thank Holt when a reporter gives Shelf Life a five-star review, with a special paragraph praising the workers.
Although Jake and Gina had general knowledge of films when they worked at the video store, they’re supposed to go the extra mile now that Holt’s their boss. For one thing, knowing about books helps sell and recommend them to customers. For another, Shelf Life has a used books section with lower prices. Jake and Gina often go to library sales, searching for deals, so the bookstore can resell books.
The excited look on a child’s face, as they hug faded books to their chests, makes everything worth it.
While Gina knows more about realistic and romance novels, Jake is an expert on adventure and fantasy books. They try to familiarize themselves with other genres, knowing how hard Holt and Kevin have worked to run the bookstore. Within a few weeks, Jake and Gina can’t hear ‘Dickens’ or ‘Steinbeck’ without thinking about Shelf Life.
Every effort adds up. Jake and Gina quiz each other about the New York Times Best Sellers and plan weekend trips to book sales. They walk into work with a box of books and a receipt. Holt reimburses them, sometimes making fun of their taste, but always looks out across the store with pride. His to-do list is always completed, no matter how minimal the improvement.
Someone needs to put up the string of pride flags above the LGBT+ aisle, or choose the music to play in the store. (Every day, Jake says John Philip Sousa was not the Skrillex of his day, but Holt never listens.)
Before long, Holt realizes he can’t do everything. The store is growing, with a reliable clientele, and it needs more workers. Jake and Gina get promotions after learning so much about literature. They put up a ‘we’re hiring’ sign in the front window, and people wanting to interview soon line up. Holt hires Terry Jeffords as manager, and Norm Scully and Michael Hitchcock as cashiers.
Orientation day is interesting, to say the least. Terry is the most enthusiastic manager Holt can imagine. He shows everyone pictures of his twin daughters, and Holt makes a mental note to start stocking more children’s books. It’s clear Terry Jeffords is a good leader, even if he won’t stop referring to himself in third person.
Hitchcock and Scully are nothing like Terry. They only agreed to take the jobs if they could sit all day, which Holt agreed to, because he finds it ridiculous cashiers are expected to stand for eight hours. Hitchcock and Scully easily learn the ropes, scanning without a second thought. Holt’s a little worried they’re not charismatic enough, though. He hopes they improve with time.
With three new employees and a bustling store, Holt makes plans to open a second bookstore with Kevin. Terry leaves about ten notes in the suggestion box, recommending books to order, and Holt knows he hired a good manager.
Now, his cashiers might need a bit of training. That’s another story for another day.
Amy excitedly walks up the steps to Shelf Life, with Charles behind her. He’s winded by the time he reaches the storefront. Upon opening the door and hearing the bell ring, Amy is greeted by Jake, Charles’ best friend. While Amy takes in the scent of books and furniture polish, Charles and Jake chatter away. Amy introduces herself as Charles’ work friend, then shakes Jake’s hand.
“Wow, firm handshake,” he remarks.
“I took a seminar,” Amy brags.
Jake seems to take Amy’s peculiarity in stride, joking she should give him pointers. She can see why Charles is such good friends with him.
“So, how’s life working at the high school?” Jake asks. “I do not envy you. Give me a bookstore any day over home ec class.”
“You work retail, Jake,” Charles retorts. “After the first couple of years of home ec, you learn what mistakes kids’ll make before they even make them. Anyway, I only teach four classes. I’m not like Amy.”
“What does that mean?” Amy demands, pretending to be insulted. “I like having two jobs!”
Amy explains, “See, I majored in art history, but there aren’t enough kids who sign up. So I teach in the mornings and I’m the librarian during the afternoon. The other librarian covers for me in the morning.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a librarian?” Jake asks, motioning toward the shelves. “Okay, I hear about your handshake lessons, but not this?”
“Jake, she’s just really proud of the handshake seminar,” Charles jokes. “She keeps a binder at home, full of notes from the lectures and practice sessions.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding about the binder,” Jake groans.
Amy shakes her head, and Jake asks to see pictures of the binder. “My handshake is pretty weak, if you haven’t noticed, and I could use the help.”
They switch phone numbers so Amy can show him the binder once she gets home.
“Hey, it’s been great talking with you, but I have to run,” Jake says. “The local library is having a book sale, and it’s about to start.”
“Oh, can I come?” Amy asks. “I’ve been thinking about doing a book drive at the library, and the opportunity just presented itself.”
“Yeah, feel free to come!” Jake answers, with a wide smile. “Charles, you want to join us?”
“Nah,” Charles replies. “I have to prep a lesson for Monday. We’re making meringues, and my class has the hardest time with them.”
“Alright, Charles,” Amy responds. “See you Monday morning! Good luck with the meringues.”
Jake stops by his manager’s office, checking out of Shelf Life, and calls his friend Gina to take over for him. “She goes on the shift after me,” he explains. “We used to do more book sales together, but Saturday is when her girlfriend’s free so I go alone now.”
“If you want, I could go with you,” Amy offers. “You know, more than just this once.”
Jake takes her up on the offer. “Thank you so much. Gina’s training to become a dance instructor, so she doesn’t work very many hours anymore. The training, along with her relationship with Rosa, really limits her working hours.”
Amy thanks the heavens Gina has a girlfriend. “Wait 一 Rosa Diaz?”
“Yeah,” Jake says. “How do you know her?”
As they walk to to the parking lot and reach Jake’s car, Amy notices Jake opens the passenger door for her. It’s only polite, she knows, but still very nice.
“We were college roommates.” After getting into Jake’s car, Amy conjures an image of Rosa in her mind, and wonders if Gina is anything like her.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I knew her back then. I’ve seen photographs of her teen years and everything. Did you know she had pink hair for a while?”
Jake laughs, while Amy texts Charles a ‘thank you’ for introducing her to Shelf Life. It’s a short ten-minute drive, and Amy recognizes the library when she and Jake exit the car. “Oh, the sale is here?”
“Yes, that is why we drove here,” Jake remarks. He and Amy grab red plastic baskets once they enter. They ‘divide and conquer’, so to speak, to best serve their interests. There are rows and rows of books, spine side up, laid out on the tables.
“Jake! Get over here!” Amy hisses, after a good ten minutes of looking around. “Look! Someone donated all the Harry Potters.”
“Nice! I’ve never read Rowling, but I know a good deal when I see one.”
Amy takes the first four books from the series, while Jake puts the last three in his basket. She tries to ignore the fact that Jake hasn’t read Harry Potter. He works at a bookstore, for heaven’s sake.
They spend twenty-five minutes shopping at the book sale, before mutually deciding to go to the check-out. Jake looks over at Amy’s basket, impressed. Moby Dick and Heart of Darkness sit at the top. Meanwhile, he has The Raven Boys and Paper Towns above a bunch of other contemporary novels.
“Amy Santiago?” asks the woman counting the books.
“Mrs. Frederick! It’s so good to see you again!” Amy responds. “Um, this is Jake. He works at the bookstore on 8th Street, Shelf Life, so I came with him today. He's a friend of a friend.”
After an awkward pause, Amy explains she ran a book drive in senior year and now works at Foster High School. Jake nods appreciatively (he later explains he’s horrible at small talk, which Amy kind of already knew) and doesn't question Amy’s ‘friend of a friend’ explanation.
Mrs. Frederick, thankfully, doesn’t chat for long. She charges Amy and Jake for their baskets, gives them brown paper bags, and hugs Amy on her way out.
Once they find Jake’s car in the parking lot and put their bags in the trunk, Jake asks where she wants to go next.
“Not to be weird or anything, but do you want to come over? We could trade books. My brothers and I used to do it all the time as kids,” says Amy.
“That sounds … nice,” Jake replies. “I’ve never traded books before.”
“Oh, you’ll love this!” Amy answers, grinning unashamedly. “Plus, I can show you my handshake binder. I know you’re just dying to see it.”
“Yeah,” Jake rolls his eyes. “You know the book sale was all a ruse so I could go over to your place and read your hand-shaking binder.”
Amy tells him the directions as they make their way to her apartment. “Alright, when we get there, it might be a bit messy,” she apologizes.
They get out of the car and into the elevator, each carrying a bag of books. Jake feigns a horrified gasp when he enters. “Amy Santiago! You have a wilting houseplant on the windowsill and and a book open on the sofa! I cannot stay here. That’s final.”
“Shush, some of us have high standards when it comes to cleaning,” Amy says. “Now, let’s see what we each bought.”
They make their way to Amy’s carpeted living room and sit down. Amy spreads out all the books she got, and Jake does the same.
Amy wagers, “I’ll trade you The Outsiders for The Book Thief.”
“You have a deal.”