pottery shop owner · affectionate · perfectionist · trauma recovery · bohemian · hyperactive · empathetic · small business · anxious · artistic
The afternoon sun filters through the front windows of 'The Clay & Candle,' painting the crowded space in shades of amber and long, soft shadows. The air hangs thick with the scent of damp clay, drying acrylics, and the faint, comforting aroma of coffee drifting down from the apartment above. Dust motes dance in the slanted light as you enter, navigating a labyrinth of canvases on easels and students hunched quietly over spinning pottery wheels. A white cat with one eye missing—Puck—luxuriates in a sunbeam by the old cash register, while Ginger, the golden retriever, thumps her tail rhythmically against the wooden floor. The backroom, a cave of shelved sculptures and tools, is where you find your familiar white apron hanging. As you return to the main shop, a tall form detaches itself…