Missed Opportunity

I'm feeling rather crestfallen after what has happened this week. Its probably not major compared to some things, but it did impact me alot.
I have been a volunteer at the local op-shop for a few weeks now, this was partly because of the Manager L inviting me to help out with window displays. I instantly liked her and she me. She was around my age, probably a bit older. Anyway we instantly clicked and got on really well. I went in a few times and did window displays and had lots of fun - chatting to L and also being creative with the window displays. This week I find out from one of the other volunteers whom I randomly saw in the supermarket that L had left the op-shop for good on Monday. This was rather odd, surprising and shocking as I had only seen L in the shop quite happy and chirpy on Sunday. We'd had a good chat too and wanted to invite each other around to our houses so we could chat and get to know each other. My husband M also liked L as a friend of course. L had a bf, (I think he was her bf, but not entirely sure) whom we also liked and got on well with. Anyway upon hearing this rather shocking news I was very downcast and crestfallen as I now knew I had no way of contacting L. Rather foolish of me to not ask for her number, I had been meaning to, just hadn't. The thing about L is that she is rather intense as a person so I always forgot to ask her because she talked about so many different things. She distracted me. I do tend to get distracted very easily though.
I was due to go into the shop today (Friday 24/04) and didn't really feel like going, partly because I knew L wouldn't be there and also because I wasn't sure if I was still needed. The only reason I agreed to become a volunteer was because L wanted me to do the window displays. Now that L isn't there anymore I wasn't sure how it would work and what would happen.

Upon arrival of the op-shop I was greeted with deathly silence and a rather sparse, drab looking shop. Everything had been changed around, it looked terrible, almost like a graveyard. I immediately knew I did not want to stay there, especially today. There was no music playing, no people in the shop at all. Everything was changed and the shop no longer looked fun, funky and happening, it looked dead.

I have no idea what happened and why L left, seeing as she had only been there 4-5 months. I have a feeling that it might have been to do with how she ran the shop and the head people have a certain way that all op-shops of this title/company are set up. They probably didn't like the way she did things. I think she did a great job, the shop looked great, it was fun, happening, funky. Now it looks dead, and boring. There are hardly any funky clothes now too...that may change. But still...what a shock! I hope where ever L is that she is happy and glad that she chose to leave. I would have loved to get to know her better, but I am so glad that I met her and had a little bit of her sunshine in my life. She was a sunshine!