It just goes to show you how you can’t make assumptions about people. Greylin breaks all sorts of stereotypes and I’m more than happy to cheer her on from the sidelines.
She does the same for me.
I’m pretty sure she almost came to blows when I first started at the library and a few people wanted to talk shit. Thankfully, it never came to that, and she stayed out of jail.
Now Mayor Simmons would be more than happy to see all four women who run Green Mountain High behind bars. The man has a strange obsession with GMH, and he seems hell bent on shutting down the business. But the girls aren’t breaking any laws. They’re very careful.
When one of the middle school kids walks over after school to use the library’s computers for their homework waves, I give him a smile and nod. After making my way over to him, I kneel down and nod toward the screen.
“Everything working for you today, James?”
“Yeah, but I have a question about the assignment I’m working on.” My stomach drops and all I can do is hope that he doesn’t need help with math. Anything else and I’m right there, but math is where I need to draw the line. It’s for Jame’s benefit; trust me on that one. “It’s not math,” he assures me while laughing at the face I’m making.
I wipe my hand across my forehead as if I’m sweating and let out a sound fill with gratefulness. “As long as it’s not math, I’m your guy.”
James chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m supposed to write a persuasive essay about something I believe in,” a worried look crosses his face with his words. “I just don’t know what to write about.”
“Is that because you don’t believe in anything?” Something flashes in his eyes; I’ve gotten under his skin with one questionwhich was exactly what I wanted to do. “Or are you just afraid of what people will think about what you believe?”
James takes a deep breath, his voice small and on the edge of being broken. “I want to write about health care. Mom’s job isn’t the best in town. She works really hard, but can barely afford the medication my little sister needs and will always need.”
With a sigh, one filled with weary understanding, I shift back on my heels while nodding. “You can take something really personal, like what you’ve shared with me, and make it the reason you research the issue. Maybe you’ll find that what you’re experiencing has facts and data to prove your family isn’t alone in this problem. More kids need to think about the problems they see in their families, because these kinds of issues don’t disappear as you grow up and start families of your own. Finding the data, which you’ll need for your essay, helps make it feel not as personal too, ya know?”
James looks away, but I can see his mind working behind his eyes. He must feel the weight of his sister’s needs on his shoulders for him to be paying this much attention to his family’s situation. Even if his mom has been shielding him, he’s still aware of the problems they’re facing.
“Maybe your persuasive essay can help more than just your grade in class,” I offered up, my words an olive branch to his courage.
I get it. It’s not easy being in middle school and at 30, I’ve almost forgotten just how bad it was.
“Maybe,” James agrees, his voice absent as if he’s already thinking about what he needs to do next.
“Do you know where to start researching?”
My question pulls his focus back to me and he smirks slightly as he nods. “Yeah, I’ve got it now. Thanks Mr. Elwood.”
I grin and stand up, ignoring the way my knees pop slightly. You can get older, but I’m not entirely convinced you can do so completely gracefully. I’m not a fan of the wear my body shows in moments when I least expect it.
James turns in his chair and starts his research. Every kid that spends time here after school gets a crash course in how to find what you’re looking for in the library. I don’t want anyone to feel helpless, not when there are systems in place made just so you can find what you’re looking for. The kids have gotten really good at it and I’ve seen them help other people who need it.
As long as they’re not coming for my job, I’m good with it.
I’m halfway back to the main desk when the door swings open. When I turn toward the sound, I freeze in place. The woman who has just breezed in is someone I’ve never seen before. Even though she’s not very tall; there’s something big about her which is helped along by her red hair that seems to float around her like a halo.
When she looks my way, everything in me wants to close the distance between us. My mind flashes to an image of me wrapping her up in my arms, pulling her against my chest, and kissing her until we’re both breathless. I’ve been attracted to women before, but this is something else.
This is something inexplicable and special.
I suck in a wheezing breath when she looks at me and then toward the large desk. She bites her lip and glances back and forth a few times, the war easy to read on her face. With a sigh, she takes a step closer to the desk, the action tugging at something buried in the center of my chest.
“Can I help you?” The question slips past my lips as she moves closer to the desk, my steps mirroring hers, without realizing I was doing it.
“Um,” she begins, her eyes widening when she realizes no one is at library’s desk at all. “Maybe?”
I can’t help but grin at how fucking adorable she is, her nose scrunching up with uncertainty and a hint of wariness that I’ll be more than happy to put to rest.
I clear my throat and walk around the desk, hating that I’m putting distance between us while wanting her to know she can trust me. “Let me start with introductions—I’m Elwood Cross. I’m the librarian. Welcome to Storyville.”
She blinks at me a few times, the disbelief written on her face not at all surprising even if it is disappointing. It’s not like I’ve never gotten the same reaction before. Or every time I’ve ever told someone about what I do.
