A group of fifth graders materializes. Six or seven kids, all talking over one another.
“Are you the new twins?”
“Do you really live in that big house on 32nd Street?”
“How many languages do you speak?”
“Want to see the robotics lab?”
Fiona lights up immediately. “Yes! I want to see everything!”
Finn doesn’t follow his sister’s lead.
But a boy with dark curly hair and an Italian accent extends a hand. “I’m Marco. My dad works at the embassy. Want me to show you where the lockers are?”
Finn glances at Sasha. She smiles. “Have a good day. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
He takes a breath and follows Marco down the hall. Fiona’s already been absorbed into a pack of kids, who disappear around a corner, a blur of chatter and backpacks.
Sasha stands in the empty hallway, watching them go.
Mrs. Goode touches her arm gently. “They’ll be fine. This is truly one of the most welcoming fifth grade class we’ve had in years. And we’re all accustomed to new faces around here. It comes with the territory.”
“Thank you.”
“Will you be volunteering? We love our parent volunteers.”
“Actually, I’m headed to the library to help out right now.”
“Oh, wonderful! Linda will be thrilled. She’s always looking for extra hands.”
Mrs. Goode gives her directions to the library, which occupies a bright corner of the main building. Floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable reading nooks, and shelf after shelf of books in multiple languages.
Linda Morrison is at the circulation desk, scanning returned books. She looks up and smiles when Sasha enters.
“Good morning! How did drop-off go?”
“Surprisingly well. The kids were swept up by a group of fifth graders before I could even say goodbye.”
“That’s the Foggy Bottom way. These children have been all over the world. They know what it’s like to be new.” Linda gestures around the library. “Let me give you the quick tour.”
The librarian walks her through the space, pointing the fiction alphabetized by author, nonfiction by the Dewey Decimal system, and a special section for graphic novels that’s clearly popular based on how picked-over it is. There’s a small office in the back for the head librarian, who’s apparently at a conference this week, and a row of study carrels along the windows.
“Secondary school students can reserve the carrels for study periods or research projects,” Linda explains. “Faculty members sometimes use them, too. Caleb uses carrel seven when he was working on The Payback. He came in every day during his planning period.”
“That’s dedication.”
“He was under a tight deadline. His agent can be hard-driving, and I should know. She’s my agent, too.”
“Emmaline told my husband you’re also writing a book. About changes to the intelligence agencies after the Cold War ended.”
“Yes, but mine is a passion project. Caleb’s writing to support his family.”
“Did you work for one of the agencies back then?”
Linda gives her a small smile. “My daughter works for State.”
Sasha waits, but Linda doesn’t elaborate.
