Page 47 of The Library of Second Chances
Somebody came into the library, attracted by the noise. Chloe glanced up and realised with a jolt that Harry Ashcroft had just wandered in. His brown eyes sought hers, and he smiled openly and raised his eyebrows when he saw her.
‘Hi!’ she said, winding through the children to approach him.
‘Hey, Chloe,’ he said, offering her a bag. ‘I heard there was an event . . .’ He trailed off, looking around at the kids, some of whom were still listening to Eric, others who were having second helpings of cake. ‘Oops. I didn’t realise this was for children only.’
Chloe chuckled. ‘Thank you.’ She took the bag of donuts from his hands. Mrs Cook materialised from nowhere, taking the bag and jerking her head in an indication for Chloe to go with Harry.
‘You’re welcome to stay, if you like.’
‘Oh, go on then.’ His eyes crinkled, and Chloe tried to ignore the flutter in her stomach.
They wandered through the event, talking to the children, recommending books, and helping Hannah with the money. Chloe was secretly delighted that Harry had agreed to stay and help. The earnings would go towards getting more kid-friendly things for the library, once Hannah got her share for the café. ‘Maybe we could do another event around Christmas-time,’ Chloe suggested. ‘Presents and books and a Christmas tree.’ It was a lovely image, and she amused herself for a moment by imagining Clementine, curled up beside an imaginary fire with stockings hanging above it, a little Santa hat on his head.
‘The library truly is your calling,’ Harry remarked. ‘If you want it to be.’
Chloe couldn’t deny she felt happy at work, a luxury not many people had. The pay may have been low, but here, she wasn’t paying rent. For a moment, Chloe allowed herself to imagine living in Wellbridge long-term. Maybe even permanently. It was true that the thought of putting her childhood home on the market was a sad one. Not all memories here were bad. And she was quickly making new memories. Happy ones.
Did she really want to move to a city and get a regular job, paying high rent and starting over?
Harry’s hand brushed hers, as though he could sense the thoughts bouncing around her head. Chloe cleared her throat and looked around. ‘Looks like Eric is in his element too.’
The young man did indeed seem to be enjoying himself. A pile of books he had already read were beside him, his socked feet lightly bouncing as he sat in the beanbag chair. He held a large book, a story about a naughty monkey, gesturing with his free arm, making some of the children laugh. Chloe’s brow furrowed. There was something off about the book. She examined it as Eric held it against his side. Then her heart leaped in alarm.
The book was glowing.
Something thumped upstairs.
Several parents and kids glanced upwards, questioning each other with strange looks. Eric, oblivious, carried on reading.
Mrs Cook caught Chloe’s eye from across the room, and soon Chloe and Harry had reached her. ‘Did he just . . .?’
‘I think he just did.’ The librarian’s eyes widened. Clementine appeared from the doorway leading to the foyer, streaking past them in an orange blur. Several children exclaimed in delight at the sight of the cat. Chloe was halfway to the door when there was another rumble, louder than the first.
‘Um, should we be worried?’ asked Harry.
Chloe looked helplessly at him. ‘I have to tell you something about the library.’
‘Who wants to try making their very own library card?’ called Mrs Cook. She nodded to a teacher, who pulled out a box of pencils and coloured paper and glue sticks seemingly from nowhere. Mrs Cook threw Chloe a look over her shoulder, raising grey eyebrows. ‘Go,’ she mouthed. ‘Eric! Why don’t you help Chloe, dear.’
It finally seemed to dawn on Eric what had happened as the children ran towards a little table prepared and ready for a build-your-own-library card event.
Clutching the book, Eric ran over to Chloe and Harry, and they ran into the lobby area.
‘Did I do it?’ Eric asked as Chloe snatched the book from him. She flicked through it, taking in the pictures of elephants and tigers and the bright purple monkey.
‘Do what?’ Harry asked.
The sound of books dropping loudly on the floor upstairs made them all jump. Faint echoes of chattering reached them and Chloe exhaled. ‘Well, let’s hope it isn’t the tiger.’
‘The tiger?’ Harry’s confused look would’ve made Chloe laugh if she hadn’t been so worried.
They stopped at the top of the staircase, panting. Clementine’s play area was a mess, his food bowl upturned, his toys scattered everywhere. Books were all over the floor, and sitting at the top of one of the shelves . . .
‘Whoa,’ said Harry.
A purple monkey, comically cartoonish, crouched on top of the bookcase. It stared at them all with big brown eyes, its tail swishing.
‘Er,’ said Chloe. This was really happening. Seeing a human character emerge from a story was one thing, but this monkey looked laughably unreal, as cartoonish and weirdly proportioned as it did in the book in her hands.
