Page 50 of The Library of Second Chances
She glanced upwards again, knowing the library had locked the door for her on purpose. ‘Ha, ha, very funny.’
‘Who are you talking to, Chloe?’ Harry asked beside her.
Her cheeks burned. ‘The library, of course. Do you think it can’t hear me?’
‘After seeing cartoon animals running around?’ He glanced up at the rafters above them. ‘I’m ready to believe anything.’
Chloe tensed when they rejoined the event in the children’s section, but it didn’t appear anyone had noticed anything. Chloe, Harry and Eric blended back into the group, and Chloe notedthat almost all of the cakes and treats were gone – the library had stopped refilling them, then. She supposed Hannah would have noticed something was up eventually. Eric bounded over to the soft play area, slipping off his shoes and asking what book he should read next. He scrutinised with squinting eyes the book the children had chosen, as though checking for a glow, making Chloe and Harry exchange amused grins.
Mrs Cook gave her a warm smile as Chloe came up to her. ‘Everything’s sorted out,’ said Chloe. ‘But the book got damaged in the process.’ She handed Mrs Cook the children’s book Eric had passed to her. The monkey had torn a page nearly in half.
‘I didn’t doubt you for a second.’ The librarian took the book, looking under her glasses at the ripped page. ‘This is nothing some tape won’t fix. Well done, Chloe.’
‘It was a team effort. And, um, Harry Ashcroft knows about the library’s magic, too.’
‘How’s he taking it?’ she asked with interest, glancing over at him. He had picked up a piece of chocolate cake and was leaning against the far wall on his own.
Chloe wasn’t sure.
The kids chattered noisily, and no doubt Mrs Cook had encouraged the noise to mask the racket upstairs. Almost all of them were holding books, parents smiled on the sidelines, some of the teachers were helping put used paper plates and plastic forks into bin bags, and to Chloe’s delight, several children ran with enthusiasm to listen to Eric’s new story.
The children all went home with a book each, and with shiny new library cards, many of them with elaborate, colourful patterns and pictures they had designed themselves. The parents promised to visit again soon, the teachers were all smiles and enthusiastic handshakes, and later they found they had raised over a hundred pounds for the library’s funds.
‘Thank you so much for your help, Hannah,’ said Chloe when the last teacher had slipped out of the door. ‘Your treats are truly amazing.’
‘I have some left. It’s weird, I don’t remember making this many. Often it seemed like the cakes . . . There were more of them than I thought, you know?’
Harry, Chloe and Mrs Cook all shared knowing looks.
‘Anyway, I’ve got a bunch left. No one’s got a gluten allergy, have they? Anyone vegan? These ones don’t have nuts, either.’
When they confirmed that they could eat her treats, Hannah happily handed them the spares. Eric dived for the cheesecake with boyish enthusiasm. ‘Thanks, Hannah.’
‘My uncle is going to be so pleased,’ said Hannah happily. Bags and empty boxes in hand, she waved to Chloe. ‘This was so fun. Let’s do it again.’
‘Bring Lily next time, okay?’ Chloe called after her as Hannah stepped outside. The doors closed behind her.
They all exhaled. Chloe was acutely aware that Harry was still beside her. His presence was warm and comforting, and somehow, the event had felt even more enjoyable with him here.
‘That was fun,’ said Eric, stretching his arms above his head.
‘It’s good to let loose andmonkeyaround sometimes.’ Harry’s eyes crinkled as Chloe snorted with laughter.
‘That joke was awful.’
Harry stayed to help clear up, even when Chloe said he didn’t have to. ‘What else am I going to do on my day off? Sit around watching Netflix?’ He smiled at her as they cleared up the books the monkey had spilled upstairs. Eric had filled in Mrs Cook on what exactly had happened, now they were out of earshot of the parents and kids. He made himself look more heroic than he had been, hinting that he had been the one to trap the monkey with the basket.
‘Then I read his last line from the book, and he disappeared likethat,’ Eric boasted, clicking his fingers. ‘Didn’t I, Chloe?’
‘Yes, Eric. You were fantastic,’ she agreed. He beamed at her, and she felt something between them. A small nudge of reassurance that they were okay.
‘The whole day was a success,’ said Mrs Cook happily. ‘Although I wonder why the library allowedthatparticular book to glow when Eric was reading it?’
Chloe had wondered the same thing. ‘Maybe the library thought it would be funny.’
The lanterns glowed brighter, a happy scent of cinnamon rolling over them all. Chloe laughed as Harry gasped in shock.
‘You’re really having a conversation with this place?’ he asked, looking around in awe. ‘And here I thought the cartoon monkey coming to life was the strangest thing.’
