Page 76 of Love in the Stacks
Childish entertainment? Questionable content? I catch myself gritting my teeth, and for all I know, literal steam may be rising from my head at this very moment. Laryngitis or not, I swallow to moisten my throat and prepare to take him down in my scratchy, barely audible voice.
Before I can say a word, a deep voice speaks calmly from the corner. “Robert, last I checked, you weren’t an expert in which educational mediums have value.”
Every head turns toward the sound. I now recognize the man as Dr. Henry Parker, the founder of Harkness College. From what I’ve heard, he’s minimally involved in the running of the college as an advisor of sorts. Despite his official role, however, I know his opinions are still taken seriously at Harkness. I’ve seen him around, but I’ve never met him in person.
He continues, “My stance is that we’ve hired professionally-trained librarians to run the library, so let’s trust them to do it.”
The room is conspicuously silent for a fewbeats.
Then, Dr. Wright clears her throat. “Hear, hear,” she says. “This meeting is a waste of time. I move that we drop this discussion and leave the matter up to the library to handle as they see fit.”
“Second,” says another board member.
“Fine,” says the chairperson. “The motion on the floor is that this meeting be called to a close and that the library handle the graphic novel collection as they see fit. Any discussion?”
No one says anything, though I notice Dr. Clifton’s nostrils flaring and the death grip he has on the arms of his chair.
“Hearing none, all in favor of the motion before us, please say ‘aye’,” the chairperson requests.
Of the six board of trustee members in attendance, nearly all resound with “aye.”
“Any opposed?” the chairperson asks.
A lone Dr. Clifton crony on the board lifts his voice to say, “Nay.”
“The motion passes. This meeting is adjourned.”
I pump my fist under the table as everyone starts talking at once in side conversations with their neighbors. Some of the attendees stand to leave the room or approach colleagues sitting on the other side of the table.
I push back my chair and, shaking hands with the faculty members on either side of me, mouthing my thanks, stand. I slowly pick my way across the room to Adam. When I reach him, I fling my arms around his neck and whisper raspily in his ear, “You were amazing. And you look very handsome.”
Adam’s neck flushes red as he murmurs, “Thank you.”
Breaking out of his arms, I make a beeline toward Dr. Parker to thank him. Adam follows me. When we reach him, I put out my hand and say in my hoarse voice, “Dr. Parker, I’m Nicole Delaney, one of the librarians—”
He smiles. “Oh, I know who you are. I’ve been hearing a lot about you.”
Taken aback, I ask, “From who?”
“From Adam, of course.”
I turn my head and see my boyfriend’s sheepish expression. I raise my eyebrows in question.
“Well,” I say to Dr. Parker. “Thank you for your support today. It really means a lot.”
Dr. Parker nods his head decisively. “I’m happy to help.” Then, grinning at Adam, he says, “Come see me later this week. I need you to catch me up.”
We find Herb next, smiling in his usual affable way. He pats Adam on the back and beams, “I’m proud of you! Excellent work, Adam.”
Adam smiles. “Thank you,” he says. Then he leans closer to Herb. “I have to know. Is it true? That you were in the CIA?”
Herb leans in, and Adam’s face lights up. Herb winks and then whispers, “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”
Adam groans.
After the hearing, there’s not much time left in the workday, and neither Adam nor I can focus on anything else anyway. We sit in myoffice with the door open in case anyone needs to find us, and even though it will surely cost me in the coming days, I risk straining my already-thin voice to rehash the day’s events with Adam.
“I can’t believe you had an ace up your sleeve the whole time and didn’t tell me.” I shake my head at Adam in mock offense.
