Page 25 of The Lighthouse on Plum Island
“Well, not famous, honey,” Caroline smiled lovingly at her daughter. “Ah, there’s Carly. You’d better go.”
“What time are you picking me up from the party?” Jules asked, sliding out of the car.
“Eleven,” Caroline told her before warning her, “And Jules, be good.”
“Always!” Jules said, closing the door and rushing off.
Caroline watched her daughter. She couldn’t believe how much their last visit to New York had changed their relationship for the better. At least two good things had come from the trip to New York. Caroline had signed a television series deal, and her daughter had finally realized that Caroline was not her enemy.She grinned as she drove away from the restaurant, thinking about her and Jules’s shopping trip to Boston.
They had decorated the loft and set it up as a bedroom for Jules, which looked great. Caroline was going to use it for her home office, but it was worth setting up Jules’ old bedroom as her office instead for the sake of her daughter’s happiness. Caroline was snapped out of her thoughts as she turned into town, headed towards the library, and saw the movie crew heading down the road.
Her heart jolted, and her fingers tingled from the waves of excitement that zapped through her. They were in town to shoot Caroline’s television series. A surreal feeling engulfed her, and she felt like she was floating in a bubble as she turned into her parking space behind the library.
Caroline was barely out of her car when her young library assistant, Tanith Willis, came flying toward her. Excitement shone in her eyes.
“Caroline!” Tanith called. “Did you see the movie crew is here?”
“I know.” Caroline smiled. “I saw them when I drove into town.” They walked into the library. “They’re a week early.”
“It’s the movies!” Tanith stated. “They roll in when they roll in.”
“Uh-huh!” Caroline nodded as she headed toward her office. “Is Daniella in yet?”
“No.” Tanith shook her head and went to the service desk. “She called and said she couldn’t make it today.”
“Oh!” Caroline frowned. “That’s a shame.” She bit her lip. “Is she sick?”
“She didn’t say.” Tanith shrugged. “Do you want me to call her and ask?”
“No!” Caroline shook her head. “That won’t be necessary, thanks.” She sighed. “Daniella doesn’t officially start at the library until next week. She’s not obliged to be here.”
“Are the movie crew going to come to the library?” Tanith asked.
“I’m not sure,” Caroline said, glancing at her wristwatch. “Don’t you have cataloging to do?”
“Yes.” Tanith nodded and got to work.
Caroline breathed a sigh of relief that Tanith’s questions had finally stopped as she moved into her office. Caroline always left her office door slightly ajar to see part of the service desk, and Tanith could hail her if it got busy. She put her purse in a desk drawer and slid into her office chair. There was a lot to get done before Plum Island Junior High came to the library in an hour. Caroline had a meeting, and then a large conference was booked in their conference room that afternoon.
The library kept its doors open by using some of its many rooms for different activities. Like the conference room, a functions room, a recreation room, a music room, a gymnasium, a hall with a raised stage, and a few quiet reading rooms.
The recreation room was one of Caroline’s favorite projects, and she was sad that she couldn’t dedicate as much time to it as she used to, now that her writing had taken off. The recreation room provided an excellent place for the younger generation on the island to meet and mingle. It had game consoles, game tables, and a juice bar. The library would host a movie night in the room twice a month.
Their gymnasium was rented out for modern dance lessons, gym lessons, ballet, basketball, and volleyball. The schools used the hall for various assemblies, graduations, and staged drama productions. It was also used for weddings, other celebrations, funerals, and dance and music recitals. Caroline’s second favorite room was the music room. It was where she’d found outwhat a talented musician Jules was. Her daughter loved trying her hand at different musical instruments, like the guitar, piano, cello, drums, and violin. But Jules’s favorite musical instrument was the piano.
Caroline sighed. She was going to miss the library. She glanced at the crack in her office door at the few neat rows of shelves stacked with books. The library had been her savior after Caroline’s divorce had left her homeless and penniless. This building had also once been hers and Jennifer’s haven when they were kids. They’d come to mingle in the rec room or study in the library. The Saturday Morning Reading Corner was Caroline and Jennifer’s regular weekend activity. They loved sitting around Mrs. Trumble, the head librarian, as she took them into another world, reading stories to the kids gathered around her.
Caroline’s smile grew as her memories played through her mind, and her heart filled with nostalgia. Plum Island had always been her shelter from the big wide world. The tether to her sanity and the calm for any storm raging inside her. Her phone rang, snapping her back to reality.
“Hello?” Caroline answered it.
“Hey, you,” Finn, her older brother’s voice, filtered through the receiver. “I see the film crew has arrived.”
“Yes, I think the whole island has seen them,” Caroline moaned.
“Feeling a little overwhelmed?” Finn’s voice was soft and gentle. HisCaroline soothing voicewas what she called it.
“Have you been speaking to Jules?” Caroline smiled.
