Page 58 of Please Send Snow
Ugh. I was hoping to slip out before this part.
“Awesome,” Maddie says, heading over immediately.
She stops in her tracks when she realizes I’m not following.
“Come on,” she says. “Let’s sing.”
“I’m okay,” I tell her. “You and Dylan have fun.”
“Really?” she asks me, looking almost hurt.
I don’t want to let her down, but I don’t sing, especially not in front of people.
I wave for her to join Dylan, so she heads over and lowers herself to the floor by the sofa beside him.
Margo leads the group into “Deck the Halls.” It’s such a happy song with the young and old voices raised together that I almost want to join in.
But I don’t. I’ve played the fool enough this year.
It doesn’t matter if I don’t do this one thing. The two of them are still having fun. And if I just stay in my corner, there’s no way for me to mess it up.
15
MADDIE
Iwatch Dylan as he reaches for the brand-new card the librarian is handing over the counter.
His first library card.
Well, technically it’s my card since he’s too little to have an account in his own name. But Mrs. Chalfont, the librarian, seems to sense what this means for him. She’s smiling down at him like she’s half in love with the kid.
And who could blame her? As far as I’m concerned he’s a walking miracle with a mop of brown hair.
“Thank you,” Dylan remembers to say, as he gazes in wonder at the card.
“You be sure and use that right away, young man,” Mrs. Chalfont tells him. “It’s good luck to use your card the day you get it.”
“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “We’ve got big plans.”
“Where are your Christmas books?” Dylan asks, suddenly all business.
“We were thinking children’s picture books about Christmas,” I tell Mrs. Chalfont.
“Our children’s section is the biggest part of the library,” she tells us proudly. “Just follow any of the aisles toward the back and you’ll see it.”
Dylan takes off down one of the aisles and I follow after him. The back of the library has a normal ceiling height, which means it’s probably a bit more forgiving of noise in the children’s section.
The building is a massive brick Victorian house that was converted into a library. The layout is unusual but striking with a three-story ceiling here in the lobby. What used to be the front of the second floor is now just a wrap-around balcony with built-in shelving that you can see from the lobby, and a closed office in the back. A big front window that starts on the second floor and extends up into what would have once been the third floor floods the whole space with golden light.
When we reach the children’s section there are high-backed chairs and shelf after shelf of picture books. It’s warmer back here too, without the high ceiling.
“Whoa,” Dylan breathes, stopping so fast he almost falls over.
I jog to catch up and see that he’s found a huge display of Christmas books.
He’s already piling them off the shelf and into his arms as fast as he can.
It might be one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen, and Ireallyfeel his excitement. But I place a hand on his shoulder.
