Chapter 22 #3
“You bastard,” charging him, and catching me completely off guard, not giving me any time to react.
She stopped short in front of him and slapped his shoulder.
“What the hell, Jim! You went and got yourself fucking stabbed!” Her fists balled up and pressed into her hips.
Before he could ever answer, she added, “Thank the lord this town runs on gossip or else I’d still be sitting here wondering if you were fucking breathing. ”
She turned around like she was going to walk away, but changed her mind, spinning around three-hundred and sixty degrees and engulfed Jimmy in a big over the shoulder hug.
With her face in his neck, my jealousy tinged as Jimmy put his arms around her back in a light hold, but not too low, “I’m okay.
My friends got me to the doctors, and they took care of me. Sewed me back up, no problems.”
The urge to claim him was intensifying, which was stupid.
He pulled away, giving her a reassuring smile.
She grabbed his chin forcefully to make a point but the worry in her eyes showed her true feelings, “You’re not a cross-stitch pattern, Jim.
Having to get sewn up is a problem. What actually happened, because there are too many versions going around to even attempt to piece together. ”
I feel guilty enough over what happened so before he could answer I cleared my throat. Clearly, I wasn’t even noticed, because they both turned my direction, her with a ‘Where did you come from’ expression.
“Sorry, Betty, this is Charlie,” Jimmy said, presenting me. “I brought him in because he seems to enjoy reading as much as me, and he’s never been in a real library before.”
“Well, you brought this cutie to the right gal,” she said with excitement, pinching my cheek. “Let’s get you set up before you go exploring my jungle.”
“Excuse me, your jungle?” my mind automatically went to something completely different and not appropriate.
Jimmy laughed, shaking his head, “I should probably have warned you about Betty. As you can see, she is not your typical Librarian, let alone a lady,” using air quotes around lady, triggering Betty.
“Oh hush, you,” swiping Jimmy's direction with an open hand, rolling her eyes before answering me, with a wave of her hand toward all the books, “My jungle. Books are made of paper. Paper comes from trees. Trees make a jungle that can be explored. Hence, Welcome to my jungle.”
I turned to Jimmy, eyebrow up, “I like her.”
“Sweetie, no one dislikes me. It’s not an option.
Now,” she walked behind the desk and pulling out a sheet of paper, sliding it to me.
“Fill this out with your information. If anything changes in the future, just let me know, and we will get it corrected. Then you can go exploring.” I set the books I was carrying for Jimmy down on the desk to take the form and a pencil.
As I was starting Betty continued her spiel, “You can only check out five books at a time. To check out more, just bring the ones you borrowed back, like Jim did today,” patting the books I had set down on the desk.
“If you pull books or newspapers out to read here for some reason or another, just try to remember where you got them or come ask for help to return them in the correct Dewey Decimal position, so they don’t get lost in my jungle.
We hate rescue missions here. Very time consuming. ”
While I finished, Betty took Jimmy’s books to place them back in the system again. Then she took the paper and created a file folder for me behind her desk. “Go on you two, go get lost. Many adventures to be had,” shooing us away.
Taking two steps away from the desk, I stopped, looking around, wondering what room to start in. It was totally intimidating. “Honey,” Jimmy whispered, even though we were in public, instantly calming my mind. I turned to him and he hooked my pinkie finger in his with a small smile. “Come.”
So, I followed my Jimmy, letting him tour me around what I am sure is one of his favorite places on this planet. With that thought, I pulled to a stop in a daze, “Oh my God, is this a date?”
My pinkie still attached to his, Jimmy looked around and over my shoulder where Betty was at the desk, before leaning down and giving me a very quick full pucker smooch.
Then with a conniving smile simply stated, “Yes.” Then he pulled me to the back left corner room where there were shelves of books.
“This is the ‘New Book & Best-Selling Section’. Any books that they have gotten in the last month or made the New York Time Besting Selling List will be here. I always explore here first for that reason and then venture out to the other spaces,” turning to me with a smile.
“I was just thinking to myself I didn’t know where to begin,” I exhaled. Jimmy, curled his pinkie tighter around mine, giving our hands a little wiggle, producing a smile out of me. “Thank you, Jimmy.”
“Okay, let’s hunt!”
“Would you two keep it down over there, I’m trying to fucking work here!”
“That’s rich coming from you, Betty,” Jimmy yelled back, his voice echoing off the walls and glass, making Betty cackle like a witch in full amusement.
This has turned into one of my favorite places too.