Chapter 16 #3
Harm looked at him like he was trying to figure out if Derek was serious or if he was just saying that.
Derek rolled his eyes and smiled. “It’s only a few days, and you’ll have fun with the family. Joe and Larry are nice people, and they think the world of you. You should be with them at the holiday. So stop second-guessing things and have a good time.”
“Okay.” He grinned. “Are you ready for the meeting?”
“Yes.” But he had plenty of other things to get through, not least of which was the bail hearing tomorrow.
“I wish I could go with you tomorrow.” Harm sat so they could see each other well.
“I have to work, and I can’t take any time off before my trip.
The warehouse is super busy. They asked if I could take an extra shift this weekend, so I’ll have to work all day on Saturday.
One of the guys is having a baby and he needs the time off, so I’m covering for him.
But I thought we could go out for a special dinner before I leave. Is that okay?”
“Of course,” Derek said softly. “I’m going to be fine, and you can stop worrying about me.”
Harm shook his head. “I always worry about the people I love.” He signed it so matter-of-factly that Derek wondered if Harm was even aware of what he had said.
But Harm simply held his gaze and didn’t back down.
Though backing away from anything didn’t seem to be Harm’s style.
He was always sure of himself, positive, and he always seemed to know what Derek needed.
Derek wanted to ask about the comment, but then Harm drew him closer, holding his cheeks gently in his rough hands. Harm brought their lips together, and Derek wound his arms around his neck.
“Did you mean what you said?” Derek asked.
“I know you don’t say things you don’t mean, but…
.” Harm held his gaze and nodded. “You did mean it?” Another nod.
Derek smiled and leaned closer. “I love you too. I keep wondering if it’s too early to say, and then I think that there are no rules and that things happen in their own time and…
.” To hell with it. Instead of explaining, he kissed him and then led Harm upstairs, because words were one thing, but actions were much more forceful.
“I’M GOING to the library with you,” Harm told him the following Tuesday as soon as he got home from work. He didn’t need Harm to watch over him since William hadn’t been allowed bail. Derek had just stepped out of the shower and was dressing for the library board meeting.
“You don’t have to,” Derek said, but Harm hit him with a stern expression and crossed his arms over his chest, which meant his mind was made up.
Not that Derek could stop him from going to the library.
The fact was that the library received public funds, so the meetings were open to the public, though people rarely went. “Okay.”
Harm stripped off his work clothes and changed into something nicer, and it occurred to Derek just how much of Harm’s stuff was here.
He had to admit that he liked it. Once Harm had changed, Derek got his bag, and they walked together through the cold evening air to the library.
Derek made sure the room was set up, with a table for the board members and additional chairs for visitors.
“Good evening,” he said as the first board members arrived.
“Do you think we can make this meeting quick?” Mary asked. Derek shrugged, and she smiled. “I get it. You have no control over that.”
“Nope.” That was up to the board president. “But I do have everything as organized as I can.” As usual.
“Good.” She pulled out her chair as Grace came in and sat at the center of the table. Derek took his seat, and Grace called the meeting to order. Then they went through the standard topics and reports as well as a review of old business.
“We have a few new items on the agenda, so let’s get to them. The first is library programs. How is the new signing group progressing?”
“Very well. We have over twenty members. Some are new signers, others are experienced, and we’ve fostered the beginnings of a community.
There have been requests for more advanced instruction, and I’m looking into materials.
I have one of the experienced signers who would like to take over the beginners, and the plan is for me to lead the more advanced group, with a community social session to follow for all interested.
We’d begin this program in March, and it would run through May.
” He smiled as most of the board members nodded.
“That is what the library should be doing. Fostering community. Well done,” Mary said, watching Grace. Other board members nodded.
“What kind of longevity do you believe this program will have?” Grace asked flatly.
“I’m unsure at this time. If there is continued interest in ASL classes, then I suspect it will last for a while.
Some of what we are experiencing is pent-up demand, but we are also drawing interest from outside Carlisle.
However, I believe the social aspect will continue for some time.
Members are already stepping up as leaders, which is what I was hoping would happen. ”
Grace nodded. “I see.” She said nothing more, and Derek didn’t know quite what to make of it.
Harm stood and cleared his throat.
“Do you have something to say?” Mary asked.
Harm nodded and then began signing slowly.
Derek interpreted for the board. “I lost my ability to speak when I was in the service. I met Derek through the library, and he and I have become close. It was his idea to start this class, and in a way he has given me my voice back. I can’t communicate with everyone, but I can communicate again, and it’s been life-changing for me.
” Derek swallowed hard, and Harm continued.
“I have more confidence and I can see myself having a future, something I couldn’t, even a month ago.
” Harm paused and then continued. “I want this program to continue for me, and for the others whom it is helping. There are the parents of a three-year-old who is deaf who are learning to sign. Loved ones of deaf children and relatives. Each and every person in this class is being helped in one way or another.” He paused.
“Helen Keller said that being blind cuts you off from things, and deafness cuts you off from people. I’ve experienced that, and in my own way I was cut off too.
But much less so now.” Harm put his hands down, and they shared a smile.
Then Harm sat back down, and Derek turned to Grace, in case she had something to say.
She remained silent and sat with her hands folded on the table.
So Derek figured that there was nothing more and decided to press forward.
“Which moves us to the next item on the agenda. We’re working on a new program, a Carlisle book fair to be held in August. We’d get authors from the area, both for adult and children’s books, to come in.
The authors would pay a nominal fee for their table.
We have a handle on some big-name authors. It would be free to the public.”
“And the authors could sell their books?” Grace asked. “Is that part of what we do?”
“Of course it is,” Mary said. “It would be a reading event, and with children’s books, it would be well positioned for back-to-school. And it would bring people into the library so they could see what we offer. It sounds like a winner to me.”
“What about any money raised?” a member asked.
“I thought we would use it for our literacy program to put books in the hands of children.” He loved that idea.
“Connie Mapleton is chairing the event, and she put together the proposal that you have in front of you. There is no risk to the library, but there are many advantages. If you’d like me to go through them, I can.
But I’d like the board’s approval. The library director would normally have the authority to approve this kind of event… .” He left the rest hanging.
“Yes,” Mary said. “That is true.” She wasn’t giving anything away either. “So I motion that we authorize the Carlisle book fair.” There was a second, and even Grace voted in favor.
“Thank you,” Derek said and looked down at the agenda. They went on to the next item, which had to do with ongoing building and landscape maintenance contract renewals. Derek knew that at the moment, a lot of what the board was dealing with was the job of the library director.
Finally they came to the last item. “Derek, we’d like everyone to clear the room, please,” Mary said.
The few members of the public seemed confused.
“We need to discuss a personnel issue, and members of the board must be free to speak their minds. This type of discussion requires discretion. The official record of this meeting will end here and resume when we reconfer. At that time, the public is welcome to join us once again.”
Derek got his papers and left the room. So did Harm and the few others who had attended. They filed out of the room, and Grace closed the door.
He hated having to sit out there waiting for them. “They’re discussing me,” he said to Harm.
“Excuse me?” one of the men interjected. He had been sitting in the public seats just over from Harm. “You’re the temporary head of the library?”
“Yes. At the moment. But I think my future is being debated in the there. I’d like to be the director, but I don’t know if they’ll give it to me.
” Derek smiled. “Why are you here? Most people come to these because they want something or have an issue that they wish to bring to the board.” But this man had remained silent.
“I wanted to talk to you. I’m Charles, my brother is William Lassater…
.” Derek felt himself tense, and Harm put an arm around him, holding him close.
“He has a number of issues, and we are trying to get him the help he needs.” Derek made himself listen.
“I live outside Chicago, and I’d like to be able to take him home with me and see that he is taken care of. ”
“I’m not stopping you.”
“I know. The courts are,” Charles said.
Derek shrugged his shoulders. “It’s out of my hands. Once criminal charges were filed, it’s up the district attorney and the judge what happens. William has made my life difficult going back over a year, but it’s been worse lately.”
Charles nodded. “He has mental health issues, and we need to get those treated. William would be admitted as an inpatient until proper medications and treatment can be determined.” He swallowed as Derek looked at Harm, whose eyes said it all.
“I don’t think William is necessarily a bad person, but there is little I can do. I’m in favor of William getting the help he needs. So if you can work out a deal with the district attorney, I’d be willing to listen as well. But I don’t know how much weight that will carry.”
Charles thanked him and held out his hand.
“I appreciate it. William has always been obsessive about things, but this sort of behavior is not something the family has seen before. None of us want him acting the way he’s been accused of, but getting him help is going to be much more beneficial than locking him up. ”
“Okay.” Derek didn’t want to think about William any longer if he could help it.
His bail had been denied. The police had cited a flight risk, and Derek had been there to discuss his fears around William’s past behavior.
In the end the judge had denied bail. “I don’t know if the judge would be willing to consider alternatives, but you are welcome to ask him. ”
Charles nodded once more, thanked him, and then turned and left.
“That was kind,” Harm signed to him.
“I want William to leave me alone. I don’t want his life ruined. If he can get the help he needs, then that’s good. It’s what he truly needs, not jail.”
“Derek,” Grace said after opening the door. “Please come back inside.” He met Harm’s gaze and saw everything he needed. In an instant, Derek knew that Harm would be there whether he got the job or not. “Please sit down.”
He took his usual seat. “The board has discussed the topic of the library director for some time now. There are members of the board who have been cautious about hiring someone of your age and experience. But the last few months, the way you have taken the reins and run with them, have shown us some things. We have more community engagement than we have in a long time. Our programs are well attended, and they reflect the needs of the community.”
“And we love the idea of the book fair,” Mary added with a smile.
“Yes, we do. All of us. So we wanted to congratulate you on your new position as library director, effective the first of January. You’ve been doing much of the job for the past many months, so we wanted to reflect our gratitude for that.” Grace smiled.
“I think it’s important for you to know that the decision was unanimous,” Mary told him.
Derek smiled and shook hands with each of the board members.
Then he turned to Harm, who grinned back.
It almost seemed too much to believe at the moment.
He was on cloud nine, and after a little celebrating, the meeting was called back to order so that the decision could be officially entered in the minutes, and then the meeting was formally adjourned for the month.
“We expect you to take some time off before the new year. There is a lot that needs to be done, so spend some time with family and friends and then hit the ground running in January. I know you have more ideas, so keep them flowing. The library needs to be a dynamic place, and you’re working to make that happen.
” Mary was all smiles, and she patted his shoulder.
“You heard her,” Harm told him. “Do you want to come to Arizona?” He cocked his eyebrows, and Derek nodded. That sounded like fun.