21. River Falls Library – Mar
CHAPTER 21
RIVER FALLS LIbrARY
MAR
I was exhausted by the time we left the restaurant and was unsure how I even got home or how I ended up tucked in my bed when I woke up this morning, until I read the message on the phone from Sihn.
Sihn: I really, really like you. I locked the door. Let me know when you wake up, so I know you’re okay.
This thing with us hasn’t been going on for very long at all, but it seems to be progressing even without labeling it.
He’s the only person I know who uses correct punctuation when texting. It makes me like him even more.
I plan to take the rest of the day to rest and relax before this week starts. I need to find a job after this online class is over. I am not looking forward to that. I also promised to close the Cafe this week so Verdi could have evenings off.
Which reminds me, I haven’t heard from her. I double-check my phone to make sure I haven’t missed anything, but there isn’t anything from her.
After reviewing my online class for the past week, I note that the same students who have been participating from the beginning are still participating while the ones who haven’t, still aren’t. One requested to withdraw. I emailed my boss to see if it was acceptable now that we are over halfway finished with the short course. I’m still waiting to hear back.
It’s Sunday evening, and I’ve searched the internet for jobs that I could potentially do within a thirty-mile radius of River Falls and have come up empty. There’s always the local superstore, but I’d much rather work for my parents than for a company like that.
I have not heard from the ’rents since earlier this week, so I called to see how they are shaping up on their trip. Mom answers on the ring right before it goes to voicemail. “Amarynth, we are by the pool. Your father has hit it off with a waitress and the pool boy is currently fanning me, is this important?”
“Are you being serious? I can’t tell…” Mom has never talked like this to me before.
She laughs. “We are by the pool, and your father did try to impress the waitress by jumping in it, but he did a belly flop and is currently licking his wounds next to me on a folding chair. Is everything okay?”
I make my way downstairs to the kitchen in search of something to make myself for dinner. “I was just checking to make sure you guys were alright.”
“Who knew retirement could be this fun?” she says.
“Well, I’ll let you guys have your fun. Everything here is fine. Be safe.”
I open and shut the refrigerator twice before she replies, “I’m not the one I’m worried about being safe. You’re the one I’m scared might wreck her car again.”
“I haven’t yet.”
“Yet being the operative word, Amarynth.”
“Bye, Mom.” I hang up before she has time to scold me further about the car.
I messaged Sihn earlier this morning to let him know I was awake for the day. He never replied, but as I’m making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, his name pops up on my phone screen.
I answer far too quickly. “Hey.”
“Hello, Mar. How are you?”
“I’m good. Nervous now that you called.” I leave the bread open and take my sandwich with me to the kitchen bar.
“I just wanted to hear your voice.”
No one else has ever said they like my voice as much as he has. “You’ve got it bad, Sihn.”
“I do and if you’re honest with yourself, you’ve got it bad, too.”
I think for a moment. He’s not wrong; I haven’t felt this way toward someone of the opposite sex in a long time, if ever. Even with my college boyfriends, it seemed more out of convenience than something that I truly wanted. “What are you doing this evening?” I ask him.
“I just finished my weekly meeting at POW! Now I’m heading back to my place to crash. I should do some Dine on Demand orders, but I’m tired.”
“I know the feeling. I’m also at home eating a PB&J. Probably going to turn on some documentary on a pop star who has been locked in a mansion and then go to bed.”
“Women really do watch the weirdest shit.”
“What do you like to watch?”
“I don’t watch a lot of TV aside from when Ruin and I are doing research, but when I do, I normally watch eighties action flicks. I think they’re highly underrated.”
“I prefer eighties movies. John Hughes really knew what he was doing then. Nowadays, it seems everything is a remake and nothing even resembles an original idea.”
“I have a question…”
“Yeah?”
“Could you help me create a social media account? I need The Sihnner to be more active and promote himself.”
“That is not what I thought you would ask. You know I’m not really active on social media, right?”
“I didn’t, but you’re an English teacher, right? You should be able to string together something of semblance to help me market myself.”
“I can try.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Sihn and I talked on the phone for so long that I’m unsure which of us fell asleep first.
Today I plan to go to River Falls Library, but I’m stopping in at the coffee shop to talk to Verdi, who never called me back. She’s known to go silent from time to time, but hearing nothing from her has me worried.
She’s not up front when I open the door, but there is a tiny little thing manning the register. A petite brunette with a soft smile and small, pinched eyes stares back at me. “Welcome to Coffey Cafe. What can I get ya?”
She can’t be any older than fifteen. I knew they were looking for a barista, but I didn’t know Verdi had already hired one. “Just an ice water. Where is Verdi?”
Her eyebrows pull in and she frowns. “She’s in the back doing inventory. Do you want me to get her? I know how to make ice water…”
I chuckle. “I don’t doubt your ice water-making skills…” I look at her name tag, “Jackie Sue.”
“I’ll just go back and see her. My name is Mar by the way. Mar Coffey.” I extend my hand out to her. She takes it and shakes it nervously.
She stutters, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were a Coffey. This is my first day, and I’m already messing it up.”
“You’re doing fine, kid. You’re personable. I like you. If you need any help though, please ask either me or Verdi before guessing.” I hate it when someone does not ask for help. It’s annoying. Especially when they’re just learning something. I for one don’t expect someone to know everything on their first day of a job.
Her voice steps up an octave. “Will, do!”
In the back, I find Verdi huddled over some crates. “Are you okay?” I ask her. Her skin has almost a green hue, and she looks sick as a dog. This seems to be happening more frequently.
“I think I got food poisoning or something, but I can’t shake whatever it is. I’m nauseous all of the time and I can barely keep water down.” Her body trembles.
“Maybe you should go to the doctor if this is an ongoing issue? There could be an underlying cause. I don’t think food poisoning lasts for weeks, Verdi.”
She clutches her lower abdomen and moans before saying, “Okay, I’ll make an appointment, but you might have to cover for me here depending on when they can get me in.”
“No problem. I can stay now so you can go.”
She attempts to stand. “No, I’ll call and make an appointment.”
“You should go on home. I’m going to close later anyway.”
“I’d rather stay here and help Jackie Sue. No offense, but I know the store better than you, Mar.”
“I’m not offended. I know you do. I did have one quick errand I was going to run today, but I’ll be back right after and then you can leave.”
Finally, she gets to a standing position. “Okay, that should give me enough time to teach her how to use the espresso machine.”
“Does anything help with the nausea? Do you want some Pepto or Ginger Ale?”
“I think this last wave has passed, actually. I’ll be okay for a bit now.”
“If you say so.”
I’ve always been fond of public libraries so I’m scoping out the potential need for a librarian at River Falls Library. When I open the door, the smell of old books fills my nostrils, and I am taken back to the two summers I worked here.
The circulation desk is right in the middle of the one-room library. It does have a community room, a few offices, and a restroom, but all the books are situated around the one big room.
There is a lady with her back turned to me filing books on a cart. There are two patrons on the community computers and a man seated at a table reading a book.
To the left of the circulation desk is adult fiction, behind the desk is adult non-fiction, and to the right are children’s books. On top of the circulation desk, I find a calendar for this month’s events. The librarian turns around when I pick it up. She’s wearing a cream cardigan over her denim-colored dress that hits at her ankles, white socks, and Mary Jane shoes. Her round framed glasses slip down her nose, so she uses her middle finger to push them back up.
“Can I h—Well, my dear, if it isn’t little miss Amarynth Coffey. How have you been, dear?”
It wasn’t until I heard her voice that I recognized that she was the same librarian from my youth. The same one from back when I worked here. “Mrs. Wright, you’re still the librarian.”
“Call me Miriam. I’m still here.” She seems like she hasn’t aged at all, but at the same time, she appears frail.
I place the palms of my hands on the cool counter and say, “The reason I’m here is because I was inquiring about a job…”
Miriam replies, “We don’t currently have an opening, but at the end of the summer when our current tech, Jackie Sue, goes back to school, we will.” There is no way in a town this small that more than one Jackie Sue is floating around. She’s a go-getter if I’ve ever known one. She has not one, but two summer jobs.
“No need for a librarian, though, huh?” I question.
She smiles, which increases the depth of the lines around her lips. “Not yet, but I plan to retire this fall, Amarynth.”
I get a twinkle of hope. “Really?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to only because there wasn’t anyone qualified to take my place, but if you’re interested, I’d love to suggest you be my replacement.”
“Only if you mean it. I have a master’s in teaching and have looked into getting my librarian certificate.”
“Oh, I’ve been keeping up on you, Amarynth.”
“You have?”
“You’re one of my favorite ever employees here at the library. A girl with a real passion for reading. Someone who knew that there is a book out there for everyone, they just haven’t found it yet.”
“Yeah, so many people think they don’t enjoy reading, but they do once they find what it is they like to read.”
“Correct. I can talk with the board about having you come in for training to take over, if you like.”
“I would, very much.” I look at the clock on her desk and then I say, “I have to get back to my parents’ coffee shop now, but I’ll leave my number so you can call me with updates.”
“That sounds lovely, Amarynth.”