Chapter 21
When Stella parked at the library, vendors and volunteers were already arriving on the grounds. As she got out of her car,
Jack walked out of Arnie’s and crossed the lawn to meet her on the back steps of the library. Within an hour, a constant hum
of energy and chatter filled the air. The festival didn’t officially begin until ten, but dozens of people were already milling
around, slapping backs, and hugging people they hadn’t seen since the year before. Children chased one another around the
gigantic oak tree in the parking lot and twirled in empty spots on the bright green lawn. Booths came alive with activity
and the ticket takers prepared for the throng of people already lining up at the temporary gates.
Stella, Vicki, Dan, and Melanie met with the volunteers posted in the library and reviewed their jobs one final time. Then
the group wandered off to find their stations.
Stella stood near the circulation desk and fanned herself. The air conditioner did its best to keep up with the summer heat, but sweat dampened the back of her shirt. “I want this to go well. Arnie’s eager to hear about it later, and I want positive news for him.”
Jack drank from a water bottle. “There’s nothing to worry about. Did you see that line of people waiting to get in?” She nodded.
“You know what you really need to do?”
She looked quizzically at him. “What?”
“Enjoy yourself.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “How could this day not be swell? I’m at a festival with you.”
Stella rolled her eyes but she was smiling. “You always know what to say, don’t you?”
“I ought to. I’ve had a hundred years of practice.”
Stella’s laughter sent out a surge of happy energy that spread throughout the library, and people nearby smiled wider and
leaned a little closer to their friends. Crusoe and Darcy were gazing out a nearby library window that gave them a view of
the grounds. She walked over to them.
“You know the rules,” Stella said. “No book characters are allowed outside of the library.”
Darcy peered down at her. “Yet Mr. Mathis walked with you through town. The rules don’t apply to everyone, I’ve noticed.”
“Mr. Crusoe,” Stella said, “I know Mr. Darcy doesn’t like strangers, but how do you feel about spending time with hundreds
of people? You might be more accustomed to living without human contact since you spent so many years on your island.”
Crusoe returned his attention to the window. “I overcame my despair and built a life out of what I had been given. I thanked
God for a fate in which nothing I needed was missing, except friendship. As complicated as humans can be, and as barbaric,
I still delight in the presence of others. I do believe I would enjoy spending time with people. Are you offering to break
the rules for me? Perhaps for us?” He looked at Darcy.
“Well . . . Miss Parker is mostly right,” Darcy said. “I don’t dislike strangers, only being around so many of them and forced to converse.” He focused on the activity outside the window. “What would I even say?”
Stella looked at Crusoe and then at Darcy. “What if you didn’t have to say anything? No one’s going to force you into small
talk, Mr. Darcy, but you might enjoy being out in the sunshine for a while.”
“I do enjoy a promenade,” Darcy said.
“To feel the wind on my face,” Crusoe added.
“You both must promise to be on your best behavior and come back at the end of the day. Can I trust you?”
Darcy smiled so widely that the sight momentarily stunned her. Had he ever looked so happy in his life? He practically radiated
with pleasure. Then he reached out and clasped Stella’s hand between both of his. “On my honor I will return at the closing
of the festival.”
Crusoe agreed. “You have my word. I am grateful for your faith in me.”
“One more requirement,” Stella said. “You can’t tell anyone who you really are. If anyone asks, can you pretend to be impersonators
hired by the library?” Both men nodded. “You’ve both done so much to help me with the mess I made. Get out there and have
fun. You deserve it.”
Her phone beeped in her pocket, so she excused herself. It was a text from Ariel. Heading your way. Any word from Percy? How are you holding up?
Stella replied: Haven’t seen Percy. I’m doing okay for being knee-deep in a festival and trying to accept I can’t keep Jack. Arnie said it’s
not possible.
Ariel texted back a frowning emoji followed by a shooting star and prayer hands. Stella slipped the phone back into her pocket.
“That was kind of you,” Jack said. “Letting those two go free to enjoy the festival.”
She leaned into his arm and wrapped her hands around his biceps. “Maybe it’s irresponsible, but I’m going with my gut. I think
I’ll be able to tell which characters can be trusted and which ones can’t handle that kind of freedom.”
Jack’s eyebrows lifted. “You sound like you want to be a part of this long term.”
“I’ve been here for four years just doing a job, not knowing where I belonged. Just passing time. But now I think this is where I belong.” She slipped her hand into Jack’s. “I love it here. I love the books and helping people and being with Arnie.
“Now that I can use my gift to be of even greater service and I know about the magic, all of this feels like my purpose. I
could start helping people find the right books since I can call on the words. And maybe—Arnie might completely reject this
idea—but maybe we could bring out fictional characters and share them with the library patrons, just like I’m doing today.
Say they’re impersonators. Think how much fun the patrons would have being able to interact with their favorite characters.
Who better to play them than the actual characters from the books?”
“And the new words? The purple ones?” Jack asked. “How do they fit in?”
“Another layer,” Stella answered. “Rather than filling notebooks with my words and shoving them in my trunk or in a box to
collect dust like I’ve done for years, it’s time to do more with my writing. The new words are telling me a story or encouraging
me to write one, to put something of my own out into the world.” She glanced around the library. “Can you imagine seeing one
of my books in here one day?”
“I’d memorize it like you’ve done mine,” Jack said, and Stella laughed. “It’ll only increase my obsession.” He kissed her cheek. “I mean that in the least creepy way possible.”
“You”—she poked her finger into his chest—“could never be creepy. You have too much of a Captain America vibe. Too much good
guy plus the handsome hero.”
“That’s an honorable comparison. And you prefer the good guy to the rogue pirate?”
Stella scoffed. “Any day, all day.” She leaned into him and sighed. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Hey,” he said, lifting her chin so she looked at him. “I’m still here.”
Arnie believed Jack would want to stay permanently, even though that wasn’t an option, but Stella was curious. “Would you
stay longer than two weeks if you could?”
Jack’s smile slipped. “That’s not possible, unless . . .” Hope flashed through his eyes.
Stella shook her head. “No, according to Arnie it’s not. I asked.”
“You did?” Jack questioned. “You want me to stay longer?”
“Of course I do.”
Jack wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face into her neck. “I’d stay for a hundred more years if I could. What I
wouldn’t give for a life with you.”
“I wish there was a way,” Stella admitted. “But I’ll enjoy these last days with you, and then next year . . . next year you
can come back.” Did it sound pitiful that she was willing to wait an entire year to see someone she adored again?
“It won’t get here fast enough,” Jack said.
She shifted away. “What will it be like for you when you go back into your book? Will you remember all of this? Will you remember
me?”
Jack rubbed the back of his fingers across her cheek.
“I’ll remember you when I return. It’s difficult to explain what it’s like when I’m not here.
It’s a state of being, but it’s like being in my whole life all at once, like everything happens simultaneously.
It’s not controlled by time like life is here, and it’s not like a movie on replay as though I’m reliving my life from start to finish indefinitely.
The awareness of daily life and timekeeping .
. . they just aren’t something that’s perceived. ”
While he struggled to explain, a line formed between his dark brows.
“That’s mostly confusing,” Stella said, “but it almost makes sense.”
“There’s no equivalent I can use as an example. The closest I can imagine is inner stillness, or heaven, but that’s still
too much for the human mind to completely grasp. It just is. All things, all time, all connected, forever.”
Stella grinned. “Yeah, that clears it up. When Arnie brings you back, do you remember all the times you’ve been here before?”
Jack nodded. “That returns instantly. The easiest way to explain is that it’s similar to downloading a file on a computer.
All of my moments here are downloaded immediately into my mind as soon as I arrive.”
Stella moved closer to him. “How strange that must be. It sounds like waking up after a dream.” She entwined her hands with
his. “Does it feel like a dream for you? Being here now?”
Jack shook his head. “No. Being here with you feels more like reality to me. Nothing has felt more real.” He leaned down and
kissed her.
Stella pressed into him, tumbling into the exquisite moment of kissing Jack. A tingling sensation started in her chest and
then increased tenfold, shooting blasts of heat through her veins. She thought it must be the power of the kiss, but when
Jack inhaled sharply, she realized it was much more than that.