Page 5 of Snowed Under

I’d never have thought Molly would be more outdoorsy than her big brother who prefers Nintendo and collecting Batman memorabilia.

I scruffle his hair as he ducks away from me. “That’s all part of the fun, Oscie. You don’t know country living until you’ve been bitten alive by giant bugs.”

Hank chuckles.

“We got to toast marshmallows by the campfire,” Molly goes on, taking my hand. “And then Daddy made hot chocolate.”

“Sounds like you had an awesome weekend.” I smile down at her.

They moved here a few years ago after Hank’s divorce. He got custody of the kids and they had a hard time without their mom. She took off with another guy and doesn’t even see them. Stories like that break my heart. Of course, when I heard that Hank was stuck in the morning with the kids, who can’t be dropped off that early at school without supervision, I offered to have them come to the library. Margaret, who's still on the board, agreed wholeheartedly. That’s what we do in Silver Pines, we help each other out.

I unlock the door, and, like clockwork, Molly takes my purse from my hand and carries it to my office. I remember as a child it was a privilege to carry the teacher’s purse or her lunch ahead of class. While I’m not a teacher, it still feels nice.

Hank doesn’t follow us in. “See you later!” he calls.

“Yeah, bye Dad!” Molly calls.

“See ya,” from Oscar.

“Thanks, Ainsley, see you tomorrow.”

I smile and wave behind me. “Bye, Hank. Have a good Monday.”

“Right back at ya.”

Oscar goes to his usual spot over by the couch to work on his homework before school, and Molly will usually go around with the feather duster, as she likes to feel helpful. I don’t condone child labor, but she usually stops halfway to look at the new picture books that I put out on Fridays.

“How are you doing with Charlotte’s web?” I call out to Molly, placing my lunch in the fridge in the staffroom.

The library is small but functional, and had a major renovation a few summers ago. I love it here. It’s like my sanctuary. The fresh, soft gray paint inside and ambient lighting make it look more like a cool coffee shop than an actual library. The only thing we don’t serve is food and drinks.

“Loved it. I’m moving onto Stick Dog.”

I smile. “I’ve also put Ivy and Bean away for you.”

I hear her squeal and when I glance at Oscar, he’s rolling his eyes as he sets his things on the table.

“How are you doing, Oscar? Anything I can help with?”

He shakes his head. “I’m good with Harry Potter and the Roald Dahl collection.”

“Very good. I heardthe new Gangsta Granny book was coming out. I can reserve it for you so you’re the first to read it if you’d like?”

His head pops up and his eyes go wide. “You’d really do that?”

I purse my lips. “Why, am I really that scary?”

“No.” He laughs. “I just meant those books are always so fast off the shelf.”

I tap my nose. “It’s not what you know around here, Oscie.”

“Dad says that a lot, too.”

“He does? Well then, great minds think alike.”

I busy myself making a coffee and tidying up the desk before my second in charge, Alice, gets here in half an hour. There’s just the two of us, plus our assistant Marcus on Saturday’s, he also helps out sometimes after school. We’re not usually run off our feet, though Monday mornings can be hectic and it breaks up the monotony that often comes with a routine job.

I also have to leave early today because the moving van is coming. That also reminds me that Cole wanted me to text him when the van arrives.

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