Page 12 of Between the Stacks

“Please call me Lowe,” I said, unsure why I’d used my stage name with a student.

“Only if you call me, Lyra,” she replied.

Once our tea was finished, I took her to the room she’d be using. Upstairs in my room, Jonesy slept. He’d taken a direct flight from Dubai to Fresno-Yosemite International Airport. By the time he arrived the poor guy couldn’t even keep his eyes open. I figured we wouldn’t see hide nor hair of him for at least another day.

There was another spare room down the hall from her I’d offer to Scott and Cole as well. I didn’t have to, but if this was the girl they’d both coveted, I understood their desires. She was a bit timid. Shy when praised. When I received her application, I looked through her file. She hadn’t settled on a major, but if theclasses she took were any indication, she appeared to be a liberal arts major, something I could help her with.

“There are gift cards from the administration on the desk and a few locations already available to help students gather some of the items they lost because of the fire. Should you need anything else, order it and use this address to have it delivered. We receive packages twice a day along with mail,” I said, flipping on the switch to the room. “Decorate the space as you want. Nothing major though.”

“Whoa...” She stepped into the bare room and spun in a small circle. “Hardwood, dark colors. Kind of creepy gothic vibes.”

I’d said the same when I first explored the home. “Bathroom is shared with the room next door. Breakfast is at seven.”

“I’m up by six-thirty,” she murmured, taking in the details of the space. Her fingertips glided over the decorative wooden rosettes at the edge of the chair rail mouldings. “I could help, if you want.”

“What I’d like,” I said, “is for you to rest. You’ve had a traumatic experience. No need to push yourself.”

“Even when I’m sick, Lowe, there are chores around the house that need to be done,” she said, the rasp of her voice increasing. “I can’t lay around all day and do nothing.”

“Then think of the free time as a way to study and get ahead,” I replied. “Either way, we’ll reassess in the morning and if you feel up to it, we’ll discuss cooking duties. Deal?”

She nodded. “Deal.”

I left her in the room and went back down to the kitchen. With a glance at the clock, I knew if I called Scott now, they’d been on campus in less than twenty minutes. I also knew Lyra probably hadn’t eaten all day. I slipped my phone from my pocket and unlocked it. The chances of her staying awake after everything she’d been through was slim, even if she had steroids in her system.

The crash was coming.

I scrolled through my contacts until I came to the familiar name and hit call. By the third ring, Scott answered, and his jovial voice was a study in contrast to Lyra’s. “She’s here if you’d like to meet her.” I kept my voice low, sure if she didn’t fall asleep, she’d be down to grab a drink or rummage for food. Which reminded me, I’d have to put in another order to stock up. “I also have a proposition for you two.”

“Oh yeah?” Scott said, “What’s that?”

“Come by the house now, and we’ll talk. Bring pizza. The poor girl probably hasn’t eaten in a while.” Longer than a while if I had to guess.

“On it,” Scott said. “We’ll see you in thirty.”

I ended the call then scrolled farther down the list of contacts to Lorna. She chose me for the February spot in the first annual calendar the other day when I went in to pick up the contract forDriver.I just needed time to figure out the national holiday I wanted. Honestly, I didn’t have a clue for what suited the situation. I’d asked for a day or two to think about it and graciously, Lorna agreed. The month of February was a bit… On the nose. Most would want Valentine’s Day. The overplayed, over-commercialized holiday everyone knew about. However, there was Library Lovers’ Day which happened the same day and would be perfect for my brewing idea.

“August,” Lorna said, answering my call. “What can I do for you today?”

“I have a proposition for you,” I replied. “It’ll take some finessing, but I believe I can get it done.”

“Well, don’t be so coy about this idea of yours,” she answered. “Tell me what you’ve got.”

“Library Lovers’ Day.” Why not combine the two things I love the most? Making movies and working in the library. Sure, it might take a little time convincing Lyra to join us, but I hadno doubt she’d do it, given the right incentive. “We’ve had a situation on campus and I want to donate some of my profits from the calendar.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“One of the dorms burned down and it seems at least five hundred students are without housing.”

She exhaled a breath. “So, what’s your plan?”

“A hot for librarian/student affair feature. With a twist. Scott Ellison and Cole Farmer will be joining me.”

“That’s a tall order to accomplish in a short amount of time. Are you sure you can pull it off?”

“I believe so,” I said. “I have the boys coming to my home as we speak. I’ll keep you posted when we’re ready to shoot.”

“I’d like to have a cohesive plan on my desk by the end of the week. Deadlines are tight. Don’t forget you still have a photo op.” I was ready for both. This was the last piece of the puzzle. As it was, I hadn’t been able to come up with an idea that hadn’t been done before. However, getting Lyra to agree, might take longer than a week.

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