“It’s no big deal if you can’t go. I’ve been thinking about going for a couple of days, but I keep putting it off, and I need brain candy before I have to read school stuff.”
Dark hair swung around her impish face as she shook her head. “Oh, it’s no big deal. I don’t mind going with you. I can’t go tonight. I have plans already. If I didn’t, I’d go.”
“It’s ok, Dee. I can go to the library alone, and then we can go shopping later. I pretty much know my way around town now. Not as if I can get lost or anything. It’s only like…five blocks.” I paused, and then quickly asked about her plans for the evening, trying to change the subject.
Dee’s lips were firm. “Nothing, just friends are back in town.”
My innocent question obviously put her on the spot, and she seem-ed reluctant to say what she was actually doing. She shifted on the recliner, focused on her nails. I felt like I’d pried, but I didn’t understand how that question could have made her uncomfortable. There was also a part of me hurt and disappointed I wasn’t included.
“I hope you guys have fun tonight,” I lied. Well, not a real lie. But at least half of a lie. I’m not proud of it, but there you have it. Right or wrong, I felt left out.
Dee squirmed in her seat as she watched me. Her eyes squinted, much like they’d done the day on the porch. “I think you should wait until I can go with you. There have been a couple of girls who’ve gone missing recently.” Going to the library wasn’t going to a house that cooked meth, but I remembered the missing poster I’d seen the other day and shrugged. “Okay, I’ll think about.”
Dee stayed until it was nearly time for my mom to go to work. On the way out, she stopped at the edge of the porch. “Really, if you can wait until tomorrow night, I’ll go to the library with you.” I agreed once more and gave her a quick hug. I missed her the moment she left. The house was too quiet without her.
Chapter 9
After dinner with Mom, I headed out. It didn’t take very long to get into town and find the library again. The streets, which during the few times I had been in town had always been populated, were now pretty much deserted. On the ride down, the skies had started to cloud over, too, giving the entire downtown an eerie ghost town feeling.
In spite of the weirdness that was my life at the moment and the lingering icky feeling I felt over Dee not inviting me out with her friends, I smiled as I walked into the library. Thoughts of the twins and everything else vanished as I rounded the corner of the quiet library and saw stacks of books lining the walls. As with gardening, in the stillness of the library, I felt at peace.
Stopping by one of the empty tables, I let out a little breath of happiness. I was always able to lose myself in reading. Books were a necessary escape I always gladly jumped into headfirst.
Time passed faster than I realized, and the library took on a gloomy aura. Libraries were always shadowy as daylight ended, but the unnatural darkening of the sky outside added to the creepy feeling. I didn’t know how late it was until the librarian turned off most of the lights, and I was having trouble making my way back to the front desk. By then, I couldn’t wait to be out of the drafty and creaky place.
A flash of lightning lit up the bookshelves and thunder rolled outside the windows. I hoped I could make it to my car before it started pouring. Clutching the books I wanted to check out to my chest, I hurried to the front desk. I was done in record time, barely having the time to say thank you before the librarian turned her back and dashed off to lock up.
“Well then,” I muttered under my breath.
The impending storm had turned dusk to night, making it seem much later than it was. Outside, the streets were still barren. I looked behind me, thinking about staying until the rain passed, but the final light in the library snicked off.
I gritted my teeth and shoved my books into my backpack before heading out. I stepped out onto the pavement, and the sky opened in a torrential downpour, soaking me within seconds. I tried my best to keep my backpack from getting wet as I fumbled with my keys and hopped back and forth. The rain was freaking freezing!
“Excuse me, miss?” A gravelly voice interrupted my struggles. “I was hoping you could help me?”
Intent on getting the door open and the books out of the rain, I didn’t hear anyone approach. I shoved my backpack into the car and tightened the hold on my purse as I turned toward the sound. A man came out of the shadows and stood under the streetlight. Rain coursed down his light-colored hair, plastering the longish strands to his head. His wire-framed glasses slipped down the bridge of his crooked nose as he stood with his arms wrapped around his chest, his thin body shivering slightly.
“My car back there,” he gestured behind him, shouting a bit to be heard over the rain pounding against the hood, “has a flat tire. I was hoping you had a tire iron.”
I did, but every fiber in my body was telling me to say no. Even though the man looked as if he couldn’t throw a stone very far. “I’m not sure.” My voice was smaller than I intended. I pushed at my wet hair and cleared my throat. I shouted back, “I don’t know if I have one or not.” The man’s smile was weary. “I couldn’t have picked a better time, could I?”
“No, you couldn’t.” I shifted from one foot to the next.
Part of me wanted to leave him there with an apology, but then there was this other part of me—a huge part of me—that was never good at telling people no. I chewed my lower lip as I hovered by the door. I couldn’t leave him in the rain. The poor man looked about to crumple over any second. Pity for him pushed away the sense of dread that always came when you were confronted with the unknown.