that last hour at the library

Maybe it was that bewitching hour of the library, when it closed on Friday at five o'clock...or it might have been that silly impish grin of his. Anyway, (feeling almost woozy from their conversation) Halie couldn't remember such a spontaneous moment.

Yes, that boy named Bear might have been too much to handle.

He said there was no establishment around, for decent fish and chips. He talked about what he missed from home. And all this took place while she was trying to make his library card. Then her finger got caught in the book he was going to checkout when she handed him the card. He'd snapped it on her finger like the book might be a shark ready to attack. They both laughed.

"Your quite charming, aren't you?" She was practically drunk with laughter. Funny, it suddenly felt like happy hour with him. She couldn't imagine him actually being out of school. "And a liar too."

"What!" He winced so hard, and practically yelped as if she'd hurt him. "A liar!"

She felt Henry's presence behind her as if he was there to take over, but she didn't want his help.

"I'm only teasing." She almost called him a kiddie, but held her tongue. It was five minutes til closing. Why couldn't he just leave? She checked him out quickly, left him as if she'd wrecked his weekend.

It was then she realized he was with Vada's boyfriend. She sighed.

That was someone, she never spoke too.  Vada. Wasn't like Vada ever said anything to her. She couldn't possibly think why that shelver would dislike her so. Had Halie taken the clerk position away from her?

Vada and her boyfriend gathered around Bear.

Halie hugged herself while Henry got the money.

"Did you get the phones?" Henry asked. As if timing was everything.

Halie almost rolled her eyes at him. Didn't she do enough around here, already? But she did as she was told.

Bear. Suddenly, she wished she could talk to Dustin, about Bear, or maybe it was all the small happenings in the village. She hadn't seen Dustin's baby sister. And wasn't his cousin due with a baby?

Yes, it tugged at her a little. Homesick, she guessed. Usually, she didn't let it phase her. And Bear was from Scotland. Whole different other country. Why would she let him get to her?

This was as good enough time as any, Henry guessed, on his walk home from work. He called Gage out of caution, perhaps.

"So, how..how are you two doing, these days?" He said first thing as Henry waited at the stop light. It was Friday so there was more traffic.

"What?" Naturally, Gage didn't have a clue about Halie.

"I just..have a funny feeling..about..about Halie." Henry finally said.

"What about her?" Gage sounded concerned.

"She..she was..well," Henry didn't know where to begin, but he was across the street from the library now, and it was a straight walk home. "I dunno, more giddy than usual, I guess."

"Well, she is a flirt." Gage informed him.

"I know, its sort of... what makes her a good clerk." Except, she was bad at math and could barely figure out the cash register. "Its just, there was this guy. English guy." Henry picked up on their conversation. The young fellow did sound like he wanted to take Halie out. "I shouldn't have called." Henry said now.

"Yes, you should have. I'll bring some pizza over." Gage said he could be there within the hour. "Halie would love to see Josie. We haven't hung out, in ages."

Henry smiled, maybe Gage knew how to take care of this. Yes, they hadn't hung out in ages.