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Back The Library Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. THE LIBRARY
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. Questions for your Book Club
  55. Acknowledgements
  56. About the Author
  57. Become an Aria Addict

The door opened and few others came in already mid-conversation about Betty’s constipation. Maggie rolled her eyes. There were a few fleeting greetings before they all took off layers and settled themselves down around the table. The conversation moved on to Audrey’s swollen ankles and her husband’s cholesterol level. Maggie sighed.

The door opened again and in crept Tom, and Maggie’s day brightened immeasurably. For the first time she hoped book club didn’t go on too long.

7

TOM

I was better prepared the next time I went to the library. I knew to keep away from the computer and anything else I could break, and I had what I hoped were believable mum-type responses for which of the books I’d liked and wanted more of. I needed to renew the JoJo Moyes one because I’d not finished it thanks to a load of revision my chemistry teacher had dropped on me. I was enjoying the book too. That was both good and bad. It was great disappearing into a story but the shame of anyone discovering I was reading romance books was nagging away at me like toothache. Just the thought of it made me nauseous but the truth was I loved them. I was probably a bit addicted. Mainly because they were basically self-help guides for useless men. They were exactly what I needed. Simple lessons in how not to behave around females. I was learning way more from them than I did from my schoolbooks. Maybe there was a market for turning GCSE textbooks into stories.

Christine looked pleased to see me, which was a bit of a new concept for me. I don’t usually get that reaction from anyone else. ‘Hello again. It’s Tom, isn’t it?’ She grinned and I could see she had lipstick on her teeth.

‘Yep. Bringing these back for my mum.’ I pronounced mum like I was talking to a kid – I’m not sure why. ‘And I… er… she needs the JoJo… um… that one renewed.’ Well, that went well, not. I was such a bad actor even when I’d practised my lines.

‘No problem at all,’ said Christine efficiently tapping them into the computer. ‘Shall I choose her some more?’

‘Please.’ I was too quick with that response. ‘Yeah, you know, if you like.’ I shrugged. ‘I’ve got work to do so I’ll be…’ I pointed to the back of the library.

‘Okay. I’ll bring them down in a bit.’

‘Cool.’ I picked up my bag and headed to my usual corner. I saw Maggie looking at me as I passed the book club table and she nodded. I did the same in response. That was far easier. Why wasn’t that level of communication acceptable all the time? I could cope with a nod.