Turning Pages

Chapter Twenty-two

TWENTY-TWO 

It took another week of organization, but we were finally ready to start holding Story Time again. I couldn't wait. I chose my favorite books, pulled out my best costumes, and was even at work early for once. I needed this routine in my life. 

The children poured in and were ecstatic to see that I had saved some of the checkered carpet from the old library. It had been a last-minute decision to go back and pull it up, but one I didn't regret. The children sat in rows on the carpet, and my heart welled up with satisfaction. We didn't have our building, but we had our traditions. 

"And then the witch beckoned to them with her knobby fingers." I lifted my hand, which was covered with a rubber glove. "She invited them to come in her house and eat all the candy they wanted." 

The children sitting in front of me were mesmerized as I told them how the witch lured Hansel and Gretel inside, then fed them wonderful treats until they were so full they could hardly move. We were knee-deep in a discussion about candy canes and chocolate bars when Melanie waved at me frantically from the rear of the crowd, pointing to the telephone. I held up one finger, asking her to wait, but she shook her head. It was important. 

"I'll be right back," I told the children, gathering up my long costume and stepping around little bodies to the counter. "What's the matter?"  

Melanie passed me the phone. "It's Benji."  

I turned away and stepped between two shelves, looking for privacy. "Hey, Benj. What's up?" 

"Addie, you've gotta come quick. Mom's taken Jenni shoe shopping and won't be back for a long time. You gotta come." 

"What's going on, Benji? Are you sick?" 

"It's Scampers. He's making this weird little squeaking noise. Rats don't just make that noise, Addie. It's like he can't breathe." 

On any other day, with any other pet, this wouldn't have been an emergency. But I knew exactly what Benji was saying. Jenni depended on that rat. This couldn't happen to her-not after everything else. 

"I'll be right there," I told him. 

I hung up the phone and turned to see Blake behind me. "I have to go. Jenni's rat is sick. She . . . she loves that rat." 

Somehow he knew what I was trying to say. He nodded. "Go. Do what you have to do." 

"Thank you." I gathered up the skirts of my long brocade gown and raced out to my car. Too late, I realized I didn't have my purse. Then I saw the purse sitting on my front seat, holding all ten sets of keys. When I was ever going to learn? I pounded on the hood and kicked the tire, feeling the crushing weight of my own stupidity. 

Blake must have seen me through the big front window of the library. He came outside. "You okay?" 

I laughed a little hysterically. "Locked my purse in the car." 

"Come on." He grabbed the spare helmet out of his trunk and tossed it to me. "I'll take you." 

"But-" 

"Get on, Addie." His tone said he wouldn't stand for an argument. I tried to climb on behind him, but my dress got in the way. I pulled it off-I was wearing regular clothing underneath-then tossed the dress through the front door of the library into the corner behind the ficus tree and climbed on the motorcycle. I held on as Blake accelerated out of the parking lot, my heart in my throat, but this time, my fear was for Scampers. 

Benji was in tears when we got to the house, and I knelt down by the rat's cage. Immediately, I saw that Scampers wasn't himself. His eyes looked dull, his nose wasn't twitching as much, and I could hear the squeak in his chest Benji had told me about.