Cry Like A Girl

Chapter 4

Lured by her love of reading, Susan had taken the job at the Nicholson library about the time Henry had received the first of several promotions. Without children to play with and care for, the walls of the house had closed in on her a little more with each passing year.

They had been trying to get pregnant since their wedding night. Although they had managed to refrain from having sex before they were married, they had talked about what came after marriage—sex, resulting in babies. From the size of their house to the college funds they began shortly after their wedding, their future had revolved around the babies they were going to have. Henry was so confident of their future, he had convinced himself they would have four, two boys and two girls: Henry Jr., Peter (after her grandfather), Rebecca (after his mother), and Susan (after her). She didn't care for Henry's idea to give her a namesake. She wasn't sure why, but it had seemed as strange to her as if Henry had taken her last name when they married. But, as the monthly disappointments grew, it became increasingly apparent it would never be an issue.

As technology introduced Kindles, Nooks, and reading apps, the idea of a town library began to seem archaic. At the end of each school year, Susan had expected to receive news of the library's closing, but somehow, every year the community managed to receive enough in donations to keep it open one more year, once again sparing her part-time job.

Susan's yawns became more frequent, and each time she glanced at the clock, she felt as though she had to pull the next minute along.

One by one, Susan turned each of the four outdated computers off. They weren't worth the energy they used. Most visitors brought their own laptop or tablet with them while the library computers displayed animated aquariums throughout the day.

After filing what little paperwork had accumulated and making sure the lobby desk was in order, she took a last look around. Once satisfied she hadn't forgotten anything, she picked up the books she had checked out earlier and her bottle of water, transferred her handbag from the back of the chair to her shoulder, and rummaged through it for her keys. When she reached the door, she shifted everything to her left hand and opened the cover on the alarm with her right.

Thud.

Susan dropped her keys and spun in the direction of the sound. Her first instinct was to leave the building and call the police from where she would feel safer, but feet wouldn't cooperate. A jolt of electricity ran up her spine. She glanced around for anything she might be able to use as a weapon. If she could make it back to the desk, she could grab the stapler. Not the weapon of choice, but better than anything else she had available.

As she caught a glimpse of a fire extinguisher tucked into a corner, a sound between a moan and a sigh cut through the silence. Standing as still as a street sign, she strained to listen, and soon heard the sound again.

Could it be?

Her fear began to subside. She envisioned two teenagers hiding behind the shelving in the back of the room, and her hope now was that they still had their clothes on.

"Hello," she called out.

Receiving no response, she called out again. After a few seconds, she set her belongings on the desk.

She heard a female's muted giggle and called out once more. "Hello. We're closing, I have to lock up."

Unsure of what she'd find when she reached the back corner of the library, she took her time getting there. She hoped the few extra seconds were enough for them to dress, assuming they had been brazen enough to undress in such a public place. She was beginning to think this might be an initiation prank. Like the streaking phase of years gone by, having sex in a public place carried a rush of excitement and the risk of humiliation simply to gain notoriety and acceptance into some crazy club.