Unexpected Encounters

Chpt. 8: Open and Vulnerable

Kate

"What do you think?" I asked, peeking up at his face. Henry's eyes skimmed across the titles lining the shelves, a muted smile on his lips. The look gave little away, which left me clueless about whether this was actually a good idea. "I don't know how this compares to the University of London, but our campus really advertises this place, so I thought it'd be nice," I went on a little too quickly.

Deciding on a date had been agonizing. A coffee shop would've been uninteresting and the regular options like a movie, walk, or restaurant felt too basic. Too ordinary. I didn't know enough about him to guess the kinds of things he liked, but he'd mentioned he had a classics degree. Henry rarely showed up to the diner without something to read either, which proved he was a bookworm. So I put my luck here: this library's special collection of Greek and Roman literature was on the smaller side, but it was a public attraction for the building.

Walking around, I couldn't help thinking the actual building was an attraction too. The ground floor was open aired, with vaulted windows soaring over our heads to let streams of sunlight fan across the ancient shelves and dark oak tables. Pockets of sitting spaces were surrounded by rows of books with age-worn covers of different sizes.

"I've heard about this place," Henry murmured. He ducked his head, dropping his voice. "We can talk in here right?"

"It's not exam season, so yes?" I grinned. Being an afternoon on a weekend, there weren't many people shuffling between the aisles. It was peacefully still, save for the occasional sounds of turning pages. We wandered around, choosing books for ourselves and eventually finding a staircase to a second level platform. It held a cozy nook with cushioned chairs and a back wall layered in dense ivy vines. Potted plants sat along the glass balcony a couple paces away, hiding us from sight.

Settling in, I couldn't help glancing over him again. The plaid jacket was gone, in its place a soft-collared cardigan and a button up. It was a stark change from his usual dark colours, and even a bit formal. Maybe he'd gone somewhere before this.

His eyes swept up, catching me off guard. "What is it?"

"I was just... wondering when you graduated."

"Seven years ago," his smile went a little crooked, "thankfully, this still feels familiar."

Familiar was good. Familiar meant comfortable. I settled deeper into my chair, "I've been in most of the libraries on campus. They're all so old and worn and lived in. It's cozy."

"The library I went to was ancient. The librarians would be breathing down our necks if a page was flipped too fast," he chuckled at the memory.

I smiled behind my book. "You must have spent a lot of time there."

"I didn't have much of a choice. The professors were sticklers, demanding our papers be written with all primary sources. Of course, there weren't any databases that digitized Grecian passages," a rueful grin came across his face, "but I could read pretty much anything about Greek and Roman myths."

"You sound happy talking about it," I added.

"I liked learning, being a student." He could definitely pass for one from the way he sat in that chair, comfortable amongst the shelves and silence.

"But what you do now is different though," I continued, remembering he'd mentioned it before, "you work in your parent's business?" Henry nodded. "Why did you make that change?"

"They needed me. I knew how to do the work and there wasn't anyone else they could rely on to get it done," he said it so simply. There wasn't a trace of unhappiness or dissatisfaction on his face either.