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Chapter Text

025         Library operations

Hecate stood, hands clenched at her side, behind the podium, unsure if she should keep standing or take her place among the handful of people who had attended tonight’s City Council meeting.

“Look, Egbert,” Ursula Hallow leaned towards her microphone, waving a sheet of paper in her hand. “I know your grandmother served as the librarian for aaages, but this isn’t personal. Look at the numbers! I’m not making some baseless claim! These figures were provided by Miss Hardbroom herself. Usage is down. The building needs repairs. The library has been operating in the red for years. It’s a drain on the taxpayers.”

Mayor Hellibore’s face reddened three shades, but he kept his tone even. “Libraries provide valuable community services, Ursula. If—”

“Clearly not to this community. Do people even need libraries anymore? Doesn’t everyone just Google the information they need and read e-books?” Ursula waved the paper again. “The numbers just don’t bear out the funding.”

Hecate studied the other council members, trying to gauge if they leaned towards Hellibore’s position or were siding with Ursula. They mostly looked bored. She realized she’d lost track of the debate when Mayor Hellibore slapped the table and rose to his feet.

“That’s it! The rest of this discussion will be held in closed session. Let’s go!” He pointed towards a door off to the side and waited until Ursula had huffed her way in and the rest of the Council had followed, wearily, behind her.

Hecate returned to her chair, stiffly taking her seat among the rest of the attendees. An older woman leaned over and patted her forearm.

“Don’t you worry, my dear, everything will turn out all right. You’ll see.” Bright blue eyes twinkled out from behind a pair of wire-rimmed bifocals. “Would you care for a lemon drop?” A paper sack appeared from nowhere.

“Thank you,” Hecate said, keeping her eyes trained on the door, “for the kind words and the candy.” She accepted the offering and settled back into her chair and waited for the Council to return.

And she waited.

And waited.

And waited until she was the only person left in the Council chamber. Now and again she would hear Mayor Hellibore’s raised voice through the closed door. The clock on the wall ticked past midnight before the door flew open and Egbert’s narrowed eyes landed on Hecate. She scrambled to her feet.

Hellibore loomed over her, radiating anger. “Funded. For now. I’ll be at the library with the details as soon as I can. Open tomorrow as usual.” He stalked away before Hecate could stammer out a bewildered ‘yes, sir.’

302         Social interaction

Hecate’s low heels clopped across the parking lot, slowing as she approached the front gates to the library. She tried to look at it the same way Ursula Hallow did, as a drain on the city. Admittedly, the old girl had seen finer days, but the building remained solid. The façade needed a sprucing up, a fact emphasized by the bleak January morning. Rust stained the brick below the iron bolts securing the library’s name plaque, and some wag had drawn a monster’s gaping mouth on the overnight drop box. Again. Hecate’s already low mood dropped even further. Maybe Ursula had a point.

Looking at the ground, Hecate’s frustration flared. Two newspapers sat in front of the gate. There should have been three. Sighing heavily, Hecate crossed over to the hedges on the left, pushing branches out of the way and soaking her coat sleeve in the heavy dew. She really would have to call and speak with the newspaper about the delivery person. The cold nipped at her nose and ears – she hadn’t bothered with her scarf just to come in from her car.

Shifting to the hedges on the right, Hecate continued to forage until she found the third newspaper. Fortunately, the plastic sleeve stayed in place this time. She tucked the papers under her arm and continued through the small patio area to the outer doors of the library, entering quickly and locking the doors behind her.

Inside the foyer, she inspected the brown tile floor and found it acceptable. The water fountain gleamed; the restrooms were tidy. She double-checked the broken toilet in the women’s washroom, making sure the dribbling leak hadn’t grown and that the ‘out of order’ sign remained in place. With a curt nod she continued into the library, unlocking the inner glass doors and turning on the lights. She glanced at the clock over the circulation desk – 7:36. Her search for the misthrown newspaper had put her seven minutes behind schedule. Tutting to herself, she placed the papers on the counter as she circled around it to access her office in the rear. Once she’d placed her lunch in the tiny refrigerator and set the electric tea kettle to heating, she continued her morning routine. She flipped on lights, turned on the circulation desk computer and activated the sensitizing equipment.

Taking a deep breath, Hecate moved to the row of computer desks along the back wall, praying they would boot up without incident today. The library desperately needed new ones, but money just hadn’t been available. Plus, Hecate thought, not for the first time, the library is a place for books, a home for the written word. As far as she was concerned, the computers were simply an unwelcome encroachment – as were the DVDs. Sighing, she opened the door to the Children’s Library, a smaller room just off the main room that housed the children’s books – and, Hecate hoped, kept the chaos that generally accompanied children confined as well. Once she’d hung the newspapers in their racks, Hecate gave the main library one last inspection, finally satisfied the library was ready to start the day.

Hecate had just finished resetting the patron counter to zero when a flash of movement at the outside doors caught her eye. She spotted someone milling about outside in the courtyard. Hecate glanced at the clock: 7:52. Technically, the library wouldn’t open for another eight minutes. She pulled a dust cloth out of a drawer and gave the entire circulation desk, as well as the card catalog, a thorough wiping down. She checked the time again: 7:57.

Heaving one last sigh, Hecate arranged her face into a smile and approached the outer doors. The figure outside, an older woman bundled up in a plum-colored quilted coat, hurried over but stopped a polite distance away. Hecate twisted the key and held the door open. “Good morning! Welcome to the Lucille Fairweather Memorial Library.” She gestured for the woman to come in from the cold. “What can we do for you today?”

“Good morning to you! I know I’m early, but after all the fuss last night I simply had to come see this library of yours.” She slipped past Hecate, patting her shoulder as she passed. “It’s a lovely bit of a thing, isn’t it? I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been in before. The courtyard must be beautiful in the warmer months.”

“L-Last night?” Hecate hurried after the woman, trying to place her. “We spoke last night?”

“We did indeed, my dear.” She turned and smiled gently. “Though I expect you were a bit preoccupied.” One blue eye winked up at Hecate.

“The lemon drops! I do remember you.” A genuine smile lit Hecate’s face as she opened the inner door and waited for her guest to enter. “You were very kind to me last night.”

“You looked like you could use a friendly face.” The woman took it all in, spinning in a slow circle before pulling off a knitted glove and extending a hand to Hecate. “Ada Cackle. Well met, my dear.”

“Hecate Hardbroom.” She clasped Ada’s hand between her own. “Well met, indee— My goodness! Your hands are freezing!” She pulled the older woman further inside. “I have a pot of tea going. Please, join me for a cup?”

Hecate settled Ada into one of the upholstered reading chairs in front of the magazine racks before disappearing into her office. She returned a few moments later with two steaming mugs of tea.

Ada accepted her mug gratefully, warming her hands on the sides and breathing in the steam. “That’s sure to knock the chill off,” she said. “Earl Grey?” Ada took a sip, doing her best to stifle a grimace.

“Irish breakfast, I’m afraid. I’m sorry to say I can’t offer you any milk or sugar. I drink it black, mostly, or with a bit of lemon.” Hecate watched, slightly horrified, as Ada pulled the bag of lemon drops out of her purse and dropped one into her tea.

“Nothing to worry about. January is always so dreary, isn’t it? Like winter will never end.” Ada chattered on about a whirlwind of topics that Hecate struggled to follow.

Hecate nodded dutifully, spoke whenever she felt like she had something to add, and silently cursed herself for sitting in the chair that faced away from the wall clock behind the circulation desk. She fingered the pocket watch that hung, ever-present, around her neck but resisted the temptation to check the time.

Preoccupied by the carnage that Ada was wreaking on her Friday morning schedule, Hecate didn’t even hear the door open until two people tumbled into the library, breathless and windblown.

“That must be Julie Hubble,” Hecate said, baring her teeth in a way that almost mimicked a smile. Julie Hubble showed up almost every day to use the computers or simply to loiter. After school and on weekends, she would have her ten-year-old daughter Mildred in tow. For some reason, the girl was with her today.

“Steady there, love! Hold still so I can get these buttons undone!” The girl, a pale skinny thing with long brown plaits, stood neither steady nor still as her mother struggled to free her from her too-small winter coat.

“Can I play on the computer?” She asked hopefully while bouncing from one booted foot to the other. Hecate winced as she watched one booted foot land squarely on Ms. Hubble’s toes. “It’s so warm in here!”

“Toes, Mildred!” She finally managed to peel the coat away. “Homework first, you know the rules. Term starts again on Monday, and you’ve hardly done any of your Christmas break homework. Besides, your mum needs to do a bit of work on the computer this morning.” She pointed at the reading chair closest to the computer desks. “Get on with you then, Bunnyboo. And no sneaking in any drawing until you finish your maths.” Mildred raced towards the chair.

“WALK!” Hecate barked as the girl dashed by. She immediately skidded to a stop and walked slowly the rest of the way. “Might I remind you that you are in a library. There are other guests who don’t care to be disturbed by noise and… shenanigans.”

“Yes, Miss Hardbroom,” Mildred said, quietly settling into the chair. Her earlier enthusiasm evaporated under Hecate’s glare.

“Don’t worry, Miss Hardbroom,” the girl’s mother said, “there won’t be any shenanigans.”

“I certainly hope not, Ms. Hubble,” Hecate said, pointedly turning to look at a purplish stain on the beige carpet.

“That was an accident, Miss Hardbroom, not the result of any bloody shenanigans. Besides, Millie’s not allowed to paint with her watercolors here anymore, is she? And for the thousandth time, it’s Julie.” She pulled a knit cap off and unleashed a riot of blonde curls. As Julie shrugged out of her coat, she noticed that Hecate wasn’t alone. “Oh! I beg your pardon! I didn’t even notice you had company, Miss Hardbroom! I’m not used to seeing anyone else in the library.” Julie saw Hecate’s face harden and rushed to add “at this hour! I mean… I’m not used to seeing anyone else here at this hour.” She leaned over and practically stuck her hand in Ada’s face. “Julie Hubble, pleased to meet you.”

“And you, dear! I’m Ada. Ada Cackle. So, you’re a regular? Lovely!” She glanced over at Mildred. “You have a lovely daughter.”

“Who should be in school…” Hecate muttered.

“Term hasn’t started yet. And yes, Ada, she is. I don’t know how I managed to get so lucky.” She looked over her shoulder at the computers. “Sorry, but I do have some work I need to be doing. Pleasure to meet you, Ada. I’ll let you two get back to your tea.” Julie’s eyes lingered a bit on Ada’s mug. “I’m just going to…” she pointed and took a couple of steps back.

Hecate sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. “Would you care for a cup of tea, Ms. Hubble?”

“That would be delightful!” Julie grinned much too broadly at the suggestion.

Sniffing in irritation, Hecate bustled back into her office to fetch another cup of tea. Fetching tea for Julie Hubble… Really, she thought, could this day get any worse?

Hecate snapped her pocket watch closed with a soft snick. 5:55. Though Ada had spent much of the day visiting, fewer than a dozen people had come to the library all day; Egbert Hellibore had not been one of them. Her office featured a window that looked out into the library. She used it to watch the Hubbles as they bundled up for the trip back home. Once again, they’d spent the entire day in the library with nothing for Hecate to show for it save two clicks on the traffic counter. They didn’t check out a single book. They never did.

“Miss Hardbroom!” Hellibore’s unmistakable bellow shattered the quiet of the library. “Miss Hardbroom!”

Startled, Hecate leapt from her chair and rushed out of her office, certain she’d dropped her stomach somewhere behind the circulation desk. “Yes, Mayor. Come –” She stopped dead in her tracks. A blonde woman wearing a shockingly pink winter coat stood behind him. Hecate ignored her for now.

“Forgive the late hour, Miss Hardbroom. I’ve been… sparring with that blasted Ursula Hallow all day. She’s determined to shut this library down. Damned if I know why, though.” He pushed past Hecate, stalking into the middle of the library. Planting his fists on his hips, Hellibore slowly spun in a circle, taking it all in. “This branch has served this city for decades. And I refuse to let that… witch… try to destroy my family’s legacy.” Pointing a finger at Hecate, he continued. “Did you know that my Great-grandmother Fairweather bought the first books for this library with her own money? She sold eggs from the family chickens.”

Hecate scurried after him, making frantic shooing motions towards the Hubbles as she passed. “Yes, Mr. Mayor, I – excuse me, sir, but last night you said that the library had been funded. I don’t… I don’t understand.”

Hellibore’s shoulders slumped, and he dropped onto one of the sofas in the middle of the room. “For six months only… after that… Unless you meet certain usage and circulation requirements… I’m sorry, Hecate. That’s the best I could do.”

“Six months?” The woman in the ridiculous pink coat finally spoke. Hecate’s head whipped up; she’d forgotten all about her. “Is that true, Egbert? The job you just talked me in to taking is only for six months?”

“Wait – what job?” Hecate interrupted, turning back to the Mayor. “Who is she?”

“Who’s…what?” Hellibore looked up at the woman in pink as if he’d only now realized she was there. “Oh…ah… well she’s… Now look, Hecate, you have to underst—”

“Who. Is. She?”

Hellibore scrubbed his face with his hands before throwing them into the air in surrender. “She’s the new librarian.”

“You can’t sack Miss Hardbroom!” They all looked over to see Julie Hubble clapping a hand over Mildred’s mouth.

With slow, stiff movements, Hecate rose and made her way to the doors. “I’m sorry, Ms. Hubble,” Hecate said, her voice almost too quiet to hear, “I’m afraid the library is closed for the evening.” Julie opened her mouth to speak, but Hecate cut her off. “We’re closed.”

Julie nodded and gave Hecate’s hand a squeeze. “Good night, Miss Hardbroom,” she whispered, pulling a protesting Mildred out the door behind her.

Hecate turned back to the Mayor and the pink monstrosity he brought into her library. She prayed she could keep her stomach and her tears under control. “The new librarian. I see.” She grasped the card catalog to steady herself. “I shouldn’t be surprised, I suppose.”

Egbert looked puzzled, before he realized how it must sound to Hecate. “She’s not here to replace you, Miss Hardbroom.”

“Oh! No! Of course, I’m not. I’m the new assistant librarian!” She smiled brightly and waved. “Pippa Pentangle. As I understand it, I’m here to help out as media specialist and children’s librarian.” She looked at the mayor. “But, only for six months? Egbert?”

He started to speak but Hecate interrupted again. “Assistant? How are we paying for that? I’m pinching every penny as it is.” And covering the shortfalls myself, she thought.

“Sit down, ladies. Let me fill you in.” He waited until both women had taken a seat, Pippa on the sofa beside him, Hecate on the one across. Pippa forced a smile, even as Hecate glared warily at her. “Look, I know the situation isn’t ideal. I had available grant money, enough to fund a salary for six months, and I decided to use it here.” He held up a hand towards Pippa. “I know I should have mentioned it, and I won’t blame you if you want to back out. But if you – both of you – can turn things around here, then I don’t see why we can’t come up with funding to make the position permanent.”

“You don’t think I’m up to the job,” Hecate muttered.

“Nonsense, Miss Hardbroom. You’ve been keeping this library running on a shoestring budget. If it weren’t for you, my family legacy would have already been shut down. I’m offering you some help. You’re going to need it.” He pulled a folded paper from his inside coat pocket. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do better than this.”

Hecate unfolded the paper and read her new performance goals, heart sinking with every line. “That’s it, then. I don’t see how we can meet these goals.”

“Ursula Hallow doesn’t think you can meet them either, but she bloody well convinced the rest of the Council that you should.” Hellibore snorted in disgust. “I couldn’t get you any more money, either. In fact, the funds were cut by two percent.”

“May I?” Pippa held her hand out for the paper, her patient smile waiting until Hecate reluctantly handed it over. She skimmed the paper, frowning, before rummaging through her purse to retrieve a pair of hot pink reading glasses. Reading again, her frown deepened. “These don’t look too bad… how many visitors came in today?”

Hecate fidgeted with her pocket watch necklace. “I believe we had eleven.”

Pippa’s eyes jerked up to meet Hecate’s over the top of her readers. “Oh… that’s… then these are very ambitious numbers.”

“You can be sure that was Ursula’s point,” Hellibore grumbled. He stared at his hands in silence for a few moments before slapping them against his knees loud enough to make both women jump. “Well, no sense wallowing in it, is there? I trust you ladies will come up with something. You’ve got six months. I know you won’t let me down.” Without another word, the Mayor hauled himself to his feet and exited the library, leaving Hecate and Pippa staring at one another in the empty room.

Pippa forced an over-bright smile on her face. “Well… I know this isn’t ideal, but I’m sure we’ll manage to come up with something if we just put our—”

“I don’t know what you think you’re going to do here. I certainly don’t need anyone coming into my library and telling me what I need to do to improve things.” She stood to leave.

Pippa’s face and voice both hardened. “Clearly you do, Miss Hardbroom, or Egbert wouldn’t have asked me to come. I’m here because Egbert believes I can help you. As do I. And because I want this job. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot, but I see no reason we can’t get on. I hope that we might come to be great friends, even.”

“You do, do you? Well… I can think of…” she snatched the paper from Pippa’s hand and scanned it again. “One hundred and twenty-five reasons a day why that won’t happen. You think you can come in here and change everything and be some sort of hero at the last minute while I’ve been working myself to the bone here for years? I don’t think so. The Children’s Library is through that door, Miss Pentangle. Confine yourself to there and stay out of my way. The six months will be over before you know it.”

Pippa fumed as Hecate stalked back towards her office and began the process of closing down the library for the night. “Damn you, Egbert,” she muttered to no one in particular.

Sipping her latte, Pippa studied Hecate Hardbroom through the windshield of her car. What a strange woman, she thought, watching as Hecate rummaged through the shrubbery despite the morning snow flurry. Pippa breathed in the sharp scent of peppermint, hoping it would perk her up a bit. She hadn’t slept much last night. Instead, she’d tossed and turned while she debated quitting this ridiculous job. She still had half a mind to tell Egbert he could shove this job offer right up his mayoral ass.

Hardbroom emerged from the bushes shaking the snow from a plastic-wrapped newspaper. She paused for a moment and stared pointedly at Pippa before stalking into the library courtyard and out of sight. Pippa knew she needed a job. She didn’t know that it had to be this job.

“Make up your mind, Pentangle – either check the book out or put it back on the shelf. Six months”, she told herself. “I can do anything for six months.” Unfortunately, her efforts at convincing herself kept getting undermined by the niggling voice in her head asking, but do I have to? She tapped pink nails against her steering wheel. “Do I want to?” Pippa studied the library exterior in the daylight. The deep red brick looked like it could use a good scrubbing, but otherwise it seemed in decent shape, if a bit shabby around the edges. “All you need is a little love, don’t you?” Certainty slowly blossomed in her stomach and spread through her chest. “I’ll get you sorted; you’ll see. We won’t let some cranky old witch dressed like a Goth schoolmarm scare us off.” Nodding resolutely, Pippa climbed out of her car and marched into the library.

Pippa stopped in the courtyard behind the wrought iron gates. She didn’t get much of a look last night. On her right, a three-tiered fountain sat empty, surrounded by dead leaves and frost-wilted plants. On her left, a pair of benches sat beneath a bare oak tree – no doubt the donor of all the leaves. A sudden burst of icy wind sent Pippa scurrying into the warmth of the library proper.

The outer doors opened into a short, wide hallway with restrooms and a water fountain on the left and a plain wall bearing the name of the library in brushed bronze letters on the right. A row of portraits hung beneath the letters. Stern-faced women stared back at Pippa from the past, going all the way back to Lucy Fairweather, the first librarian of what had then been the South Somerton Library. Pippa had read up on her when Egbert called and begged her to take this job. She’d been quite the formidable woman, forcing the town council to charter a library through sheer audacity. No wonder Egbert didn’t want to see his family legacy disappear.

As she continued making her way into the library, Pippa noticed the portraits weren’t properly centered under the lettering. Strange, she thought, that didn’t seem like Hardbroom at all. Getting out a laser level, tape measure and caliper seemed more her style. It looked more like one of the portraits had just been… removed. Hecate Hardbroom’s portrait, to be specific. Pippa stepped in closer to the wall, pulling on her reading glasses. She could just make out a slight darkening of the wallpaper where the portrait should be. Shrugging, she dropped her glasses back into her handbag. Snatched by some aggravated patron, no doubt.

The brown tile floor, while dated, glowed under the fluorescent lights. Thankfully, cleanliness didn’t seem to be an issue. She breezed through the inner doors, taking in the familiar security gates and people counters. And the smell. Pippa closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar, visceral scent of books – lots of them. Nothing smelled quite like libraries. The scent of old paper mingled with wood polish, and Pippa knew she’d made the right decision, Gothy schoolmarm witch or no.

“The doors open for patrons at 8 am. I would expect someone who considers herself an employee to arrive sooner,” Hecate sniffed from behind the circulation desk.

“I believe Mayor Hellibore considers me an employee as well… at least for the next six months,” Pippa replied, saccharine-laced snark coating each word. “But you’re correct. It certainly wouldn’t do for me to get caught up in the morning rush. I’ll be here earlier tomorrow.” Pippa watched with some satisfaction as Hecate’s cheeks colored. “Now, where shall I put my things?”

Hecate gestured to a coat rack standing in the corner near the entrance. “There, I suppose.”

Pippa glanced at the rack, arching a single eyebrow as she stared back at Hecate. “As we’ve just established, Miss Hardbroom, I’m an employee, not a patron. I require a desk and a secure area to put my belongings. Now… let’s see…”

Pippa swept past the circulation desk and into the librarian’s office. As she expected, the room radiated orderliness: desk surface clear, chair pushed in, catalogs stacked neatly in a bookcase – in alphabetical order, no less. She spotted a second desk at the far end of the room. It currently held a dorm-sized refrigerator, tea set, and tiny cupboard, but that would soon be remedied.

“I’ll take this one. We’ll move a little table or something in here for the fridge. It may be a bit cozy, but we’ll manage.”

“You…you…” Hecate’s cheeks were much redder now. “You can’t just… swan in here and start rearranging my things. I am still the Head Librarian here and—”

“For six months,” Pippa interjected. “Show me the other office, then.”

Hecate sputtered, looking around as if some new room had magically appeared. “You can… put your desk in the Children’s Room!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I’ll not have my work desk in the middle of the library.”

“There’s no room in here! Just find a place—”

“If you’re so against sharing the office, then you can move out into the stacks. I’d suggest the 390’s. You could stand to brush up.”

Hecate frowned. “The three…” Manners, she realized. “Now, look here—”

Pippa cut her off again. “I’m taking this desk, Miss Hardbroom. Period. You can keep arguing about it if you’d like, or you could go see to the people that just walked into the library!” She pointed at the figures on the other side of the window.

Hecate huffed out of the office, mortified until she realized it was only the Hubbles. Again.

“Good morning, Miss Hardbroom! I thought you’d been sacked, but Mum said you’d still be here!”

“Millie!” Julie quickly shushed her daughter and hustled her towards the computer chairs. “What Mildred meant to say was that she’s so pleased to see you this morning! Not that we wouldn’t! See you, I mean… uh… so you’re friends with the Mayor, eh?”

“Good morning, Ms. Hubble,” Hecate ground out through gritted teeth. She could hear that infernal Pentangle woman rummaging about the workroom, doing heaven knows what to her carefully arranged workspace. A loud thud nearly sent her running into the back room. “What can I help you with today?” Another thud.

Julie tried to hold back a grin, with limited success. “How about I just,” she pointed a thumb over her shoulder, “go boot those computers up for you?” Nodding and grinning broadly, Julie backed away, bumping into the card catalog as she went.

Hecate dashed into the workroom, skidding to a stop just inside the door. “What in the name of Gutenberg’s press are you doing?”

Pippa wrestled a folding table out of a back corner. “I was unaware the press had a name.” She flipped the table on its end. “This will do nicely, I believe. Help me move it into the office?”

Hecate stalked away in a huff.

“Don’t worry about it then! I know you’re busy!” Pippa dragged the table towards the office. “I’ll just take care of it myself,” she muttered.

The rest of the day and most of the next week passed in much the same way. Pippa and Hecate developed a routine, of sorts. Hecate went about her daily routine while Pippa observed, took copious notes and otherwise made herself at home. They didn’t speak unless absolutely necessary.

Not that Pippa hadn’t tried. She’d essentially been carrying on conversations with herself for days – or with any unsuspecting patrons that couldn’t excuse themselves away. She tried to include Hecate whenever she could, however, after they nearly came to blows over the library web page, Pippa decided that she would simply do as she thought best, Hecate be damned.

The only bright spot during these first few days turned out to be Dimity Drill, a volunteer who worked in the library every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Boisterous and funny with a knack for teasing Hecate in just the right way, Dimity quickly proved herself invaluable to Pippa’s sanity.

“I didn’t know we had anyone volunteering!” Pippa had exclaimed at their first meeting.

“That’s because I’m HB’s dirty little secret – ISN’T THAT RIGHT, HB?” Dimity had called over her shoulder. “You don’t want anyone to know I’m your favorite!”

“If by favorite, you mean ‘cross I have to bear,’ then I suppose you are correct.” Hecate had snorted before she disappeared into the workroom.

Now that she thought about it, that was the first – and only – time Pippa had seen even a spark of humor from her dour coworker.

000 Computer science, information & general works

Sitting in her car in front of the library, Pippa breathed in the scent of her caramel macchiato and tried to steel herself for the day ahead. A stop at the neighborhood coffee shop, Beans and Queens, had quickly become a part of her morning routine. She still found it utterly incomprehensible that the library didn’t have a coffee pot. At least the coffee at Beans and Queens was good. She promised herself that one of these days she’d take the time to stop in and play a game or two on one of their many chess boards.

Today marked the first day of her second full week at the library. She’d observed, made notes and generally ruffled Hecate Hardbroom’s feathers more times than she could count. Today she would start making some changes.

As she sat there, putting off going inside, an older man walked up and started digging through the bushes. Pippa leaned forward to get a closer look.

Judging from the state of his clothing, Pippa thought the man might be a vagrant. Perhaps he was looking for aluminum cans to recycle? She couldn’t guess what else he might be searching for in the shrubbery. Shutting off the car, Pippa climbed out and approached the man.

“Good morning, sir!” Pippa waved, stopping a few feet away. “Is there something I can help you with?”

‘Nah, I’m checking the soil, cleaning up under the bushes.”

“It’s freezing out here. Wouldn’t you rather come inside?” The cold began seeping through her shoes.

“The garden’s not inside, now is it?” He kept on tending to the shrubbery. “I’ll be along once I’ve finished my work for Miss Hardbroom. She’ll have a nice cuppa waiting for me.”

“A cup of…” Pippa couldn’t believe it. She knew Hecate hated to spend money, but to take advantage of someone in need? “You don’t need to do a single thing out here! Come on in where it’s warm, and I’ll fix you up with all the tea you want.”

He drew himself up to his full height, looking down at her. “Do I look like some sort of charity case to you? Is that it? You look at me and see some helpless old man? You don’t know me, little miss. Now leave me be. I’ve got work to do.”

Pippa opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish that had fallen out of its bowl. Spinning on her heel, she marched into the library, Hecate in her sights.

“Hecate Hardbroom!” She stopped just inside the office door. “Do you have a homeless man working in the garden in order to get some tea?”

“Oh! Is Mr. Rowan-Webb here?” She ducked under her desk and pulled out a crumpled paper bag. “He’s early!” She snatched her coat from its hook and squeezed past Pippa. Growling in frustration, Pippa followed behind her.

They met Mr. Rowan-Webb in the foyer.

“Algernon! How have you been?” She shook his hand. “They were having a sale at the home center. The man said it wasn’t too late to plant daffodils and tulips. I went ahead and bought some for the front.”

He took the bag and checked inside, shaking it so he could inspect the bulbs. “Nah, plenty of time to plant yet. They might be pretty, but these beauties are tougher than you think! I noticed you’ve been picking up under the shrubs, Miss Hardbroom. We’ve talked about that!” He waggled a finger at her good-naturedly, until he saw Pippa. “This one with you?” He asked, his words clipped. “She thinks I’m a bloody beggar.”

“What? Oh, for the love of… Really, Miss Pentangle!” Hecate’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Rowan-Webb. She’s new here and she often has opinions on Things She Knows Nothing About.”

Pippa worked her jaw but managed to hold her tongue.

“She’s full of opinions, all right.” Algernon gave her one last scathing look before heading back out into the cold.

Hecate rounded on Pippa as soon as he was out of earshot. “What did you say to him?”

“Nothing but the truth! I told him that he didn’t have to do your grubber work in order to come in and have a cup of tea.”

Hecate squeezed the bridge of her nose. “Please tell me you didn’t actually use that vulgar description.”

“Vulgar? Vulgar? For god’s sake, Hecate, of course not. Don’t change the subject. You’re using that poor man as some sort of slave labor just to save a few pounds.”

“That is quite enough! I tolerate your presence here because I have no choice. I tolerate you skulking about with your little notebook, rearranging rooms and updating the website because again, I don’t seem to have any choice in the matter. But when it comes to the people who frequent this library, I’ll thank you not to meddle in affairs that you know nothing about!” She pushed past Pippa and into the library.

Pippa knew she’d been dismissed but she didn’t care. She trailed after Hecate, pointing out the door. “You have an old man who is clearly, well, if not actually homeless, he’s very near it and you’re… you’re exploiting him!”

Hecate stopped at the office door, whirling around so suddenly that Pippa crashed right into her. Hecate didn’t give an inch. “What I have, Miss Pentangle, is a master gardener who no longer has a garden. That ‘grubber’ is Mr. Algernon Rowan-Webb! Perhaps you’ve heard of him? His garden used to be on the home tours every year. I went once. It was exquisite.”

Pippa took a step back, her indignation evaporating under Hecate’s glare. “No, but I’ve seen the homes on those tours. They aren’t cottages. How did he…”

“He lost the love of his life in some sort of accident some years ago. He said he couldn’t face going back into their home again. I think drink may have been involved, but I don’t know for certain because I don’t pry in other people’s affairs. He doesn’t drink now.” Hecate sat at her desk and tapped the space bar a couple of times to wake up her computer.

“He just… plants discount daffodils at the library?”

Sighing, Hecate shrugged a shoulder. “It gives him the chance to do what he loves, even on a smaller scale. I give him tea and food when he’ll accept it.” Her gaze hardened. “That’s all I can do for him because it’s all he will allow. I’ll thank you not to insult him to the point I can’t even do that.”

“I won’t. I’m sorry, Hecate.” Pippa sunk into her desk chair. Her second week was starting off even worse than the first.

Thursday dawned cold but clear, the sort of day that looked warm through the window but took your breath away as soon as you stepped outside. Pippa sipped her morning coffee, grateful for its warmth. Stopping at Beans, as the regulars called it, had quickly become the highlight of her day. Even with the stop, she still managed to get to work at almost the same time as Hecate. They exchanged curt ‘good mornings’ and went their separate ways as much as they were able, each attending to her own duties. Pippa logged onto the computers, hung the day’s newspapers on their racks and dusted the circulation area while Hecate checked the restrooms, reset the people counters and checked the overnight book drop.

Once Hecate seemed occupied, Pippa went to work on today’s undercover project: setting up free Wi-Fi to attract more patrons. She pulled the new router out of her bag and tucked it behind one of the desktop computers, certain that Hecate wouldn’t come snooping anywhere near the electronics. She’d memorized how to set it up last night, so it only took a second. A quick bit of typing later and Pippa had the Wi-Fi up and running. She pulled out a few placards she’d printed up last night with the password, ‘readingisfun,’ and placed them around the library.

Before Hecate had time to notice, Pippa hurried out to her car, popped the boot, and wrestled a wooden sandwich board out of it. She’d spent an hour the night before trawling Pinterest for tips on how to do decorative lettering. Careful not to smudge the chalk, Pippa opened it up and set it in front of the library gates, angling it so anyone walking or driving by would be able to read it. “FREE WI-FI” stood out in bold, bright letters. Pippa grinned, pleased with her efforts – surely that would pull in a few more bodies.

Inside the library, one of the placards dangled from two slim fingers before being dropped unceremoniously into the trash.

The rest of the morning passed in a silent battle of wills – Hecate would drop a placard into the rubbish bin and Pippa would fish it out and put it back on display. It only slowed down when a few teenagers ducked inside to use the Wi-Fi. Pippa would have liked to claim a victory, but it only served to make Hecate even frostier.

Hecate didn’t relent in her war on the placards until Julie Hubble arrived just after noon. As soon as she’d walked in the door, Pippa had enlisted her as an ally – a rather enthusiastic one, at that. Julie needed the distraction. She’d had a job interview that morning, one that had seemed to go well – at least at first. Pippa offered a cup of tea and a sympathetic ear.

“I thought I had a good shot, finally,” Julie had said, “at least until the next bugger came in and called the interviewer ‘Uncle Clark.’ I don’t think I’ll be getting a call back for this one.”

It was the fifth interview in as many weeks for Julie. Apparently, no one wanted to hire a middle-aged single mother who’d been out of the job market for almost ten years.

The library door flew open as Dimity Drill bounded in, peeling out of her jacket with a flourish. “Oi, HB! The highlight of your day is here!”

“Hmph…” Hecate rolled her eyes. “If you’re the highlight… ‘Tis a dark day, indeed.” She pushed a book cart towards Dimity. “Be useful.”

Dimity grabbed the cart and gave Hecate a smart salute. Only a dozen books needed to be reshelved. It wouldn’t take her long, which suited Dimity just fine. Pippa had already enlisted her help in a secret project in the Children’s Room – painting the beige walls something brighter.

“So, Pentangle, who’d you piss off to get sentenced with her royal crankiness?” Dimity scooped up a load of books. They were busily clearing the children’s books from the shelves so they could paint behind them.

“I wish I knew,” she chuckled. “You could call it a moment of weakness, I suppose.” Pippa pulled another armload of books off the shelf and stacked them on a table in the middle of the room. “Don’t tell Miss Hardbroom, but this is actually my first position. I just finished my degree in December.”

“Second career then,” Dimity nodded. “What did you do before?”

“What was expected of me.” Pippa rolled her shoulders to loosen them before she grabbed another load of books. “I needed a change. Two years and one divorce later, here I am.” She dropped her stack on the table. “What about you? You come here of your own free will.” She leaned in closer to Dimity. “Or does she have you trapped by some evil spell?”

Dimity laughed so hard she nearly dropped her books. “If she had magic, I’d have bloody disappeared years ago. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you bringing her coffee every morning trying to butter her up.” Dimity plopped onto the corner of the table to catch her breath and wipe the tears from her eyes. “If you ask her, she’ll say she tolerates me because I came with the library. She’s not too far off the mark.” She went back to clearing the shelves. “My third year of uni, me mates and I got into a bit of high spirits the night before a big rugby match against Amulet’s. One pub led to another, and the next thing we knew a statue of a Very Important Person managed to lose an arm. Those toffs at Amulet’s didn’t find it very humorous. Seein’ as I was one of the older ones in the bunch, the judge thought I should have been a better example. I got two hundred and fifty hours of community service. My lacrosse coach was right pissed about it and told me if I wanted to stay on his team, I could just double it.”

“Surely you’ve finished by now…” Pippa teased.

“Shut up, you wanker, I’m sharing the details of my sordid past. We’re bonding.” She swatted at Pippa’s backside with a copy of The Rainbow Fish. “Anyway, I got assigned to the library. Mrs. Langford ran the place back then, and let me tell you, meeting her changed my life. She helped put me back on the straight and narrow – ish?” She winked. “Being here gave me a sense of… purpose? I don’t know. It sounds sappy.”

“You found a place that you belonged.”

“Yeah. I did. And I can’t just turn my back on the place. Or HB. My job as a sports writer is pretty flexible so I can still help out.”

“The library I can understand, but Hecate?” Pippa cocked an eyebrow at her. “I’ll admit I’m surprised you kept coming after Hecate took over. She’s… intense.”

“To say the least,” Dimity agreed with a chuckle. “Are you sure you’re being fair to her, though? You did show up here just when everything went pear-shaped. She hasn’t always been this bad. She was really there for me when my mum passed. I never would’ve gotten through it all without her. Lately, though, she’s changed. Now she’s like a spring that’s just getting wound tighter and tighter.”

Pippa considered Dimity’s assessment of Hecate. Wound tight, for sure, and Pippa knew that a spring wound too tight would snap. “When did she change? When the library started losing patrons?”

“The library’d been shedding patrons long before HB took over, though Ursula Hallow seems to have forgotten that. I don’t know why she’s got it in for the place, but those budget cuts started years ago. I can tell you that Ursula Hallow doesn’t care much for HB, either. When Langford retired, HB was the assistant librarian, so it made sense that they’d appoint her the new Head. Instead, Ursula kept going on about bringing in fresh blood. If you ask me, I think Hallow wanted somebody with no experience who’d muck it all up – and for less money to boot.” Dimity came and sat on the table next to Pippa. “HB’s been playing defense against the bloody Council ever since.”

Pippa thought about what Dimity had said. “That seems plausible, I suppose, but why?”

“I don’t have a clue, but I will say this: as much as I loved Mrs. Langford, she stayed on a bit too long. She was past eighty when she finally stepped down, too old to do her duties properly. Got left behind by all the new technology… not that we had the funding for it anyway. HB would never say as much, but Langford left behind a real mess with the bookkeeping; HB sorted through it, though. She didn’t get any help, either, which was a load of rubbish. After all, the Council had funded two librarians for years.” Dimity shrugged. “Suddenly, they didn’t have the dosh for two positions? Not bloody likely. If you ask me, the Council meant for her to fail way back then. They could’ve stepped up. Instead, they just left HB alone and cut the money. Then they cut it more. And then some more. Somehow, though, she’s kept the place afloat. I don’t know how bad it is now, but… I’m worried about HB, to be honest. I’m glad they finally got her some help.”

“I don’t know that she’s too glad about it,” Pippa hmpfed.

Dimity kept her voice gentle but firm. “Have you even tried looking at things from her point of view? For years she’s poured everything she has into this place and it hasn’t helped. People don’t come; the Council wants to shut it down. Then here you come, blowing in with all these new ideas, essentially telling her that everything she’s been doing is wrong. I wouldn’t like it if I were her.” Dimity held up a hand to forestall Pippa’s protests. “I’m not saying it’s your fault or that things don’t need to change. They do. But change… change is hard for her, I think.” Dimity slapped Pippa’s knee and pushed off from the table. “She’ll come ‘round. Just you wait.”

155.937 – Grief/Death

Hecate read through the numbers one more time. As much as she hated it, she had to admit that more people had been in the library since Pippa had set up that infernal Wi-Fi. And she hated herself for hating it. She should be happy that more people were visiting the library. A few had even checked out books. Not the Hubbles, though. They kept to their habit of only reading books in the library.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hecate saw a familiar looking figure entering the outside doors. Smiling, she rounded the circulation desk and opened the inner doors in welcome. “Ada! It’s so good to see you again! I thought… Ada?” Ada hardly looked like herself. Sallow skin sagged as much as her oversize jumper. Her hair looked dull and ready for a wash. “Ada. What’s happened?”

Ada’s smile faltered, and her red-rimmed eyes brimmed with tears. “My apologies for not returning sooner. I’d said I would but… well… you see… when I got home that night I dis—” Ada cleared her throat and started over. “I got home and suddenly found myself to be a widow.”

“Oh, Ada!” Hecate didn’t know if she should hug her or what, so she fell back on the one social interaction she could rely on. “Come sit down, Ada. Let me bring you a cup of tea.” Even now she could see Ada’s nose wrinkle in distaste. “I believe I have some sugar.” She led her to one of the sofas and hurried into the Children’s Room to find Pippa.

The state of the Children’s Room caused her to momentarily forget why she was there. “What in heaven’s name are you doing in here?” An entire wall of shelves lay flat on the floor, their contents stacked three feet high across every available surface. Pippa stood, balanced on the back of one of the wooden chairs, unfastening the shelf’s anchor from the wall while Dimity sat on the seat, to keep it from tipping.

“I’m getting ready to paint the walls once we close on Saturday. I’m sure I mentioned it in an email.”

“I did not give you permission to paint the walls!” Hecate stood, rooted in place with her arms pressed against her body while her thumbs furiously rubbed across the pads of her fingertips. “Of all the… how dare you? Going behind my back like this?”

Pippa scrambled down from her perch, nearly knocking Dimity to the floor as she did. “Behind your back? The only thing you’ve shown me since I’ve been here is that bloody back of yours! I’m the children’s librarian now, whether you like it or not, and I don’t need your permission to do my job!”

“You do when it costs money! You don’t know anything about the budget! I’m still the Head Librarian here and…” Hecate trailed away, remembering the reason she’d come into the room in the first place. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, hands now clutching the pocket watch around her neck. “We’ll continue this discussion later, mark my words,” she said, opening her eyes and forcing her hands to her sides again. “But right now, I need to know if you have any sugar?”

“Do you seriously think you can come in here and talk to me like that and then ask me for something? That’s some stones you’ve got under your bloody black skirt.” She closed the distance between Hecate and herself, as Hecate, clutching her pocket watch again, retreated. “I don’t care who—”

“I’ve got some sugar packets in my bag, I think,” Dimity said, inserting herself between them. “Come on, HB, let’s go see if they’re fit to use.” She ushered Hecate out of the Children’s Room, motioning for Pippa to stay put.

Flushed and furious, Pippa waited almost half a minute before she stormed after them, determined to give Hecate a piece of her mind. Entering the main room, she skidded to a stop when she saw Hecate kneeling in front of an obviously distraught woman. She stepped nearer the computers, where Julie sat, silently watching, concern etched across her face. A moment later, Dimity emerged from the office with a mug of tea and two crumpled sugar packets. Pippa edged close enough to hear what they were saying, careful to keep out of Hecate’s field of vision.

“It’s a mercy, really, to go like that,” Ada said, dabbing at her eyes, “peacefully reading the newspaper.”

“Oh, it truly is, Ada, but so difficult for you.” Hecate moved to sit on the sofa next to Ada as Dimity handed Ada her tea. “How can we help you?”

“It’s been such a maelstrom… but… there is something I very much need help with.” She sipped her tea and squared her shoulders. “We’ve always had a division of labor that suited us. I tended to the garden – cut the grass, applied the mulch. I kept up the car. I put the laundry in the washer and shifted it to the dryer. Mona folded it and put it away.” Ada looked down at her tea. “I wasn’t the bill payer. I’ve always hated the due dates and ledgers and bother of it. Unfortunately…” Two high spots of color appeared on Ada’s cheeks. “It’s all on the computer and I can’t make sense of any of it.” She smiled hopefully at Hecate. “I saw on your lovely new website that you offer computer classes for seniors on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons now. I had hoped that perhaps you could help me find my way. I’m not computer illiterate,” Ada added, defiantly. “I’m not one of those old women that thinks it’s all a load of new-fangled nonsense. I’m just…”

Mona? Ada had been married to a woman? Hecate had never even considered… She was so taken by that information that it took a few minutes for her brain to process the rest of what Ada had said. “Computer classes… on our new website…” Hecate pinned Pippa with a look that was half fury and half hopefulness. “What computer classes?”

“We’d be happy to help you,” Pippa said, crouching down and placing a hand on Ada’s knee. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Giving Ada’s knee a quick pat, Pippa pushed herself to her feet. “Pippa Pentangle, and I’m so pleased to meet a friend of Hecate’s. You finish your tea, and we’ll see what we can do about those bills.”

Two hours and countless phone calls later, they’d only managed to sort the electric and the water bills. A department store card only needed an approval from the manager to shift the account to Ada’s name, but she wouldn’t be in until tomorrow morning. With nothing left to try for the time being, Ada was under strict orders from Julie Hubble to go home and search out any sort of notebook or sticky notes that might contain passwords, as well as Mona’s mobile phone.

“I guess I owe you a thank you,” Pippa said to Dimity as she bundled up to leave for the day. “You kept me from saying some things I would probably have regretted.”

Dimity looked confused for a moment before she realized what Pippa was talking about. “You looked like you were ready to go at her like a bloomin’ spider monkey,” she chuckled. “I couldn’t let you do that. Not when she could barely hold herself together.”

“She looked pretty together to me,” Pippa scoffed. A twinge of doubt pricked at her conscience, nonetheless.

“That’s because you don’t know her.” Dimity jerked her chin towards the exit, and Pippa followed her into the foyer. “Look, I’m not going to say she isn’t a right pain in the arse sometimes. She bloody well is. But however angry you might be with her, you can be sure she’s ten times angrier with herself for causing it. However many ways Ursula Hallow might call her a failure, HB’s already called herself that and then some.” She pointed at the space on the wall where the portrait was missing. “Her picture used to be there with the rest of ‘em. She took it down herself the morning after that blasted City Council meeting. Said she’d failed the library and didn’t deserve to hang there with the rest of them.”

“Still, it wasn’t her place…” Pippa insisted, stubbornly refusing to admit that she might have overstepped.

“Wasn’t it? She is the Head Librarian. Did you run it by her? Course not – we both know she would’ve said no.” Dimity leaned forward and whispered, “I wouldn’t’ve asked either, but,” she added at her normal volume, “I also would’ve expected the arse-chewing that followed.”

Pippa chewed her bottom lip. It was getting harder and harder to justify her anger. Finally, she slumped against the wall, sighing. “How could you tell she was about to lose it?”

“The watch. She wears it every day. It belonged to her grandmother, and I reckon the bloody thing is her most prized possession. When she holds it up against her chest like that, she’s about to crack. I’ve only seen Hecate Hardbroom fall apart twice in almost ten years. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.” A reminder pinged on Dimity’s phone, and she said her goodnight, leaving Pippa alone with her thoughts.

The receipt from B&Q stared up at Pippa from her desk. She’d spent the last hour thinking about what Dimity had said, how Hecate had been with Ada, how she’d clung to that pocket watch like some sort of protective charm. She snuck a glance across the office. Hecate sat buried in paperwork, most likely the monthly accounts.

“Bloody hell,” Pippa muttered under her breath. Pushing herself to her feet, she crossed the small office and waited in front of Hecate’s desk, fidgeting like a naughty schoolgirl who’d been sent to the Headmistress’s office. She waited for Hecate to acknowledge her. And waited, finally clearing her throat. Hecate looked up at last. “You’re right. I should have talked to you first. It wasn’t my place to act without your knowledge.”

Slowly, Hecate closed the folder and placed her pen in her drawer. “No. It was not.” She folded her hands into her lap. “Not for the paint or the Wi-Fi or the website. I’ve not been dismissed yet. I’m still responsible for what happens here.”

“And Egbert brought me in for a reason.” She held up a hand to forestall Hecate’s protest. “Not as any sort of indictment of your abilities. Rather because of my own abilities. I know my business, Hecate. And I’m committed to this library. I wouldn’t have taken the job otherwise.” She placed the receipt in front of Hecate. “This is for the paint.”

Hecate glanced at it, then snatched it up for a closer look. “It’s over one hundred pounds! How could you possibly think…? You can’t just spend money all willy-nilly. That’s why you must get permission!”

“Permission? I’m not a child!”

“You also aren’t responsible for the library’s finances!” Hecate pushed the receipt back across the desk. “You have to take it back. We don’t have the funds.”

“Knock the dust off the coffers, Hecate.” Pippa pointed out the door. “It’s not like you’ve been sprucing the place up. Spend the money. Besides, you can’t return paint once you’ve had the color mixed.”

“I see… you’ve not left me any choice then, have you?”

“I suppose not,” Pippa said, looking away.

“Which, no doubt, was exactly as you intended.” Hecate gathered her coat and left the library without another word.

Later that night, sitting on her sofa, Hecate tried to read, but the thin walls of her apartment couldn’t block the shouting coming from her next-door neighbor’s flat. The noise kept pulling her mind back to her argument with Pippa. Ughh… the woman was simply… insufferable. Something glass shattered against a wall next door. Hecate wondered how they had any dishes left. When the yelling started up again, Hecate snapped her book shut and rubbed her temples. She pulled out her expense ledger instead. She’d have to pull money from her savings to pay for the paint. Unless… she eyed her television set. She’d pawned it before when the library needed a new printer. She wouldn’t get the entire amount, but she’d get enough that, combined with a bit of her own money, she could reimburse Pippa for the paint.

A door slammed. Hecate hoped that meant a few hours of peace. Night after night, for as long as Hecate had lived here, the routine remained the same – her neighbors would fight until one of them stalked out, slamming the door as they left. Sometimes they would be gone for an hour, sometimes the rest of the night. She hoped it was the latter. She didn’t think she could stomach being subjected to their equally vociferous reconciliation. It didn’t seem fair that two people so ill-suited to one another were left by fate to fight for years on end, while Ada, who had been one half of a fulfilling partnership, suffered alone. She hoped that Pippa and Julie could help Ada figure out her finances, though Hecate didn’t have much faith in Julie Hubble’s abilities. Speaking of Pippa… Hecate thought, dragging out her battered relic of a laptop. What had that blasted woman done to her website?

Twenty minutes later, Hecate had to admit she’d made it better in every way – with bright colors, easy to navigate pages and a plethora of photographs. No wonder Mayor Hellibore brought Pippa on board. It was only a matter of time before Hellibore promoted her to Head Librarian.

Hecate closed her laptop and decided to call it a night. If she showered now, she might enjoy more than five minutes of hot water – and with any luck she would be sound asleep before her neighbors started up again.

747         Decorating, Interior Design

“Oooh… that’s lovely, Mildred! You’re a very talented artist!” Pippa exclaimed. She shifted her armload of books to her hip in order to get a better look. “Is that Stonehenge?”

Mildred nodded vigorously. “I found it in one of the big picture books. I’m gonna add some witches though.”

“Witches would definitely make it better. I bet art is your favorite subject, isn’t it?”

“Definitely,” Mildred said, beaming. “Next is maths. I don’t like music, though. Mrs. Bat makes us sing and I’m awful.”

“I bet you aren’t as bad as all that.” Pippa said.

“She’s that bad all right. You take after your mum on that one, don’t you, love?” Julie looked down at Mildred’s drawing of Stonehenge. “Look at that! You changed it up from the picture in the book, didn’t you? Made it all spooky and nighttime. I love it.” She held out Mildred’s coat. “Let’s pop out and have our lunch, love. It looks like it might start raining again.”

Pippa perked up at the thought of lunch out. “Where are you two off to eat? Perhaps I’ll tag along?”

“Out there,” Mildred said, pointing to a long courtyard that ran the length of the library. “Miss Hardbroom doesn’t allow eating in the library.”

Pippa looked out at the barren landscaping and cold, stone benches. Heavy clouds looked ready to pour at any moment. “But it’s freezing out there! You’ll catch your death!”

“It’s okay. It’s just for a little while.” Mildred finished buttoning up her coat. “Besides, it’d be almost as cold at home, and that would be all day.”

“Millie! Miss Pentangle doesn’t want to hear about our drafty old flat.” Julie fussed with Mildred’s coat collar, before adding. “It’s a flat over a garage, shoddy insulation.” She shrugged, a bit embarrassed. “No worries, though, right Millie? Not so long as we’ve got a nice warm library down the road, right?”

“Right!” Mildred said, reaching for her hat.

“And you’re going to stay in this warm library and eat your lunch. I insist.” Pippa nodded at Julie, who looked back at her doubtfully. “Don’t worry about Miss Hardbroom.” They all turned as raindrops spattered against the windows. “Inside, Ms. Hubble. That’s no place for Mildred.”

Julie nodded in agreement and began unbuttoning Mildred’s coat. “Thank you, Miss Pentangle. I hope it doesn’t cause you too much bother.”

“Don’t you worry about that.” On the outside, Pippa smiled confidently, but internally she was already steeling herself for the diatribe to come. “And tonight? Once the library closes for the evening, I’m going to start painting the walls. I sure could use some help from a talented artist. What do you say? I’ll order pizza.”

“Can we, Mum? Please?” Mildred begged, bouncing up and down.

“I’m sure we can, love. We use the library, so it’s only right we help out when we can.” She smiled gratefully at Pippa. “I like mushrooms and ham.”

“Ewww…” Mildred wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Pepperoni?” Pippa asked. “Or spinach?”

“Maybe spinach and mushroom?” Julie teased as she handed Mildred her sandwich.

Mildred spread her coat over her lap like a blanket. “You know I like cheese!”

“Cheese it is, then.” Pippa said before carrying her stack of books to the circulation desk. While they’d cleared the shelves in the Children’s Room, she and Dimity had pulled damaged books they’d spotted so they could be repaired. Hecate was already in the workroom, though, adding magnetic strips to a stack of new arrivals. Pippa decided to wait for her to finish, rather than crowd into the workroom with her.

Before long, Hecate wheeled her book cart out of the workroom – her eyes zeroed in on the Hubbles. “Unbelievable!” She headed for the circulation desk, intent on giving Julie Hubble a thorough tongue lashing.

Pippa stepped in front of her, blocking her behind the desk. “I told them they could eat inside.”

Hecate’s eyes narrowed. “Again, Miss Pentangle, assuming authority you do not have.”

“Be reasonable, Hecate. It’s freezing outside. It’s ridiculous to make that little girl go out there to eat. Or her mother.”

“The rules apply to everyone, Miss Pentangle – even to the Hubbles. If they don’t want to eat outside, then they can go home!”

“They don’t have any heat at home,” Pippa hissed. “Have you never wondered why they are always here? Have you ever even spoken to them?”

Hecate looked over Pippa’s shoulder at the Hubbles, a dozen odd habits and routines suddenly making sense to her. Still… “It wasn’t your place…” she insisted, though her voice had lost its fire.

“You’ll have to forgive me then, Miss High and Mighty. I didn’t realize I needed your permission to be a decent human being.” She moved aside and waved for Hecate to pass. “Go on then, throw them out into the cold if it makes you feel more powerful.”

Hecate stood there a moment before turning to retrieve her book cart. “You’ve already told them they could stay.”

Suddenly, Pippa was just too tired for any of it. Sighing, she picked up her stack of books to repair. “You know, libraries have always been meant to serve their communities. I just… I can’t seem to work out why you’re trying so hard to save this library when you seem to have such… disdain for the people it serves. Books are just scrap paper if no one’s here to read them.” She disappeared into the workroom, leaving a speechless Hecate behind her.

Hecate stood in the icy car park, trying to ignore the cold wind cutting through her coat. Pippa’s words had been repeating in her head, over and over, all afternoon. She cared about the community; it’s why she was trying so desperately to keep the library open. She just didn’t know what to do anymore.

And that’s how she found herself standing outside the library, half-frozen. She may as well help Pippa with the painting if she couldn’t come up with any ideas of her own.

She didn’t even know if her help would be welcome. She’d gone home to change into something more appropriate for painting, but the more time passed, the more she doubted she should be here at all. As she stood there in her jeans and jumper, second-guessing herself, a pair of headlights illuminated the front gates. Hecate waited as a battered Ford Fiesta with a pizza delivery sign mounted on the roof pulled into the car park. The driver stopped near the gates and rolled down the window.

Well, she thought, that’s one way to make sure they’ll be glad to see me. She stepped over to the car and leaned into the window. “Delivery for the library? For Pippa Pentangle?” She hoped she had enough in her checking account to pay for it.

“That’s the one,” the driver said, handing over a stack of four pizzas.

Hecate’s stomach dropped when she saw there were four. She fished out her wallet, but the driver waved her away.

“Paid for already, tip too.” He tossed the bag into the passenger seat and put the car into reverse. “You stay warm.”

“You as well,” Hecate said, forcing a smile. She watched the pizza guy drive away before squaring shoulders and making her way to the Children’s Room. She wasn’t prepared for what she found once she got inside.

“Look what I fou—” Hecate lowered the pizzas. Pippa was on her hands and knees with a roll of paper towels, mopping up blue paint while Julie was swapping a bucket of blue water for a fresh one. Both of them were trying to reassure Mildred, who was sitting on a chair by the wall crying and splattered in paint. When she saw Hecate, she started crying harder.

“Don’t!” Pippa snapped, before Hecate could say or do anything. “Just… don’t.”

Hecate set the pizzas down on a stack of books and slowly lowered herself into the chair next to Mildred. She hardly needed the warning glare Julie had leveled at her to know that now was not the time to rage.

“I-I didn’t… m-m-m-mean to M-miss Hardbrooooom…” Mildred sobbed harder, wiping her hand across her eyes and smearing blue paint across her face.

“Well, of course you didn’t, Mildred. I know that. Accidents can happen to anyone.” Hecate caught Mildred’s hand just before she wiped it across her face again. “Why don’t we go get you cleaned up while your mum helps Miss Pentangle?” Mildred looked at her mother, who nodded for her to go on.

“Wha-what about…” Mildred looked at her paint covered shoes.

“Ah. We don’t need a trail of blue footprints through the library, do we?” She bent down and carefully removed Mildred’s trainers. Paint stained her socks and jeans, as well as her jumper. “Perhaps… Miss Hubble? I have a jumper… perhaps you’d like to take Mildred into the lavatory and get the paint out of her clothes? She can wear my jumper. I’ll take over for you in here.”

Julie gathered up a handful of used paper towels and dumped them in the bin. “That would be a good idea.” She patted Pippa’s hand before climbing to her feet. “Come on, love, let’s see if we can get that paint out of your clothes.”

Hecate handed off the trainers to Julie as she made her way to Pippa’s side. She wavered, unsure whether her help would be welcome or not. When she saw Pippa reaching for the paper towels, she grabbed the roll and dropped to her knees, tearing off a few and handing them over.

They worked silently for several moments, Pippa mopping up paint and Hecate rinsing the towels. “You were good with Mildred. It really wasn’t her fault.”

“I’m not going to berate a crying child, Miss Pentangle.” She tore more towels. “But you are correct. This was not Mildred’s fault.”

Pippa slammed her paper towels into the bin. “And I suppose it’s mine? Didn’t take you long to get ‘round to that.”

Angry with herself for not simply accepting the kind words, Hecate couldn’t keep the edge from her voice. “This whole project was your brilliant idea.” Why couldn’t she just… shut up? she thought.

“Why are you even here, Hecate?” Pippa asked softly, still mopping paint.

Hecate’s stomach lurched. Pippa didn’t sound angry. Hecate could deal with angry. Pippa just sounded so, so tired. “I thought I would help.” Sitting back on her heels, Hecate shook her head. “So much for that idea.”

Still on her hands and knees, Pippa hung her head and sighed. Hecate didn’t know what that meant. She didn’t know if she should tell Pippa that the tips of her hair were in the paint, either, so she didn’t say anything.

Finally, Pippa spoke. “Can you find more paper towels?”

Hecate released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “Yes! There should be some in the workroom. I’ll be right back.” Springing to her feet, Hecate hoped there were still rolls under the sink. She’d run to the store if she needed to – not that she could quite explain why.

She’d just grabbed the last two rolls when she heard someone pounding on the outer door.

Dimity.

Changing direction, she unlocked the door, holding it open while Dimity wrestled a Rug Doctor steam cleaner inside.

“Oi! HB! I didn’t reckon I’d see you here tonight. Got here just in time for the excitement, I see.” Dimity pushed the machine over the tiles and waited for Hecate to scramble ahead of her to hold the interior doors open as well. “How’s Mildred?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Didn’t say you did, but she’s awfully upset. Knew you’d be right cheesed off about it.” She hustled the carpet cleaner in to Pippa. “Can’t say I blame her.”

Hecate stopped dead in her tracks as she realized that everyone expected her to shout at a crying child. Was that the kind of person everyone thought she was? Was that the kind of person she was?

“Oi! HB!” Dimity leaned through the doorway. “Where’s the bloody paper towels?”

“Coming!” Hecate forced her feet to move. No time for depressive introspection now, she told herself. Just get through the night.

“And he said this will work?” Pippa looked doubtful. She glanced up as Hecate entered before turning back to the manual.

“Like a charm,” Dimity said, two thumbs-up of confidence.

Twenty minutes later, Hecate couldn’t believe how clean the carpet looked. Not a trace of paint remained. In fact, it looked so good they’d all agreed that, since they had the machine for twenty-four hours, they would do the rest of the Children’s Room once they finished painting.

“Is there any of the spinach and mushroom left?” Julie asked, eyeing the box next to Hecate.

“A bit,” Hecate said, passing the box over. “Do we have enough paint still?” She saw Mildred’s shoulders slump. “Mildred. Come here. Please.”

Dropping her half-eaten slice of pizza onto her plate, Mildred crept across the room until she was standing in front of Hecate. Out of the corner of her eye, Hecate saw Julie’s hackles go up, but she ignored her, instead focusing on Mildred.

The girl stood there, wearing Hecate’s ridiculously too large jumper like a dress – sleeves rolled up, belted at the waist – staring at the floor. Hecate reached out and gently lifted the girl’s chin until she could look Mildred in the eyes. “Now, you listen to me, Mildred Hubble. Accidents happen. To all of us. You’ve no need to blame yourself or fear being punished. Look,” she pointed to where the paint had been. “No harm done, and more paint is easily purchased. The only thing being ruined tonight is your pizza as it gets cold. Now, go eat and think no more about it.”

Mildred stared at her, mouth agape, before flinging her arms around Hecate in a lightning quick hug that ended before Hecate could even think about what to do with her arms. Seconds later, Mildred sat, tucked up against her mother, eating her cheese pizza as if nothing had happened.

“So, what’s next?” Dimity asked, reaching for another slice.

“Finish the walls and then figure out how to set up the reading nook,” Pippa answered.

“No… I mean… we can spiff it up in here, but… how will that get people through the door? How does that get more books circulating?” She bit the tip off her pizza. “Fancy paint won’t bring people in all by itself.”

“I’m open to any ideas,” Pippa sighed. They bounced a few ideas back and forth as they finished their pizza and returned to painting.

Hecate quietly worked her way around the room, cutting in for the rollers, trying not to wince at every suggestion that would cost money. She didn’t notice Julie Hubble standing beside her until she spoke.

“Why didn’t you tell me you needed us to be checking out books? We’re here almost every day, Miss Hardbroom. We could have checked out dozens of books by now, a hundred maybe. We could have been helping you.”

Hecate’s lips twisted ruefully. “I didn’t think that you would be interested in doing me any favors.”

“Maybe not,” Julie admitted, “but I don’t want to see the library close. And I don’t fancy having to break in a new librarian.”

“Heaven forbid.”

“Oi, Pentangle!” Dimity shouted from the other side of the room. “What about a mural for your little book nook? We can skip the blue paint and use some of these little bottles of acrylic.” She pointed to a cardboard box filled with odd bottles of craft paint. “Looks like a lot of green ones.”

“Ohhh… that’s brilliant, Dimity! What should we put?”

Hecate flipped open her pocket watch. It was already nine-fifteen. “I’d suggest something simple if you want to finish tonight.” She studied the room, hoping for a flash of inspiration. A familiar green cover caught her eye. She called to Mildred, who was standing off to the side and looking bored. “Mildred?”

“Yes, Miss Hardbroom?”

“How would you like to help me make a mural?”

“Like, with paint and everything?”

“With paint and everything.” She held her brush and paint cup out to Pippa. “Miss Pentangle?”

“Are you sure, Hecate?” Pippa looked doubtful, but she took the brush and paint, nonetheless.

“Quite. Come along, Mildred, let’s gather our supplies.”

“What are we going to do?” Mildred bounced along behind Hecate as she hurried to her office.

Hecate glanced at Mildred’s stocking feet. “Mind the tile, Mildred. We wouldn’t want you to slip.” Mildred stopped bouncing. Mostly. “We’re going to paint the cover of one of my very favorite childhood books, from when I was even younger than you.”

“You were younger than me?” Mildred gaped, slack-jawed at the very idea.

Hecate woke her computer and started typing. “Close your mouth, please, Mildred. We are not a codfish.”

Giggling, the girl shut her mouth. “That’s what Mary Poppins says.”

“So she does,” Hecate winked. “Now, difficult as it may be for you to imagine, I was, indeed, a child once.”

“A long time ago.” Mildred grinned.

“Don’t be cheeky. Now,” she said, rolling her chair aside so Mildred could see the screen. “Have you ever read “The Giving Tree?”

“I remember that one. The boy chops it down, doesn’t he?” Mildred frowned. “I thought he was mean for killing the tree.”

“Perhaps. But think about all the good that came about because the tree was so generous.” Not that she’d admit it, but deep down, Hecate fully agreed with Mildred’s assessment.

“I guess so,” Mildred said, but she still sounded skeptical. “Is that what you want to put on the wall?”

Hecate nodded. “What do you think? Would you like that?”

Mildred shrugged. “That’s a lot of leaves. How are we going to do it that big? I’ve never drawn anything on the wall, except once when I was little. Mum got mad about it though.”

“Just you wait and see.” Hecate selected an image, and after some searching in the cabinet beneath the printer, came back and hit print. “Now, while that rattles along, come help me get the overhead projector.” She bustled into the workroom. Mildred trailed behind her, trying to look at everything at once.

“What do you do in here?” Mildred asked, sounding like she’d just discovered the lost city of Atlantis.

As she cleared a space for the stepladder, Hecate explained the types of things that needed to be done to make the books ready for checking out, as well as how to repair them if they were damaged. “Put those papers on the table over there, please.”

Mildred gathered them up and piled them where Hecate had pointed. She watched as Hecate climbed the ladder and maneuvered a big plastic box to the edge of an upper cabinet. “Do you need any help, Miss Hardbroom?”

“Not yet.” Hecate peered down at Mildred, who looked up at her curiously. “You just stay right there in case I need something squishy to land on.”

“Miss Hardbroom!” Mildred giggled again before scurrying out of the way.

Hecate carefully pulled the overhead projector from atop the cupboards and eased down the ladder. She set it on the shelf and returned the ladder to its place. “All right, Mildred, will you please get the picture from the printer?” Mildred carefully pulled the clear plastic sheet from the tray and hurried behind Hecate as she carted the projector into the Children’s Room. “Now then, Mildred, we’re going to make a little old-fashioned magic. Are you ready?” Mildred nodded vigorously, watching intently while Hecate set up the projector, focused the image into the corner, and pulled it back until she had it just the right size. “What do you think about that, Miss Hubble?”

“Cool! What do we do now?” Mildred stepped into the light, dancing and waving her arms to cast long shadows onto the wall.

Hecate pulled a pencil from her bun and handed it to Mildred. “Now we trace it and then we paint it. How about you do the bottom and I’ll do the top?”

Mildred took the pencil and went to work. She dropped to her knees and started tracing. “You know what, Miss Hardbroom? I don’t think you’re nearly as mean as you want everyone to think you are.”

Hecate looked down to see the girl grinning up at her. “Well, let’s just keep that our little secret, shall we?”

Pippa smiled to herself as she listened to the exchange. Pleased to see the room coming together, it was even sweeter knowing they’d all had a hand in it. A hand… “Hecate! I’ve just had an idea! Instead of drawing all those leaves, what if we just did the outline and then everyone can put a handprint on it instead. We can let other children add their hands when they visit.”

An hour later, everyone had added a handprint, save for Hecate. “Come on, Hecate, you too.” Pippa waited with paintbrush in hand.

“Considering my… misgivings… about the project… I’m surprised you’d even want me to add my hand.”

“You helped. You’re part of the library, Hecate, and your handprint belongs up there with everyone else’s.” Pippa reached out and turned Hecate’s hand palm up, covering it with a light coat of green paint. “Go on, then,” she said, gently nudging her towards the mural.

“Finished!” Dimity announced as she admired their efforts. “It’s needed some sprucing up for a long time.” She looked over at Julie, who had her hands full trying to wake a sleepy Mildred up enough to get her home. “How about a lift home?”

Smiling shyly, Julie nodded. “That would be lovely.”

Chapter Text

657        CPA, Accounting, Bookkeeping, Financial Reports

“Hecate?” Pippa looked up to find Hecate’s chair empty. The woman moved like a bloody phantom. She had no idea Hecate had even left the office. Pippa read the email one more time, but it didn’t make any more sense this time than it had the first three times. Perhaps Hecate would be able to make it out. She hit ‘print’ and shoved her readers up to perch atop her head. The printer, never speedy on its best day, rattled and wheezed with exceptional slowness, oblivious to the tapping of pink nails on the counter beside it.

Pippa snatched the paper up as soon as the printer spat it out. “Hecate?” Pippa stalked the stacks until she found Hecate, sitting on the floor, deep in conversation with Ada while she dusted books.

“I think it would be lovely to have a bit of LGBT fiction in the collection.” Ada gave an obviously flustered Hecate a gentle pat on the arm. “It’s something to consider, at any rate. I wouldn’t say no to a few steamy lesbian romance novels on the shelf.” She looked at Pippa with a wink and a grin.

“Hecate?” Pippa held out the sheet of paper. “We’ve received the strangest email from the City Council. I think we’re being audited.”

Frowning, Hecate climbed to her feet. “What do you mean, audited? We just had our annual review.” She reached for the paper. “That’s how I got you,” she added drily.

Pippa rolled her eyes, but otherwise let the jab pass. “It says there are discrepancies in the financial records.”

“What?” Ada pulled Hecate’s hand closer so she could read over her shoulder. “What rubbish!”

“That’s what it says,” Pippa insisted. “It says that there is a discrepancy between budgeted outlays and acquisitions.” Pippa crossed her arms and leaned against a bookcase, watching Hecate’s face go paler as she read the email. She hated to even think it… but… Hecate had been so controlling with the funds… “Hecate? Is there a discrepancy?”

“Pippa Pentangle!” Ada gasped, clutching the collar of her jumper. “How could you even ask such a thing?”

“I’m sorry, Ada, but –”

“There is,” Hecate croaked, “a discrepancy. I just never thought… I don’t see why it suddenly matters.”

“Don’t see why it matters?” Pippa shouted before lowering her voice to a roaring whisper. “How can you not think that missing money wouldn’t matter?”

“PIPPA!” Ada stepped in front of Hecate. “Do you honestly believe Hecate has been stealing money from the library?”

Pippa threw her hands in the air, ready to say she didn’t know what to believe, until she looked Hecate in the eyes. The sheer, utter pain of betrayal stared back at her. “No…” She reached out and took Hecate’s hand, squeezing it. “NO. Hecate would never… this has to be more of that Hallow woman’s nonsense.” She realized she was still holding Hecate’s hand and dropped it, taking a step back. “But she’s found something she can make a fuss about. What’s she going on about?”

Hecate stood, frozen, the hurt never fully leaving her eyes.

“Come, dear,” Ada soothed. “Whatever this discrepancy may be, we’ll soon get it sorted.” Gently, Ada pulled Hecate towards the office, shooting Pippa one last exaggerated scowl as she passed. Beseeching any higher power that might be listening, Pippa lifted her eyes to the heavens and prayed for patience as she followed along behind them.

Crowded into the cramped office, Ada and Pippa hovered over Hecate’s desk while she pulled out a worn three-ring binder. “The library budget began shrinking even before I replaced Miriam Langford. It’s been cut three to seven percent each year.” She flipped back a few months. “After a couple of years, I had to start making some very difficult choices.”

“What sort of choices?” Pippa tried to keep her voice even, but the skepticism bled through anyway.

“I’m sure you did the best you could, dear,” Ada said, not even trying to hide her irritation with Pippa.

“Choices about how to keep the library solvent, Pippa. I had to unsubscribe to databases. Keep that infernal printer… charge for printing… I quit ordering as many books with the library budget.”

Pippa moved behind the desk, leaning over Hecate’s shoulder in order to see the binder. Pulling her readers into place, she inspected the entries, leaning so close that she could smell the mint from Hecate’s shampoo. “All of this looks perfectly reasonable. I don’t see the problem.”

“I didn’t think it was a problem. The budget kept shrinking, so I started buying books myself. I’d buy hard-to-find items or reference materials with the library funds and best sellers and other fiction out of my own pocket. Ten or fifteen a month – whatever I could afford.”

“That’s very generous of you, Hecate.” Ada soothed.

“But they’re included as acquisitions, aren’t they? I mean, they’d have to be in order to be added to the software and be available for checkout,” Pippa guessed. “And there’s the discrepancy.” She shifted over so she could sit on the corner of Hecate’s desk. Hecate’s eye twitched, but she didn’t say anything. “So… what do we need to do? Send a letter of explanation? Provide copies of your receipts?”

“I don’t know if I have receipts for everything. I bought books at jumble sales, second-hand shops…” Hecate slumped forward on her elbows cradling her head in her hands. “I thought I was helping…”

“You were, Hecate,” Pippa gingerly rubbed Hecate’s shoulder. “You were.”

Ada waited until Pippa pulled her hand back. “Well, I must say, I agree with Hecate. I don’t see why this is a problem.” She looked back and forth between the two younger women. “How is donating books to the library a bad thing?”

“It’s not,” Pippa said. “That email may be from the Council, but I’d bet my last bottle of hair color that Ursula Hallow is behind it.”

At that, Hecate lifted her head, pointedly looking at Pippa’s hair. “That would be a loss of tragic proportions.”

“You don’t say?” Pippa leaned over and started poking at Hecate’s bun. “Like all that dark hair isn’t getting any help from a bottle.”

Hecate pulled her head away, swatting at Pippa’s hand. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” She looked at Ada, hoping for support, instead finding her looking at the two of them with the most curious expression. “Ada?”

Shaking herself back to the moment, Ada forced a bright smile. “Can’t people donate books to the library? When Mona d—” Ada closed her eyes, clearing her throat before she continued. “When Mona died, I know the women in her quilting group donated some quilting books in her name.”

“Mona Spellbody! I remember those… they had some lovely quilts in them.” Hecate frowned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize those were donated for your wife.”

“There’s no way you could, dear. We’d been together so long before we could marry, we didn’t bother to change our names once we made it legal.” They fell silent for a moment until Ada shook herself back to the present. “My point is that books can be donated. Who’s to say those extra books weren’t donated?” She looked at Hecate over the rims of her glasses. “They were donated, weren’t they?”

Hecate nodded, slowly at first but then with more confidence. Then her face clouded again. “Doesn’t it matter if they were all donated by me?”

“Isn’t there a form you fill out when someone donates something? Sort of a receipt they can use for taxes?” Pippa looked a bit sheepish. “I guess I need to do more donating.”

“There is,” Hecate said, moving to the circulation desk. She opened a drawer and pulled out a half sheet of paper. “An in-kind donation form – we give them out in case someone needs a record for their taxes.”

Pippa slipped on her readers and scanned the paper. “This will do nicely, I think.” She handed it back to Hecate. “No worries now, darling. I’ll take care of it.”

Julie slowed her pace once she reached the shelter of the foyer. Even through the inner doors she could see that they were at it again. Hecate stood ramrod straight, arms rigid at her side, while Pippa had her arms crossed defensively over her chest. She lingered in the foyer until Pippa snatched her things off the counter and stormed into the Children’s Room.

Hecate tipped forward, gripping the front edge of the countertop as she took a series of deep, calming breaths.

Taking a deep breath of her own, Julie squared her shoulders and marched inside. With a quick shake to knock the raindrops off, Julie hung her jacket on its regular hook near the door. “Rough morning?” Julie asked quietly, mirroring Hecate’s posture from the other side of the counter. She pretended not to notice Hecate’s red-rimmed eyes.

“Nothing you need concern yourself with, Ms. Hubble.”

Julie cocked her head to the side. “Perhaps, but no one likes to see friends rowing. I can’t help but be concerned when it’s my friends.”

A bitter grunt escaped before Hecate could tamp it back down. “Miss Pentangle and I are hardly what I would call friends.”

“Mmm… I see.” Julie patted out a soft rhythm on the countertop with her hands. “If you say so…” She pushed the cup of coffee that Pippa had brought for Hecate closer to her. “You don’t want your coffee to get cold.”

Hecate looked at the cup; she couldn’t even think about drinking it right now. “I don’t want it. I don’t even know why she brings me one every day.”

“You like it, don’t you?” Julie waited for Hecate to nod before continuing. “Sounds like the sort of thing a friend does, love.” She pulled the cup closer to her. “If you don’t want it, though, seems a shame to let three quid of java go to waste.”

“Three pounds? For coffee?” Hecate eyed the take-away cup as though it was made of fine china. “B-but she’s been bringing me one every morning! For weeks!”

“Such a harridan, that Pentangle woman! No wonder you can’t stand her.” Julie slowly slid the cup back towards Hecate.

“That’s not what I mean! She’s probably spent… fifty pounds on coffee for me. I need to write her a cheque. That’s too much.” Hecate headed to the office to fetch her purse. She could write Pippa a cheque and shift funds from her savings at lunch.

Julie managed to grab Hecate’s wrist before she moved away. “Don’t. Not unless you want to offend her and start another row. Just say ‘thank you’ and don’t be a knob about it.”

Hecate blanched at the vulgarity but came back to Julie, nonetheless. “Why would she do such a thing?”

“Why do you think?” Julie asked, before she realized that Hecate truly didn’t know. “HB, love, you really don’t see it, do you? Whether you think so or not, Pippa considers you to be a friend – or at least someone she’d like to be friends with.” She picked up the coffee and put it in Hecate’s hand. “It’s a gift. Freely given. You aren’t meant to pay her back, but… you might do something nice for her if the opportunity presents itself.” She gave Hecate’s hand one last squeeze before leaving her alone to process what she’d said.

Less than an hour later, Hecate appeared next to Julie’s computer. “I need to step out for a bit. Dimity won’t be here until the afternoon. Would you…”

“I can keep an eye on things for you.” Julie jerked her head towards the Children’s Room. “I’ll let her know you’re out. If needs be.”

“Thank you.”

Hecate leaned against the doorframe, just out of Pippa’s line of sight, watching her interact with two young children. A boy and a girl, they looked to be about four and they were currently entranced by Pippa’s animated reading of The Rainbow Fish. She’d gotten about halfway through the book when she stopped.

“Do you want to know what happens next?” She asked.

“YES!” The children yelled in unison.

“Then you’d better check it out and have your Gran read it to you as soon as you get home. How does that sound? And how about these to go with it?” Pippa pulled out a handful of other books with bright covers.

With a great deal of screech and scramble, the children raced out of the room, leaving their harried grandmother to scurry after them. Hecate stepped aside just in time to avoid being plowed over. Stifling her impulse to shout at them to stop, Hecate stepped further into the room. “May I have a word?”

Now that the children were gone, so was Pippa’s enthusiasm. In its place, Hecate could see weary frustration, etched as clearly on Pippa’s face as the readers perched on the end of her nose.

“I haven’t changed my mind,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Hecate moved closer, her hands fluttering to the watch hanging from her neck. Sighing, she forced her hands back to her sides, but she couldn’t keep her thumbs from rubbing against her fingertips. “Nor have I. But, perhaps for the time being, we could just… agree to disagree.”

Pippa pushed her glasses up on her head. Was this an olive branch? Or a ploy? After a moment of consideration, she had to admit that Hecate was nothing if not straightforward. “I think I can live with that.”

The rush of relief Hecate felt upon hearing that surprised her. “Good.” She stood there awkwardly, suddenly unsure how to proceed.

She knew it was petty, but Pippa enjoyed seeing Hecate’s discomfiture. “Did you want something else?”

Hecate nodded and took a step back. “May I show you something?” Once Pippa started to follow, Hecate led her to the office. “I… uh…” she waved at their minifridge and stepped out of the way.

“Oh…” Pippa didn’t know what to say. A new coffee pot sat next to the minifridge. Hecate had rearranged the tiny table to hold not only that but also her tea pot, a sugar bowl, and a mug tree. She’d even purchased mugs. Pippa picked up a hot pink coffee mug, embossed with a gold-foil ‘P.’ The tree also held a black mug with a silver ‘H.’ A basket tucked under the table held tea bags and a tin of coffee. Pippa read the unfamiliar label, surprised to find the coffee was Beans and Queens house blend. “You did all this?”

“I know you take extra time – and expense – to pick up coffee each morning. I don’t want you to…” She shook her head, frustrated with her own explanation. “I want you to know that I appreciate it. I also wanted you to… well, I don’t want you to feel obligated. If you’re in a rush or – or just don’t care to stop… you should still be able to enjoy a cup of coffee. Or have a second one later.”

Pippa shook her head, wondering if she would ever understand her inscrutable coworker. “This is very kind of you, Hecate. It’s… thank you.”

“Well, it’s not so much really.” She smiled a little half smile. “Besides, you’re less likely to be late if there’s coffee here.”

Pippa threw her head back and laughed – throaty and loud, finally releasing the tension she’d been carrying since their argument earlier.

Hecate wouldn’t have believed such an unladylike… guffaw could have come from Pippa. It somehow managed to be both horrifying and heartwarming at once.

Catching her breath, Pippa reached out and squeezed Hecate’s hand. “Ever the practical one, aren’t you? Really, thank you.” She leaned out the office door and called to Julie. “Hey! How about a cup of joe? Hecate’s treat?”

“Is it just me…or did it seem like there were a few more people in today?” Pippa checked the number on the people counter. “Forty-seven. That’s better, isn’t it?”

“By eight.” Hecate noted the number in her ledger. “It’s not enough, though. Not even close.”

“True,” Pippa agreed, “but we’re moving in the right direction. And tonight, I’m going to update the website with a picture of the Kid’s Corner – with a C,” Pippa said, her voice tinged in defeat. There’d been a minor row over the appropriate spelling of ‘corner.’ Pippa wanted to use a ‘k’ to create a cute, fun look that went with ‘Kid’s.’ Hecate adamantly – and dramatically – refused, going on about the downfall of literacy, nay even society itself. “I’ll include the Saturday Story Time as well.”

“I hope it will be enough.”

“It will. In fact, I’m hopeful enough that I think we deserve a bit of a reward for our hard work. There’s a new little café just down the street. Join me for a cup of tea? Maybe a bite to eat? My treat.”

Hecate looked back at Pippa, trying to work out if she’d heard her right. “I beg your pardon?”

“You. Me. The café down the street.” Pippa marched into the office and grabbed both of their coats. “Come on, Hecate.” She held up Hecate’s coat until the other woman gave in and put it on. “There we go.” She waited for Hecate to shut down the computer before shutting off the lights.

They walked in silence for the first block, stiffly avoiding both conversation and contact. Finally, Pippa couldn’t stand it anymore.

“So how long have you been the librarian?”

“Just over ten years. I’m sure you knew that already, though.”

“I’m just trying to make conversation.” They walked past a sandwich shop that had already closed for the day, as well as a boutique. Pippa’s stomach growled as the spicy scent of tacos wafted their way from a food truck on the corner. “The neighborhood certainly picks up at night. I wonder if we should have a night where we stay open later, perhaps do some sort of special programming?”

“I’m not sure we’d compete with taco trucks and piano bars.”

“There’s a piano bar? Where? I’ve not passed a piano bar!” Pippa eagerly searched the nearby buildings.

“About three blocks down and one block over. It’s in what used to be a petrol station. Very modern.” They continued down the street, the wind cold but not terribly so.

“It looks like there’s been a lot of new businesses coming into the area.” Pippa pulled Hecate across the street, darting between the passing cars. “It must be nice.”

“Mm… It’s…change. I don’t know if it’s for the better.” Hecate looked up to find them standing in front of a bustling café. She hoped there would be a table. Pushing through the door, Hecate let the warmth wash over her, along with a tantalizing mix of aromas.

“Smells lovely, doesn’t it. Oh, look!” Pippa grabbed Hecate’s hand and pulled her over to a table for two near the window. “That’s a bit of luck.”

Settling into her seat, Hecate took in the sights of the café. Warm woods dominated the décor, and live plants seemed to be growing straight out of the walls. In the corner near the front, an intricate looking boardgame had been spread across a coffee table. Hecate wondered, not for the first time, what she was doing here. She had perfectly good food at home. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Pippa speaking to her.

Pippa followed Hecate’s gaze. “What do you think they’re playing? It looks intriguing.” She watched them play for a few minutes, a thoughtful look on her face. Finally, she turned back to Hecate. “Do you want some chips? Or maybe a bit of something sweet?”

“I’m sure whatever you’d like is fine. You’re paying, after all.”

Pippa frowned, slowly closing her menu. “You really don’t want to be here, do you?” Hecate opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again and shrugged. Pippa nodded. “It’s all right. I know you don’t like me very much. You didn’t ask for me.” She looked up as the waitress approached the table. She’d hoped to have a nice dinner and a spot of tea, but… “I’d like a glass of the house red, please. Hecate?”

“Tea. Black.” The waitress went to place their drink order. “It’s not…” Hecate began, before trailing off in uncertainty.

“It’s fine, Hecate. You don’t have to explain. To you I’m simply an interloper. It’s just…” Pippa leaned forward. “I wanted this job. I still do. There’s so much potential… You’ve been carrying the load essentially yourself. I know Dimity helps, but… I know it hasn’t been easy. I’m just sorry I’m making it harder rather than easier.”

Hecate didn’t know what to say. Instead of answering, she started folding and refolding her napkin, stopping only when a tanned hand covered both of hers.

“I just thought, well… you and Dimity make a great team. Maybe we could be too?”

“Well! If it isn’t my two favorite librarians!” Ursula Hallow’s sickly sweet voice carried across the room.

Hecate snatched her hands away and forced a smile. “Good evening, Mrs. Hallow.”

“What a surprise seeing you here,” Pippa oozed, just as sweet. “It’s a lovely little place, isn’t it?”

“Indeed, Miss Pentangle. It’s so refreshing to see successful establishments in this neighborhood.”

Bristling at the dig, Hecate looked fit to burst, but Pippa stepped in instead. “It’s amazing what a bit of funding and support can accomplish, isn’t it? Have you had the coffee at Beans and Queens yet? So much better than what you find at those giant chains.”

Ursula narrowed her eyes for just a second before her shark-smile returned. “I’ll be sure to give it a try. You two enjoy your… evening out.”

Pippa waited until Ursula walked away before letting her growl escape. “She’s just so infuriating! And smarmy! Ugh… Are you sure all you want is tea?”

“Perhaps a glass of white wine would be more appropriate.”

741.5     Cartoons, caricactures, comics, graphic novels, fotonovelas

“Are you certain?” Hecate leaned over the circulation desk, counting the Amazon boxes that were being rapidly unloaded. “I haven’t ordered anything.”

“It says it’s for the library, ma’am. Let me go get the next load.”

“The next… There’s more?” Hecate looked at Ada. “I haven’t ordered anything.”

“Perhaps Miss Pent—”

“Pippa!” Hecate stormed across the library barging into the Children’s Room, ready to row. Until she saw the room. She hadn’t been back in the Children’s Room since the night they painted. The room had been transformed into a reading wonderland. Pippa had placed the shorter shelves at ninety degree angles from the wall, creating a reading nook under The Giving Tree mural, complete with bean bag chairs, fairy lights and a bright red rug. More bean bag chairs were scattered around the room as were a few large stuffed animals. Fairy lights hung from the ceiling. “When… when did you do all of this?” She nudged a hot pink bean bag chair with her boot. “How did you pay for this?”

“I had a very busy Sunday. Do you like it?”

“It’s very…” Garish? Cluttered? Gauche? Hecate could see the hopefulness bleeding out of Pippa. “Child friendly. I’m sure Mildred loves it.”

“She helped pick out the bean bags and the rugs.” Pippa’s smile shined brighter than the fairy lights. “I know it’s not to your taste…”

“Quite true.” Pippa’s smile faded a bit and so she hurried on, “But I’m hardly the target demographic.”

The silence was just beginning to get awkward when Ada peeked through the door. “Hecate? The gentleman needs your signature for the delivery.”

“Delivery?” Pippa brightened even more. “Is it my order from Amazon?” She ran out of the Children’s Room, nearly bowling Hecate over in the process.

Hecate followed along behind, her stomach knotting both at what the boxes could contain as well as how much it may have cost. She stumbled a bit when she saw that there were now nine boxes sitting in front of the circulation desk.

“We never talked about whatever this is,” she began as soon as the delivery man left the library.

Pippa levelled a resolute gaze at Hecate. “We did not. I decided we could fight about it then or later. I opted for later.” She opened the first box, squealing as she revealed a white boxed set of books. She pulled it out, tossing bubble wrap and the empty carton aside.

Hecate tried to see what it was, but all she could make out were some animated characters and the word Bleach on the box. “What. Are. Those?”

Pippa set the white box on the circulation desk and set to opening the next package. Ada fetched a pair of scissors from a drawer and opened a box of her own, holding up a blindingly yellow box sporting an enormous smiley face. Assassination Classroom it said.

When no one answered, Hecate slapped a hand over Pippa’s half-opened box. “What is all of this, Pippa?”

With a huff, Pippa stood, hands on her hips. “It’s manga, Hecate. Surely, you’ve heard of it.”

“Assassination Classroom? Certainly not.”

Pippa ripped the next box open and hefted another box set. “Dragon Ball Z?” Hecate shook her head. “Never? It’s manga, a type of graphic novel from Japan? Been around since the 1800’s?”

Hecate ripped the plastic from the collection and pulled out one of the books. “This… This is a comic book, Pippa,” she said, flipping through the pages. “I’m not stocking comic books in the library.”

“They aren’t comic books, Hecate. And they’re here and they’re staying. I’m going to set up a special section for them right over there.” She pointed to a section of shelves just outside the Children’s Room. “With a little bit of periodical shuffling, there’s plenty of room.”

“I said no, Pippa! These things—”

“These things are very popular! Especially with younger people – like the ones drinking coffee and buying sandwiches down the street. Like the students that go to the academy two blocks over. They aren’t coming in to read the latest issue of The Economist, Hecate.”

“Once again you have subverted my authority! You cannot just spend the library’s funds on anything you want!” Hecate could hear her own voice growing shriller with each word. “You know how little money we have.”

“You can’t expect to keep offering the same old things and think you’re going to attract new patrons. I ordered them before I knew about the audit, not that it matters. Libraries have changed. Patrons have changed. You’re going to have to change as well.” She slammed the Dragon Ball Z set down on the counter and tackled the next box.

Hecate looked to Ada for support, but the older woman remained intensely focused on gathering up Pippa’s scattered packaging. She could feel the prickle of tears they started to form in the corners of her eyes. She’d be damned if would allow Pippa Pentangle to make her cry. Spinning on her heel, she stalked into the office, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the glass. Clutching her pocket watch, Hecate tried to calm herself by breathing in, holding her breath, and then slowly letting it out.

“Bloody! Ridiculous! Woman!” Pippa spat, punctuating each word with the ripping of packing tape. Pippa yanked the tape free, opening the box to reveal the invoice. “Perfect.” She snatched the paper loose and stormed into the office, tossing the invoice onto Hecate’s desk, then slamming the door with as much vigor as Hecate had.

Ada kept opening boxes, carefully sneaking a look through the office window every now and then. The glass windows did little to muffle the row raging inside. She did her best to ignore it.

“Hullo there, Ada!” Dimity pushed through the door with her usual exuberance. “Oi! The manga books have come in! Brilliant!” The commotion coming from the office caught her attention. “Oi. The manga books have come in. Brilliant,” she said, shaking her head. “How long have they been at it?”

“They’ve only just started, dear.” Ada opened another box, this one filled with a half dozen smaller collections. “I can only presume that this is another of Miss Pentangle’s purchases that follow her philosophy of ‘better to ask forgiveness than permission?’”

“That’s sure how it looks. I told her she needed to stop doing that.” Dimity bent to open a box.

“It certainly upset the apple cart, so to speak. I will say, though, it does seem that Hecate could use a bit of a nudge now and then.”

Slowly, Dimity straightened, frowning. “I’m sure you mean well, Miss Cackle, but…”

“But I’ve not been here long enough to be sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong.” Ada smiled as she said it, but Dimity knew she herself may have overstepped. “Fair enough.”

“You aren’t wrong,” Dimity conceded. “But there’s a helluva difference between a nudge and knocking somebody on their arse.” She resumed her attack on her box, trying to work out how to explain. “Hecate doesn’t just like to have things a certain way. She needs them that way. Change isn’t something that comes easy to her. As much good as Pentangle is doing – and she is, don’t get me wrong – she’s still a bright pink spanner in the works as far as Hecate’s concerned.” She listened to the shouting through the wall. “Still, it’d be easier on all of us if they’d just admit they like each other and shag already.”

“What!” Ada jerked around to look at them through the glass, openly staring this time. “My goodness, that hasn’t even occurred to me. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.” She looked back and forth between the office and Dimity. “Do you really think…”

Dimity simply shrugged. “Who else fights the way they do? Always bickering, but still always doing things together. Don’t think they’ve figured it out, bloody idiots.”

“Well, perhaps it’s time for us to do a bit of nudging as well—”

The office door opened abruptly.

Pippa stormed out, red-eyed and splotchy-faced, leaving Dimity and Ada behind without a word. They looked at one another, tight-lipped and grim. They could see Hecate through the glass, head in hands.

The silence was broken by the arrival of Mildred Hubble. “What’s wrong with Miss Pentangle?” Mildred asked. “She didn’t even say hello.”

Julie trailed along behind her daughter, watching Pippa exit to the car park. Once inside the library, she took in the boxes and the new books, as well as Hecate still bent over her desk in the office. “Millie? Why don’t you go get started on your homework? I’ll come by and check your maths as soon as I talk to the girls, here.”

“But what about Miss Pentangle?”

“Don’t you worry about Miss Pentangle, love. Things will sort themselves out. Now off with you.”

“Grownups never let you hear the good stuff,” Mildred huffed before going off to start her homework.

Julie let Mildred get out of earshot before she spoke. “I see we’ve had a bit of a row.”

“You can say that again.” Dimity started to say more, but Hecate emerged from the office.

“Clear all this rubbish away from the circulation desk, please Dimity. I’ll be culling books in the five hundreds.” She dragged a book cart along behind her.

“What do you want me to do with th—”

Hecate didn’t even let Dimity finish. “I don’t care.”

Not knowing what else to do with them, Dimity and Ada moved all the new books into the workroom while Julie flattened the shipping boxes.

Quiet tension marked the rest of the day. Snappish whenever she interacted with anyone, Hecate kept mostly to herself. Ada volunteered to handle the circulation desk, and Dimity did her best to intercept any patrons before they could inadvertently approach Hecate.

Hecate snapped the book shut and slid it back onto the shelf, then pulled it back off and checked the date again, stacking it on the book cart. She didn’t remember checking the last two shelves. She didn’t remember anything except the look on Pippa’s face before she’d stormed out. Before she’d driven Pippa away.

She leaned against her book cart, nails clicking against the metal. She’d handled things badly today, she knew that. Not that she was wrong… “It wasn’t her place,” she muttered.

“Whose place? Miss Pentangle’s?” Mildred appeared beside her as if by magic. “Did you two have a fight? I asked Mum, but she said not to concern myself about it.” Mildred moved closer, adding matter-of-factly, “I think that’s what grownups say when you’re right, but they don’t want to admit it.”

Hecate closed her eyes, wrestling her patience into place. “You’re very perceptive, Mildred. Miss Pentangle and I did have a disagreement. I’m certain we’ll sort it out,” she said, wishing she felt as certain as she sounded. She pulled another book off the shelf, hoping Mildred would take the hint and be on her way. No such luck.

“Mum says you two don’t get along because you think you’re opposites but you’re really alike.”

Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat at the thought of being the topic of conversation in the Hubble household, Hecate croaked, “She does, does she?” Hecate looked down at her dark, modest dress, thinking of nothing but the contrast with Pippa’s pink exuberance. “I don’t think Miss Pentangle and I have much in common.”

“Maybe,” Mildred said, flipping through the books on the cart. “You both like books though, right? And you both want the library to be good, right?”

Sighing, Hecate pulled another book. “Is there something you needed, Mildred?”

“I’m supposed to do a report for science on fish, but fish are boring. Mum said you could help me find cool fish.”

“Fish are cold-blooded, Mildred. That means they are all ‘cool.’”

“Miss Hardbroom!”

Hecate flipped a book backwards to mark her place. “Very well, Mildred, come along.” Thinking about fish seemed better than being left with her own thoughts.

For the rest of the day, Hecate couldn’t get Mildred’s comment out of her mind. Pippa did want the library to be better. She wanted the library to be better. They just didn’t agree on what constituted ‘better.’ Six o’clock finally came, and the Hubbles were bundling up for the trip home.

“You all right then, love?” Julie asked as Hecate waited to lock the door behind them.

“Certainly, Ms. Hubble. Whyever wouldn’t I be?” She locked the door as soon as they were through. For the first time that she could recall, Hecate wanted out of the library. She rushed through the rooms, shutting down the computers and turning off the lights. It took her over five minutes to find and unplug every string of the blasted fairy lights in the Children’s Room.

Hecate stepped into the workroom to make sure everything had been turned off. Stacked atop the worktable, the books seemed to be mocking her. She meant to flip the lights off and leave, truly she did, but somehow Hecate found herself examining the boxes. An hour later, she was on her second book in the Bloom into You series. She found the books… engrossing. The love story between the main characters had been a pleasant surprise. She forced herself to put the book down and checked her pocket watch. Seven-seventeen. Resigning herself to a long night, Hecate opened her supply drawer and set about stamping the edges of the books and applying the magnetizing strips.

Friday morning brought a light coating of snow. Pippa left her flat extra early to make certain she arrived at the library before Hecate. She wanted home turf advantage. She also wanted any shouting to be over before the first patrons arrived.

Snow had collected on the patio inside the gates. Pippa made a note to come out and sweep later. Flipping on lights as she entered, she noticed that the entryway floor needed a bit of a sweep as well. Inside the library proper, Pippa was surprised to find the bin behind the circulation desk in need of emptying. It pleased the spiteful part of Pippa’s nature to see that Hecate may have been affected by their argument. She dropped her purse and coat off in the office before heading to the workroom to start prepping the manga books for circulation.

Pippa opened the workroom door, flipped on the lights and froze, staring at the empty worktable. Where were her books? She pulled out her phone and reread Dimity’s text from last night. The books had been stacked in the workroom. Anger propelled her further into the room. She looked under the table, opened cupboard doors, and pulled boxes away from the walls to check behind them. “That bloody witch!”

Pippa stalked out of the workroom, well into the rant she planned to unleash the second Hecate walked into the library. Focused on being angry, Pippa walked past them twice before she realized she’d been looking at the books the entire time. She skidded to a stop in front of the card catalog. They were there. All of them, sitting on the shelves just past the periodicals, exactly where Pippa had wanted them. Not only that, an entire display had been created to showcase them. Disbelieving, Pippa ran her hands over the books, pulling out one after another, each one stamped on the edge of the pages with the library’s name. She even found the magnet strips inside. Stepping back, she took a few pictures for the webpage. No wonder Hecate hadn’t swept the floors or emptied the bins. This had to have taken her hours.

Pippa walked slowly back to the office, deep in thought. She had no idea why Hecate had changed her mind, but the fact that she did started something warm fluttering in Pippa’s chest. Smiling, she started the water for Hecate’s tea before tending to last night’s unfinished chores.

“Enjoy those!” Pippa said, running the books across the demagnetizer. The young man was the fourth person to check out some of the new manga books – a fact Pippa studiously avoided mentioning. They’d achieved a sort of formal détente. Hecate had thanked Pippa for starting the kettle, while Pippa had complimented Hecate’s display for the new books. Other than that, they kept to themselves and avoided any unnecessary conversation until an older woman arrived just past noon.

Hecate stepped out of the office to greet her. Older, the woman looked exceedingly uncomfortable. Her eyes darted from case to case, as though monsters lurked behind every shelf. “Hello there, how can we help you?” The woman clutched at the collar of her coat, looking like she would bolt at any moment. Hecate chanced a worried glance at Pippa, who shrugged almost imperceptibly back.

The woman hung back, clinging to the card catalog. Hecate and Pippa busied themselves at the desk, giving the woman time to make up her mind. Or work up her nerve. Their patience paid off when the woman timidly approached the desk.

“Excuse me,” she whispered, “I do need a bit of help. It’s my son, you see.” She checked to make sure no one else could hear. “He’s… I think he’s… he says that he’s a homosexual.” She cringed, obviously expecting some sort of negative response. “I don’t know what to do – my parents raised me to believe that it’s a sin, a mortal sin, but… he’s my son.” She dabbed at her eyes with a tatty tissue. “My husband won’t allow him back in our home. He blames me. We didn’t have Liam until I was nearly forty. My husband says I mollycoddled the boy and that’s why he’s... What am I to do?”

Pippa looked at Hecate, expecting her to offer some assistance, but Hecate seemed paralyzed by her own thoughts. “You are having a time of it, aren’t you? We’ll do everything we can to help you. Do you have any idea what sort of information you’re looking for?” Pippa rounded the desk, giving Hecate’s shoulder a gentle squeeze as she passed.

“What if he’s wrong? He could be mistaken, couldn’t he? Or – or maybe it’s a phase?” The woman looked hopefully at Pippa.

“I don’t know. How old is your son, Mrs...?”

“Ellison. Margaret Ellison. He’s just twenty-four.”

Pippa looked to Hecate for a hint of how to proceed, but Hecate kept her eyes riveted to the desk and all the color had drained from her face. There’s something heavy going on in there, Pippa thought, knowing she wouldn’t get any help from Hecate. “Well… I think by twenty-four he’s probably worked out whether he fancies men or women.” The woman nodded and dabbed at her eyes again as Pippa wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “There now. Chin up. It speaks to your relationship with your son that he felt confident in telling you.”

Mrs. Ellison chewed at her bottom lip before whispering “Are there any books about how to cure him?”

Lips pressed in a tight line, Pippa shook her head. “There’s nothing to cure, Mrs. Ellison. Being gay isn’t something to be fixed any more than being left-handed or having blue eyes.” She tried to pull Hecate back into the conversation. “Isn’t that right, Miss Hardbroom?”

Hearing her name brought Hecate back from her thoughts with a start. “I’m sorry, a cure? Yes… I mean, no… I mean… I believe Miss Pentangle is correct. Science corroborates that as well.” Mrs. Ellison still looked skeptical. Even Hecate winced at how clinical she sounded.

Mercifully, Pippa continued to talk to the woman while Hecate tried to gather herself. She futzed with paperwork at the desk, trying not to look like she was eavesdropping, even as she hung on Pippa’s every word. Gentle and kind, Pippa spoke softly, but with quiet certainty. She made it a point to touch Mrs. Ellison’s arm or shoulder while she reassured her that Liam could have a happy, wonderful life. Hecate knew she would have been stiff and awkward; she would never have been able to put the woman at ease.

“The way I see it, there’s only one thing you can do: continue to love your son,” Pippa said, looking at Hecate. “Even if you don’t understand him, he’s still your son. Talk to him. Meet the people he dates, just like you would if he were dating women. Make sure they’re good enough for your son. Meanwhile, let’s get you a book or two that will help you understand your son a bit better – or maybe help you talk to your husband.”

Hecate watched Pippa guide Mrs. Ellison into the stacks, a pang of regret squeezing her chest. How different her life could have been if… Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts away. That was water under a bridge long since burned.

Half an hour later, Pippa returned to the circulation desk carrying a small stack of books, still chatting with a much steadier looking Mrs. Ellison. “Here you go, Hecate, we’ll be needing these checked out just as soon as Margaret signs up for a library card.”

Hecate handed over a yellow application card and waited while Mrs. Ellison filled it in. Once she finished, Hecate completed the application process and handed over the new library card. Hesitating for a moment, Hecate slid another page across the desk. “There’s a group… PFLAG UK. It’s for the families and friends of lesbians and gays. I thought… well, I thought you might find it helpful to talk to other parents like yourself.”

“I would. Thank you.” She squeezed both of Pippa’s hands in hers. “Thank you so much. I feel so much better about it all. You’ve been so wonderfully kind and patient. I know dealing with a foolish old woman is a bother.”

“Not at all, Margaret. That’s why we’re here. And I want you to come back and tell us how things are going. We’ll figure out how to bring that husband of yours to rights.”

“I will.” Margaret gathered her books and left the library.

Pippa waited until she disappeared from sight before sagging against the circulation desk and cradling her head. “I don’t understand, Hecate. Her husband… he wants nothing to do with his own son. How can a parent do that?”

Hecate traced the edge of the counter with a fingertip. “It’s a question I’ve asked myself for years.”

Pippa looked up at Hecate to find her gazing back, her expression unfathomable. “She says she feels like she has to choose between her husband and her son.” Pippa pushed herself away from the counter. “He’d rather his son spend his whole bloody life living a lie – just so he won’t have to admit… He’d rather his son be dead than gay. That’s what he told him – except he used words I can’t even bring myself to say.”

“You don’t need to say them,” Hecate said. She’d heard them before, probably worse. “I’ve got some paperwork to do. Do you mind covering the front?”

“Not at all. You go ahead.”

Hecate retreated to her office, more to give herself the privacy to sort through the writhing mass of emotions in her chest than the need to do any real paperwork. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way Pippa had been with that woman. So far, all she’d seen of Pippa was snarky humor, a thinly disguised attitude that she could run the library better than Hecate, and open defiance. Patience, kindness, and compassion… those were new. And they were stirring up their own set of feelings in Hecate.

690         Construction, Home Building, Swimming Pools, Carpentry, Plumbing, Air Conditioning

Pippa glanced into the office just in time to catch Hecate looking at her. Caught out, Hecate didn’t know where to look, though she felt certain she looked like she’d just eaten something sour. Pippa just grinned and gave Hecate a quick wink before going back to work.

Opening her pocket watch, Hecate checked the time. For once, she was eager for the Hubbles to arrive. She needed a buffer, not to mention something to focus her attention on besides Pippa or the precarious state of the library finances.

Not a moment too soon, she thought, when she heard Pippa call out a greeting to Julie.

“Hello, love,” Julie called back as she hung her sweater on the coatrack near the door. “Good afternoon, Miss Hardbroom. It’s colder than a witch’s tit out there!”

“And you’ve only got a sweater?” Pippa asked as she hugged Julie in greeting. “Where’s your coat? And where’s Mildred?”

“That’s just what I’ve been wondering – about the coat.” Julie laughed, waving Pippa’s concerns away. “Millie is in the loo.” She pointed out the door towards the lavatories. “Did the bloody weatherman say it would be so cold today?”

“I thought so. I think I saw—”

“Miss Hardbroom! Miss Hardbroom!” Mildred burst into the library. “I promise it wasn’t me, Miss Hardbroom! I didn’t do it!”

“What didn’t you do, Mildred?” Hecate asked, stepping out from behind the circulation desk. Mildred grabbed her hand and pulled her through the doors. That’s when Hecate saw the trail of wet footprints, and she knew.

Mildred pulled her into the toilet, splashing through the water on the floor. “It was already like this, I swear.” The girl looked ready to cry.

“Hush now, Mildred. I know you didn’t do anything. See?” She pointed to the sign on the stall door. “You know it’s been out of order. Now it’s simply… more out of order. And a mess.” She opened the stall door and tried to assess the damage. The bowl and cistern both seemed intact. She could hear water moving in the pipes, but it looked to be pouring out from beneath the bowl.

“Looks like we need a plumber then?” Pippa leaned in from the hallway. “Shall I go ahead and book one?”

“Uh… no… that won’t be necessary,” Hecate stammered. “I have the number of one we’ve used before. I’ll schedule an appointment.”

“I’ll go fetch a mop, then. Come along, Mildred, your Mum wants you to get started on your homework.”

Hecate stepped aside as Mildred splashed out of the room. Gathering up her skirts, Hecate leaned over and shut off the line at the wall. She couldn’t tell Pippa they didn’t have the funds for a plumber. She’d had to shift most of the contingency funds into the purchasing account to pay for the manga books. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Her savings had dwindled to little more than the minimum required to maintain the account.

“Hecate? There’s only the one mop. Why don’t I clean this up so you can call the plumber?” Pippa held the door open until Hecate caved in and went to her office.

Back at her desk, Hecate flipped through her Rolodex and pulled up the plumber. She wanted to call and just have it taken care of but… Sighing, she slid the Rolodex back into its place and began googling basic plumbing problems, keeping one eye peeled for Pippa as she researched.

Over the course of the day, Hecate learned that the toilet was a floor mounted model, which narrowed the problem to only one or two possibilities. She’d gathered every book she thought she might need and made a list for the hardware store – she’d even taken a picture of the toilet and the leak. As soon as the library closed, she could get whatever she might need and then, hopefully, have everything spit-spot by morning. “If you can read, you can learn to do anything,” she repeated, over and over throughout the day.

In her eagerness to get underway, Hecate started closing down the library earlier than usual. Even Julie Hubble noticed and bundled herself and Mildred home a few minutes early.

“I notice you’re closing up shop right on the mark today. Hot date on a Saturday night?” Pippa asked, genuinely wondering what could pry Hecate out a moment earlier than usual.

“Hardly,” Hecate snorted, kicking herself for being so obvious about it.

“Well, since you’ve started shutting down, I wonder if you’d mind if I took my leave a bit early as well? I have a dinner date tonight, and I could use a bit of time to get ready.” Or throw back enough alcohol to make the evening bearable, she thought.

A dinner date? Hecate rubbed her sternum as something in her chest did a funny little flip. “That would be acceptable.” Pippa kept looking at her, an odd expression in her eyes. “I hope you have a lovely evening.”

“I hope you have a lovely evening!” Pippa sing-songed, for the fiftieth time. “What a bloody hex that turned out to be.” She’d been driving aimlessly for half an hour, trying to blow off steam from her disastrous dinner date. She knew she should be put out with her mum, for setting her up on this date in the first place, but it just seemed easier to blame Hecate and her stupid well-wishing. She hadn’t been paying much attention to where she drove, so she was a bit surprised to find herself pulling into the library parking lot. That’s odd, she thought. The interior lights were on. Pippa couldn’t imagine that Hecate had forgotten to turn out the lights. She was always harping about conserving electricity and shutting off lights and electronics.

Putting the car in park, Pippa rummaged through her glove box for her heavy metal flashlight before going in to investigate. Her footsteps crunching across the gravel of the parking lot sounded unnaturally loud. One of the outside lights near the corner of the building had burned out; she’d have to see about replacing the bulb. Pippa frowned when she reached the gates and realized they were locked. Strange, she thought, feeling a bit less like bait for a serial killer. Maybe Hecate had somehow managed to forget the lights.

The outer doors were locked too, and, as she got closer, Pippa could see that the light wasn’t coming from the library itself, but rather from the lady’s lavatory. If she leaned just so, Pippa could see inside enough to make out the toilet sitting in the middle of the room. “What on earth…” Had Hecate gotten the plumber to come after hours? Knowing how much extra that would cost, Pippa couldn’t imagine that she would even consider it.

Quietly, Pippa let herself inside. She heard the clang of something metal dropping onto the tile, shortly followed by something that sounded suspiciously like a book being tossed across the room. Pippa would have sworn the voice that followed was Hecate’s if it hadn’t been using language to make a sailor weep.

She tapped softly on the door. “Hecate? Is that you?”

Hecate straightened up so quickly she lost her balance, tripping over a stack of books and stumbling into the wall where she scrambled to catch herself before landing, unceremoniously and hard, on her arse.

“I’m so sorry!” Pippa rushed forward to help. “I didn’t mean to startle you! Are you hurt?”

Hecate swatted Pippa’s hands away. “I’m fine.”

“You aren’t fine! Look at your hands!” She grabbed Hecate’s hand and examined her bruised and bloodied knuckles. “What did you do?”

Hecate tried to pull her hand free, but Pippa held fast. “It’s nothing. I just… I couldn’t get the bolts loose to move the toilet.”

“It’s not nothing – you’re bleeding! Why are you even doing this? I thought you were calling your plumber.” Pippa realized she was still holding Hecate’s hand and let go.

“There’s no money,” Hecate said, looking anywhere but at Pippa. “I had been saving some funds to get the repair made, but then I had to use it to pay for the manga books. Not that we didn’t need them! You were right – they’ve been a real boost to the library.” Hecate didn’t understand why, exactly, but she knew it was important for her to say that.

Pippa shuffled over next to Hecate, until they were both leaning against the wall, their shoulders just touching. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Looking down at her hands, Hecate found it easier to talk if she didn’t have to see Pippa’s reaction. “I didn’t want you to know how badly the library was failing…how badly I was failing.” Her lips curled into something not at all like a smile as she waved her bloodied hands over the items scattered over the floor. “How badly I’m still failing.”

Pippa twisted sideways so she could see Hecate’s face. “Now you listen to me, Hecate Narvilla Hardbroom! You are not failing this library. The City Council is failing it. Ursula Hallow is failing it. All those people who don’t bother to take advantage of it are failing it. You are the one person who is holding steady. Without you it would have been shut down long ago. Or be in such a state of disrepair that this toilet would be the least of our worries.”

“I wish I could believe that. I’m old-fashioned. Obsolete. If I were one of the books, I’d have been culled from the stacks by now and added to the old book sale table.” She reached up to wipe the tears threatening to fall, but Pippa caught her hand.

“Oh! No, darling, don’t touch your face…” Pippa used the edge of her scarf to wipe Hecate’s eyes. “Don’t sell yourself short, Hecate. Maybe you’d be in the rare books section?”

“We don’t even have one of those,” she said, shaking her head. “Narvilla? Where on earth did you get Narvilla?”

Chuckling softly, Pippa shrugged. “I’d already committed to the rant before I remembered I don’t know your middle name.”

“It’s Hecate, actually. My first name is Joy.” Her lips twisted downward. “I’m well aware of how much a misnomer it is.”

“Nonsense. Mine’s Phyllis, by the way. Just so we’re even.”

Silence fell across them, stretching uncomfortably until Hecate couldn’t stand it any longer. “I thought you had a dinner date. What are you doing here?”

“Ughhh…” Pippa flopped back against the wall. “Not just a dinner date. A blind date. I’m afraid my mother and one of her friends arranged the whole thing – a bloody disaster in the making it was, but I couldn’t think of a way out of it.”

“Oh. Dear. That sounds…dreadful.” Hecate shuddered to think what sort of nightmare her mother would arrange for her.

“You have no idea. She set me up with one of her friend’s obnoxious spawn – and why mum feels the need to set me up is a whole story unto itself. We had absolutely nothing in common. Less than nothing. I tried talking about movies, but those were ‘trash for the masses.’ A bit pretentious I thought, but okay. Next, I tried talking about books. Guess what this purveyor of great taste’s favorite book is? Guess.”

“I’m sure I have no idea,” Hecate answered, oddly pleased that the date had gone poorly.

“Gardeners’ World. Can you believe it?”

“But… that’s not even a book.”

“Exactly! Frankly, I’m having more pleasant conversation here on the bathroom floor with you.”

Hecate didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t say anything. She simply marveled at the warmth she could feel spreading through her chest.

“Well that’s enough chatter about my hideous date.” Pippa climbed to her feet and held out both hands to help Hecate up. “Let’s see to those hands of yours and then sort this. Between the two of us we ought to be able to suss out the problem.”

They went to the workroom to use the sink in there. Hecate washed her hands while Pippa retrieved the first aid kit. Pippa gently rubbed antibiotic ointment onto the cuts and carefully wrapped them in plasters. “Too bad we don’t have any Hello Kitty or Pokémon plasters. Shall I kiss it and make it better?”

“I’m sure that won’t be necessary.” Hecate snapped the first aid kit closed and put it away.

“Your loss then,” Pippa teased. “So… have you figured out where the leak is? The bowl looked to be intact.”

“It is, as is the cistern.” Hecate led them back to the loo. The smell had gotten worse while they were out. “We shouldn’t have closed the door,” Hecate said, nose wrinkling. “I’ve replaced the lever and the flushing bit and the…” Her brows knit together as she tried to remember. “Oh, yes, the fill valve. The man at the hardware store said it would be a good idea to replace those if I was taking it apart anyway. I think the problem may be something called a wax ring. The gentleman sold me one to replace it, but… I think he may have been taking advantage. He said our toilet drained down so it would have one, but I don’t see anything that looks like that.” She pointed to the packaging sitting in one of the sinks.

“I don’t either. Hang on, darling, I have an idea. Make us some tea?” Pippa patted Hecate’s shoulder and hurried out to her car. She walked into the office, carrying her oversized pink purse, just as the water began to boil. She plopped it on Hecate’s desk and rummaged through it until she pulled out her iPad. “There’s bound to be a video on YouTube.” She opened the app and searched. In seconds she had a dozen or more videos. “Let’s try this one.” She pulled her chair alongside Hecate’s and sipped her tea while they watched it. They watched a couple more just to be sure.

“So that…grey…thing is the wax ring? And we’re meant remove it?” Hecate couldn’t keep the disgust from her tone. “Get the gloves out of the first aid kit.”

“Good idea. Did you see the rag in the drain? No wonder it smells so bad in there.” She went to the circulation desk and pulled a box out from one of the cabinets. “There’s bound to be something in lost and found we can use to plug that hole.” She dug through until she found an unclaimed flannel shirt. She held it up. “How about this?”

“Perfect. It’s been in there since last spring.” She grabbed the putty knives they’d used to spackle the Children’s Room walls when they painted. “I think we’re as ready as we can be.”

“Agreed.” Pippa took a putty knife and headed to the loo.

“Wait!” Hecate called, hurrying ahead of her. “You’re in your good clothes…”

“Nothing that can’t be washed, Hecate. But thank you for thinking about it.” She hurried in and went to work. Twenty icky minutes later, the old wax ring had been removed and the fitting cleaned.

Hecate read the instructions through and installed the new ring. “It seems wrong for it to be that easy.” She stood up, still staring at it. “Now we just have to put the bowl back in place.”

“Yep,” Pippa grunted, “move, please.”

Hecate scrambled out of Pippa’s way. “I could have helped with that,” she said, unable to keep the scolding tone from her voice.

Squeezing into the stall, Pippa squatted until the bowl hovered just over the bolts. “Just… guide it.” Hecate just stood there trying to figure out how to get around Pippa. “Soon?” Pippa begged.

Hecate dropped to her knees and crawled between Pippa’s thighs, pushing the bowl until it lined up with the bolts. “Now. Straight down.”

Pippa dropped the bowl with a bit more force than perhaps necessary. She leaned over, hands resting on Hecate’s shoulders as she caught her breath. “Whew!” Pippa stood, arching her back, while she waited for Hecate to crawl out of the stall.

“You’ve got some muscles for such a little pipsqueak!” Hecate couldn’t help but be impressed.

Flexing her muscles, Pippa giggled. “Crossfit. Three times a week. Now let’s get this place put back together.”

In no time, the lavatory looked good as new. Pippa wiped her hands on her jeans. “Are you ready for the big test?” Hecate nodded. “Why don’t you do the honors?”

Hecate held her breath and opened the valve. Water began filling the cistern and the bowl at once. Both women leaned in, watching the edge of the toilet for any seepage. “I don’t see any water.”

Pippa flung an arm across Hecate’s shoulders. “So far, so good.” She felt Hecate go still and was about to take her arm down when Hecate reached up and squeezed her hand. Finally, the bowl and the cistern were full. “Last test then. Flush away.” Hecate stepped forward and pressed the lever. They both held tight to each other and watched the water swirling away. No leak. “We did it.” Pippa beamed. “Hecate! We did it!”

“We did! We really did!” Hecate clapped her hands. Next thing she knew, Pippa had swept her up in a great hug. Before she could stop herself, Hecate hugged her back.

Pippa pulled back, still smiling. “Come on, Hecate! This deserves a celebratory drink. My treat!” She hugged Hecate one more time before pulling her out of the loo. “There’s a lovely little bar that’s just opened up down the street. What do you say?”

All Hecate wanted was to go home and take a shower. Her hands hurt. Her muscles hurt. She felt all-over grimy. But Pippa wanted to celebrate their success. She meant to say no, to beg off with any of at least three plausible excuses she’d concocted. “Very well.” Hecate heard herself say instead, her nerves suddenly jangling in her chest. “Pipsqueak.”

Hecate read over the drink menu again. “Perhaps I should just have a cup of tea?” She didn’t have any idea what to order, yet here she sat, squeezed into a tiny table across from Pippa. She knew she could still cut the evening short – and she meant to do just that. But then Pippa smiled at her, bright and open, like she was truly pleased to be there with Hecate.

“Nonsense, Hecate, we’re celebrating our Victory Over the Loo. A cocktail is in order.” Pippa took in Hecate’s uncertainty. “You aren’t much of a cocktail drinker, are you? I can help you choose something, if you’d like?”

Hecate pushed the menu towards Pippa, looking relieved. “If I must drink something alcoholic, I always order white wine. It’s… tolerable.”

“Tolerable? Let’s see if we can find you something a bit better than tolerable. Let’s see…” Pippa studied the menu but then set it aside and studied Hecate instead. “Hmmm… you take your tea black… you don’t care much for sweets… Something classic, I think and definitely not pink,” she said, winking.

“I didn’t realize psychoanalysis would be accompanying the drinks. How lucky for me.”

“Don’t worry, darling, we won’t delve too deeply tonight. How do you feel about an Irish whiskey?”

Hecate’s eyes widened. “Like I’ll be found face-down in an alley sometime tomorrow!”

Pippa laughed so loudly the patrons at the next three tables to look. “I promise, Hecate,” she wiped tears from her eyes, “I’ll make sure you’re face up!” She laughed even harder – so much so that Hecate couldn’t help but chuckle herself.

“I’m touched by your thoughtfulness.” The waitress appeared at their table. “Moment of truth. Pipsqueak.” She arched one perfect brow. “Have you analyzed me enough to order my drink?”

“Oh, I’ve got your number.” Pippa smiled at the waitress. “I’d like a whiskey sour and… an Aviation for my friend, here.” She leaned back in her chair. “Now, tell me how you like the manga you’ve been reading when you think no one’s looking.”

Julie tossed her handbag onto the circulation desk and helped Mildred out of her coat. Once the girl had bounded into the Children’s Room, Julie slumped across the counter and looked up at Pippa. “Before you ask, we can cross another one off the list, I reckon.”

“It didn’t go well?” Pippa remagnetized the books she’d just checked in and set them on the cart to be reshelved. “Come on into the office and tell me all about it.”

“I could do with a cuppa, if Miss Hardbroom wouldn’t object.”

“What Hecate doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” Pippa started the electric kettle heating. “But maybe sit at my desk, just in case.” Pippa rolled Hecate’s chair closer until they were both squeezed at Pippa’s desk. “So, what happened?”

“It started well enough. Me and a younger bloke were the only ones there. Good odds, I figured. The manager came out and talked to me, sort of ignoring the other fellow. Even better, I thought, he’s looking for someone with experience.”

The kettle whistled, and Pippa got up to start the tea. “Earl Grey? Chamomile? There’s a couple of orange spiced ones.”

“Orange spice, please, with bourbon if she’s got any of that in there.”

Pippa chuckled. “If she had some of that stashed away, I’d have offered it up first.” She handed Julie her mug and drank out of Hecate’s, making a mental note to pick up a few extra mugs to have on hand. “How did it wind up all ass over tits then?”

“Funny you should say that. As it happened, my ass and my tits were the problem.” She shook her head. “We started the interview off well enough, but then he started making these little comments. Not inappropriate, not even proper innuendo, but just… off. Like, he kept going on about making connections with coworkers and how important the human touch is in business. It’s hard to explain.” She thought about it for a moment. “If I typed you up a transcript of what he said, you probably wouldn’t think a thing about it.”

“It’s all in the delivery, though isn’t it? Some people seem to have a natural talent for making the most innocuous things sound positively creepy.”

“Exactly! Anyway, I’m sitting there trying to figure out if it’s all in my head or if he’s some sort of creeper. Next thing I know, he wants to show me ‘round the office and I’m thinking things are looking bright. Then I felt his hand on my arse.”

“He didn’t!” Pippa thumped Hecate’s mug onto the desk, as she leaned forward. “What did you do?”

“I smacked him right in his gob. You should have seen the expression on his face. I don’t think anyone had ever objected.”

Pippa writhed about in Hecate’s chair, “What I wouldn’t give to have seen that! I’ve always wanted to pop one of those wankers. What did he do after that?”

“He told his secretary to call security – can you believe the nerve?” She leaned in to share a secret. “I watched her, though. She dialed it, but she never hit send. She just listened to the phone for a few, then told him they weren’t picking up. Anyway, he practically dragged the young bloke into his office, and that ended that. The secretary handed me back my resume so he wouldn’t have my information, though. And she said she’d be a reference if I needed one.”

“Can you imagine what that poor woman has had to put up with? One thing I can say about working here: Hecate Hardbroom is not likely to grab my arse.”

“Indeed not, Miss Pentangle.” Hecate scowled at them from the doorway, looking for all the world like a headmistress who’d just caught two students skiving off their classes.

“Hecate! What a surprise! You’re here… in your office.” She held up Hecate’s mug, prominently stained with her bright pink lipstick. “Tea?”

Hecate tossed the daily post onto her desk but didn’t step any further into the room. “Perhaps another time, Pipsqueak. At least one of us should get some work done.” With that, she left them to their giggling.

Later that afternoon, as Hecate finished adding new bookmarks to the little tray that sat at the end of the circulation desk, Pippa sidled up beside her. She stood so close that Hecate could feel her warmth through the fabric of her blouse.

“I’m worried about the Hubbles, Hiccup.” Pippa said, careful to keep her volume low.

Things had been… different since the night they fixed the toilet. Easier. They’d spent hours at the bar that night, talking – truly talking – for the first time since Pippa had arrived. Hecate felt more confident that they would be able to save the library. Even that ridiculous nickname – which she’d earned sometime after her third Aviation cocktail – felt like a sign they were becoming real friends. Not that Hecate didn’t fuss about being called ‘Hiccup;’ she did have an image to maintain after all.

A snarky reply danced across Hecate’s tongue, but something in Pippa’s tone kept it in check. Hecate studied Julie as she helped Mildred clear her artwork away so they could eat. “How so?”

“I think… I think their financial condition is more dire than a flat without proper heating. Look at Julie, really look at her… but don’t look like you’re looking!”

“For heaven’s sake!” Feeling very much like she was back in primary school, Hecate tried to make out what Pippa meant. “What am I looking for, Pipsqueak? She looks the same as always.”

“Mm-mm,” Pippa said, shaking her head. “She’s thinner, for one. And she was slim to begin with. Look how hollow her cheeks are – and her hair… it’s dull, lifeless. She’s not getting enough to eat.”

“B-but she’s pulling out their meal now…” Hecate watched as Julie handed Mildred a sandwich, a little bag of crisps, and a cookie. “That’s a full meal, not much different than the lunch I bring.”

“Yes. Mildred’s lunch is fine. What did Julie pull out of that bag for herself?”

Hecate waited to see. “An apple. One that looks like it has seen better days.” Hecate shook her head. “One light meal isn’t proof, Pipsqueak.”

Pippa tapped her nails against the counter. “What about Julie’s coat? Where is it?”

“She said she misplaced it. Left it somewhere.” She looked over at the coat rack near the door. A nubby, hand-made sweater shawl hung where Julie’s coat usually went; Mildred’s winter coat hung beside it.

“And don’t you think it’s curious that Mildred’s old coat had gotten so tight she could barely button it, then Julie misplaces her coat and the next day Mildred has a new one?”

Hecate mulled it over, remembering all the times she’d pawned her television to cover short funds. “You think she sold her coat.”

“There’s a new consignment store near here. Very trendy.” Pippa leaned in a bit closer. Hecate noticed that her hair smelled like strawberries. “I’ve sent Dimity to do a bit of reconnaissance.” Pippa plucked a bookmark out of Hecate’s hand. It pictured a little cat dangling from a clothesline with the phrase ‘Hang in There.’ She tossed it onto the desk. “Maybe it’s not my business, but… she’s been applying for jobs since before I got here and taking online courses to add to her skill set… but every one of them has fallen through, just like today. I know she gets some money from Mildred’s dad, but… I don’t think it’s enough. It may not even be reliable.”

Hecate had to admit that Pippa presented a strong case. In fact, now that she thought about it… “Mildred isn’t drawing as much as she used to either.” She tried to remember the last time she saw Mildred working on a project. “Her map colors are little more than nubs. I believe she’s been using paper from the recycle bin.” She thought about her own strained finances. “What do you think we can do about it? I don’t think we can just offer her money.”

“No, she’d never accept that. I don’t know how to help her in the long run. We’re going to have to think on that.” She slapped the counter. “But I do know how to help her in the short run.” Pippa ducked into the office and returned a moment later with her coat and her handbag. “Don’t have your lunch just yet. I’m picking up some carry out. Which type of sandwich do you like? Ham and cheese? Turkey?”

“Pastrami on rye,” Hecate answered, confused.

Pippa wrapped her scarf around her neck and headed out the door. Hecate tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept going back to what Pippa had said about the Hubbles. And the fact that Pippa’s hair smelled like strawberries. She jumped when the doors opened again; surely Pippa couldn’t be back already?

“Dimity! What are you doing here on a Saturday?”

“I know how you miss me when I’m not here, HB.” She searched the library, waving at Julie did. “Is Pentangle here?”

Hecate shook her head. She nodded at the bag Dimity had in her hand. “Did you find it? The coat?”

“She told you her theory, did she? I did. Cost me sixty quid, but I bought it back for her. I didn’t think it through, though.” She handed the bag to Hecate. “I can’t exactly just hand it over and say ‘oi! I found your coat.’”

“I’ll take care of it.” She didn’t know how, exactly, but maybe Pippa would have an idea. She saw a flash of pink in the foyer. “Here she is now.”

“Dimity! What a surprise!” Pippa gave her a quick hug before she dropped the carry out bag on the counter.

The sandwiches smelled heavenly. Hecate’s stomach rumbled in anticipation, pleased to be a collateral beneficiary of Pippa’s scheme. While Dimity filled Pippa in about the coat, Hecate unpacked the sack. “There’s an extra sandwich,” she said, laying them out on the counter.

“I know,” Pippa replied, a little louder than necessary. “They messed up on my order. Instead of a turkey, bacon, and swiss on ciabatta bread, I got a ham and swiss on sourdough. They couldn’t sell the other one, so they just threw it in. Do you want it?”

“I think I’ll stick with my pastrami. Dimity?”

“Nah, I’m off to lunch with me mum.” She winked so obviously at the two of them that Hecate was sure Julie would be able to see it from across the room. “I’ll catch you two on Tuesday, unless you want me to come in and help pull books for the St. Patrick’s Day? You know I make your life that much brighter, HB.”

“Tuesday is fine. I’m sure I’d wither under that much glare.” Hecate added drily. “I can pull the books and Ada said she would come and help set up the display. After all, we do want it to be tasteful.”

“Mark my words, HB. You’ll wish you had green beer and leprechauns again. Don’t think I don’t remember last year.” With that, Dimity raced out of the library, leaving a red-faced Hecate to stare back at a curious Pippa.

“Don’t you think for a minute that I’m not asking about that, Hiccup, just as soon as I get some food into Julie.” Pippa grabbed the extra sandwich and held it up so Julie could see it. “Julie Hubble! The bistro messed up my order. Do you want the wonky sandwich? It’s ham and swiss.”

Even from across the room Julie’s eagerness was unmistakable – as was her attempt to hide it. “What? No one wants it?”

“It’s an extra.” Pippa grabbed some napkins and a bag of crisps off the counter and carried it over to the couches and coffee table where they usually spread their picnic – now that Hecate allowed them to eat inside. “You know it won’t reheat well.”

“If you’re sure.” Julie took the sandwich, breathing in the aroma before unwrapping it and taking a bite. “Ooohhhh…This is delicious. Is the bread homemade?” Watching her, Hecate worried that the pleasure Julie derived from that one bite wasn’t fit to be viewed in public.

“Made by the shop, according to the signs.” Pippa turned and waved Hecate over. “Bring the rest, Hic- Hecate. We can all eat together.”

The pleasure of being asked to join warred with Hecate’s natural tendency to keep to herself – which was getting an unfair boost from her desire to keep the food out of the library. But then Pippa smiled at her and patted the space beside her, and every objection just… melted away.

Later that afternoon, Pippa called Hecate into their office. “I – I wanted to run something by you.”

Hecate frowned. It wasn’t like Pippa to sound nervous. “Go on.”

“Remember how you said that you thought Mildred had run out of art supplies? That maybe her mum couldn’t afford to replace them?”

“I do,” Hecate said, folding her arms across her chest. “That doesn’t mean the library should start providing the girl with markers and paint.” Hecate regretted her words as soon as she saw Pippa’s face fall. “What did you have in mind?”

Pippa brightened – a bit. “It occurred to me that…well… How many other Mildreds are out there? This neighborhood is transitional at best. I think money is tight for more than just the Hubbles.”

Certainly, Hecate thought, she could empathize with the Hubbles’ condition. “There’s new businesses popping up every day it seems. Surely that indicates some improvement in the local economy.”

“It does, for some. Even so, all this so-called gentrification raises property values, and that tends to raise rents and prices and… It could make things difficult for people like Julie.”

“You want something. Something expensive.” Hecate’s stomach tensed in anticipation of an argument.

Pippa rotated her laptop so Hecate could see the screen. “It’s an art station. The initial expense isn’t bad, but… well, restocking it would be a fairly regular expense.” She took a deep breath and plowed ahead. “I’m willing to purchase the station out of my salary, and I’ll look for a business or something to see if they’d be interested in underwriting the supplies.”

Hecate leaned forward. Pippa had picked out a sturdy wooden easel with fabric storage bins for supplies. She’d expected some pink plastic monstrosity, not sleek black wood. “One hundred and fifty pounds?”

“There are some cheaper models. It’s just that they look cheaper. I don’t want to have to replace it every few months because it wasn’t up to scratch.” Pippa reached across the desk and opened another tab. “It’s not just the easel; there’s also the cost of the supplies.”

Hecate did some quick addition in her head. She knew the budget couldn’t handle it. She couldn’t believe she was considering it anyway.

Finally, Pippa couldn’t stand it a moment longer. “Well?”

“Well… I’m not sure the library can afford it, and I can’t allow you to pay for it yourself. Though that’s very generous of you, Pipsqueak.”

“Can’t allow? Hecate Hardbroom, I don’t need your permission to spend my money. Besides, how is it any different than you spending your own money to shore up the book funds?” Pippa snapped her laptop closed before leaning back in her chair, arms and legs crossed. “I knew I shouldn’t have asked. I should have just bought the bloody thing and been done with it.”

But Pippa had asked. For the first time since she’d been here, Pippa had asked for her… well, if not her permission, at least her blessing. And she would have to say ‘no.’ She simply couldn’t justify the expense. “It would have to stay in the Children’s Room.” Hecate was even more surprised than Pippa when she heard herself say it.

“You mean it?” Pippa flew to her feet.

“And a – a tarp. There must be a tarp. Or something.”

Before Hecate could react, Pippa flung her arms around her, hugging her so tight Hecate feared she’d have a pocket watch shaped bruise on her chest. “Thank you, Hiccup! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She spun Hecate in a circle and hugged her again.

793        Indoor games & amusements

A loud clatter brought Hecate out of her office. “What on earth!” Pippa, Julie, and Dimity were rearranging the tables in the main area of the library, pushing them together to create a couple of oversized tables. They’d knocked a chair into one of the bookcases.

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist, HB. We’re just getting ready for Game Night.” Dimity grinned wickedly as she righted the chair.

“G-ggg-game Night? We don’t have ‘Game Night’ at the library.”

Pippa rolled her eyes and kept dragging chairs into place. “Honestly, Hecate. Do you ever even look at the library’s web page?”

Hecate spun on her heel and huffed into her office. She switched the screen from the monthly expense reports to the library’s home page and flopped back into her chair. Physically recoiling from the garish clockface counting down to the first ever Game Night at the Library, Hecate squinted to read the information. “Six to… Pippa!” She sprang from her chair again. “You’re keeping the library open until nine? We never talked about this!” Three extra hours of lights and heat a week… that would add up.

“Don’t you remember talking about it the night we painted the Children’s Room? Besides, we’re salaried, Hecate. It’s not like you have to come up with money to pay me overtime.” Satisfied with the table arrangement, Pippa moved on to setting out the games. “You don’t have to stay. I’m perfectly capable of locking up when it’s all over. Besides, Dimity said she’d keep me company.”

“But we don’t even have games!” Suddenly, the mysterious bags and boxes that Pippa kept tucking under her desk made sense. “You’ve bought games.” Hecate pinched the bridge of her nose, the tightness of her bun suddenly causing her head to ache. “How much?”

“I’ve paid for some of them, and Dimity is providing some. And most of them are used—” She looked for Dimity just in time to see her disappear into the office.

“Pippa.”

“About eighty-seven pounds. I’m prepared to pay it myself if needs be.”

“Eighty-seven pounds! How could you possibly spend that much on games?” Hecate tried not to think about how many books could have been purchased with that much money.

“It’s easier than you think,” Pippa said, ruefully. “New games are expensive.”

Mildred ran out of the Children’s Room.

“WALK!” The adults shouted in unison. Mildred skidded to a stop before sashaying up to her mother.

“Can we stay for the games, Mum, please?”

“Oh, I don’t know, love. I think those games might be for older kids.” Julie looked at Pippa.

“I don’t know about that!” Dimity dropped a stack of games on the table and went back for more. A few minutes later, Julie had given in and agreed to one game. She, Mildred and Dimity began a ruthless game of Uno.

Pippa checked the time – half past six and not a single visitor. She hadn’t been expecting a huge crowd, but… She’d hung signs in several of the neighborhood businesses, so she’d hoped a few people would come. She watched Hecate through the office window, studying her profile while Hecate concentrated, probably on the finances. Hecate always worried about the money. Even from here she could see the worry lines etched into Hecate’s face. At that moment Hecate looked up, glancing out her window and making eye contact. Pippa smiled and Hecate smiled back and… Hecate is the sun, she thought, her heart suddenly beating double time. She waved for Hecate to come join her, smiling wider when she did. She would definitely have to unpack that later.

“How about a break from work, Hiccup? Pick a game?”

Hecate looked at the selection. She didn’t recognize most of the names: Pandemic, Azul, Ticket to Ride. Some were more familiar, like Dungeons and Dragons, though she’d never played the game herself. Luckily, she spotted some old favorites like Monopoly and Risk and – “Do you know how to play chess?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. Shall we?” Pippa moved to a smaller table while Hecate brought the gameboard over. “I have to warn you, I’m pretty good.”

“Is that so?” Hecate set the pieces with practiced efficiency. “I’ll have to be on my toes then.”

Pippa sat up straighter. Something told her that she might have met her match. By the time Hecate had her second knight, Pippa knew she was getting hustled. Luckily, her tragic defeat was postponed by the arrival of a group teenagers looking for the games.

“Miss Hecate?”

“David!” Hecate bolted out of her chair and hurried over to welcome the boys inside. “Come in! Come in! You’re here for Game Night?”

The young man nodded awkwardly, quickly introducing his mates to Hecate. Pippa watched the whole interaction, wondering how Hecate even knew a teenaged boy, much less one she seemed fond of. As Hecate showed them the games that were available and answered some questions, she looked as animated as Pippa had ever seen her. In just a few minutes, the boys were laying out a game of Risk as Hecate returned to Pippa and their game.

“They wanted to know if they could start a new D and D campaign here, whatever that might be? They were worried it might occasionally go a bit past nine. I told them you wouldn’t mind.” Hecate grinned mischievously and took Pippa’s bishop.

Pippa rolled her eyes but knew she could hardly refuse. “I’m sure that will be fine.” She took her turn, painfully aware that this match was nearly over.

“Good. Perhaps Game Night isn’t such a bad idea after all,” Hecate said, moving her queen. “Checkmate.”

635.9     Flowers and ornamental plants

Movement in the front courtyard caught Pippa’s eye. As she hoped, it was Mr. Rowan-Webb, working on the garden. Careful to avoid Hecate’s notice, Pippa didn’t even get her coat before sneaking outside. The March weather still felt more like winter than spring; she hoped that the weather warmed up soon.

She found Mr. Rowan-Webb planting a ragged looking rosemary bush in one of the urns flanking the gate. “Mr. Rowan-Webb? I wonder if I might have a moment of your time?” He grunted in what sounded like a positive way but kept working. Pippa decided that meant she could continue. “I know we got off on the wrong foot and that it was my fault for thinking Miss Hardbroom might be taking advantage of you.”

He didn’t bother to look up at her. “It doesn’t sound like you know much about Miss Hardbroom.”

“I certainly didn’t then. The more I get to know her, the more foolish the idea seems now.” Mr. Rowan-Webb grunted again, so Pippa carried on. “I’d like to ask you for a favor, presumptuous as that may seem.”

“Now it’s you that wants to take advantage of me, eh? That’s some cheek you’ve got there, girl.”

“Miss Hardbroom says much the same thing,” Pippa said, trying to look contrite about it, but failing.

“I bet she does,” he chuckled. “What is this favor you’re wanting from me?”

“Only if you have an interest… You’re aware that the City Council is considering closing the library?”

“I’ve heard talk.” He packed the last bit of soil around a rosemary bush and looked up at her. “I don’t think Miss Hardbroom will let that happen. Wouldn’t be planting all these perennials if I did.” He narrowed his eyes and leaned into her personal space. “Is that what they brought you in here for? To shut this place down?”

“No! No, sir. The Mayor hired me to come in and help Miss Hardbroom to try and keep the library open.”

“The Mayor, you say? Aren’t you posh? I’m sure Miss Hardbroom must be thrilled that our royal high-and-mightiness called you in to save the day.” He snorted in disgust. “And how is that jammy old toad, anyway?”

Pippa could feel the flush heating her cheeks. “That wasn’t how it happened,” she insisted, knowing full well that’s exactly how it happened – and that it certainly felt that way to Hecate. “I suppose he’s fine.”

“Give him my regards next time you have him over for tea and crumpets.” He brushed his hands off on his trousers and climbed to his feet. “Now, just what is this favor you want from me? I’m not agreeing to anything, mind you, but if it helps Miss Hardbroom, I’ll consider it.”

“It’s the courtyard. I’d like to have it done up so we can have an Easter egg hunt. I don’t know what all is necessary, but I know you could make it lovely. I think we could have a wonderful Easter celebration here for neighborhood children. Even if it doesn’t work, I know Miss Hardbroom would love having the courtyard done up properly.”

“She would, would she? You haven’t asked her about this?”

“I rather hoped it could be a surprise.”

“How do you reckon I could do that as a surprise? She’ll see me through the windows.”

Buoyed by the fact that he hadn’t said ‘no,’ Pippa plowed on. “Oh, I’ve worked that out already! She’s going to be off on Friday to see about the MOT test for her car and such. And there’s Sundays if you don’t mind coming in then. Plus, if you’re back behind the Children’s Room, she won’t see you through those windows; she hardly ever goes in there.”

“A surprise for Miss Hardbroom, eh?” Tugging at his beard, he mulled it over. “I suppose I can work it into my schedule. What sort of plantings were you wanting?”

Pippa squealed and clapped her hands. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Rowan-Webb! Thank you so much! Plant whatever you think is best. If you want, you can tell me what to buy and I’ll get it. Or if you’d rather pick it out…”

“Why don’t we go to the garden center tonight?” He shook her hand. “And I reckon you’d best call me Algie.”

Pippa couldn’t contain herself any longer, “Thank you!” she cried, wrapping Algie in a tight hug. “She’s going to love it; I just know she will!” Pippa hurried back inside before Hecate noticed she’d been gone.

Hecate looked up as Pippa entered the library from the foyer. Pippa had spent most of the morning putting together her new art station, but now color pinked her nose and cheeks as if she’d been outside. Hecate’s eyes followed her as she made her way through the stacks so she could get back to shelving returns.

“That’s a lovely dress Miss Pentangle is wearing, don’t you think?” Ada asked while studiously avoiding eye contact. Good as her word, Ada had arrived bright and early that morning to help set up the display of Irish authors for St. Patrick’s Day.

Hecate stilled as she realized she’d been caught staring. “I suppose so.” Her cheeks started to burn.

“You should tell her so.”

“That hardly seems appropriate, Ada.”

“No?” Ada swapped Joyce’s Ulysses with a copy of The Importance of Being Earnest, rearranging titles until she found an arrangement that pleased her. “It hardly seems inappropriate.”

Hecate finished taping the green bunting to the edge of the table and stepped back, admiring its effect. “I’m her supervisor. It wouldn’t be proper.”

“Oh. Is that so? I seem to recall Miss Pentangle insisting – quite loudly, I might add – that she works for Egbert Hellibore. Besides,” Ada looked up at her over her glasses. “I think Miss Pentangle would be quite pleased to hear it from you.”

“Ada… I can’t.”

“Whyever not, my dear?” Ada reached out and placed a gentle hand on Hecate’s elbow. “I don’t believe there’s a thing in this world you can’t do should you choose.” She gave Hecate’s elbow a quick squeeze before turning her attention back to the display.

Chapter Text

636.8      Cats

“Meee!”

Mildred looked up from her drawing, looking behind her and checking underneath the easel. She didn’t see anything that would have made that noise. “You’re probably just imagining things,” she told herself and went back to her drawing. She wanted to draw a picture of Miss Pentangle, to say ‘thank you’ for the new art station, but she couldn’t get her hands to look right.

“Meee!”

Mildred knew she heard something this time. She dropped to her hands and knees so she could see under Miss Pentangle’s desk. Nothing. Nor did she see anything under either of the tables in the middle of the room.

“Meee! Meee!”

She couldn’t tell where the sound came from. She raced to the reading nook and began throwing the bean bags aside, checking beneath each one. Nothing.

“Meeee!”

Mildred could barely hear it from this side of the room. It had to be coming from where she had been drawing. Outside, maybe? Mildred boosted herself onto the low shelves so she could see out the window, hoping that her mum, or Miss Hardbroom, didn’t come in and see her.

“Mee! Mee! Mee!”

It definitely came from outside. Grey clouds hung low in the sky, and even though the air looked wet and drippy, it wasn’t exactly raining. Her mind made up, Mildred walked nonchalantly out of the Children’s Room and into the main library. Her mum was working on a new course on the computer and didn’t even notice she’d entered the room. Mildred checked the room for the other adults. Miss Pentangle was dusting books in the fiction section and Miss Drill hadn’t arrived yet. She couldn’t see Miss Hardbroom anywhere. Tiptoeing across the room, Mildred opened the courtyard door just enough to squeeze through and escape outside.

Mildred wished she’d grabbed her coat as soon as the wind hit her – it wasn’t too strong, but the cold, wet air blew right through her jumper. Wrapping her arms around herself for warmth, Mildred followed the wall, hoping whatever she had heard would make a noise again.

Slowly, Mildred made her way towards the windows of the Children’s Room, poking through the dead plants, listening for any sort of sound. She pushed aside some dried leaves and stilled. A tiny grey and white kitten pressed itself against the brick, hissing and spitting at her.

“Ohhh… that’s okay, kitty,” she soothed. “I’m not going to hurt you.” Mildred eased her hand out so the kitten could sniff it. At first it pressed harder into the brick wall, and Mildred worried it would make a run for it. Instead, it just hissed more and swatted at her with a tiny paw – which made it fall over and get even dirtier. “You’ll be okay, kitty. Don’t you want to be warm?” Keeping still, Mildred waited, enduring the heavy mist that was seeping through her clothes and trying her best to ignore the cold that burned her exposed hand.

Eventually, cold and curiosity won out, and the kitten gingerly sniffed at Mildred’s fingers. In a few moments it rubbed its head against her palm, begging for its ears to be scratched. When the kitten started crawling up her sleeve, Mildred scooped it up and hurried inside. She was so glad to get back inside the warmth of the library that she didn’t think to catch the door. Everyone turned to look at her as soon as it slammed behind her.

“Mildred!” Julie leapt to her feet, knocking her chair over. “You’re soaked to the skin! What on earth were you doing outside?”

Letting the little grey and white head peek out from her hands, Mildred hurried to explain. “I heard it crying.” She pulled it away from her chest so her mum could see; the now terrified kitten’s tiny claws snagged her jumper. “It’s freezing!”

Julie sighed and tugged one of Mildred’s plaits. “And you had to rescue it, didn’t you, Millie-boo?”

Not far behind Julie, Pippa leaned down and offered her hand to the kitten, sending it burrowing back into Mildred. “You did the right thing, Mildred.” She straightened up and looked at the other women. “Why don’t we get you two warmed up? Are you sure there weren’t any other kittens or the mother outside?”

“I only ever heard one and I didn’t see any. Do you think it’s abandoned?” Her tone of hopefulness wasn’t lost on anyone.

“Why don’t I go check?” Dimity offered. “We wouldn’t want to miss anyone, would we kitty?” She waggled her fingers in front of the kitten.

“Thank you, Miss Drill,” Mildred said, beaming up at her.

“Right-O!” Dimity fetched her jacket from the front of the library and headed out the door.

“All right, you lot, let’s go to the workroom and see what we can do with this scrawny bit of fluff.”

Fifteen minutes later, Hecate returned from the post office to find Mildred Hubble sitting on the workroom table in her stocking feet and wrapped in… “Is that my shawl?”

“Miss Pentangle said I could use it.” Mildred sipped tea out of a familiar black mug.

Hecate gave Pippa her best scowl. Unfortunately, the effect was somewhat muted by the fact that Pippa, currently hunched over the sink, had her back to the rest of them. “And I suppose she said you could use my mug as well.” Hecate huffed.

“That was me, dear,” Ada said, squeezing into the workroom with an empty cardboard box and a sweatshirt from lost and found. “We needed to get her warmed up.”

“Why did she—” Just then, an angry mew split the air.

“Ouch! Bad kitty!” Pippa hissed as needle-like claws dug into her hands. “Let go, let go, let – Ada!”

“Here you go!” Ada opened the sweatshirt and wrapped up the kitten, soaking wet and spitting mad. “There’s a good… did you look?”

“I tried. That’s when it transfigured into some sort of devil-cat.”

“What is that?” Hecate said, pointing at the ragged little bundle in Ada’s arms.

“It’s a kitten, Miss Hardbroom!” Mildred giggled, spilling a bit of tea on Hecate’s shawl. “I found it in the courtyard.”

“I know what a kitten is, Mildred. Why is it in my workroom?”

Pippa dried her hands on a paper towel. “It needed a bit of a wash.” She inspected the scratches on her hands. Eyeing the hand sanitizer next to the sink, Pippa pressed her lips together and then pumped a handful of sanitizer into her palm. “Bloody hell! I’m sorry, Mildred!” She rubbed her hands together. “Holy shite, that burns!” She blew frantically on her hands while Mildred giggled and Ada tried to stifle a grin.

“Serves you right,” Hecate sniffed. “We don’t even have cat shampoo.”

“Ohhhh, my good gravies… when will it stop?” Pippa waved her hands in the air, but it didn’t help. “You can use dish soap in a pinch. We googled it.”

“Well it has to go. You’ve cleaned it up. It can’t stay here.”

“HB! When did you get back?” Dimity squeezed into the workroom with the rest of them.

Julie bounded in, running into Dimity. “I think Miss Hardbroom is… oh! She is here! Look at you… here.”

“Can we keep it, Mum? Pleeease? I promise I’ll feed it and clean the litter box.”

Julie ran a hand over Mildred’s head. “I’m sorry, love. You know we’re not allowed any pets in the flat. I wish we were.”

Mildred slumped in defeat. She’d already known the answer, but still… she’d hoped. “Did you find out if the kitty had any brothers or sisters, Miss Drill?”

“Ah… well,” Dimity gave Pippa a hard look. “I didn’t find any other kittens…that needed our help.”

Pippa’s brow knit, before her eyes flew open in understanding. “Oh! That’s… thank you, Dimity, for checking.” She smiled at Mildred. “It looks like your little friend is all alone.”

“That’s a blessing,” Hecate added. “Now. I’m sure animal control can come—”

“WHAT?”

“THE POUND?”

“NO!!! Miss Hardbroom?” Mildred started to cry. She grabbed at Pippa’s jumper, “You won’t let her, will you Miss Pentangle? Say you won’t let her!”

“Of course not, Mildred!” She snatched the kitten from Ada and swapped it for Mildred’s tea before spinning Hecate around and pushing her out of the office. “For god’s sake, Hecate! What on earth is the matter with you?”

She flopped into her chair. “I only meant… they can find it a home!” Crossing her arms, Hecate refused to back down. “It’s a stray cat, Pippa. It can’t stay here.”

“It most certainly can,” she held up a hand to forestall Hecate’s protest. “At least for now.”

“I won’t have it!”

“You bloody well will!” Pippa pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “Furthermore… you will go in there and apologize for upsetting Mildred.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous. The library is not a place for strays.”

“Isn’t it? Look at the people around you, Hiccup. Look at us and tell me that’s not exactly what this place is for.” Throwing up her hands, she walked out of the office.

Sitting in the quiet of the office, Hecate tried to still the pounding in her chest. She’d mucked things up again. Of course. She looked up at a quiet knock at the door.

Ada didn’t wait for an invitation, instead letting herself in and moving directly to the tea kettle. “You take yours black if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yes. Black.” She didn’t want any bloody tea.

Busying herself with the tea, Ada hummed a tuneless song. She filled Pippa’s mug and handed it to Hecate and then filled a Styrofoam cup for herself. Dropping some biscuits onto a plate, she pulled Pippa’s chair across from Hecate’s desk and sat down. She silently enjoyed her tea.

“I didn’t mean that the kitten should be…” Hecate shook her head.

“Of course, you didn’t.”

“Mildred thinks I did…”

Ada nodded and sipped her tea. “Quite likely.”

“But surely you see that it can’t stay here? The library is not an appropriate place for an animal.”

“If you say so, dear, but… well, who’s to say whether it’s appropriate or not.” She nibbled on a bit of biscuit. “Oh, wait… I believe it actually is you that gets to say, isn’t it?”

Hecate snorted and reached for a biscuit. “I’m not sure I’ve had a say in anything since Miss Pentangle arrived.”

Chuckling, Ada agreed. “Perhaps not. Perhaps this is your opportunity to simply enjoy having someone to share the burden with. I assume you do enjoy having Miss Pentangle about?”

Even if Hecate had wanted to lie, the rising blush on her cheeks would have given her away. “I find I’m learning to.”

“Good for you. I think you’ll find that you know what to do about your current dilemma as well.” Ada downed the last of her tea and tossed the Styrofoam cup into the bin. “I believe I’ll say goodnight, dear.”

“Goodnight, Ada. Thank you.” Hecate sat in the silence after Ada left, pondering her next move as she traced a finger along the edge of the plate of biscuits. “Thank you, Ada,” she said, once the idea came to her.

Mildred pulled the much drier, much happier kitten closer to her chest when Hecate entered the workroom. Hecate couldn’t blame her, but it still hurt. “I thought the kitten might be hungry.” She set the plate down next to Mildred.

Mildred leaned over and sniffed, wrinkling her nose. “Ewww… what is that? It smells gross.”

“Some of Miss Pentangle’s salmon from her lunch mixed with a splash of milk. I warmed it up a bit. It will do until we can get some proper food.”

“You didn’t call the pound?”

“No, Mildred. I’m sorry I said that before. I didn’t mean that I wanted anything bad to happen to your kitten.” She dipped a finger in the milk mixture and held it up to the kitten. After a few tentative sniffs, it set about licking her finger.

Mildred set the kitten next to the plate, petting the soft fur while the kitten attacked the food. “He’s not my kitten, Miss Hardbroom. You heard my mum.” She pulled the ravenous kitten out of the plate. “He’s messy!”

“Well, I don’t know who else’s kitten it would be? It’s not my kitten. Miss Pentangle? Is this your kitten?”

Pippa never took her eyes off Hecate. “Nope, not mine either.” She mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to Hecate.

“There you go, Mildred. It isn’t my kitten or Miss Pentangle’s kitten. Miss Cackle has already gone home, so we know it can’t be her kitten. And we know Miss Drill can’t be trusted with something as important as a kitten.”

“Oi!” Dimity threw the wet sweatshirt at Hecate.

Hecate shocked herself when she caught it and tossed it back. “You’ll have to take care of it. Change the litter box and make sure there’s food and water. Clean up any messes that it makes. Even though it lives here in the library, you’ll have to be responsible.”

“Can I, Mum? I promise I will!”

“That’s up to Miss Hardbroom, love. It’s a big responsibility.”

Mildred slid off the table and flung her arms around Hecate’s waist. “Thank you, Miss Hardbroom! Thank you so much!”

Hecate managed to hug the girl back this time, surprised at how relieved she felt that they were back to rights.

“All right, all right,” Dimity said, poking Hecate in the ribs. “Now that HB has decided to fill that kitten up, has anyone made any plans for when it’s time to empty it out?” Blank or outright confused faces stared back at her. “Have none of you ever owned a cat?” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll go fetch a box and some proper food. You can make a complete list tomorrow.”

“Ms. Hubble, if you would please clear out a place for it to sleep? In here, I suppose. I don’t want it roaming the entire library at night.”

Julie gave a smart salute and started looking for a good spot.

Hecate crossed to the sink and pulled out the first aid kit from the cupboard. “I know you’ve sanitized yourself, but let’s go put some ointment on those scratches.” She pulled Pippa out of the workroom and set her down in Ada’s vacated chair. “Hold your hands out.”

Pippa complied, sitting still while Hecate applied the ointment. “That’s a very kind thing you’re doing for Mildred. I know you don’t want it here.”

“It’s not as if I had any choice in the matter.” She inspected the scratches. Most were superficial, but a couple were deeper.

“That’s just it, Hiccup. You did have a choice. You’d have been well within your authority to say that the cat had to go. You aren’t responsible for it.”

“Perhaps, but what would have happened to it, Pippa? Would we toss it back into the courtyard for Mildred to worry over day after day until it just disappeared, or she found its corpse?”

“Oh… speaking of…that reminds me we need to do a bit of… removal… in the courtyard once Mildred isn’t here. We wouldn’t want her to find the rest of the litter.”

Hecate’s face twisted in disgust. “I believe that falls under your job description.” Hecate snapped the lid of the first aid kit closed.

“Well of course it does.”

333.5     Rental and leasing of land and other natural resources

Hecate slammed her pen on the desk and rubbed her temples. The kitten was proving disastrous for her concentration. No matter how much Hecate tried to focus on her work, she kept getting distracted by the antics of the rambunctious kitten. She had no idea what had set it off this time, but he was on his third frenzied lap between the card catalog and her desk. “You’ll never even know it’s here,” she said, mimicking Pippa. Turning her attention back to the bills, she’d just found her place when – “OUCH!” Four sets of tiny claws dug into her calf as the kitten made a running leap, determined to climb into her lap.

Much to Hecate’s horror – and everyone else’s great amusement – Dewey, as Pippa had taken to calling him, had fallen in love with Hecate. He followed her around the library whenever he was allowed out of the workroom. Whenever Hecate stayed in the workroom for any length of time, he cried and tried to climb her skirts until she conceded and let him sit on the counter. In the office he could usually be found curled up under her desk in a tiny bed that Pippa had brought, or in Hecate’s lap. She’d complained so often about the white and grey fur that she’d arrived one morning to find a lint roller – complete with bright pink ribbon – sitting in the middle of her desk. In less than a week she had already used more than a third of it.

She unhooked Dewey from her skirt and placed him in her lap. He’d just settled down when the printer kicked on with its usual wheeze, startling him enough to send more claws through Hecate’s skirt. “That’s enough of that, young man!” Hecate pulled him off her lap and carried him into the workroom. “I think you need a nap.” She placed him in his box, added a bit of food to his bowl and then shut off the lights and closed the door. Perhaps now she could get some work done.

A blur of motion caught her eye, and she looked up just in time to see Julie Hubble racing out of the library and into the women’s lavatory. She had her head down and one hand pressed against her mouth. Hecate thought she might be crying.

Hecate scanned the library for Pippa before she remembered she and Julie were the only ones there. Dimity didn’t come in on Wednesdays, Ada didn’t come in until the afternoon, and Pippa had gone to the dentist. Hecate tried to convince herself she hadn’t just seen what she did. Perhaps Ms. Hubble was feeling poorly? That, she could deal with. But a crying anyone, much less a crying Julie Hubble, fell well outside her particular wheelhouse.

The printer rattled and ejected its prize. Whatever it was, Julie had printed it. It’s not your business, she thought, even as she pulled the paper from the tray. Checking the foyer to make sure Julie hadn’t left the restroom, Hecate began to read.

Ms. Julie Hubble,

This letter is to inform you that as of March 8, 2020, your rent is now seven days past due. As per your rental agreement signed May 17, 2019, you now owe the original amount of rent, plus a penalty of £200.00.

Furthermore, if the full amount due is not paid by March 15, 2020, additional penalties of £50.00 per day will be assessed and eviction proceedings will commence.

Please take care of this issue at your earliest convenience. Personal cheques are permissible payment for rent only. Penalties must be paid in cash, money order, or cashier’s cheque.

Thank you for your attention to this matter,

Marvin Child

Hecate read through the letter twice more. Pippa had been right. The Hubbles were in dire straits indeed. Screwing up her courage, Hecate took the letter and went to the restroom in search of Julie Hubble. She found her sitting on the floor between the handicapped stall and the sinks, sobbing so hard she didn’t even hear Hecate enter. Hecate didn’t say anything; rather she just wet some paper towels and slid down the wall until she sat next to Julie. Wordlessly, she handed her the paper towels and waited while Julie tried to get herself pulled together a bit.

Picking at the fabric of her skirt, Hecate chose her words carefully. “I know… that I am not good at being a friend… and that I have not been a friend to you in particular.” A bitter laugh escaped her. “But Mildred is… somehow Mildred has become very dear to me, and so I’m going to do my best to be a proper friend.” Hecate handed Julie the letter. “I know it wasn’t my place to read your correspondence, but I have. How much do you need to pay everything in full?”

Julie dabbed at her eyes with the paper towel. “More than I could accept from you, Miss Hardbroom, though I appreciate the charity.”

“Charity is something one does for strangers, Ms. Hubble. Julie. It’s not charity when one friend helps another.”

“With what?” Julie asked, shaking her head. “Do you think I can’t see it? Hecate? I see the sack lunches and the mended clothes. I see how you fret over every cent that Pippa spends. And that car of yours that’s older than Mildred? I know broke when I see it, and you’re barely keeping afloat yourself, aren’t you? So, I appreciate it. I really do. But I can’t let you put yourself at risk for me.”

Hecate sighed in frustration. “I don’t have a child. What will happen to Mildred if you lose your flat? This isn’t the time for pride.” Fingering her pocket watch, Hecate struggled to take her own advice. “I can’t say that you are wrong about the state of my finances. However, if that means that the library doesn’t get any new best-sellers for a couple of months, so be it. I’m not in danger of losing my home. Now tell me what you need.”

Julie crumpled the letter and tossed it towards the bin, where it bounced off the side and came to rest in the middle of the floor. “Something I can’t bloody get. Six hundred quid for starters. A man who doesn’t let his support cheque bounce. A job.” Once she started, Julie’s frustrations poured out of her. “I’ve tried every single thing I can think of. I don’t have a degree, but I’ve taken every online course the unemployment office offers and then found more. I’ve got every sort of certificate or endorsement I could find, and they’ve all been worth exactly what I paid for them – not a bleedin’ thing.” Julie pulled her knees up, resting her forearms across them while she began methodically shredding the wet paper towels. “You know what’s really rich? I need the job because I have a little girl to take care of, but I can’t get a job because I have to take care of my little girl.”

“I don’t understand,” Hecate said. She desperately wanted to gather up the shredded bits of paper towel that were collecting on the tile. She couldn’t even look at the crumpled letter sitting in the middle of the floor.

“Each time I’ve gotten a nibble, when I get to the interview, it turns out the hours would require me to leave Mildred alone after school. She’d have to walk home alone and… I know the neighborhood is getting nicer, but…”

“Mildred can stay here, at the library, once she’s out of school. Pippa or I can pick her up.”

“That’s kind of you, Hecate, but you know as well as I do that unattended children aren’t allowed in the library.”

“Neither is that cat, but nonetheless, here we are. Besides, it’s my bloody rule. I can break it if I want.”

“Hecate Hardbroom? Break a rule? Now that would be worth seeing.”

“I’ve broken rules before! I’m not some unyielding stickler… all the time.”

“When? When have you ever broken the rules?” Julie demanded. “And not one of your own, either!”

Hecate opened her mouth to answer, then snapped it shut, unable to come up with a single example – at least not one she cared to share with Julie Hubble. “I can’t think of any right now – but I know I have. Probably.” She crossed her arms when Julie began to giggle but soon joined in. When Pippa returned from the dentist, mouth still stuffed with cotton wadding, she found both women still sitting on the bathroom floor, laughing uncontrollably. She left them to it.

“Are you sure this isn’t just the nitrous oxide talking?” Julie asked as she looked at the cheque in her hands. Seven hundred pounds. “This is an awful lot of money, love.”

“And right now, I have it to spare.” Pippa didn’t want to elaborate on how easily she could write off the money. “It’s a loan. I don’t expect you to pay it back until you’ve gotten a job – and even then, not until you’ve been working at least three months. I can spare it, darling. Let your friends help you.”

Tearing up again, Julie hugged Pippa and thanked her again. “Now I know that scarecrow of yours is hiding in the back, so I won’t hug her too, but you do it for me.” Taking a step back, she called for Mildred to tell Dewey goodnight and come along. They had to stop by the bank on the way home. “And don’t think I don’t know that you bought my coat back from the consignment store. I’ll be paying that back as well.”

Once they’d gone Pippa walked slowly into the workroom. She leaned on the doorframe and watched Hecate rubbing Dewey’s tummy, marveling at how soft Hecate could be when she didn’t think anyone was watching. “She took the money.”

Hecate nodded and set the kitten on the floor. “Good. I’ll bring you a cheque for half in the morning.”

Pippa waved the offer away. “Don’t worry about that. She’ll pay me back when she can; I can spare it for now. She said to tell you thank you. And to give you this.” Before she lost her nerve, Pippa moved forward and wrapped Hecate in a tight hug. After a frozen moment, Hecate gingerly hugged her back. “You did good, Hiccup.”

“Hecate?” Pippa knocked on the office door. “It’s after six, are you ready to go home?” In the three months or so that she’d been at the library, Pippa could count on one hand the number of times Hecate had actually left at closing time. Since their relationship had thawed, a little, anyway, she’d made it her mission to get Hecate to go home earlier.

“Hmm?” Hecate looked up from behind a stack of reference books. She’d spent most of her day working her way through the reference section, researching the volumes in their collection to see if newer editions were available – and if the updates were significant enough to warrant an upgrade. “I just want to finish this set so I can start fresh on the next section tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Hecate, tomorrow is Sunday.” When Hecate simply stared back at her, blinking blankly, Pippa sighed. “You don’t need to come in on your day off, darling. It will keep until Monday.”

“Sunday is the day I can focus on my tasks without interruption.” She looked pointedly at her screen.

“It’s not like you can’t hole up in your office and get them done on Monday. You aren’t alone here anymore. I can cover the front.”

Biting back her frustration, Hecate tried to keep her voice level. “Perhaps that’s why I have to come in on a Sunday? For a bit of peace and quiet?” She cocked one eyebrow. “Please don’t let me keep you from your Saturday night.”

“All right, you win. I give up.” Raising her hands in defeat, Pippa backed out of the office. “Try not to stay too late, Hiccup. It’s your Saturday night as well.”

For the rest of the evening, and well into the night, Pippa couldn’t stop thinking about Hecate working alone all weekend. At first, Pippa chalked it up to Hecate’s need for control but soon found herself chiding her own uncharitable nature. At ten o’clock, as she brushed her teeth in front of the bathroom mirror, Pippa wondered if Hecate was still at the library. Unable to shake her worry no matter how many times she told herself that Hecate had been staying late at the library for years, Pippa pulled out her phone and sent Hecate a text.

"Did you make it home all right?"

Not that Hecate ever checks her phone, Pippa thought as she crawled into bed. She opened her copy of Stephen King’s latest, hoping it would occupy her mind. It did – in all the wrong ways. Visions of terrible things danced in her head. She gave up on the book after reading she’d read the same page three times and still had no idea what it said. Her phone pinged just as she snapped the book shut.

"I did."

Pippa rolled her eyes. Succinct as ever. It pinged again.

"Thank you for checking."

Smiling, Pippa leaned back against her pillow. She wondered how long it had been since someone had checked on Hecate. She’d never mentioned any sort of significant other or even any friends outside the library.

"You’re welcome. Sleep well, Hiccup."

Pippa was just about to put her phone away when it chirped again.

"You too, Pipsqueak."

The Sunday morning bells from the cathedral down the street pulled Pippa fully into wakefulness. Groaning, Pippa swung her feet to the floor, scratching her left tit while she waited for a body-shaking yawn to pass. Barefoot, Pippa padded into the loo, finally waking up as the needle-like shower spray tingled against her skin.

All night, Pippa thought about Hecate in the library, alone, seven days a week. Shortly after three in the morning it had occurred to her that maybe Hecate had simply forgotten how to relax. That’s when the kernel of an idea began to germinate in her brain.

By noon, she had everything in place save for one thing: Hecate. Pippa drove to the library, ready to put Operation: Couch Potato into action. She slapped the steering wheel in triumph when she saw Hecate’s car in the lot out front.

Inside, she found Hecate exactly how she’d left her the night before. “Hello there, Hiccup,” she called as she opened the inner doors, hoping she wouldn’t startle Hecate.

“Pippa?” Hecate looked up from her books. “What are you doing here?” She winced as Dewey scrambled up her leg into her lap.

“Well, I thought if I couldn’t convince you to take Sunday off, then the least I could do is come down and take you to lunch.” She pulled Hecate’s coat from the hook behind the door and held it up.

Hecate looked up at her, confused. “I brought my lunch.”

“That’s not the point.” Pippa shook the coat at her. “C’mon. You can even bring Dewey.”

After a moment of hesitation, a bright smile spread across her face and she stood up. “I suppose I can spare an hour.” She allowed Pippa to help her with her coat. “What sort of restaurant allows you to bring a cat?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised, nowadays.” She scooped Dewey up and tucked him into his carrier. “Let’s go.” Pippa ushered Hecate into her car and headed out.

Fifteen minutes and no restaurant later, Hecate couldn’t stand it anymore. “Where are you taking me? We’ve passed a dozen places we could’ve had lunch.”

“We’re almost there,” she said, pulling into a numbered space in front of a modern set of flats. “Here we go.”

“B-but… this isn’t a restaurant!” She scrambled out of the car, trailing after Pippa. “Take me back to the library!”

“I promised you lunch – not lunch at a restaurant.” She swung Dewey’s bag over her shoulder. “Shall we?” She rounded the car and threaded her arm through Hecate’s. “You, my friend, have been kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped? Pippa, I have work to do!” She allowed Pippa to drag her into the lobby. “Take me back at once!”

“Lunch, Hiccup, I promised you a lunch.” Pippa greeted the doorman. “Hello, Quentin! How’s Suzy getting on with those twins? I bet you haven’t gotten a full eight hours in weeks!”

“S’true. I never seen so many nappies in me life.” He yawned just to prove his point. “Yer timing is just right, miss. You just missed the delivery bloke.” He pulled two plastic bags of food out from behind the desk and handed them to Pippa. “You lasses enjoy your lunch.”

“Thank you!” Pippa bestowed her brightest smile on Quentin before turning it on Hecate. “Come on, darling, our feast awaits.”

Curiosity got the best of her, and Hecate followed Pippa to the elevators. “We’re eating at your flat, aren’t we?”

“Nothing gets past you,” Pippa said, grinning.

Exiting the elevator, they walked down a wide, bright hallway until Pippa stopped in front of a bright yellow door. “It’s not pink?” Hecate smirked.

“They didn’t let me choose the color,” Pippa grinned back. So far, her plan was working better than she hoped. She’d halfway expected Hecate to refuse to get out of the car. Pushing the door open, she waved Hecate inside.

Wide-eyed, Hecate tried to look at everything without being too obvious about it. Light and airy with floor-to-ceiling windows, Pippa’s flat looked exactly how Hecate always imagined it would. A pale grey sectional, covered in throw pillows and nubby blankets, beckoned from the living area. A modern kitchen, all gleaming stainless and polished granite, overlooked the living room. “It’s beautiful.” Her own shabby flat looked even worse in comparison.

“Thank you! I’ve enjoyed it. It’s a good location, though I’d like to be a bit closer to the library. Can’t have everything, though. Have a seat,” Pippa said, pointing to the glass dining table, “I’ll get some plates.” She set the bags on the table and set Dewey free from his carry bag. That done, she fetched the plates and two glasses of water. “I hope you like Thai.”

Lunch passed pleasantly enough, but Pippa knew that the real battle was yet to come. Finally when the last of the spring rolls were gone, and the leftover yellow curry and chicken pad Thai were packed into the fridge, Hecate looked at Pippa expectantly.

“Well?” Hecate failed to keep the exasperation out of her tone.

“Well what?” Pippa asked in her most innocent voice.

“Are you taking me back to the library?”

“About that, uhhh… No. Today, Hecate Hardbroom, you are going to play hooky with me.” She braced herself for the outburst.

Hecate leapt to her feet, ready to demand Pippa take her back at once. But at that moment, Dewey zoomed through the living room, batting a ball across the cream-colored carpet. Seeing him, Hecate realized that Pippa had gone to a great deal of trouble. For her. She bought cat toys. And lunch.

Slowly, Hecate sank back into her chair. “I-I don’t know how to play hooky, I’m afraid.” Her cheeks colored. She fiddled with her pocket watch.

“That’s all? No argument? No dramatic exit?” Pippa tapped her nails on the table. “You never skipped a class or just spent a lazy day on the sofa?”

Hecate shrugged and looked away, embarrassed. “It never seemed a luxury I could afford.”

“You’ve been carrying the load all by yourself for a long time, Hiccup. I think you’ve worked seven days a week for so long you’ve forgotten how to relax.” Pippa plucked their drinks from the table and moved them to the coffee table in the living room. She motioned for Hecate to join her.

“I do relax,” Hecate began. “Sort of. I’m not very good at it.” She sat gingerly on the other end of the sectional.

“Well, lucky for you, I am. I’ve got the whole day planned out for us, Hiccup.” She pulled open a drawer in the coffee table and retrieved the television remote and a stack of dvds. “We can stream something, if you’d like, or we can watch one of these.” She fanned the dvds out on the couch between them. “I didn’t know what you like, so I just picked my favorites.”

Hecate studied the titles: Pushing Daisies, Ocean’s 8, and a few others. “I’ve seen The Greatest Showman, but the rest are new.”

“Then how about I introduce you to my favorite piemaker?” Pippa asked, hopping up and loading the first disk of Pushing Daisies. “Do you want something more comfortable to wear?”

Hecate looked down at her loose skirt and blouse. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Suit yourself,” Pippa said, tossing a blanket Hecate’s way.

At first, Hecate turned her nose up at the premise of the show, asking a thousand questions about the logic of Ned’s special ability. Soon enough, though, the whimsy and pining drew her in. More than once Pippa pretended not to see Hecate surreptitiously dabbing at her eyes. Starting off at opposite ends of the sofa, Pippa and Hecate slowly gravitated towards the center over the course of the first several episodes. Halfway through the first season, they were both curled in the middle, butter-slicked fingers tangling together in a bowl of popcorn balanced between them while Dewey sprawled across their outstretched legs.

641         Food & drink

“Oi! HB! Where the bloody hell are you?” Dimity whispered fiercely.

“I’m pulling books for the April special display – St. George’s Day.” She noticed Dimity’s agitation. “What on earth is the matter.”

“Pulling books for April? It’s not even St. Patrick’s Day – never mind that!” Dimity rushed towards her and began prodding her out of the stacks and towards the circulation desk. “Ursula Hallow is here!”

“What? She’s never—”

“I don’t care! The bloody slag is here, and I tell you, HB, she’s up to something. Don’t trust her.” Dimity pulled Hecate along, plastering a giant smile on her face as they approached. “Here she is, Mrs. Hallow. She’s getting ready for our special St. George’s Day display. Always working, this one. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times, nobody is as hardworking as our Miss Hardbroom. She’s—”

“Thank you, Dimity,” Hecate said, cutting her off before she made an even bigger fool out of herself. “Would you go finish pulling the titles for me? The list is on the cart.”

Dimity gave Hecate a quick salute. “Right-o! Pull the books!” She gave Ursula Hallow an off-kilter bow and hurried into the stacks.

“Well, isn’t she awkward?” Ursula sniffed.

“She’s an outstanding volunteer,” Hecate said, feeling the need to defend Dimity. “How may I help you today, Mrs. Hallow?” She glanced at the workroom, relieved to find the door closed and Dewey tucked out of sight.

“Oh… I’m not looking for anything in particular.” She ran a hand over the card catalog. “How quaint! I didn’t know these were still being used. I would have expected the library’s inventory to be computerized. In fact, I seem to recall authorizing a rather significant outlay of funds to do just that. What was that money spent on if not computerizing the inventory?”

Hecate forced her face into a facsimile of a smile. “We spent it exactly on that, Mrs. Hallow. However, I’ve found that some of our older guests prefer to search the old-fashioned way, so I’ve continued to maintain it. Plus, I find the card catalog’s aesthetic to be more attractive than a bank of computer terminals just as one enters the library. I can give you a demonstration of our computerized system if you’d like.”

“I see… Well, that won’t be necessary. As I said, I’m not here for anything in particular. I just thought I’d see how your little library is faring. You’re almost halfway through your final six months.”

Hecate bristled at the assumption that they wouldn’t make their performance goals, but she managed to hold tight to her temper. “I think the Council will be quite pleased with the improvements here. Adding a second librarian has really allowed us to expand the services we provide to the community. Did you know that we’ve added computer classes for seniors twice a week?”

“You certainly seem to be catering to your older patrons. Pity there’s not much attention being paid to the younger members of the community. I suppose planning for the future doesn’t make much sense, though, given the circumstances.”

“On the contrary, Mrs. Hallow. I believe you’ll find that we are planning for a bright future. We’ve attracted a regular younger crowd to our new Thursday game nights. Perhaps you’d care to join us one evening?”

“I think not.”

“More’s the pity. Would you like to see the updated Children’s Room? Miss Pentangle has done a wonderful job creating a welcoming space for our youngest patrons.”

Ursula smiled a fake smile. “Perhaps I will. It’s so good to hear that you and Miss Pentangle are getting along. I’d worried that you might not be able to adapt to having someone here to question your authority.”

“It’s definitely been an adjustment,” Hecate conceded. “But it’s been a real boost for the library, and Miss Pentangle certainly has a passion for her work.” She smiled primly. “Would you like a tour?”

“I think I’ll just wander about myself. See if I can get a sense of the place.”

“Very well. Let me know if you need anything.”

Ursula Hallow spent the next hour haunting the library like a wraith. Every time Hecate rounded a shelf, there she’d be. No sooner would Hecate begin to relax than Ursula would pop out of nowhere asking some question that was little more than a thinly veiled insult designed to knock Hecate off balance. Pippa hadn’t fared much better – after showing off her new Children’s Room décor, she’d had to give Ursula a demonstration of the updated website. Finally, Ursula spent twenty minutes questioning Pippa about the process she used to vet the games for Game Night. Needless to say, Ursula found her process lacking.

Dimity proved to be no help at all. For all her usual bluster and annoying bravado, each time she interacted with Ursula, Dimity wound up a babbling mess. Hecate’s anxiety had already risen to the level of ‘naked in front of an auditorium full of people’ when she heard a muffled crash coming from the workroom. The tiny white paw now sticking out from underneath the workroom door did nothing to soothe her nerves.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when Pippa appeared at her shoulder. “Steady on, Hiccup,” she murmured. “It’s almost closing time. Fancy a drink after?” She smiled as Mildred approached carrying an art book almost as big as her.

“Or three,” Hecate drawled. The paw made its way out from under the door again, this time accompanied by a plaintive mewing. “Why don’t I—”

“Yes, quickly,” Pippa said, nodding at the approaching Mrs. Hallow. “My goodness, Mildred! That’s quite a book you’ve got there!”

“We’ve been studying Ancient Greece in school. This book has lots of pictures of gods and goddesses. I wanna draw a Medusa!”

“She definitely had a bad hair day, didn’t she, love?” Julie said as she went to gather their coats from the rack.

“May I?” Ursula Hallow plucked the book from Mildred’s hands before the girl could answer. She flipped through it a few times, lingering here and there as something caught her eye. “That’s a very grown up book you have there. Are you sure you’re ready for it?”

Mildred’s face darkened. “I’m not a little kid.”

“Of course,” Ursula said, handing the book back to Mildred. “I’m sure Miss Pentangle has no qualms checking out this book to you.”

Mildred took the book and laid it on the circulation desk. “I can check it out, can’t I Miss Pentangle?”

From behind Mrs. Hallow, Julie stuck out her tongue and nodded an exaggerated yes.

Pippa forced her face into a neutral expression. “You certainly can, Mildred. That’s why the library is here, after all.” Pippa scanned the barcode and Mildred’s card before running the spine of the book over the de-magnetizer. “Here you go. I can’t wait to see your drawings.” She handed over the book and watched them leave before turning to Ursula. “Is there anything I can do for you, Mrs. Hallow? Did you find something to check out?”

“Oh, you’ve been more than helpful, Miss Pentangle. You’ve no idea.” Ursula smiled – all teeth and no eyes. “Where could Miss Hardbroom have gotten off to? You’d think she’d want to say goodbye to one of the City Council members deciding the library’s fate.”

Just then, the workroom door swung open and Hecate emerged, carrying a stack of books. “These are ready to be reshelved.” She closed the door behind her. “I hope you enjoyed your visit?”

“I found it most enlightening,” Ursula said, pulling on her gloves. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, ladies. I’m sure you’ll be seeing me again soon.” Somehow, she made it sound like a threat.

“Have a lovely night, Mrs. Hallow,” Pippa toodled.

They both held their breath as Mrs. Hallow left the library. As soon as they were alone, Pippa collapsed onto the circulation desk. “If I’d had to hold my tongue for ten minutes more, Hecate… I swear I would have cut it out and given it to you for safekeeping.”

“That’s a lovely image. Thank you for that.” She opened her pocket watch. “It’s two minutes to six. I say we shut down and make our escape.” Movement on the floor caught her eye. “Speaking of escapes,” she pointed at the tiny paw once again sticking out from under the door. “It seems as if that cat of yours has figured out how to escape his box. We’re going to need an actual kennel.”

“Not ready to give him free reign just yet?”

“Certainly not. I’m barely ready to give Dimity free reign.”

Pippa laughed out loud at that, a warm, throaty laugh that started deep in her belly. It set Hecate’s own stomach to fluttering. “I don’t even want to know whether I rank above or below the cat.” She laughed a bit more before pushing herself upright and bumping Hecate with her hip. “Come on you, let Dewey have his way with the workroom for a couple of hours. Let’s go have a drink at a nice, proper bar. I’ve been wanting to try the one across from the coffee shop for weeks now.”

Pulling on their coats, they decided to forego driving and just walk the few blocks. The sun had already dipped below the skyline, and the buildings cast long shadows across the street.

“Come on, Hiccup,” Pippa said, threading her arm through Hecate’s and pulling her to the other side of the street. “Let’s at least walk where there’s still a bit of sun. It’s freezing out here.”

Hecate allowed herself to be pulled along, savoring the warmth of Pippa’s arm pressed against her side. She expected Pippa to let go once they’d crossed, but she didn’t, no doubt enjoying the warmth herself. She was so busy thinking about Pippa pressed against her that she didn’t even realize that the woman had been speaking to her.

“Hecate?” Pippa elbowed her lightly in the side. “Haven’t you been listening to a word I’ve said?”

“Of course! You’ve been going on about… about… the cat?” She had no idea. Not even enough to fake it.

“I knew you weren’t listening,” she chuckled. “The cat? Honestly. I asked if you had any idea why Ursula Hallow seems to have it in for the library? Or is it you? Or Egbert? I mean… libraries cost taxpayers money. Period. They aren’t meant to be a bookstore or a magazine stand. They’re a community service, like a park or a school. You do it because there’s a benefit, not because there’s a profit.”

Hecate considered the question for about half a block. “I honestly don’t know. Other than giving my annual reports to the City Council, I’ve never spoken to the woman. Today is the first time she’s ever been to the library, as far as I know.”

“There must be something more to this that we just aren’t seeing.” They finally arrived at the bar. Pippa dropped Hecate’s arm and stepped ahead of her to open the door. “Ohhh, it’s warm. Bar or table, darling?” She scanned the room, hoping that it wouldn’t be too crowded yet.

“A table, please, if there is one.” She shivered at the sudden change in temperature. “Over there,” she said as she tugged on Pippa’s coat sleeve. The table needed bussing, but best to claim it now. Hecate thought it looked a bit too close to the darts for her liking, but no one was playing now anyway so she tried to put it out of her mind.

“This is nice enough, I suppose,” Pippa said as they settled into their seats. “Not quite what I’d imagined in an area trying to be trendy.”

“Indeed,” Hecate said, taking in the atmosphere. The whole place had been done up to look like an old-fashioned, classic British pub but they’d missed the trick. The décor felt just a bit too haphazard, the age and patina a bit too perfect. “They’re trying too hard to recreate some gentlemen’s club our grandfathers might have belonged to.”

“That’s it exactly.” They both leaned back as a busboy came and cleared the table. As soon as he disappeared, a server dropped a pair of menus in front of them and promised to be back. “Ahhh now... that’s the cat’s cream. Let’s hope they hit the mark better with the drinks.”

By the time the waitress made her way back, Hecate had settled on a Witch’s Brew, a cocktail involving bourbon and cinnamon syrup while Pippa chose a warm sangria. They’d both decided to roll the dice and try out an appetizer of fried pickles.

The conversation bounced from one subject to the next while they waited for their drinks, but mostly centered on the library. Pippa wanted to do a major book fair and go all out – food, children’s activities, perhaps even an author doing a book signing… anything that might bring in a crowd of people. They could wait until May and give the weather time to warm up.

“It sounds lovely, Pipsqueak. I just don’t know where the money would come from.”

“I thought about that,” Pippa said as she folded and refolded her napkin. “What if we could get someone to sponsor it? Like a business?”

Saved from having to answer by the arrival of their drinks, Hecate picked hers up, swirling the glass as she admired the strong golden color. Sniffing it, she could smell the bourbon – as well as the rich scent of cinnamon. She took a sip and then another. “That’s quite good.”

“How soon before the hiccups start up?” A cheeky grin spread across Pippa’s face – for a second. “Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!” Pippa blew on her hand, rocking back and forth in her chair. “I got lime juice in one of the scratches from Dewey. Burns like the bloody dickens!”

“Serves you right.” Hecate grinned back. “Aren’t those mostly healed by now?” Without thinking about it, Hecate reached across the table and pulled Pippa’s hands close enough to inspect. “The deep ones are still open. Aren’t you bandaging them?”

“They’re in an awkward spot. I keep opening it back up. It’s getting better though.” She wiped tears from her eyes.

“I must say, I didn’t expect to see you again quite so soon.” Ursula Hallow purred.

Both women looked up in shock. Hecate jerked her hands away from Pippa’s, barely missing her drink as she placed them in her lap.

“Nor did I,” Hecate ground out, forcing a smile to her face. “Would you care to join us?”

“Oh no, thank you. I’m actually on my way home to my family.” She smiled savagely, “I don’t suppose that’s a concern for either of you, though.” She paused to admire their surroundings. “Isn’t it refreshing to see our traditional English values on display this way?”

“Actually, I find it—” Pippa started, but Hecate kicked her under the table. Recovering quickly, Pippa went on, “It’s quite…refreshing. So, what brings you out to the bar tonight?”

“Nothing much. Since I was already in the neighborhood visiting the library, I thought I’d come take a look at some of the more vibrant establishments that serve our little community.” She looked at them, a smug smile on her face. “I shan’t disturb your date any longer, ladies. I’m sure you have serious library matters to discuss.”

Pippa watched Ursula until she reached her table, then leaned in and whispered, “What do you think she’s doing here?”

“Making my personal life a living hell along with my professional one.” Hecate’s eyes followed Ursula as she rejoined her tablemates. They looked to be an assortment of solicitor types who fit right in with the bar’s aesthetic of artificial class.

“Don’t pay her any mind, Hecate. She’s just trying to get a rise out of you.” Despite her words, Pippa leaned back in her chair and watched Ursula over the top of her sangria. Even the fried pickles failed to distract them, and the rest of the evening passed in subdued and uncomfortable fits of silence. They spent most of the time talking about the cat.

Walking back to the library, Pippa slipped her arm into Hecate’s again, but stayed silent most of the way. Hecate didn’t try to make conversation, either. Finally, as they arrived in the library parking lot, Pippa broke her silence. “I want to know what she’s up to, Hecate. There’s something we’re missing, and I plan to figure it out. I’m going to make some discreet inquiries.”

“Pippa…”

“Don’t worry, darling. I’ll be careful. Now you,” she reached up and booped Hecate lightly on the nose, “go and get that cat of yours and let’s go. Don’t even try to lie to me and say you don’t take him home with you at night.”

“He’s too little to stay by himself!”

“Whatever you say, Hiccup. Whatever you say.” Pippa’s laughter chased her all the way into the library.

Oh, merciful heavens, Pippa thought when Ada made her way into the library. “Good morning, Ada! You’re here early.” Hecate had arrived in a foul mood, and it had only gotten worse as the morning wore on. “Good thing, too. I could use the company. Hecate’s been in a temper all morning.” She pointed to the Beans and Queens cup still sitting on the counter. “She hasn’t even touched her coffee.”

“Oh, dear. She’s seen it then.” Ada sighed and pulled a newspaper out of her handbag. “I take it you haven’t read today’s paper. Ursula Hallow has been writing letters.” She laid the newspaper, opened to the editorial page, on the desk in front of Pippa.

“What has that blasted woman done now?” She slipped on her glasses and started to read.

What is the world coming to? I’m asking this question, not as a member of our illustrious City Council, but as a citizen of our fair city and as a mother. As a mother, I was greatly disturbed to watch as one of our local librarians checked out a book containing graphic images of violence and nudity to a child – a child!

Is this how our tax dollars are being spent? It certainly makes me question the judgement of those charged with providing resources, books and knowledge to our young people. While I can’t claim to speak for others, my faith in our local library has been rocked to the core. For that reason, and with a heavy heart, I’ll be returning my library card. I encourage others who share my concerns to speak up as well.

Sincerely,

Ursula Hallow

“That bloody witch! Of all the… how dare she?” Pippa sputtered, slapping the paper against the counter.

“I can’t imagine that anything she said is true,” Ada soothed.

Pippa read the letter again. “That’s what’s so infuriating, Ada. Every bloody word is true, but the whole letter is bollocks!” She threw her readers down on the counter. “No wonder Hic – Hecate is in such a state. What’s worse, Ursula’s painted us both with the same broad brush. I’m the one she’s talking about; Hecate wasn’t even at the desk when Mildred checked that book out!”

“Mildred! She’s the child?”

“She’s the only one who checked out a book during Hallow’s… ridiculous inspection.” She grabbed Hecate’s coffee off the counter and took a deep breath, blowing the air out with as much force as she could. Steeling herself, she made for the office door. “Wish me luck,” she said before creeping into the office.

“You’re going to need it,” Ada said to the closed door.

Pippa slipped inside, pressing herself against the door frame. Hecate didn’t even acknowledge her presence. “Hecate? Your coffee is getting cold.” She eased the cup onto the corner of the desk before pulling her chair over and taking a seat across from Hecate. Though she wouldn’t make eye contact, Pippa could tell that she hadn’t been crying. She didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing.

Finally, she spoke, so quietly Pippa could hardly hear her, even in the quiet of the office. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything, Hecate.”

“You didn’t check a book out to a child?” She pushed the newspaper towards Pippa. “One containing ‘graphic images of violence and nudity’? Because I didn’t.”

“I checked out a book on ancient Greek art to Mildred Hubble. The very one she’s been drawing out of the last few days. While Julie stood right there and watched. And then put it in her bloody pack.” She shoved the newspaper back towards Hecate. “I don’t appreciate your assumption that I don’t know my business! I’m not a fool, Hecate.”

Hecate wrapped her arms around herself, sitting ramrod straight in her chair. “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just…”

“Embarrassed? Angry? Frustrated?” Pippa leaned forward across the desk. “Well, so am I – but you don’t see me taking it out on you.” She reached out and pulled one of Hecate’s hands free, holding it between both of hers. “We’re on the same side, Hiccup. Finally. Don’t let Ursula Hallow mess that up.”

Pulling her hand free, Hecate plucked her pocket watch from her chest and began opening and closing it, click-snick, click-snick, click-snick.

Pippa remembered Dimity’s advice about how to recognize when Hecate was struggling to hold on to her composure – that watch told the tale. “What’s going to happen, though? We need people to come to the library. It does us no good if they’re only coming to turn in their library cards.”

“That’s true enough.” Pippa flopped back into the chair. “Take however much time you need to get settled. When you’re ready, let’s try to figure out what to do. We’re not going to roll over for her.”

610 Medicine & health

Yawning, Pippa let herself into the library, leaving the outer door unlocked even though it wasn’t quite eight o’clock. Balancing two cups of coffee, she fished around in the night book drop box, gathering up the latest batch of library cards returned in protest. Since Ursula Hallow’s letter appeared in the paper, thirty-two patrons had sent their cards back to the library. Traffic had slowed down noticeably as well.

She found Hecate in their office, scratching a purring Dewey under his chin while she studied the updated webpage. “Three more today. It’s slowing down a bit, I think.” She tossed the new cards into a basket on her desk and handed Hecate her coffee.

“Toga night at the library?” Hecate raised her eyebrows. “I believe Dimity would say you’ve got quite a set of stones.” She questioned the wisdom of antagonizing Ursula further, but… Pippa’s deviousness, well, that had been inspired.

Pippa lifted her coffee Hecate’s way. “Big brass ones, darling, and don’t you forget it. I’m going to go start pulling books on mythology and Greece. I’ve got a friend that takes belly dancing class. I’ll give her a ring a bit later and see if she’d be willing to come to the toga night.”

“I’m going to clean the tops of the bookcases. It’s been a few months.” She lifted Dewey up so she could make eye contact. “Mummy’s got to go to work now. She’s going to be on the stepladder so little kitties have to stay in the workroom.” She kissed his head and tucked him back against her chest. “Shut up,” she said to Pippa, just for good measure.

“Not a word. Mummy.” Pippa dashed out of the office before Hecate could say anything else.

Once Dewey had been secured in his new kennel, Hecate pulled out the stepladder and proceeded to the back shelves. Ada arrived at nine, while Julie was uncharacteristically absent.

“Do you need any more paper towels?” Ada asked, holding out a fresh roll.

“Perfect timing,” Hecate said, turning to take the towels. Hanging on to the top of the shelf, she leaned down and reached for the roll.

The shelf tipped forward, and time seemed to slow down as it teetered between falling forward and dropping back into place. And then, with a stomach-churning lurch, the entire bookcase tumbled forward. Ada leapt out of the way, but Hecate couldn’t get off the ladder fast enough, and she crashed to the floor with the falling books. The bookcase came to rest at an angle, leaning against the case across the aisle.

“HECATE!” Ada began shoving books out of the way. She couldn’t lift the bookcase on her own. “PIPPA! PIPPA, COME QUICK!”

Pippa raced up behind her, “What on earth – HECATE! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?” She scrambled over the fallen books, kicking them out of her way in her rush to get to Hecate. “Help me lift it up, Ada. We’re here, Hecate! Just hang tight!” Between the two of them, Pippa and Ada managed to wrestle the bookcase back upright. Ada leaned against it to hold it in place while Pippa pulled the ladder out of the way, tossing it behind them with a clatter.

She knelt beside Hecate, who was struggling to sit up. “Be still, darling, where are you hurt?” Hecate tried to push her away, but Pippa wouldn’t have it. “Stop it. Look at me.” She pulled Hecate’s chin up, examining the lump forming just below the hairline over her left eye. Pippa glanced over her shoulder at Ada. “We’ll need to get some ice on that.”

Hecate lifted her hand to touch it, revealing blood soaking through her sleeve and running down her arm. “Oh…”

Ada ripped off a wad of paper towels and handed them over to Pippa to try and staunch the bleeding. “Will she need stitches?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is she hurt anywhere else?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m right here, you two. I’m all right.” Hecate grunted as she shifted into a more comfortable position.

“Of course, you are, darling.” Pippa shoved some books out of the way and positioned herself behind Hecate. “Shall we try to stand?”

Nodding, Hecate held out her good arm and allowed Pippa to pull her to her feet. “OW! OW!” She dropped back to the carpet, landing on her bum with a groan. “My ankle,” she hissed, “I’ve done something to my ankle.”

Pippa slid down and lifted Hecate’s skirt enough to reveal her boots. “Which one?”

“Left.”

Pippa gently pressed against Hecate’s ankle, stopping when she hissed again. Even through the boot, Pippa could see that Hecate’s ankle was swelling. “I don’t think you’re walking on this just yet.”

Ada left to fetch Hecate’s wheeled desk chair. A few moments later, Pippa rolled a very pale, slightly sweaty Hecate into her office. “Just let me rest a moment and I’ll be right as rain.”

Pippa pulled out a bit of ice from the fridge, dropped it in a baggie and wrapped it in her scarf. “Can you?” Hecate pressed the ice to her forehead. “I think we have to go to hospital, Hiccup.” She carefully rolled Hecate’s bloody sleeve up, revealing a three-inch gash along her right forearm. “That’s deep, darling. I think you may need stitches and your ankle… it could be broken.”

“I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute.”

“You need to see a doctor! You’ve hit your head, you’re bleeding, you can’t put weight on your leg.” She crossed her arms and scowled down at Hecate. “Be reasonable.”

“I said that I’ll be fine, Pippa!” Hecate snapped. “I’m not a child.”

“You’re certainly acting like one!” Her earlier fear gave way to frustrated anger. She looked to Ada for support, but the older woman wisely stayed out of the fray, excusing herself and leaving the two of them alone in the office.

“No, I’m a grown woman and I am perfectly capable of seeing to myself. I don’t need you to take care of me like some invalid!”

Pippa threw her hands in the air. “Fine! I’ll just take you home then and your bloody leg can just fall off!” She couldn’t understand why everything with Hecate always had to be a fight.

“I don’t want you taking me home – I don’t want you taking care of me at all.” She heard her voice getting louder, and she knew how unreasonable she sounded, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “Just leave me alone!”

Withdrawing, Pippa’s whole body seemed to shrink. “Have it your way, Hecate, clearly I’m overstepping my bounds.” Had she really misread their growing relationship so badly? “I know you didn’t want me here, but… I thought we’d moved past that. I thought we were at least becoming friendly, if not friends. I’m so sorry to find out I was wrong.”

Hecate didn’t know how things had spun out of control so quickly, but panic seized her chest when Pippa started to leave the room. She managed to croak “You aren’t.” Miraculously, Pippa paused at the door. Hecate hurried on before she lost her nerve. “I’m sorry. You aren’t wrong. I… I’d like for us to be friends. I hope we are. I just don’t… I’m not very good at it.” She shook her head. “I’ve not had any practice.”

Pippa knelt in front of Hecate and placed a hand on Hecate’s knee. She could feel Hecate’s muscles clench and relax beneath her fingers. “Okay.” Though kneeling had brought them more or less even, Hecate still wouldn’t look at her. Pippa realized that she’d be squeezing her pocket watch if she didn’t have to press the paper towels against the cut on her arm. “I want us to be friends, too,” she said, gently, remembering their Sunday spent lazing on her sofa. “We are friends. So, please, Hiccup, let me help you. Even if you don’t think you need it, I would feel better if I knew you were home and settled.”

Hecate nodded, the movement sending a wave of nausea through her. “Pipsqueak,” she waved frantically for the bin. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Pippa got it there just in time. She helped Hecate balance while she heaved her breakfast into the bin, studiously counting the ceiling tiles and trying to keep her own stomach under control. “Will you please let me take you to see the surgeon now?” she asked once Hecate had emptied her stomach. “At least the little clinic near the school?” She could see Hecate still hesitating. “I know you don’t need anyone to take care of you. I know that. But, Hiccup, you’re hurt. There’s no shame in asking for help, and it would be my privilege.”

Wiping her mouth with a shaking hand, Hecate finally gave in. She insisted they take her car and rather than fight, Pippa agreed. Leaving the mess of the fallen bookcase where it lay, she and Ada managed to get Hecate loaded into the car along with another bin in case she needed to upchuck again.

Julie Hubble arrived just as they were backing out of Hecate’s space. Pippa promised to call when they were finished at the clinic. “See if you can figure out what happened,” she told Ada. “Fully loaded bookshelves don’t just fall over.” With that, she left Ada to explain to Julie what had happened, confident that they’d be able to manage the library for the rest of the day.

“This building? Are you sure?” Pippa stared at the dilapidated apartment building in front of them. Surely Hecate didn’t live here?

“I knowww where I live, Pipsssqueak.” Hecate said, already slurring her words. Pippa knew they should have waited until they got to Hecate’s flat before she took one of the pain pills the doctor prescribed. “Just park on the street.”

It took Pippa a few tries to parallel park Hecate’s larger car into the space nearest to the door. The handful of teens jeering and offering conflicting advice didn’t help. Finally, she decided she was in well enough and cut the engine.

“We’re here, darling. Do you think you can manage the scooter?” They’d spent all afternoon at the surgeons. Hecate’s ankle wasn’t broken, only severely sprained, and the doctor had put her in a plastic boot for the next two weeks to keep it immobilized. Twelve stitches closed the gash in her forearm and three tiny stitches closed the cut they’d made to alleviate the swelling in the knot on her forehead.

“I’m not already?” Hecate stared blankly at the car’s interior, clearly confused.

“Not quite,” Pippa chuckled. “What floor is your flat on?” She prayed Hecate didn’t live in a third-story walk-up.

“Top floor. Penthouse sssuite,” she giggled.

“Please tell me there’s an elevator.” She looked at the crumbling exterior with broken windows and wondered if she would even want to risk using one.

“It maaay not be as posh as yours, but… what did you want to know?”

“Let’s just get you inside.” She slung her purse and Dewey’s carry-bag over her shoulder and circled the car so she could help Hecate climb out. The last thing she needed was for Hecate to tumble headlong out of the car onto the concrete. The doc said Hecate had only a mild concussion, and Pippa meant to keep it that way.

“Do you need some help, Miss?”

Pippa turned to find a lad of about sixteen looking worriedly at Hecate. He looked vaguely familiar, but she didn’t know why.

“David!” Hecate gushed. “Look at yoooou! You’re so big now! When’s the last time I sssaw you?”

“Uh… last week at Gran’s for Wednesday dinner?” He looked at Pippa. “Is Miss Hecate okay?”

Smiling, Pippa relaxed. At least Hecate recognized the boy. “She had a bit of an accident at work. The doctor gave her some painkillers and she’s gone a bit loopy.” She held out her hand. “I’m Pippa and I work with Miss Hardbroom at the library.”

He shook her hand firmly. “I’m David. David Tapioca, but…” He kicked at the sidewalk with the toe of his boot. “My friends usually call me Pudding.”

Pippa’s eyes flew open in recognition. “But Miss Hardbroom calls you ‘David,’ doesn’t she? You came with your friends to the first game night!”

Brightening, David nodded vigorously. “Yes, Miss, that’s me.”

“Then that’s what I shall call you, as well. And yes, David, I could very much use some help getting her up to her apartment. She’s got a walking boot on her ankle there, but she’s not meant to put any weight on it for the next couple of days. They’ve loaned us a scooter, but… I’m not sure she’s up to managing that right now. If you could carry it and this bag,” she handed over Dewey, hoping the boy could be trusted not to run away with it, “I think I can manage Hecate.” Looping Hecate’s arm over her shoulder, they started the half-hopped, half-dragged journey up to the flat.

Half an hour later, Pippa just knew that the rickety, grinding elevator had shaved five years off her life. Dealing with a drugged-up Hecate had probably taken a few more. Thank god David had been there to help. They’d barely managed to get Hecate dropped onto the sofa, with her booted foot propped up on a pillow before she seemed to fall asleep.

Pippa turned her attention to the rumpled young man who’d been her savior. “Thank you, David. I don’t know how I would have managed without your help.” The boy didn’t say anything; he just shrugged and worried at the edge of the threadbare rug with the toe of his boot. “Do you live here? With your gran?” He nodded. “I’m glad to know she has such good neighbors.” Pippa walked him back to the door.

“Miss Hecate helps me with my homework sometimes. She thinks I could get a scholarship and go to uni.” He looked away again, blushing.

Pippa glanced at Hecate, who had sprawled across the sofa with her head back and eyes closed. She lowered her voice anyway. “I’ve found that Hecate is very seldom wrong about anything. If she thinks you should go to university, you should listen.” He mumbled an embarrassed ‘yes, ma’am’ and Pippa decided to let him off the hook. “I’m sure you probably have plans with your friends tonight, so I won’t keep you any longer. I’m grateful for your help, David.”

“Tweren’t a problem, Miss. If you need anything, just come knock up me or Gran – 4B. Best not bother the ducks next door, though, they aren’t good people.”

Pippa thanked him for the warning and said goodnight. Sighing heavily, she dropped onto the sofa next to Hecate.

A dark head turned her way and a single brown eye opened, brow arched. “You, Pippa Pentangle, are a biiig, fat liar,” she slurred. “You think I’m wrong aaaallll the time.” The eye closed again.

“Managed to be awake for that, did you? Well… maybe not all the time.” She brushed a strand of hair off Hecate’s face. “Why don’t we get you comfortable and into bed. Is the bedroom through there?” She pointed at a door across the room.

“Nope… we’re in it…” Hecate frowned without opening her eyes.

Pippa started to ask what Hecate meant when Dewey began yowling from his carry-bag. “I’m sorry little one, hang on.” She hauled herself up from the sofa and opened the bag. Dewey shot out like a rocket, zooming through the apartment, stopping periodically to sniff Pippa or the scooter before crawling into his food dish and meowing loudly. “Supper time then?” Pippa had no idea how much to feed him, so she just poured half a scoop into the bowl. Hopefully, Hecate would be more herself before it was time for the next feeding.

Speaking of… She studied Hecate as she dozed on the sofa. She would have to get her to bed. Sending a silent apology Hecate’s way, Pippa explored the flat, which turned out to be an orderly little studio with a south-facing balcony. Careful not to jostle Hecate’s leg, Pippa lifted one of the sofa cushions, confirming her hunch that it was a pull-out bed. A bit more nosing about and she found Hecate’s nightdress hanging inside the bathroom door. In for a penny… she thought, setting about the task of rousing Hecate enough to get changed and the sofa converted into a bed.

“Hecate? Darling?” Pippa kept her voice soft and low. “I think we need to get you properly into bed. I’ve found your jammies.”

Nodding, Hecate lifted her arms, stopping about halfway to her hair before dropping her hands to her sides and grunting. “Stiff already…”

“Let me,” Pippa said, moving behind the sofa. Examining Hecate’s bun, she worked out how to take it down and started removing hairpins. Once she’d pulled the last one free, Pippa unwound and unbraided Hecate’s hair, gently combing it through her fingers. “You have such beautiful hair, Hiccup. Have you always kept it this long?” Hecate nodded, visibly more relaxed now that her hair was down. Using her fingernails, Pippa lightly scratched Hecate’s scalp, careful to stay well clear of the neat row of stitches on her forehead. Her earlier lump had swollen so much that the physician had decided to lance it and stitch it closed. Red and angry as it looked now, he had assured Hecate that there wouldn’t even be a scar. Pippa thought Hecate might look quite dashing with a tiny scar over her eye – mysterious, a bit dangerous even. She wisely kept those thoughts to herself.

Hecate’s sigh of pleasure pulled Pippa’s wandering mind back on track. “Do you want me to leave it lose? Or plait it?”

“Loose,” Hecate murmured, drifting away again.

“Not yet, darling. We’ve got to get you into your nightclothes, and a trip to the loo wouldn’t be amiss, I reckon.” Pippa moved back to kneel in front of Hecate. “You’ll probably be much happier if you do it yourself, but I can help however you need it.”

Hecate opened her eyes, managing to look aggrieved despite her drowsiness. “I’m quite capable,” she insisted, pushing herself into a seated position. Swaying a bit, Hecate swallowed hard. “I think.”

Before she could catch herself, Pippa placed a hand on Hecate’s shoulder, surprised when Hecate leaned into her. “You are capable. Quite.” She squeezed. “You’re just at a bit of a disadvantage right now.” Pippa thought for a moment. “Why don’t I get your scooter and you can sit on that and just…scoot?”

Frowning as she thought it over, Hecate finally nodded. “I think that will sssuffice.”

Once Pippa had her wrestled onto the scooter, she held her steady as Hecate slowly crept into the bathroom. As soon as she was inside, Hecate shooed Pippa out and closed the door. Pippa rushed over to fold out the sofa bed, setting it up in what had to be record time. Finished with that, she hovered near the bathroom door, listening for any signs of distress. While she listened, Dewey began threading himself between her ankles, rubbing his head against her shin before looking up at her and mewing plaintively. “I don’t know, kitty. I suppose we just stand out here and listen for a thud.” Dewey mewed in agreement and went back to rubbing against her ankles. By the time Hecate emerged from the bathroom, pale and shaking, Pippa was a nervous wreck.

Finally, Pippa had her settled, grateful Hecate had woken up long enough to get herself ready for bed. Once Hecate fell asleep, Pippa continued investigating the flat, as much for something to do as well as curiosity. It looked far better than she expected, especially considering the state of the building. Organized with Hecate’s typical precision – a place for everything and everything in its place – the flat still managed to feel homey and comfortable. Three IKEA bookcases, stuffed with books, lined one wall. Unable to help herself, Pippa glanced at the books, chuckling when she realized she expected them to have Dewey Decimal tags on the spines. She spotted a blanket and a meter stick stuffed on top of the bookcases, oddly out of place in the otherwise tidy room. A vintage buffet sat along the wall opposite the sofa holding an old tube-style television and DVD player. She wondered what sort of DVDs Hecate Hardbroom watched on her own.

Makeshift shelves made of painted concrete blocks and lumber held a miniature jungle of potted plants, effectively camouflaging the door to the balcony. Pippa peered through the foliage to find a larger balcony than she expected. It would be quite lovely in the summer. Once upon a time, this had likely been a stylish apartment building.

Breathing in the scent of fresh herbs and lemon blossoms, Pippa ran her hands lightly across the green leaves. Her fingers came away smelling of rosemary. Hecate must know how to cook, she thought, turning back to the rest of the flat.

The studio didn’t have a separate kitchen. Instead, an ancient stove and refrigerator lined one wall, along with a sink and a tiny square of counterspace with cupboards above and below. Rather than a kitchen table, another counter with three chairs ran parallel to the first. A folding table holding a sewing machine had been squeezed in behind the sofa. “Aren’t you full of surprises?” Pippa ran her fingers over the rich damask fabric. Judging from the pattern, Hecate was making a skirt. She wondered how many of Hecate’s clothes were hand made. Leaning close, Pippa studied the tight stitches and the lining. Hecate had real skill. Pippa had no idea that any of Hecate’s clothes were homemade. She’d always assumed her old-fashioned look was simply the result of lucky vintage finds.

Dewey batted a jingly ball across the floor at her feet, scrambling after it until it rolled under one of the bookcases. Pippa suddenly understood the purpose of the meter stick and rolled up blanket. She swept under the bookcase with the stick until she sent the ball rolling into the kitchen, Dewey hot on its trail. Before he could come back, Pippa took the blanket and laid it in front of the shelves, creating an effective barrier. “She’s played that game a few times already, hasn’t she, you little rascal?”

Now that her adrenaline had faded, Pippa could feel the boredom kicking in. She opened her phone, surprised to see that Hecate had Wi-Fi. Not that it mattered. She didn’t have the code. Scanning the room again, she didn’t see anything that needed doing – no dishes to wash, no laundry to fold. The plants were moist. She checked the bathroom and scooped Dewey’s litter box, but that only took a couple of minutes. She even checked the refrigerator, but didn’t find anything that needed doing in there, either.

She didn’t want to disturb Hecate by turning on the television, so she decided to see if there was anything in Hecate’s library that she could read. She didn’t hold out much hope that they would have similar taste in books.

A quick scan of the titles confirmed her suspicions. Most of the books were non-fiction, mainly histories and biographies, though Hecate did seem to have all of Virginia Woolf’s works. Pippa hadn’t expected that. She looked at Dewey, now wrestling with the edge of the blanket. “I bet if you’d been a girl your name would have been Virginia. Or Vita,” she said, laughing at her own joke.

Pippa had nearly given up when she spotted a familiar looking collection on the bottom shelf. Bending down to get a closer look, Pippa’s suspicions were confirmed: the same boxed set of Anne of Green Gables that she had owned as a little girl. There were other boxed sets as well: The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy, The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Little House on the Prairie collection. They were old, with faded covers and pages that had yellowed over the years. She pulled out the first of The Worst Witch books and carefully opened the cover. She smiled as she read the name, Joy H. Hardbroom, written inside the cover in blocky, uneven cursive. “Look, Dewey! She kept her books from when she was a little girl. That’s cute.” Pippa frowned at the name. She’d assumed Hecate had always gone by her middle name, but at some point, she had quit going by Joy and switched to Hecate. Pippa wondered what had made her switch. Hecate certainly suited her better now. She wondered if the name Joy had ever suited her serious coworker.

She grabbed a box and, after a brief debate, climbed onto the far side of the sofa bed, surprised at how comfortable it was. Soon, everything faded away and she found herself lost in the world of little witches.

A soft moan jerked Pippa awake. Disoriented, she tried to get her bearings. Hecate’s, she reminded herself, I’m at Hecate’s. The object of her thoughts groaned again, sending Pippa fumbling for her phone. She turned on the flashlight and balanced it on the arm of the sofa. The rising bruise surrounding the stitches on her forehead glowed grimly in the blue light of the phone. She checked the time; Hecate should have taken the next pain pill over an hour ago. Looking Hecate over, Pippa saw that her leg, weighed down by the boot, had twisted awkwardly to the side.

“Hiccup?” Pippa whispered, gently threading her fingers through the hair on Hecate’s temple. Her breathing hitched, but she didn’t wake up. Instead, she rolled over, draping an arm across Pippa’s hip as she tucked her forehead against her thigh. Pippa’s heart stilled along with her fingers. Butterflies appeared from nowhere, fluttering from her stomach to her chest and back again. Pippa sucked in a lungful of air, forcing herself into the moment. She’d have to think about all that later. “Sweetheart?” She set her fingers to moving again, lightly scratching Hecate’s scalp. “It’s time for your medicine.”

Slowly, Hecate roused enough to realize where she was. Gasping in shock, she jerked herself away from Pippa and immediately began gasping in pain. “S-s-sorry!” She squeezed her eyes closed, fists clutching at the blankets as she tried to ride out the agony.

Pippa followed her over, prying Hecate’s fingers free and holding her hand. “Shhh… don’t worry, darling, you’ve done nothing to apologize for. Just breathe…” She pressed their joined hands against her stomach and inhaled deeply. “Feel that? Breathe in with me, Hiccup, it will pass.” They breathed for a few minutes until Hecate nodded, her grip on Pippa’s hand relaxing. “How about that pain pill now?”

Hecate nodded again. “Help me sit up?” Pippa eased her up some, stuffing every pillow she could reach behind Hecate until she sat more or less upright. “You’re still here?”

“Yes, Hiccup, I’m still here. I’m not leaving you to your own devices tonight.” She flipped the blankets back, revealing Hecate’s thigh where her nightdress had ridden up. Livid bruises had appeared just above her knee. Pippa clenched her jaw to keep from crying out in sympathy. “Do you need to use the loo?”

“No…” she said, hoping that was true. She looked at Pippa and frowned. “You’re still wearing your work clothes.”

Pippa glanced down at her rumpled black slacks and mauve jumper. “I wasn’t exactly planning a sleepover at my bestie’s when I left the flat this morning.” Even in the dim light of her phone, Pippa could see the color rising in Hecate’s cheeks.

“Um. Well. No. Of course you weren’t.” Wincing, she pointed to the cupboard across the room. “If you look in the bottom drawer, you’ll find t-shis and yoga leggings. Please… at least be comfortable.”

“Thank you, darling.” Pippa fetched the pills and a glass of water, helping Hecate get settled back in bed before going in search of the clothes. A few minutes and one trip to the toilet later, Pippa was still trying to wrap her brain around the idea that Hecate apparently actually did yoga, judging from the mat and the selection of workout clothes. Sporting the leggings and a worn Penguin publishing t-shirt, Pippa crawled back onto the sofa bed, trying not to jostle the sleeping Hecate. She’d just settled in when Hecate shifted closer, flopping a hand across Pippa’s waist. Pippa smiled and tucked the blankets in tighter against Hecate before she allowed herself to drift off.

Julie Hubble stood in front of the locked library gates, hands on her hips and shaking her head. “She shouldn’t be here.”

“Try telling her that.” Pippa’s tone reflected just how weary she had grown of this particular conversation. “You know how stubborn she can be. I wish you better luck than I had.”

“She is right here and perfectly capable of speaking for herself,” Hecate growled. Slowly and none too steadily, she maneuvered the scooter across the parking lot. Not for the first time this morning, she berated herself for her own foolish insistence that she come to work.

Pippa hovered nearby, ready to catch should Hecate lose her balance. “Look out for the stick, Hecate!”

“I see it,” She made a wobbly turn, almost too sharp. Pippa scrambled to get behind her. “I’m all right. I just need to practice.”

Julie started clapping. “That’s it, Miss Hardbroom. You’re doing it! Steady on, love, you can get it!”

Hecate let go of the handlebar just long enough to send a rude gesture Julie’s way, sending the woman into a fit of laughter.

“No wonder they send letters to the editor about you,” Julie teased.

“They send letters about Pippa.” Hecate breathed a sigh of relief when she reached the gates.

Pippa stepped past her to unlock the gates, smiling once she had her back to them. Hecate had finally made a joke about Ursula Hallow’s ridiculous letter. She pulled the gate open and hurried to unlock the outer doors.

Hecate turned to Julie. “You’re here early, Ms. Hubble.”

“I thought I’d come in and lend a hand. I didn’t reckon you’d be in, to be honest.” Julie ran a hand down Hecate’s good arm, pretending she didn’t see Hecate wince. “I’m glad you weren’t hurt worse than you were. I don’t like seeing my friends get hurt.”

Hecate blinked back tears. “Thank you, Julie. You’re kinder than I deserve.”

“Oh, yeah… that’s prob’ly true,” she said, winking and following her inside.

Pippa came back to retrieve Dewey and their handbags from the car just as Dimity pulled into the car park. Waving, she waited for Dimity to get out of her car. “Good morning, Dimity!”

“Oi! Did I just see Her Royal Grumpiness wheeling into the library?”

“She insisted.”

Dimity looked Pippa up and down, taking in the leggings, wrinkled t-shirt, yesterday’s smudgy makeup and her rat’s nest of a hairdo. “Rough night, I see. You wanna go home and,” she waved her hand in Pippa’s general direction, “take care of all that? I’ll cover for you.”

Pippa accepted the offer gratefully. “Julie’s here, too,” she added.

“No worries. You deserve hazard pay, I’m sure. I know I wouldn’t have wanted to be in your shoes last night. I reckon HB was a right nightmare, all hopped up on painkillers.”

“Actually…” Pippa said, scratching the back of her neck, “she got rather… snuggly.” She hoisted Dewey’s bag higher on her shoulder and headed into the library.

Dimity sputtered to a stop as her brain conjured up the image of a snuggly Hecate Hardbroom. “That’s even worse, that is,” she muttered, trailing after Pippa.

While Pippa put Dewey in the workroom and fed him breakfast, Hecate wheeled over to the bookcase. She didn’t know what she expected to see, but all had been set to rights as much as possible. Blue tape stretched across the aisle on either side of the bookcase, blocking the shelf from use. Most of the books had been replaced, but she could tell many were missing. No doubt a sizeable stack waited to be repaired on the workroom table. At least that was work she could do.

Pippa came up behind her, standing close. They silently inspected the shelves for a moment before Pippa slipped a hand around Hecate’s waist. “This all could have been so much worse. I’m so thankful that you’re okay.”

Hecate leaned in closer. “I don’t understand what happened. These shelves are anchored to the wall.”

A voice behind them answered. “I’m afraid it may have been tampered with.”

“Ada!” Hecate spun her scooter about, grimacing as she pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you so much for everything yesterday! I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

Pippa moved aside, desperate to ask Ada what she meant, but also wanting to give Hecate a moment with Ada.

Pulling away, Hecate stared at the shelf. “Tampered with?”

“I’m afraid so, my dear.”

“What makes you say that, Ada?” Pippa leveled a skeptical look her way. “How do you know it didn’t just fall? Hecate said she was holding on to it.”

Ada gave Pippa a quick pat on the shoulder as she stepped past her. “Right you are. She grabbed it right up there.” Ada pointed to the left edge of the shelf. “You can still see her handprint in the dust if you care to. You’ll need the ladder, but Julie and I left it undisturbed in case you wanted to see for yourself.”

Tempted, Pippa decided she could look at another time. “That’s not necessary, but it doesn’t rule out that Hecate pulled it over.”

“Even I have to agree that it doesn’t, Ada.” Hecate added. An accident was bad enough, but the idea that someone could have done something to intentionally create a hazard felt even worse.

“And I would agree with you, except we found something else. Uh… Ms. Hubble?” Ada called Julie over from the computer. “I think we need the ladder, or at least a chair.”

“Right-o,” Julie hopped up and appeared a moment later with one of the wooden chairs. She held it steady while Pippa climbed up.

“Look at the other side. There’s a handprint there as well. Hecate never touched that end.”

“I see what you mean.” Pippa looked at the tops of all the other shelves. She could clearly see how far Hecate had got with the dusting. She could just as clearly see the undisturbed layer of dust on every other shelf. “That still shouldn’t cause the wall anchor to give way.”

“I don’t believe it did.” Ada looked up at Pippa. “I didn’t find the bracket.”

“What?” Hecate and Pippa asked in unison, looking at one another with alarm.

“The bracket wasn’t there. If it had pulled loose from the wall, the bracket should have still been attached to the shelf. If it pulled loose from the shelf, it should have still been attached to the wall.” Ada spread her hands and shrugged. “Furthermore, the holes in the wall and the shelf are still round. If the bracket had pulled loose, the holes would show damage as well, but nothing has been pulled free. Either way, the bracket would have been here in the library, but it was nowhere to be found. I also found a wedge of wood on the floor behind the shelf. I think someone used it to… create pressure to push the shelf away from the wall.”

“B-but, who would do such a thing?” Hecate asked. “Who would want to hurt me? I know I’m not the most popular person… but…”

Pippa hopped off the chair and rushed to Hecate’s side, gently grasping both her elbows. “Look at me, darling.” She waited for Hecate to meet her eyes. “There’s no way anyone could have known you would be dusting the shelves. In fact, I think it would be impossible to guarantee that the shelf would fall on you. It could have been anyone.” She thought about it and an ugly picture began to form. “It was supposed to fall on a patron.” She felt the shockwave travel through Hecate’s arms as Pippa’s meaning became clear.

“Are you sure?” Ada dropped into the chair. “Why would anyone want to hurt one of the patrons?”

“Well,” Julie shrugged, “just think of all the letters to the rags that Hallow witch could write if some little old lady got flattened by a bookcase instead of Miss Hardbroom here?”

“Even Ursula Hallow wouldn’t stoop so low.” Would she? Even as she said it, Hecate feared Julie might be right.

“Those shelves have been standing without fail for years and years. Ursula Hallow shows up, spends a day roaming ‘round the place and next thing you know you’re like a bug under a boot.” Julie waggled her finger between Hecate and Pippa. “You two need to watch yourselves. That woman is trouble. She wants this place shut down and you lot are in the way. What if it had been Millie back here?”

Hecate shook her head. “I know she wants us closed… but, I just… Resorting to violence? Horrid as she is, I can’t accept that Ursula Hallow would sabotage the anchor and endanger the health and safety of the patrons. Why would she do such a thing?”

Pippa shook her head, “I don’t know, Hiccup, but I promise you I intend to find out.”

“You enjoy these,” Pippa said, checking out the last patron of the day. She tucked a bookmark inside the top book’s front cover. “You’ll have to tell me how you liked this one.” She followed the woman to the door, locking up once she’d gone. She checked the people counter and entered the number in Hecate’s ledger.

Leaning against the office door, Pippa watched Hecate as she finished the paperwork for an inter-library loan. It was getting harder to explain away the attraction that bubbled up inside her whenever she looked at Hecate. “Another week done then, Hiccup. Care to guess our daily average for the week?”

Hecate leaned back in her chair, propping her boot on a Kik-Step stool she’d squeezed behind her desk for just that purpose. “Seventy-five patrons a day.”

Pippa huffed her disappointment. “You cheated, didn’t you?”

“Absolutely,” she grinned. Silence settled over them, not quite uncomfortable, but close to it. “Any hot plans for your day off?” Hecate winced even as she said it. Somehow, her awkward teenaged years had managed to last three decades.

“Well, now that you mention it, I do have plans for spending the day with a certain someone.”

“Oh. That’s…nice.” Hecate couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice.

“I hope it will be,” Pippa said, plunking herself down on the corner of Hecate’s desk. “I just have to get her to agree to take tomorrow off. She’s meant to be free on Sunday, you see, but somehow, she never seems to manage it. Of course, I’m not above a repeat kidnapping, if needs must.”

Hecate’s eyes flew open wide when she realized Pippa meant her. “I don’t know… I need to take down the St. Patrick’s Day display.” Tendrils of guilt crept in when she saw Pippa’s face fall. “After, though… I think we could do something, if you’d like.”

“I would like, very much.” Pippa beamed. “Would you like to do the display tonight? You can get started, and I’ll pick up some sandwiches. Maybe you won’t have to come in tomorrow at all.”

She thought it over. “On one condition,” Hecate said, hardly believing what she was about to say. “It’s my turn to play hostess. You can come to my flat this time – if you don’t mind. I know it’s nearly as nice as—”

“That would be lovely, Hiccup.” Pippa placed a warm hand over Hecate’s cold one. “I’ll bring the dvds.” She hopped off the desk. “And I’ll go fetch the sandwiches. Do you want your usual?”

Hecate smiled, irrationally pleased that Pippa would even know what her ‘usual’ was. “Yes, please.”

Hecate jumped at the sharp knock on her door. She wiped her hands on a dish towel before checking the time: 11:47. Pippa was early. Peeping through the viewer before undoing the series of locks on her door, Hecate ushered Pippa inside.

“Hello, darling!” Pippa gave her a quick air kiss to the cheek. She held up a tote bag. “I know you said I needn’t bother, but I brought some snacks for later – and a little something to sip while we watch.” She handed Hecate a clear plastic jug filled with pink liquid and slices of cucumber, orange, and strawberry. “I whipped up a batch of Pimm’s for us, in honor of spring.”

Hecate glanced through her balcony window at the heavy grey clouds hanging low over the city. “Wishful thinking?” She put the jug in the refrigerator, nonetheless. “I hope I don’t fall asleep in my cups.”

Pippa greeted Dewey before depositing her snacks on a folding tray next to Hecate’s sofa. “Something smells wonderful! I hope it’s for lunch – I’m starved.”

“Spinach and mushroom quiche,” Hecate said, blushing. “I hope you like it. I thought lunch could be a bit lighter.”

“Oooh, does that mean you have something decadent planned for tonight?” Pippa squeezed into the tiny kitchen space next to Hecate. Every square inch of the miniscule counter was covered either in equipment or ingredients. An old-fashioned slow cooker took up the bulk of the space. “Are we having a proper Sunday roast? You did go all out.”

“I didn’t want to have to fuss with much later.” She lifted a faded towel to see how her dough was rising.

“Are you making homemade bread?” Pippa asked, incredulously. “What time did you get up?”

“Seven-thirty.”

“Hiccup. It’s Sunday.” Pippa stuck her hands on her hips and scowled at her. “You’re meant to sleep in.”

“Psssht,” Hecate replied, laughing softly. “Compared to the rest of the week, that is sleeping in.” She wasn’t about to tell Pippa that she’d stayed awake most of the night cleaning her flat within an inch of its life. “The roast is almost ready to start; I just need to…” she waved at her herb garden.

Pippa stepped out of the way so Hecate could pass. She followed her to the plant shelves and watched as Hecate expertly plucked a selection of herbs. “Which ones are you choosing?”

“I thought I’d go with the traditional – parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.” The oven timer dinged, and Hecate hurried back to the stove.

Pippa laughed. “Does that make you Simon or Garfunkel?” The aroma of the quiche filled the flat, setting Pippa’s mouth to watering. She hadn’t tasted a thing, but she knew with absolute certainty that Hecate Hardbroom could cook.

302.231                 [Social interaction / Communication] Digital media

Bleary-eyed behind her sunglasses, Pippa waited in line to order their morning coffees. She’d foregone the drive through, fearing she’d fall asleep in the queue. I’m too bloody old to pull all-nighters, she thought, shaking her head a bit to clear away the fog. Last night, Pippa had fallen down the rabbit-hole of reading the City Council meeting archives, hoping to find some clue in the minutes as to why Ursula Hallow had it in for the library. She’d gone all the way back to Hecate’s appointment as Head Librarian. Nothing. She did discover that Ursula didn’t start trying to defund the library until seven years ago, despite being a twenty-year member of the Council.

Pippa tried to stay awake by listening to an animated conversation between two young men ahead of her in line. Apparently, the ‘for sale’ sign had disappeared from a building in the neighborhood called ‘the Mercer’ and now the regulars were indulging in rampant speculation about what could be coming. She tried to picture the building in her mind. It was fuzzy, but she thought they meant the building a block or so from the library.

One of the larger buildings in the area, the Mercer looked like it might have been a department store back in its day. That’s a good space, she thought, three stories tall. It could easily have a business on street-level and condos above. Curious, she wondered what else might be moving into the neighborhood. Pippa felt like a doddery old coot when she realized the young men were hoping some sort of dance club would move in while she had been hoping for a supermarket. She ordered two extra shots of caffeine in her coffee.

The first time Pippa’s phone chirped, she ignored it because she was paying for the coffees. It chirped again as she backed out of the coffee shop parking space. By the time she pulled into the library, she’d gotten three more texts. Worried about some sort of family emergency, Pippa dug her phone out of her purse and checked it in the car.

"Congrats! Can’t wait 2 meet her!"  - Chester

"Who’s the mystery woman?"   - Lindy

"I’m so proud of you for putting yourself out there! She’s a looker, too! Btw, is that at the new place on Barclay? Looks good!"   - Jameson

"Who dat hottie" - Michelle

She rolled her eyes at the last one. For heaven’s sake, Michelle was a fifty-year-old accountant. Pippa scanned through the texts, each very much like the next. “What on earth…” she muttered to no one in particular. She double-checked the date. It was still a week until April Fool’s Day, but maybe this was all some sort of elaborate prank? She wouldn’t put it past her brother. She read through the messages again, skipping ahead when a new one popped up from her brother Nelson, no less.

"I can’t believe you’ve been seeing someone and haven’t told us. Mum’s going to have a fit!"   - Smellson

A second text from her brother followed the first, but it contained nothing more than a string of emojis, mostly donuts, peaches, and pointing fingers.

Now Pippa started to worry – this didn’t feel like a prank. She never heard from Nelson. At most, they traded mildly insulting memes and pictures. He left the communicating to his wife, Maureen, or waited until he—

"Don’t listen to him, I keep meaning to have him tested. Your mum will be thrilled."   – Maureen

She typed a quick reply to her sister-in-law asking what on earth she was talking about and explaining that she wasn’t seeing anyone. Even as she tapped ‘send’, Pippa glanced at Hecate’s car, shocked to realize that she wanted to add the word ‘yet’ to that sentence. She wasn’t seeing anyone, yet. No, that wasn’t right, either. She wasn’t seeing Hecate, yet.

Before she could put much thought into that revelation, Maureen texted back, sending a link to the library’s own website. “Oh, no… Bloody, blazing hell.”

Pippa stared at the photo of Hecate and her holding hands in a restaurant. Someone had uploaded the image to the ‘What’s Happening at The Library’ section of their website with the caption ‘Lady Librarians Looking for Lesbian Love?’

No, Pippa realized, not someone. She remembered that night. Hecate had been fussing at her about not taking care of all the scratches on her hands from the night she gave Dewey a bath. And who had walked up? Ursula Bloody Hallow. This time, there could be no mistake. Ursula Hallow had launched a full-on personal attack. Bloody hell, Pippa thought, Hecate is going to… Actually, Pippa didn’t have a clue what Hecate would do – but she suspected it wouldn’t be good. “That damnable beast of a woman,” she muttered as she climbed out of her car.

She found Hecate sitting at her desk, staring at her computer screen. Hands pressed against her lips, Hecate clutched her pocket watch with a white-knuckled grip.

“So, you’ve seen it then,” Pippa said, setting the coffee cups down and tucking her purse under her desk. When Hecate didn’t answer, she turned to face her, expecting the worst. She got it.

Rocking slightly back and forth, Hecate’s breathing was little more than ragged gulps of air. Pippa feared she might be on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Hecate?” Pippa inched her way over to Hecate, afraid she would send her spiraling further into a panic. “Can you breathe for me, Hiccup? On three? Take a big breath for me, okay? One… two… three…” Pippa took a deep breath, relieved to see Hecate doing the same. “That’s good, darling.” Pippa cursed herself when she saw Hecate flinch when she called her ‘darling.’ “Let’s try it again, shall we? Just like the night you got hurt.” She pulled over the Kik-Step stool that Hecate had been propping her boot on and sat down, close, but not touching. She walked Hecate through several sets of breathing in and out. When it looked like Hecate could control her breathing on her own, she let her be. “That’s better, isn’t it? It’s going to be okay, Hiccup. We’ve done nothing wrong. Even if what that photo says was true, we’d still have done nothing wrong.”

Hecate lowered her hands but didn’t let go of her watch. “That’s not what people are saying, Pippa.” She pointed at the screen. “Have you read the comments people are leaving? The ones calling us sinners and saying we’ll spend eternity in Hell are the mild ones. One woman criticized us for flaunting our sexuality and wondered if we could even be trusted around impressionable young children. Another called us sexual deviants…”

“Two decades into the twenty-first century and people still spout this rubbish.” Pippa shrugged. “If it makes you feel any better, all the texts I got from my friends and family were happy for us. At first I thought it had to be an April Fool’s prank, but it’s too early.”

“This isn’t a joke, Pippa!” Hecate slammed her hands on the desk. “These people – the ones calling us deviants? They will never come back to the library. They won’t send their children. Worse, they’ll warn everyone else away. Don’t you understand?” She closed her eyes, forcibly trying to calm herself. “You can prattle on about the twenty-first century all you’d like, Pippa. There are still people who believe it’s a sin. There are still people who consider it to be a psychological defect. Remember Mrs. Ellison? Parents still turn their children out of their homes for it.”

Pippa remembered all too well. “And all of that is wrong. I meant what I said to her – being gay is no different from being left-handed, or green-eyed. It’s just one more example of humankind’s wonderful diversity. We can’t control what other people think, only our reaction to it. Besides, it’s done. There’s nothing for it now.”

Hecate tapped furiously on her screen. “You can take it down! Get that picture and those dreadful comments off the library webpage.”

Truthfully, Pippa had already considered it. But now that she knew how bad some of the comments were, it felt too much like they were giving in and admitting those trolls were right. “I can’t, Hecate. I’m sorry.”

“What do you mean you can’t? When you added that section, you said you could take down any inappropriate posts. I specifically asked you. More people are going to see that.”

“And what if they do? Some of the people who see that may be those kids that have been turned out by their families. The library can be a safe place for them. We can take this opportunity to try and correct all the misinformation and fight the bigotry.” Pippa took a deep breath and braced herself for the coming explosion. “So, let me be clearer, Hecate. I can take it down, but I won’t take it down. It isn’t inappropriate, only incorrect. I’ll correct the misinformation, remove any comments that violate the posting guidelines, and block the senders.”

Eyes filling with tears, Hecate clambered over Pippa and stumbled out of the office and into the workroom, slamming the door behind her. Pippa stayed on her stool, clutching her head. “Impossible woman!”

She pushed herself to her feet, turning to find herself face to face with a wide-eyed Dimity and a stricken Ada. “I suppose you heard all that?” They nodded. “And I suppose you think I should take it down as well?”

“I think Ursula Hallow deserves to be stripped down and dragged across the car park and then dipped in a vat of rubbing alcohol.” Dimity turned away and went to work hoovering the Children’s Room.

Ada pursed her lips together, keeping her opinion to herself. “I’m sorry, Pippa. Neither of you deserve this.”

“Ursula Hallow took that photo – and if she stood there long enough to take the picture, she stood there long enough to know we bloody well weren’t holding hands.” Wet heat burned in Pippa’s eyes while an ache for something she didn’t even have burned in her chest. “She’s doing everything she can to destroy this place, and I still don’t even know why she’s doing it. I stayed up all night trying to suss it out. None of it makes any sense at all.” She looked at the closed workroom door. Any thoughts she may have had about a romantic future with Hecate were just pipe dreams now. Damn that Ursula Hallow, she thought as she retreated to her computer to sort out the website.

Pippa spent the rest of the morning on her computer doing damage control. She reposted the picture with a different caption, “Local Librarians Enjoying New Bistro on Barclay.” She also added a picture of the scratches that had been inflicted by bathing the kitten as well as one of Dewey, introducing him as the new library assistant. She even added an ‘Ask Dewey’ section on the children’s page.

Once she’d tackled that, she shifted to the comments section. Hecate had been right. Some of the comments were vile. She scanned through first, deleting everything using profanity or sexual language; those clearly violated the terms of use. Next, she read through more closely, replying to some, deleting a few more, and thanking everyone who sent supportive messages.

After some thought, Pippa added a message to the home page. After an hour of writing and rewriting she felt like she’d made her point. She hoped Hecate would agree. Briefly, she considered running it past Hecate before she posted it but ultimately decided not to. She read through it one last time.

Lucy Fairweather believed in the power of knowledge as well as the power of community. She fought for both, eventually founding what we now call the Lucille Fairweather Memorial Library. Her vision inspired her to create a place where anyone would be welcome to come and learn, to create a better life for themselves and their families. Her vision still guides us today.

All are welcome here, so long as they come in good faith. We will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, income, race, language, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other wonderful aspect of human diversity. Bigotry and hate cannot be allowed to take root in our gardens. Lucy wouldn’t like it. Neither would we, and, we hope, neither would you.

Wonderful things are happening at the library. We look forward to sharing them with you.

Satisfied with her efforts, Pippa held her breath and posted it.

Throughout the morning, Hecate avoided the office as well as Pippa. She scarcely spoke to anyone at all. Only Dimity refused to give her a wide berth, teasing her lightly about inconsequential things every chance she could. By late afternoon, Hecate, while still reserved, seemed more herself. It didn’t hurt that the focus of the commentary had shifted away from any supposed relationship between them and on to Dewey, who was rapidly becoming the new library sensation.

Closing time finally arrived, and Pippa could barely put one foot in front of the other. Dimity hung back, letting Hecate leave for the night. “Thanks again for coming in, Dimity. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“Ugh… best I keep meself busy and not glued to my laptop replying to every wanker that thinks they have the right to comment on other people’s lives.” She shrugged into her coat. “Why don’t I come in for the next few days. At least until things settle down. I can shuffle my work schedule or do some of it here. That way I can help you get HB sorted.”

“I wish you could get Ursula Hallow sorted, but… yes. I think that would be lovely. You’re a good friend to her, and to me.” She buttoned her coat and fastened her scarf. “Tomorrow has to be a better day, don’t you think?”

Chapter Text

323: Civil and political rights

Saturday morning arrived sunny, but cold. The Hubbles arrived at the library shortly after eight, expecting it to be empty that early in the morning. Instead, they arrived to find the car park occupied by a small crowd.

Mildred grabbed her mother’s hand. “Who are all these people? They’re all dressed like Miss Hardbroom.”

“I don’t know, love.” Tight-lipped, Julie smiled and nodded as she guided Mildred through the group of about a dozen people. Mildred was right, though, everyone wore the same modest black clothing as Miss Hardbroom. Most of the women even wore their hair in the same tight bun. An older man seemed to be in charge, handing out signs and giving instructions. Julie noticed he had some sort of clerical collar on. She managed to avoid conversation and hustled Mildred inside as fast as she could.

Inside, she found Hecate pacing back and forth, her plastic boot clopping against the tile while Pippa slumped over the circulation desk. “I told you to take it down, Pippa. I warned you that something like this could happen.”

“Nothing has happened yet. Five or six people—”

“Ten,” Julie said, cutting Pippa off. “I think there’s ten or twelve out there now. Sorry, love.”

“Still, it’s early on a Saturday morning and it’s freezing. I’m sure they’ll have scattered by lunchtime.”

Dimity burst through the door with her usual enthusiasm. “What the blue blazes is all of that? It looks like a fancy-dress parade where everyone’s come as HB!”

“It’s exactly what I said would happen, Dimity, if that infernal photograph remained on the website.” She pointed a shaking finger at Pippa. “But you wouldn’t listen, would you? Oh, no! You knew best.” Gathering up the new magazines to put in the binders, Hecate stormed off to the periodical shelves.

By lunchtime, the protesters had not scattered. In fact, more had joined them. Not a single patron had entered the library after the Hubbles – a fact that only added to Hecate’s agitation. She stayed angry and snappish all day.

Pippa nearly jumped out of her skin when the phone shattered the silence of the library. She raced to the circulation desk ahead of Hecate, who absolutely did not need to be dealing with the public in her current mood.

“Lucille Fairweather Memorial Library,” Pippa said, answering in her most pleasant voice. “How may I help you?” She listened for a moment, her expression melting into a frown. “Yes, I have heard of Wellton Weekly Standard.” She saw Hecate stiffen and head her way. “Yes, there are a few people protesting outside the library, but—” She waited for the other person to finish. “I’m sorry, I don’t have anything else to add.” Hecate scowled at her from across the circulation table. “Really, I have nothing else to say. You have a lovely day.” She hung up the phone and waited.

“And now the media is getting involved. If you had just removed the post when I asked you, we wouldn’t be in the middle of this.” She threw her hands in the air.

“Enough. You’ve made your point. We all know you aren’t happy. Leave it be, Hecate.”

“I will not ‘leave it be’ as long as that blasted photo is online. If you had just taken it down, this wouldn’t be happening to me.”

“You don’t know that. It’s the internet, Hecate. Once the photo is posted, it never goes away.”

“But it doesn’t have to be on the library’s own page! I asked you to take it down. But noooo… you knew better and now look where you’ve gotten us!” She pointed towards the front. “A protest is happening on our front step! Reporters calling! Letters to the editor! Patrons returning their cards in protest!” She slapped the counter. “In twenty years here, we’ve never had this type of turmoil!”

“And in twenty years your patron count has dropped to less than fifteen people a day! Or is that my fault too?” Pippa pulled Hecate over to the doors. “Look at them! All those people? The signs? Do you honestly think they put that together yesterday? Ursula Hallow took that photo weeks ago. She probably waited to post it until they were ready. You know what else? Last I checked there are two of us in that photo. If you weren’t being so bloody self-centered, you’d realize this isn’t just happening to you!”

Stunned, Hecate stared at Pippa before dropping her head and fleeing to the workroom.

Pippa turned to Julie, who’d been aggressively not listening to the whole argument. “That ridiculous woman! She thinks every damned thing is about her. A bunch of lunatics freezing their arses off outside the library is not about her. You can hide in the workroom all day for all I care!” Pippa shouted at the closed door. “Of all the narcissistic… everything… always about her.” She looked at Julie for reinforcement. “Why does she always have to take everything so personally?”

“Did you read those signs you’ve been going on about?” Julie asked, gaping at Pippa as if she’d sprouted a second head. She turned and stared pointedly out at the signs and then turned back to Pippa. “Love… I think this is personal for her.”

Pippa followed Julie’s gaze. ‘God Abhors Gays.’ ‘Homo Sex is Sin.’ ‘Stop Brainwashing Our Children.’ Slowly, it dawned on Pippa exactly what Julie meant. She slapped a hand to her forehead. “Oh, Pippa, you stupid, stupid woman.”

“Maybe a bit slow to catch on, but not stupid.” She nudged Pippa with her shoulder. “I’ve got it out here, you go on, love,” Julie said, before Pippa could even ask her to watch the desk. “Set things back to rights.”

Nodding, Pippa took a deep breath and eased into the workroom. She didn’t see Hecate anywhere at first, but she could hear Dewey’s unmistakable purring, loud and clear from the other side of the table. She edged her way around the table, where she found Hecate sitting on the floor, stroking a very pleased kitten.

“I’m sorry, Hiccup. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I know these past couple of days have been hard. I shouldn’t have made them harder.” Pippa hoped Hecate would say something. She didn’t. She just kept petting Dewey. After several awkward minutes Pippa couldn’t stand it anymore. “So… I guess this actually is about you then.”

Hecate shrugged, still avoiding eye contact. “I can submit my resignation this afternoon. Maybe that will be enough to get rid of them. Once I’m gone—”

“Once you’re gone, there won’t be a librarian here at all.”

Hecate’s eyes flew up to meet hers. “Why would you say such a thing? You’ll be the Head Librarian. Isn’t that what you want?” Pippa had wanted her job from the very beginning, hadn’t she?

Pippa considered it. “No. I don’t think I do anymore. Besides, if those people don’t want a gay librarian… well, I won’t be any more acceptable to them than you are.”

“You?” Hecate searched Pippa’s face, “I had no idea!” Now it was Pippa’s turn to shrug. “B-b-but… You’re so pretty!” Hecate blushed furiously when Pippa burst out laughing.

“What does that have to do with anything? You’re pretty, too.” Pippa slid down the cabinet and sat across from Hecate, stretching her legs out alongside Hecate’s. “Thank you, by the way.”

“Sorry… Nothing, I know… it’s just…” Hecate looked away again, still blushing.

Pippa studied Hecate a moment. This blush was different, more than just embarrassment. This blush looked a lot like shame. “It’s all right, Hiccup. You don’t have to explain anything to me.”

Hecate closed her eyes, looking relieved. She pulled Dewey to her chest and took a deep breath. “I want to though. You see… my parents… they’re very…” Hecate trailed off, looking everywhere but at Pippa.

“Can I take a guess?” Pippa asked gently. Hecate nodded. “Your parents are conservative, extremely religious, I’d say. Probably part of a fundamentalist denomination outside the mainstream, like the wankers outside.” Hecate glanced up at her, surprised. “Long hair you wear in a bun and long skirts every day, darling. It’s not hard to guess that. I’d also guess you didn’t have a lot of friends growing up. And I bet it took you a long time to realize that your parents’ beliefs – and not you – were the reason for that. Or maybe you haven’t quite sussed that out yet? Either way, that’s why you love books.” Pippa leaned forward, stretching out her hand, palm up, to Hecate. After a moment’s hesitation, Hecate took it. It felt stiff and awkward, and Pippa was leaning so far forward she could hardly breathe, but she had no intention of letting go. “I’m sure your parents loved you, but I’ll bet their belief system didn’t make you feel very good about yourself. Sooo… you loved the books a little bit more. Books helped you escape; they became your friends.” Hecate nodded and gripped Pippa’s hand tighter. “Then, one day, you found a book that made you understand that you were… who you are. And that changed everything. How am I doing so far?”

“Spot on, actually.” Hecate released Pippa’s hand and carried on with petting the cat.

Pippa leaned back, taking a deep breath. “Well, tell me about your book? Mine is The Big Orange Splot.”

“Anything by Virginia Woolf. I could read her, you see. I mean, I was allowed. When I was a little girl, my father only allowed me to read parables or tracts or the Bible,” she snorted ruefully, “well the parts he approved of, anyway. But I had an aunt, his sister, and she would let me read normal children’s books. She’d buy whatever the other kids were reading and keep them in her house. Then my father found out and… things changed. Books had to be approved, and only religious books and classics ever got approved. Who’s more classic than Virginia Woolf? My father couldn’t object to someone as venerated as Virginia Woolf. He didn’t know about Orlando or her letters to Vita. I was seventeen years old, and it felt like the whole world opened up to me. It was the first time I’d ever heard of anyone else who felt the same way about…” She cleared her throat. “The same way about women as I did. Do.” Hecate let that hang in the air for a bit before she wrinkled her nose in distaste. “The Big Orange Splot?”

“Mmm-hmm. ‘My house is me and I am it’ and all of that. With Mr. Plumbean? No?” She chuckled.

Hecate shook her head, a slightly horrified expression on her face. “I assume it must be a childhood favorite?”

“If only. It’s all about being yourself and celebrating that everyone is different. If I’d discovered it as a child, it might have saved me a great deal of time and trouble. I didn’t discover it until I started studying children’s literature to get my credentials.”

“And so, The Big Orange Splot became your guide to life?” Hecate winced as Dewey started chewing on her thumb. She rolled him over on his back and started rubbing his tummy.

“I know it sounds silly, coming from a woman my age, but it took me a long time to realize the importance of being true to myself. I spent too many years trying to fit in, trying to live up to other people’s expectations. No matter how happy I made everyone else, I still felt empty, hollow. It was a very lonely existence. I just didn’t realize it at the time. We’ve all been there, Hecate. I don’t think anyone has an easy time navigating these waters – certainly not those of us with a few years on us. Things were different then.”

Hecate snuggled Dewey closer. “Did your parents ever… put you out? Or cut you off from the family?”

“No, I was lucky in that regard, I suppose. As a girl I became a pro at fitting in – I didn’t know any better. When I got to uni, I started figuring out that I didn’t really fit at all and started to explore that. Mum and Dad were beside themselves. They didn’t disown me; they just didn’t bother to hide their disappointment every time the subject of my future came up.” Dark memories flooded through her. “When I was twenty, I found a stack of conversion therapy pamphlets in my mum’s desk. They wanted to ‘fix’ me. I think that was the first time I’d ever felt broken. A misfit? Certainly. Lonely? The odd girl out? Of course, we all go through that at one time or another. But I’d never felt broken the way I did when I found those. I couldn’t even blame it on some outdated religious beliefs because they weren’t. I was simply an embarrassment.”

“I always pictured you as the popular one in school, surrounded by a circle of friends.”

“I was – and it was the loneliest that I have ever been. I could have used a friend like you back then,” she said, resting a hand on Hecate’s plastic boot.

“Too tall and gangly. I would never have fit in with the golden girls.” Not that she’d fit in with anyone else, either. “What did your parents say when you told them you’d found the pamphlets?”

“I never said a word. I just shoved them back in the drawer and kept my mouth shut. Then brought Michael ‘round the next week so they could meet him.”

“Dimity said that you’d been married.” She squeezed Pippa’s ankle in sympathy. “To him?”

Nodding, Pippa stared twenty-odd years into her past. “Michael Eventree. A lovely man who had the terrible misfortune to marry me.”

“That hardly seems like it would be a burden, Pipsqueak. Anyone would be lucky to have you, I’m sure.”

Pippa answered with a soft grunt and shake of her head. “Would you want to marry someone who only said yes so that her parents would still love her? Someone who had to convince herself that she wanted to be with you? Because that’s what it came down to. I fooled myself into believing it all for years. And I was happy – enough, anyway. Until I wasn’t. Until that bit that had been missing just kept growing and growing until all I could feel was this emptiness – I couldn’t even give it a proper name. I slept too much, drank too much, withdrew from everything.”

“That sounds like a very lonely time.” Hecate tried to picture Pippa trapped in that life. “How long were you married?”

“Almost fifteen years.” Pippa smiled sadly. “It was terribly unfair to Michael. We divorced about three years ago. That’s… uh… that’s when I went back to school to become a librarian.”

Hecate jerked in surprise. She’d expected the marriage to be short and over long ago. “What made you finally decide to leave?”

“I didn’t. He left me, and it was the greatest gift he could have given me. He’s a very dear friend to me now. He’s recently married again, and they’ve had a baby. Maybe you can meet him someday.”

“I’d like that,” she said, knowing perfectly well that was a lie. “And your parents? How are things between you now?”

“It’s not perfect, but they’ve gotten better. They weren’t supportive of the divorce, at least not the reason for it. I think Michael gave them ‘what for’ about it all. Since then they’ve been better, good actually. My mum keeps trying to make up for not being supportive when I was younger by fixing me up on blind dates. I swear, she must have surveyed all of her friends to find out who had a lesbian daughter that needed a mate.”

“That’s… I can’t even imagine my parents doing something like that.” Hecate remembered the night they’d fixed the toilet. Pippa had never said anything to indicate that she’d been out with a woman.

“Count yourself lucky on that, then. You should have seen the woman my mum fixed me up with the first time. You wouldn’t believe the awkwardness. First, we were meant to have dinner with both of our parents. Can you imagine? A blind triple-date with your parents. Rachel arrived in cargo pants and flannel, a real outdoorsy type. She was horrified by me and my pink heels.” She laughed at the memory. “We’re friends now, though. We still laugh about that Sunday dinner. Since then, my parents have gone out of their way to let me know that they like who I am. It’s made all the difference.”

“I’m glad that things are better for you now.” Hecate shook her head. “I don’t understand why you are telling me all of this.”

Pippa slid into Hecate’s space and held her gaze. “Because I know how important it is to be liked for who you are. To be seen and understood. I may not know exactly what you’re going through, but I want you to know that I understand how you feel. I want you to know that I see you, Hecate Hardbroom, and I like you for who you are. Because you’re who you are.”

Hecate blinked and scratched Dewey’s haunches. “You’re getting to be a big boy, aren’t you?” She dabbed at her eyes with the cuff of her sleeve.

Pippa let Hecate change the subject, knowing she probably needed to let her emotions settle. “Now he’s a bit of a tall, gangly one, isn’t he? He’ll be quite handsome though once he’s filled in.”

“I must admit, it’s nice having someone to talk to who seems to understand. I’ve not spoken to my family in years.”

“Thank you for letting me be that someone now. I’m sorry you and your family are estranged, Hiccup. The fault is theirs – and so is the loss.” Pippa huffed her fringe out of her eyes. “Sooo… what are we going to do about those idiots outside? We need to do something to cancel them out.” She snickered. “I have half a mind to plan a special event for Pride Month.”

Hecate blanched at the suggestion. Out and proud she was not. “Isn’t that just playing into their hands? Giving them one more thing to protest?”

“Perhaps. We already did a special event for February and another for March. We already have a St. George’s event planned for April, so it would be in keeping with what we’ve done already. Besides, what do we care about a bunch of wankers with signs, anyway?”

Hecate looked up at her with a pained expression. “In the spirit of full disclosure… two of those ‘wankers’ are my parents.”

“Noooo… You’re having me on!” Pippa sprang to her feet and pulled Hecate up behind her. “You’re seriously telling me that your own parents are out there protesting your library. Show me!”

“Pippa…” Hecate already regretted telling Pippa about her parents.

“Just through the doors, Hiccup, I don’t need a formal introduction.” She took Dewey and put him in his bed. Grabbing Hecate’s hands, she hauled her to her feet. Not letting go, Pippa dragged her out of the workroom and into the foyer. She didn’t let go until they were standing at the doors looking out across the front patio at the protesters. “I want to see the people foolish enough to let you go.”

Hecate had gone even paler than her usual color. “I’m not sure about this, Pipsqueak.”

“How long has it been since you’ve seen them in person?” Pippa wrapped her hand around Hecate’s bicep, rubbing her thumb over the nubby weave of her jumper.

“September 13, 1994. That’s when they informed me that I would not be welcome at my grandmother’s funeral.” Her eyes never quit scanning the crowd.

“Oh, Hiccup. I’m so sorry. You deserved better. You still do.”

“There’s my father,” Hecate said, her voice flat. “No surprise that he’s the ringleader.” She pointed to the man in the clerical collar. “May I present the right Reverend Ezekiah Hardbroom, self-anointed shepherd of the Holy Pentecost Church of the Nazarene. I don’t see my mother, but if he’s here, she’s here. She always followed wherever he led.”

“That’s what a good preacher’s wife does, I suppose. Was it your mother or father that turned you out?” She felt Hecate go rigid beside her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“No,” Hecate rasped, “it’s all right. It… I need to talk about it, I guess. That’s what all the self-help books say, anyway.” She clutched at her pocket watch and took a steadying breath. “They turned me out just before I turned eighteen. I’d made a friend. More than a friend. We never did anything beyond a few stolen kisses and a bit of exploring, but… We weren’t very discreet, well, Indigo wasn’t. One night she’d come for dinner and to work on a school project. She kissed me at the kitchen table, and Father saw. I was out within the hour. Mother watched it all and never said a word.”

“Oh, Hiccup… All the more reason for you to be proud of your accomplishments, then. They are truly your own.” Pippa forced her voice to stay even, which required a Herculean effort since she really wanted to go out there and beat the man to the ground with his protest sign. “Come on, darling. We’ve got plans to make.” She kept her hand on Hecate’s arm as they turned to go back inside the library. They stopped short when they came face to face with an older woman exiting the restroom. Hecate froze. The woman was shorter, with grey hair and glasses, but the family resemblance was unmistakable. She stared back at Hecate; her eyes darted everywhere, as if she was trying to see all of her at once. Neither seemed like she would speak. “You must be Hecate’s mother,” Pippa said with as much grace as she could muster. She didn’t offer her hand.

“Joy? It’s… good to see you. I trust that you are well?” She rubbed her hands together in a way that reminded Pippa of the way Hecate clutched her pocket watch when she felt nervous or upset. The woman glanced from the stitches over Hecate’s eye down to the plastic boot. “You’ve hurt yourself.”

“Actually,” Pippa cut in, “her injuries were caused by the woman whose hateful message you are now promoting.”

Hecate’s mother glared at Pippa. She clearly didn’t expect any sort of response from her. “The Lord’s word is hardly a message of hate.” She sniffed in Pippa’s direction. “I see Joy’s taste in friends hasn’t improved over the years.”

Pippa bristled, ready to reply, but Hecate’s hand covered hers and kept her quiet. “It’s Hecate now,” she said, finally finding her voice. “Joy has been dead to you for thirty years, remember?”

“I never said that,” her mother insisted, her expression guilty, nonetheless.

“I suppose that’s true. In fact, you never said a word while Father beat me with a belt, or when he threw me out of the house with only the clothes on my back.” Flat and emotionless, Hecate may as well have been describing the worn carpeting.

“I’ve regretted that all these years.” She looked back and forth between Pippa and her daughter. “But you must understand, Joy, I had no choice in the matter. A woman’s duty is to support and obey her husband. That doesn’t mean I didn’t love my daughter.”

Pippa couldn’t contain herself any longer. “What about a mother’s duty? I don’t suppose that means anything. Hecate is your daughter.” She pointed to the sign Hecate’s mother had left leaning by the gate. “Is that what all those signs are supposed to show? How much you love your daughter?”

“Pippa,” Hecate chided, softly, but she couldn’t keep the corners of her mouth from quirking in a sad smile.

Hecate’s mother looked at Pippa’s hand, still wrapped around her daughter’s arm. “Your friend isn’t wrong. I should have defended you then. I’m glad to see that you have someone to defend you now.” She looked between them again before walking away. She stopped at the door, looking back wistfully. “Be happy… Hecate. You deserve that.” She slipped outside without another word, leaving her sign where it leaned.

Hecate sagged against Pippa once her mother left the building. “I’ve got you, darling. Let’s get you inside and have a bit of tea.” She shifted her hand to Hecate’s waist and walked her back into the library proper. Ada and Dimity were much too casually chatting across the circulation desk. “You lot need to work on your eavesdropping, or at least being more subtle about it.”

They didn’t even bother to look guilty.

Pippa just shook her head. “Why don’t you all go have a seat on the sofas and I’ll make a pot of tea. Hecate can fill you in on what you may have missed.”

Pippa searched the library, looking for Hecate. Ever since the protests began, Hecate would disappear for long periods of time. Now that she didn’t have to wear the boot anymore, and she didn’t make as much noise, Hecate disappeared even more often. After the first few times, Pippa didn’t have to guess where Hecate had gone; she knew, and she was beginning to worry. Casually crossing the library to the circulation desk, Pippa feigned business there while she glanced through the doors. Just like every other time, she found Hecate standing at the other end of the foyer, watching the protesters through the doors. Watching her parents, Pippa thought.

Julie slid in beside her. “She goes out there all the time and just stares. I know those nutters are like a massive itch in your nether bits, but I don’t get the fascination.” Julie leaned closer. “Dimity said HB’s parents are out there?” Neither woman noticed Mildred sitting on the floor behind the circulation desk, playing with Dewey.

Unsure if she should say anything or not, Pippa finally decided that Julie needed to know – if only because Pippa needed advice. “The head itch in charge is Hecate’s father. I don’t know what to say to her to make it easier.”

“Oh… that’s horrid, isn’t it? Her own father? If that’s the case, I don’t think you can, love.” Julie shook her head. “Families can be sticky,” she said, turning to look at Hecate. “So, this is even more personal than we thought. Can’t blame her for having a rough time of it.”

Pippa pulled one of the free bookmarks out of the tray and began tearing thin strips from it and arranging them on the countertop. “I don’t blame her at all. I’m sure I wouldn’t be half as composed if it were my dad protesting my very existence. I’m just frustrated because I want to fix this for her, and I don’t know how. I can’t make it go away.”

“Just be there for her.” Rat-a-tat-tatting her hands on the counter, Julie pushed away. “Besides, you can’t make IT go away unless you figure out how to make THEM go away. Right now, they’re getting plenty of attention. I’m sure Ursula Hallow made a very generous donation and that man gets to rub a bit more salt into the wound for Hecate. They aren’t going anywhere.” With that, she returned to the computer, leaving Pippa trying to work out a solution.

“Can’t do much about two out of three… but maybe…” An idea bubbling in her brain, Pippa hustled into the office to make a few phone calls.

Mildred waited until Miss Pentangle was busy on the phone before she crept out from behind the desk. If she kept quiet, she could slip into the foyer before her mother noticed. She would have made it, too, if Dewey hadn’t decided to meow his displeasure with her departure.

Julie looked up just in time to see Mildred disappear into the foyer. It only took her a second to work out exactly where Mildred had been when she and Pippa were talking. “Bloody hell,” she whispered, hurrying to catch up to Mildred before she put her foot in it with Hecate.

Mildred walked up beside Hecate and quietly mirrored her rigid posture and crossed arms. She watched the crowd a moment before she spoke. “Miss Pentangle told Mum your dad is one of the people outside. Which one is he?”

Hecate closed her eyes. She hardly felt up to a visit from Mildred Hubble. She couldn’t figure out a good way to avoid answering, though, so she pointed him out next time he came into view. Behind her, she could hear the door opening and closing again.

“My dad doesn’t like me, either. It’s why he doesn’t come ‘round anymore,” Mildred said softly, never taking her eyes off the crowd. “I keep trying to figure out what I did, but…” she shrugged.

Hecate felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach. She glanced behind them and found Julie watching, hands clapped over her mouth. She waved for her to stay put before turning to Mildred.

“That’s because you didn’t do anything wrong, Mildred. I know your father hasn’t been as present as you would like him to be, but the fault for that lies with him, not you. Never you, Mildred. It took me a long time to realize that myself, but it’s true.”

“Then why?”

Hecate pulled a tissue from her sleeve and wiped away a tear that rolled down Mildred’s cheek. “I don’t know, Mildred. I don’t know why your father hasn’t been to see you, but I do know that it is not your fault.”

“It still makes my heart hurt, though.”

“Oh, Mildred, I know it does,” she dropped awkwardly to her knees and pulled the girl into a hug. “I wish I could tell you that it will stop hurting, but it never really does.” She pushed the girl back enough so she could see her face. “I can tell you this, though: Human hearts are remarkable things. They have so much room in them… for new people and new things, even new kittens. We only have to let them in. If you do, eventually, that place that hurts gets squeezed into a smaller and smaller part and you can go ages without even noticing it because of all these wonderful new things.”

“Like you and Miss Pentangle?”

“Like me and Miss Pentangle. And Miss Cackle and Miss Drill and even Dewey.” She hugged Mildred again, looking over her head at Julie, who was furiously wiping away tears. “You are going to be okay, Mildred Hubble. It may take a while, but I promise you will. Do you believe me?” Mildred nodded and sniffed loudly. “Good. Now help an old woman get back to her feet.”

070.1     Documentary media, educational media, news media

By Tuesday, Pippa’s nerves were ragged. Hecate’s were worse. The God-Mob, as Dimity had taken to calling them, were now enjoying their fourth day of unseasonably warm weather. Pippa noted that they did not take Sunday off. So much for observing the Sabbath, she thought, tiredly. Worse, the protesters had begun arriving earlier and staying later, forcing Hecate to run the gauntlet of her parents and their parishioners twice a day. Pippa had tried to convince her to go through the emergency fire exit at the back of the library, but Hecate refused to be intimidated.

And now, here they were, having to be interviewed by the local news station. Well, Pippa was. Hecate flat out refused and Pippa didn’t blame her.

“And how do the protesters make you feel, Miss Pentangle?” He stuck the microphone distressingly close to her face.

It took all of Pippa’s self-control not to roll her eyes. Britt, Brandt, Brett… whatever this reporter’s name, he kept asking the most inane questions. “They make me angry. The library is a safe place for people who need help, who are looking for information, who are struggling with grief or mental health issues or poverty. These people,” she gestured specifically at Hecate’s father, “they don’t care about any of that.”

“Have you asked them to leave?”

“Unfortunately, since the library is public property, they have a right to be here as long as they don’t cause a disruption or block access. I can’t ask them to leave just because they’re spouting ignorance and hate or being a general nuisance.”

“Anything you’d like to say to the protesters, Miss Pentangle?”

Pippa had plenty she’d like to say, but most of it wasn’t fit for airing on the telly. “To the protesters? Just that the library has plenty of information and resources if they’d care to educate themselves about what they’re protesting. For everyone else, I’d just like to say that the library is open for business and welcomes anyone who wants to be a part of a thriving, diverse community. I’d also like to say that if you or someone you love is struggling with sexuality or gender identification, we have information from PFLAG UK and LGBT Foundation as well as many others.”

“Thank you, Miss Pentangle. This is Brian Davies reporting live from the Lucille Fairweather Memorial Library.”

Pippa sighed in relief and made her way back into the library, doing her best to ignore the way Hecate’s mother watched her every move.

The rest of the morning passed uneventfully. Hecate kept herself preoccupied by helping Julie practice questions for an interview she had that afternoon, so even though her nerves were stretched taut, they didn’t snap. Ada had taken it upon herself to answer the phones.

Surprisingly, the number of patrons hadn’t slacked off since the protests began. In fact, they were slightly higher than normal. Pippa attributed this fact to both the increased publicity and people’s morbid curiosity. Some wag had even taken to snapping pictures of the protesters and their signs and then editing the signs so that they said ridiculous things before posting them to the library’s comments page. Traffic on their Twitter page was also up. Pippa suspected that Dimity might be responsible for both.

Speaking of Dimity… Pippa checked the time. Dimity should be here by now – not that it mattered what time she arrived. She did volunteer after all, but she was a volunteer who liked to keep a schedule.

“Pentangle!” Dimity gasped, bursting into the main room, “fetch HB, you two need to come and see this! it’s bloody brilliant!”

Hecate and Julie were already headed towards her. Together they joined Dimity just inside the outer doors and watched car after car pull into the parking lot. Pippa’s heart sank. All they needed were more protesters.

Then the doors opened, and a literal rainbow of people poured out of the vehicles, most carrying signs of their own. In minutes, the original protesters were outnumbered.

“I don’t understand,” Hecate said, pressing her hands against the glass.

“They’re protestin’ the bloody protesters!” Dimity cackled. “Brilliant!” She pointed to the side street. “Oi! Look there! The news van is back. They’re going to get some proper footage now.”

Pippa watched, fascinated by the way the newcomers staged themselves, keeping a safe distance between themselves and the original protesters, but also managing to stay between them and everything else. They also had a woman juggling, another with a samovar strapped to her back handing out tea and a young man handing out biscuits. Altogether it made for quite the fete – definitely more appealing than the dour faces scowling out from under their hateful signs.

“How wonderful!” Ada clapped her hands. “Where do you think they’re from?”

“I bet me last quid they’re from PFLAG and that Foundation,” Dimity guessed. “Pentangle’s interview is blowing up all over the local social media.”

Hecate looked sideways at Dimity. “I wonder how that happened?”

Someone began blasting ‘Born this Way’ by Lady Gaga over their car speakers. They watched through the doors as the growing crowd joined in what now looked more like a street party than a protest.

Pippa went outside to find the leaders and make sure they knew they were welcome to come warm up inside the library and to use the facilities if they needed. She returned a few minutes later with a handful of biscuits to share.

“You’d have won your bet, Dimity. That’s exactly who put together the counter protest. They’ve got more people set to come tomorrow as well. However long we need it, they said.”

Ada pointed a stubby finger towards the parking lot. “I don’t believe you’ll be needing their services for too long. Look at the Reverend.” They all followed Ada’s finger. At the end of it, they could see Hecate’s father on the phone. He looked to be in a heated conversation with someone on the other end. After a few minutes he angrily tapped the screen and shoved the phone in his pocket.

“That is something I miss with mobile phones,” Dimity said. “You can’t properly hang up on somebody by tappin’ a screen. Give me a good old-fashioned rotary phone for that any day.”

The Reverend waved his people over, two or three at a time, apparently dismissing them. By the end of the hour, only the counter protestors remained, and the car park had turned into a big party.

“Well, I do believe that is a victory worth celebrating,” Ada declared, putting on her coat. “Tonight, I want us all to go out and have dinner together. Miss Hubble, I’d be most delighted if you’d allow me to pay for you and Mildred.”

Julie demurred, making the excuse that Mildred had school tomorrow, not to mention that she was so nervous about her interview that she couldn’t possibly think about anything else. Likewise, Dimity begged off with plans for a date that evening.

“It’s just you and me then, girls. What do you say we meet at Bunch O’ Grapes at seven? I’ll admit I’m quite curious about that wine selection they keep bragging about.”

“Why not?” Pippa grinned, nodding. “It’s about time we had something to celebrate here. What do you say, Hecate? You have to eat one way or another.”

Hecate had every intention of saying no, but the tug in her belly that seemed to show up whenever Pippa Pentangle smiled wouldn’t allow it. “I think that would be lovely.”

641         Food & drink

All Hecate had wanted was to go home, change into something comfortable and sink into her sofa, wrapped up in a warm blanket. A good book, a hot cup of tea, and Dewey would have made for the perfect evening. She just wanted to breathe for one night, before the next wave of Ursula Hallow powered disaster arrived.

Yet, somehow, she found herself standing in front of the restaurant, bathed in the glow of purple neon, waiting for Ada and Pippa to arrive.

“Hello, darling!” Pippa swept up beside her, air kissing her cheek. “I don’t know about you, but I feel twenty stone lighter just knowing we won’t have those awful protesters back tomorrow.” She felt Hecate stiffen, no surprise there. Turning serious, Pippa rubbed soothing circles over Hecate’s shoulder blade. “I know the whole thing has been a nightmare for you, Hiccup. But I’m so proud of you for the way you’ve managed.”

“I was awful, Pippa. We both know it.”

“Only a little bit.” She gave Hecate a tiny shove. “You were worse when I arrived.”

Hecate poked her lightly in the ribs. “You were insufferable.” She looked up and down the street for any sign of Ada but didn’t spot her anywhere. “Shall we go inside? Perhaps Ada’s running late.”

“Maybe she’s gone in to get the table? She said she reserved one, didn’t she?”

They checked in at the host station. Yes, there was a reservation for Ada Cackle. No, she had not arrived yet, but they could go ahead and be seated.

Once they were settled at their table, Pippa spent a few minutes appreciating the atmosphere. “I think this my favorite of all the places we’ve been. The design is so much better than the place with all the fakes – it certainly seems to be aptly named, at any rate.” Artwork by local artists hung on the exposed brick walls. At the back stood a well-stocked bar with a collection of wines on tap. And just in case any of the customers forgot that Bunch O’ Grapes specialized in wine, the entire back wall was floor to ceiling refrigerated wine storage. Itching to ask about their method of organization, Pippa barely managed to restrain herself.

Hecate had hardly noticed the décor; her eyes hadn’t left the entrance since they’d been seated. “What could be keeping Ada?” Hecate wondered, beginning to worry.

Pippa pulled out her phone to text Ada when a waiter approached the table carrying a bottle of wine. “Excuse me, but are either of you a Miss Pippa Pentangle?”

“That’s me,” Pippa answered, raising her hand.

“Excellent. I have a message for you that a…” he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. “Miss Ada Cackle regrets to inform you that she is unable to join you for dinner but that she hopes you have a lovely time. She also sends along this as an apology.” He deftly opened a bottle of wine and set it on the table to breathe while he went to get wine glasses.

Pippa turned the bottle so she could read the label. “Roar… a Pinot Noir from 2017. It says it’s from the Sierra Mar Vineyards, is that in America?” Her fingers flew across her phone screen. “California.” She read a bit more. “Ada is good… this should go with whatever you want to eat.”

“Is that a good one? I wouldn’t know. I’m not much of a drinker, you know.”

“I think the poor bartender who had to make all those Witch’s Brew cocktails would likely disagree.” Pippa sniggered.

Hecate shrugged primly. “What can I say? You’re a bad influence on me.”

The waiter returned with the glasses and Pippa handed the bottle over. Once the wine had been poured and they were alone again, Pippa held her glass up to toast. “To bad influences – a finer compliment has never been paid.” She clinked their glasses together. “I don’t know if it’s a good one either. I’m more of a cocktail sort of girl. Back before my divorce, I drank plenty of it, but quality wasn’t exactly my top concern.” She sniffed her wine. “Ada loves wine though, so I bet it is.” She swirled it around the glass and giggled. “I saw them do that in a movie once.” She took a sip, rolling it on her tongue and sipping it again before setting her glass aside; she didn’t want Hecate to spend the evening worrying about Ada. “Do you think we should text Ada to make sure everything is okay?”

Hecate started to answer, but the waiter arrived to take their order. “I’ll have the cavatappi rustica, please.” Closing her menu, Hecate glanced at Pippa and lost all ability to breathe. She was still scanning her menu, pink readers perched on her nose, with her bottom lip pinched between her thumb and forefinger. Pippa smiled up at her, and Hecate knew she would never recover.

“I think I’ll try the scallops.” Pippa put her glasses away once the waiter took her order. As soon as they were alone, Pippa picked up her wine glass. “Here’s to surviving another day.” This time she took a healthy swallow. It tasted fruity, like cherries and maybe with a hint of mint? “Oh, I could get in trouble with this. Try it, Hiccup, you’ll like it, I think. It’s not too sweet.” Hecate did, nodding and humming her approval. “So… about Ada? You know she’s fine, don’t you?”

Hecate nodded again. “I suspect so.”

“As do I. In fact,” Pippa took a deep drink of her wine, “I’m not sure she ever meant to join us at all.” She set her glass on the table with a clink. “I think this might be a set up,” she whispered dramatically.

Hecate could feel her face reddening. She wished she didn’t think Pippa was right. She wished she didn’t want Pippa to be right. She wished she knew how Pippa would feel about it. Unable to look at Pippa just yet, Hecate traced the tablecloth pattern with a lacquered nail. “I think you may be right. I think…” Just say it, she chided herself, it’s better to know. “I think that Ada feels we should be more than friends.”

Pippa laughed, loud and loose in that way she did when something struck her as particularly amusing. “She’s certainly being none too subtle about it!” Wiping her eyes, Pippa stopped to catch her breath. “But you know what, Hiccup?” She leaned forward and lowered her voice so that no one but Hecate could hear her. “I wholeheartedly agree with her.” She leaned back just as the waiter placed a basket of crusty bread and a shallow bowl of olive oil down between them.

Words… the ability to speak altogether… completely abandoned Hecate. Was Pippa saying what she thought she was saying? What Hecate hoped she was saying? Thankfully, Pippa seemed to understand that Hecate needed time to process, so she let her be, keeping up a running conversation mostly with herself. Bit by bit, she drew Hecate back, sticking safely to well-travelled topics like the library, books, and Dewey.

Once the food arrived, they fell into a comfortable silence as they concentrated on their meal. “Would you like to try a scallop?” Pippa asked after a few minutes. “I’ll trade you one for some of your pasta.” She stabbed half a scallop with her fork and offered it to Hecate. “The lemon cream sauce is delicious.”

Hecate blinked in surprise but gamely reached out and took Pippa’s fork, gingerly taking the scallop with her teeth. “That is good.”

“Not at all bad for a chewy little sea-nugget,” Pippa joked, eyeing Hecate’s pasta expectantly.

“I’m glad you waited until after I ate it to plant that image,” Hecate said, nose scrunched up in distaste. She twirled a strand of cavatappi onto Pippa’s fork and held it out.

Pippa reached for it, then at the last moment, leaned forward and ate it straight from the fork, surprising Hecate so much she nearly dropped it. “Ohhhh,” Pippa groaned, sounding almost indecent. You definitely win dinner, Hiccup.” She reclaimed her fork and leaned back in her chair. “You need to work out how to make that.”

Hecate’s lips twitched. “Perhaps we can simply come again.” She nodded as Pippa offered to refill her glass. They still had half the bottle left, too much to finish and drive home. Pippa seemed to be thinking much the same thing because she offered the rest of it to a young couple at the neighboring table.

As a reward for being responsible, Pippa convinced Hecate to splurge on dessert, sharing a crème brulee topped with fresh berries and whipped cream. At last, conversation flowed freely – and remained mercifully free of talk about Ursula Hallow.

They finally stepped out into the night air just after nine o’clock. “It’s starting to feel a bit like spring, isn’t it?” Pippa asked, threading her arm through Hecate’s. “It’s still cold, but it’s not that biting sort of winter cold anymore. Now there’s a bit of a warm feeling just underneath. Which way are you parked? I’ll walk you to your car.”

“That’s not necess—” Hecate cut herself off, reminding herself how much she enjoyed the feel of Pippa’s arm through hers – and how Pippa agreed with Ada. “Towards the library, just a few blocks.” Pippa gifted her with another radiant smile as they turned up the street and started walking. Hecate gave herself an entire block to work up the nerve to say what she needed to say. “I’ve been thinking about what we talked about earlier. That… that Ada thinks we should be more than friends.”

“And that I think Ada’s right,” Pippa added. “It’s all right if you don’t want that, Hiccup. I underst—”

“I think she is too.” Hecate blurted before she could second guess herself. “I think she is, too.” There. She said it. Oh, God, she thought, I said it.

Pippa didn’t say anything at first. She simply slipped her hand down Hecate’s arm and laced their gloved fingers together. Even through the gloves it felt like little jolts of electricity were sparking between them. She let the truth of their feelings settle over them, like snow covering the streets and cars. “Does this mean we can consider tonight to be our first date?”

“Yes. Absolutely, yes,” Hecate’s whole demeanor lit up as bright as her smile. “I’d like that very much.”

“Me, too. After all, we’ve already had it and it was lovely. Takes the pressure off.” Hecate laughed and Pippa realized she could never get tired of hearing that sound. Hecate’s car loomed ahead on the next block. Their first date was almost over, and Pippa didn’t want it to end. She stepped in front of Hecate and stopped, bringing them face to face. “Since we’re calling tonight our first date, I wondered if… well, if we might not have that first kiss tonight as well. If you’d like, that is.”

Hecate searched the surrounding area, nervously checking for watchers. Once she confirmed that they were the only ones on the block, she let her eyes flicker down to Pippa’s lips and back before she nodded.

Keeping their hands clasped together, Pippa reached up with her free hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Hecate’s ear. “You’re beautiful,” she whispered, standing on her tippy toes and gently pressing their lips together.

Hecate’s response was timid, shy, like she didn’t quite believe she was allowed. Pippa cupped Hecate’s cheek and kept kissing her until Hecate was ardently kissing her back, her free hand tugging Pippa’s collar to bring them closer. They kept kissing until Pippa’s calves started to burn and she had to drop back down off her toes.

They separated just as the first droplets of rain began to fall. Squealing and giggling, they held hands and raced for the shelter of some construction scaffolding covering the sidewalk.

“Whew! I don’t know who those folks are that get fireworks on their first kiss, but they don’t know what they’re missing with rain.” Pippa joked as she brushed the droplets from Hecate’s coat and hair. “I don’t even have my umbrella with me.”

“You hardly need one on this street anymore,” Hecate said, gesturing at the scaffolding overhead. “With nearly every old building on the street being done up as something new, these things have become almost a permanent fixture.”

“Wait!” Pippa’s brain scratched at the inside of her skull, trying to tell her something… there was something… right there… that she needed to see… “Say that again! What you just said… say it again!”

“Uh…” Hecate scrambled to remember what she’d just said. “That the scaffolding is a permanent fixture?”

Pippa shook her head, hands pressed to her forehead, trying to drag out whatever was hiding just behind the curtain in her brain. “Before that… every old building…”

“Just that… all these old buildings that were abandoned years ago… they’re being fixed up and repurposed all up and down the street.”

“That’s it! Oh, Hecate you brilliant, beautiful thing, you!” Pippa grabbed Hecate’s face with both hands and kissed her again before running out into the rain, stopping just short of getting hit by a lorry. “I know Ursula’s game now, Hiccup. Come over here and tell me what you see!”

Hecate stayed under the shelter of the scaffolding. “I see my brand-new g—” She caught herself, not ready to put words to anything just yet. “I see you trying to catch your death of cold. Get back under here!”

“Hecate! Just…” She waved frantically from the edge of the street until Hecate gave in and joined her. “Look down the road, Hiccup. Tell me what you see.”

“Cars that are waiting to run over you and ruin a perfectly wonderful first date.” Pippa smacked her arm. “Stop that. I don’t know… I see… restaurants and shops. Bars. Buildings being remodeled. People.” Hecate knew she didn’t see what Pippa wanted her to see. “I see a wonderfully diverse old neighborhood losing its character to a bunch of… hipster developers that are just going to make everything look the same and price the locals out of the neighborhood when the rents start… oh my god!” Hecate grabbed Pippa’s hand and dragged her back out of the rain. “She wants the property. This isn’t about the library at all! If she can close the library, then the City Council can lease the property to some business. They can profit from the lease and the increase in tax revenues. That’s why Ursula is so keen to close down the library.”

“You got it in one, darling. It certainly took us long enough.”

“She thinks it’s better for the city than the library. We’re a drain on resources,” Hecate said, feeling less like a failure, but even more hopeless about their situation.

“That’s bollocks and you know it. Cities need libraries. She’s been the one cutting the funds every year, hasn’t she?”

“It’s a Council vote, Pippa. She doesn’t control our funding herself.”

“But she’s been bullying the others along for years, hasn’t she? Ugh… I can’t believe it took so long to work it out.”

Hecate thought about it. “For the last five years or so, yes. I suppose she has been the main one calling for budget cuts.” Suddenly, she could see the pattern. “Don’t blame yourself, Pipsqueak. The audit, the letter to the editor, the protest… even my accident – it was all designed to keep us rushing from one crisis to the next, too occupied to figure it out.”

There was more to this, Pippa could feel it. She just didn’t have all the facts yet. But she would. “When did the first new businesses start to move in?”

“Five or six years or so ago, I guess. Why?”

“This is all connected, Hecate, I just have to figure out how. But now that I know what she’s on about, I will. There may be a way out for the library yet.”

“That would be best thing to happen today,” Hecate said, before she remembered what else had happened. “Uh… that’s…”

“It would be fantastic, Hiccup. I know what you mean. Frankly, though, it doesn’t even make my top three things for the day.” She leaned in and kissed Hecate again before walking her to her car and helping her inside.

“I don’t see your car anywhere, Pippa. Is it further up?”

Pippa leaned into the window, a sheepish grin on her face. “It’s actually the other way. I just wanted to walk with you.”

“Get in and at least let me take you to your car.”

Pippa climbed in, as eager to spend more time with Hecate as she was to escape the rain.

Hecate snapped her pocket watch shut with a soft click. Pippa should have been there twenty minutes ago. She’d checked the time three times in as many minutes. Pippa regretted last night; she just knew it. Things had gone too well, been too perfect. The restaurant had been romantic; they’d been drinking…

She should have known better.

She should have kept her distance, like she always did.

Now she’d ruined everything, and Pippa just didn’t know how to tell her that she’d gotten carried away. Hecate tried to convince herself that it didn’t matter. In a couple of months, the library would be closed, and they would each go their own way. The thought only made her feel worse.

She gathered up the new periodicals. She needed to work. She needed to not think about Pippa Pentangle for at least a little while.

Hecate rounded the circulation desk just as Pippa breezed in the doors.

“Good morning, darling!” She set their morning coffees on the desk and leaned in for a kiss, shocked when she was blocked by a stack of magazines to the chest. “Hecate?”

Hecate choked out a raspy “You’re late,” before retreating into the office, a confused Pippa hot on her heels.

“I’m not… well, I am… but…I texted you that I would be – and I’m here earlier than I said I’d be.” She nearly ran over Hecate when she stopped short, still holding on to the magazines and refusing to face her. “I… don’t think this is about me being late at all.” Standing this close, it was easy for Pippa to see the way Hecate’s shoulders shook when she inhaled. “You’re regretting last night, aren’t you?” Suddenly, Pippa was thankful she hadn’t taken the time to eat any breakfast. “I don’t understand, Hiccup.” She stared at Hecate’s back, trying to keep her roiling feelings – and stomach – under control. “I thought it was perfect.”

Hecate turned slowly around, her eyes brimming with doubt. “You did?”

“I did. I thought you did, too.” Pippa could see the set of Hecate’s shoulders loosen. “It’s okay if you’re having second thoughts.”

“I’m not,” Hecate said quickly. “I’m not having second thoughts.” She screwed up her courage and kept going. “I’m having doubts. It started last night after I went to bed. I just… I kept hearing this voice in my head telling me that this was too good to be true. That I don’t deserve to feel as happy as I did last night, to feel the way you make me feel. That… that I’m a fool to think that someone like you could possibly want to be with someone like me. And then when you didn’t come in this morning… Well, that sealed it, didn’t it?”

Pippa pulled Hecate closer, ignoring the folders Hecate still clutched against her chest. “That’s your father’s voice, Hiccup. And it’s lying to you. I told you last night how happy I was that we’re together.” She brushed a stray tear from Hecate’s cheek.

“You did?” Hecate frowned, trying to remember.

“Bloody hell, woman, do you ever look at that phone of yours?” Pippa opened Hecate’s desk drawer and grabbed her phone, an older iPhone. Frankly, Pippa had expected to find a flip phone. She hit the home button, surprised that it asked for a passcode. She looked Hecate square in the eyes, raised one eyebrow and tapped one-two-three-four. The phone opened right up. “You and I are going to have a serious discussion about phone security in the near future.”

Hecate didn’t care. Pippa had mentioned the future. Maybe last night was real. Maybe her own insecurities hadn’t ended them before they’d even begun.

“Look at the texts, Hiccup.” She held the phone up so Hecate could see.

Yesterday 11:23 pm

"Thank you for such a wonderful night, Hiccup. I couldn’t be happier that you feel the same way. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. XOXOXO"

Today 7:37 am

"Good morning, darling! I was up all hours but I’ve sussed out Ursula the Sea Witch’s game. I’ll fill you in when I get there. I’m running late, see you closer to 9. XOXOXO"

“I didn’t know you sent those,” Hecate whispered.

“Obviously. Now, you listen to me, Hecate Hardbroom. I’m not having you on. I’m not having second thoughts. I like you. I more than like you.”

“Me, too. I’m sorry I doubted you.”

“It sounds to me like you were doubting yourself.” She closed the distance between them. “But now, I’m just a girl, standing in front of another girl—”

“Women,” Hecate interrupted. “We’re both nearly fifty.”

“Thank you, dear, for spoiling my pop culture reference,” she said, laughing. “Here,” Pippa tapped through the menus on Hecate’s phone. “I’ve set a better passcode for your phone. It’s one you won’t forget.” She handed Hecate back her phone.

“B-but… you didn’t tell me the code!” Hecate stared at the screen. Now it required a six-digit code to unlock it. “You added numbers! Pippa!”

“You’re a smart girl – pardon,” she said, staving off any comments with a raised hand, “a smart woman of nearly fifty. I feel certain you’ll manage.” The mischief dancing in Pippa’s eyes belied her cherubic expression.

“Very well,” Hecate said, determined not to be bested. She studied the phone as though it might suddenly spit out a clue. After a moment of that, Hecate studied Pippa instead. Cheeky grin, cocked eyebrow, Pippa obviously thought she had Hecate stumped. Hecate mock-scowled, raised an eyebrow and began. “P-I-P-P-A…” She frowned; she still had a space left over. Brightening, she tapped the phone one more time. “P!” The phone buzzed its rejection in her hand.

Pippa chortled. “Nice try, Hiccup, but I’m not that narcissistic.”

“Perhaps not quite,” Hecate teased before returning to the puzzle. Something she wouldn’t forget, Pippa had said. That’s not very helpful, she thought, after all this fuss and bother I’m not likely to forget any number. “A number for a phone…”

“Do you need to phone a friend?”

“I wouldn’t know who to call…” Wait. “Call.” She grinned triumphantly. “Zero-zero-four-one-six-seven, the call numbers for cell phones.”

“That’s my brilliant girl! I knew you’d suss it out.” Pippa leaned in for a kiss.

And promptly found herself smacked in the chest with the magazines again.

“Pippa! We’re at work!” She peered nervously through the glass. “What if someone sees?”

Pippa burst out laughing. “You sound so scandalized, Hecate!” She reached out and pulled the magazines from Hecate’s hands. “Who is here to see us?” She leaned in and was just about to kiss Hecate firmly on the lips when –

“MUM! Look!” Mildred Hubble’s voice broke the silence of the library almost as fast as it broke Pippa and Hecate apart.

“Hush, Millie!” Julie frantically tried to pull a bouncing Mildred away from the window at the same time she gave the librarians an enthusiastic ‘thumbs up.’ “Sorry – teacher training day!”

“Well, I don’t know,” Hecate gasped, turning every shade of red, “maybe the Hubbles?” She shooed Pippa away and retreated into the workroom.

Pippa did her best not to laugh.

Pippa had just finished the St. George’s Day display for April when the doors opened. “How did the interview—” Julie stormed past her, knocking a biography to the floor. She tried to hide it, but Pippa still saw the red-rimmed eyes and splotchy skin. “Oh…” Pippa ducked into the office where Hecate was filling out overdue book reminders. “She’s back. Best make some tea.”

“Oh, dear,” Hecate said, setting her work aside.

Snatching a box of tissues from behind the desk, Pippa joined Julie at the couches in the middle of the room. “What happened? You were so ready for this one, I just knew they’d make an offer.”

“They did, that’s the worst part.” She looked up as Hecate joined them with three mugs of tea. “It’s the best interview I’ve had in ages.” She took one of the mugs and a sugar packet. “You should have seen the place, girls. All freshly done up and halfway between Millie’s school and the flat. It would have been so bloody perfect.”

“You said they made an offer?” Hecate prompted.

“He did. Just as he stood up to shake my hand, a whole gaggle of coppers and men in suits swarmed into the offices. They shouted for everyone to stand up and raise their hands. Then they lined us all up against the wall while they went through collecting every paper in the place.”

“What on earth? Why would they do such a thing?” Hecate exclaimed.

“Apparently, Bingham and Thorpe haven’t been paying their taxes. Bloody toffs. I haven’t got two bits to rub together most of the time, but I still manage to pay my taxes.”

“I suppose it’s better that it happened before you were hired than after,” Hecate mused. Both women looked at her flatly. “Sorry.”

Julie stared glumly into her tea. “It would have been good to have at least a paycheck or two.”

“Well, five more minutes to wallow in self-pity, then back on the hunt.” Pippa hopped up and went to fetch the local paper so they could check the listings. Again.

Hecate awkwardly patted Julie’s shoulder. “You’ll find something. It’s only a matter of time.”

Pippa picked at her sandwich and waited for Hecate to finish reading through the proposal in front of her. It was Game Night, so they were still at the library, eating take-away from the deli down the street. They were supposed to be working on a proposal to ask one of the new businesses to sponsor some of the special programming, but Pippa’s mind kept going back to Julie and her struggles to find a job. “I don’t understand it, Hiccup. She has skills. She’s a hard worker. She shouldn’t have any trouble finding work.”

Hecate snorted softly into her cup of tea. “She’s a middle-aged woman with a child; she also isn’t willing to perform sexual favors in order to be hired. I wish we could offer her a part-time position with the library.” She absently rubbed her ankle. The boot had been off for a couple of days, and her ankle still ached by the end of the day.

Pippa placed the back of her hand against Hecate’s forehead. “Are you feverish? Do we need to find a surgeon?” Hecate jerked her head away before casting a guilty glance at the crew playing Dungeons and Dragons. Pippa tucked her hands in her lap and smiled. “Sorry, Hiccup,” she whispered.

In the short time they’d been dating, Pippa had discovered that showing any physical affection in front of other people made Hecate extremely uncomfortable. Almost getting walked in on by Mildred Hubble certainly hadn’t helped Hecate’s skittishness. It did save them from having to tell everyone, though. Mildred took care of that for them. A mixed blessing at best, Pippa thought.

Hecate nodded, smiling apologetically. “Don’t be. It’s not you, it’s me.”

“And you make me happier than you could ever know,” Pippa said, briefly tangling their fingers together under the table. Hecate blushed furiously. “Now, did you mean that?”

Blinking, Hecate stammered, “W-what? That it’s me?”

“No, darling, did you mean that you would hire Julie if you could?” She desperately wanted to take Hecate’s hands in hers; instead she twisted the hem of her sweater. “If we had the money and we could hire her on in a temporary or part-time position, would you be amenable?”

“I fear for them, Pipsqueak. What if they lose their flat? What if they have to leave?” Hecate dabbed at her eyes with the cuff of her sleeve. “How will I… how will Dewey see Mildred every day if she can’t come to the library because they had to move?”

“We won’t let that happen. Even if the Hubbles have to move, we’ll make sure that you – er… I mean Dewey… gets to see Mildred.” A clatter of dice followed by a roar from the Dungeons and Dragons players pulled their attention to the table. From what Pippa could gather, someone had just escaped certain death. Once the enthusiasm died down, Pippa turned back to Hecate. “I’ve had an idea. If we can pull it off, I think we can help both the library and the Hubbles.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Our numbers are growing again, now that all of Ursula Hallow’s nonsense has blown over, but we still need more. We need to do something big. Colossal.”

“This already sounds expensive,” Hecate said, frowning. She sent a sharp look to the table when a stray expletive popped up.

“Sorry, Miss H!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll give him a disadvantage penalty for that filthy gob of his!”

“At least a plus four for that sort of language, gentlemen,” Hecate called back.

Pippa looked back and forth between the boys and Hecate. “Wh- how do you know that?”

“They’ve been playing here for weeks, Pipsqueak. I’ve paid attention.” She shrugged and grinned mischievously, “It takes you so long to think of your next move during our chess games; I have to do something to keep myself occupied.”

“Hecate Hardbroom!” Pippa cried, clutching her chest in mock indignation. “Just for that I’m going to… I’m going…” A dark eyebrow arched in expectation. “Well, I don’t know what I’m going to do, but you just wait, and you’ll know when I do it.”

“I live in fear,” Hecate said, chuckling. “Now tell me about this grand, no doubt expensive, scheme.”

“A book fair, no… not really a book fair, something bigger, more like a library showcase. Think about it, a big street fair sort of thing. We can have it out in the car park with lots of booths, games, maybe some food trucks. We can make a real neighborhood fete – something we can invite the media to. I haven’t worked out all the details, but…” She held up the sponsorship letter they’d been working on. “If we can get a sponsor or tw,o then we could pull it off. If we can get a few more, or a bigger business to underwrite it, we could hire Julie on part-time to help put it together.”

“It’s already April, Pippa.” Hecate shook her head.

“Early April, but you’re right, spit spot and all that. We’d have to get our skates on.”

“But… we only have until June before Ursula Hallow shuts us down.”

“She can’t shut us down if we make our goals. If we publicize it and hold it early in June… Look, Hiccup, I know I may be grasping at straws, but we’ve got to try, don’t we? Think of it this way, it will either be the first ever in what will become an annual event or one hell of a farewell party.” She placed a hand on Hecate’s arm. “What do you say?”

Hecate stared at Pippa’s hand on her arm. She wanted to say yes, but she couldn’t squelch that familiar fear of failure flailing around in her stomach. She also couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing Pippa. That made her just brave enough. “I say… I say we do it. We may not beat Ursula Hallow, but I have no intention of going down without a fight.”

“Atta girl, Hiccup!” Pippa clapped her hands, resisting the urge to kiss Hecate right in the middle of the library. “We’ll need all hands on deck, and we need to move quickly. How about I invite everyone over to my place Saturday night and we can come up with a plan?”

Hecate was about to agree when the Dungeons and Dragons players broke for the night.

“By the way, guys, I can’t come next week. Me gran is having her seventy-fifth birthday party.” A round of groans followed the announcement.

“Who’s gonna DM then, mate?”

“Will we have to cancel? We’re supposed to start the part about the witch’s coven next week.”

“If we skip a week, we won’t finish the campaign before I have to go on holiday with my parents.”

Pippa listened for a minute before interjecting. “Could one of us do it?” The boys turned to look at her, skepticism etched on their faces. “It’s mostly reading from the book, right? Who’s better at reading than a librarian?” She stole a glance at Hecate, who seemed to look both skeptical and intrigued. “Miss Hardbroom would do a marvelous job, I’m sure.”

Hecate’s head jerked in surprise. “Pippa…”

“C’mon, Hecate, it’s your chance to be dramatic. I know you love that.” She waggled her eyebrows at Hecate, who was already trying to demur. “It’s also your chance to enforce rules. Lots of rules. We all know how you love to do that.”

“Why can’t you do it?”

“Weren’t you just saying you understand the game? Besides, didn’t you hear what next week is? It’s witches.”

Hecate threw her hands up in the air. “What does that matter?”

Pippa gestured at Hecate’s usual black skirt and top and then at her own magenta slacks and sweater. “Come now, Hecate, witches don’t really do pink.”

Even Hecate had to laugh at that. After a moment of begging from the boys, Hecate finally gave in, muttering about Pippa always talking her into things all the way out to her car.

306.7     Institutions pertaining to relations of the sexes

Saturday morning dawned, bright and clear. It finally felt like spring, so Pippa decided to celebrate with a colorful floral dress and pink sweater. Tonight, they’d all gather at her flat for dinner and to plan the library’s big fete, and Pippa just knew it would be enough. It’s a beautiful day, Pippa thought as she breezed into the library with the usual cups of coffee.

“What have you done?” Hecate demanded, leaping out of her office chair. “You look beautiful this morning; that dress is lovely. But what were you thinking?”

“I’m sure I don’t know, thank you, and tell me what you’re going on about.” She placed the cups on the counter, her good mood evaporating.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Hecate pulled Pippa behind her desk so she could see the computer screen. Dewey sat front and center on the home page, wearing a pair of crooked rabbit ears whilst sitting in a bright pink basket stuffed with green plastic grass. “An Easter egg hunt? Where? With what money?”

“I didn’t think you even looked at the web page anymore. Doesn’t he look precious? It took Millie and me the better part of an hour to get that shot.”

“It’s very sweet, despite the fact that he looks like he wants to murder you both,” Hecate huffed. “Of course, I still look at the web page. It’s like a motor vehicle collision; I can’t look away. I have to see what fresh hell I’m in for every morning – and whether it’s coming from Ursula Hallow or from you.” Hecate pointed at the screen again. “Today I find it’s you.”

Pippa smiled, sweet as saccharin and just as fake. “I see you’re already practicing being overly dramatic for next week’s Games Night.”

“I thought we were done with you keeping secrets from me.”

Pippa caught her cheeky reply just in time. Hecate’s tone had gone… different. She heard the hurt there now, and Pippa knew this conversation wasn’t about the Easter egg hunt anymore. “We are, sweetheart, I promise. We’re in this together – for a very long time, I hope.” She held her hand out and waited for Hecate to lace their fingers together. “I’m sorry you found out about the Easter egg hunt from the web page. I truly didn’t think you were looking at it anymore or I would have told you as soon as I posted it.”

“But you’d already planned it. You kept it a secret.”

“No, Hiccup, not a secret. I wanted it to be a surprise.” She tugged at their joined hands. “Come with me?”

Hecate followed her willingly to the far side of the library. Before they got too close, Pippa stopped and took her other hand. “Close your eyes, darling. I hope you like it.” She guided Hecate slowly outside and turned her until she faced the length of the garden. “Now you can look.”

Hecate opened her eyes and gasped in surprise. Despite being early in the season, the garden was already ablaze with color. Yellow and orange daffodils ran along part of the wall while red tulips lined another. There were bluebells, red azaleas, and pansies of every color. New boxwoods had been planted, and an ornamental cherry tree now grew in one of the giant urns that Hecate would have sworn was broken.

At the far end of the garden, a hand-painted sign leaned against the wall. ‘Children’s Garden,’ it said in bright letters. Next to it leaned a larger-than-life painted cutout of Peter Rabbit. Hecate rushed to the other end to get a better look. Six raised beds had been laid out and planted with vegetables. Some parts were still bare, others had shoots just poking through the soil and some had plants several inches high already.

“Algie says the first batch of radishes should be ready in a couple of weeks,” Pippa said, suddenly nervous. “Do you like it?”

“Do I like it?” Hecate spun slowly in a circle, trying to look at everything at once. “It’s… it’s beautiful, Pippa. It’s going to be even more so in the summer.” She bent down to rub a sprig of rosemary between her fingertips, releasing the savory aroma. “I can’t believe you did all this for the library?”

Pippa stepped closer and pulled Hecate upright. Settling her hands on Hecate’s hips, Pippa shook her head. “No, darling, I did all of this for you. The library was just a collateral beneficiary.” Before Pippa knew what was happening, Hecate had taken a quick look to be sure they were alone, cupped her cheeks and kissed her deeply. Pippa pulled her closer, hands sliding up Hecate’s back – a beautiful day, indeed.

Hecate dried the last cup and put it away. “That’s the last of it, then.” She searched Pippa’s flat for anything else to do but found nothing.

“Thank you for staying to help tidy up, Hiccup.” Pippa sidled up beside her and leaned against the counter. “You didn’t have to do that, but I’m awfully glad you did.” She booped Hecate on the nose, causing her to jump.

“I-It wasn’t any bother,” Hecate stammered, eyes flitting between Pippa and anywhere else in the kitchen. They stood like that for several minutes, close but not touching. Pippa looked so serene, while Hecate felt like her heart would fly out of her chest at any moment, disappearing into the night and dragging her poor brain along with it. Unable to think of anything else to say, but too scared to say what she wanted to, Hecate cleared her throat and handed the cup towel to Pippa. “I suppose I should be leaving, then.” She clicked open her pocket watch. “Would you look at the time? Nine forty-seven. I didn’t realize…” She trailed off as Pippa covered Hecate’s hands with hers.

“Actually, darling, I rather hoped you’d stay.”

“St-st-stay?” Hecate’s hopefulness escaped in a full, beaming smile before her self-doubt reasserted itself and chased it away. “Are you sure?”

“Stay.”

Hecate didn’t know if she’d ever heard a more beautiful word in any language. Pippa wanted her to stay. She kept her eyes focused on their hands, which were still clasped around her pocket watch. Her head and heart raced one another through her chest.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Pippa said gently, “but I would love to spend more time with you.”

Lifting her eyes, Hecate forced herself to speak. “I do, it’s just – wait, what? We see each other every day at the library.”

“I know, darling, but at the library I can’t do this…” She brought their joined hands up and kissed each of Hecate’s palms. “Or this…” She ran her hands up Hecate’s arms and across her shoulders until she was cupping Hecate’s face. “And I certainly can’t do this…” Pippa leaned in, kissing Hecate softly along her jawline until she reached her mouth. Moving closer, Pippa kissed Hecate harder, flicking her tongue against her lips.

Hecate deepened the kiss at once, sliding her arms up Pippa’s waist and pressing her into the counter. Pippa moaned into Hecate and threaded her fingers behind Hecate’s neck. “God, I love you,” she tried to say, but Hecate swallowed the words a soon as they left her tongue.

Pippa didn’t know if minutes or hours had passed when she finally had to tear herself away to breathe. She pressed her forehead against Hecate’s, lips swollen, chests heaving, breathing each other’s air.

“Please, Hiccup,” she gasped, “please tell me you’re going to stay.”

Still trying to catch her breath, Hecate nodded before burying her face in Pippa’s neck, holding her, and running her fingers through her hair until they were both startled by a loud voice in the hallway. Hecate bolted backwards so fast she stumbled into the refrigerator, slamming into it hard enough to knock it sideways. “Is someone coming inside?”

Pulled off-balance by Hecate’s sudden retreat, Pippa lurched forward. “Don’t be sill—” Suddenly, she remembered what Hecate’s father had done to her. She remembered that he had left scars on more than her body. “No,” she insisted. Pippa moved closer and squeezed Hecate’s shoulders. “Look at me, Hiccup. No one is going to come bursting in here. You’re safe, sweetheart.” She could feel some of the tension easing away. “He can’t hurt you anymore. I wouldn’t allow it.”

Slowly, Hecate’s fear-filled eyes began to come back into focus. “I’m sorry…” She shook her head. “I don’t know what came over me.” She started to back away, but Pippa held her gently in place.

“Old memories, I think, of a horribly wretched thing that happened to you.” She used her thumb to wipe an errant tear away. “It can’t happen here, though, darling. I promise.”

Hecate responded with a reluctant nod. “I know. I mean, I know it, Pipsqueak. It’s just…”

“It just snuck up on you tonight.”

“That’s it.” She scrubbed another tear away. “And now I’ve ruined our evening. Perhaps I should go ahead and go home.” She hated the way, even now, her father still loomed so large in her mind.

“Nonsense!” She took Hecate by the hand and pulled her out of the kitchen and to the front door. “You were tidying up before, so you didn’t see me lock up earlier but look.” She pointed to the alarm system. “When Dimity left, I set the alarm. It’s top-notch, darling. No one is taking us by surprise. Not only that,” she tapped a dead-bolt with a pink fingernail. “I also have good old-fashioned solid steel, also done up when Dimity left.” She squeezed Hecate’s waist. “You haven’t ruined a thing, darling, and I’d be delighted for you to stay here tonight. If you’d like. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, but I would very much like to be in your company for a good bit longer.”

Pippa’s hands on her hips felt steady and grounding. Slowly, Hecate felt her world right itself, just a little. It was time to stop letting the events of nearly thirty years ago control her life. “I don’t have any pyjamas,” she whispered, feeling foolish as soon as she said it.

“I don’t mind sharing,” Pippa said, her smile warming Hecate through. “Besides, I still have your t-shirt and leggings.”

“I don’t have a toothbrush.”

Pippa giggled. “You have me there – I do mind sharing that. However, I maaay have purchased an extra one in the hopes that you might consent to stay the night.”

Hecate’s lips twitched into a wry grin. “It seems you’ve taken care of everything.”

“And now I’d like to spend the rest of the evening taking care of you. Come, darling, let’s get you settled.” Pippa tried to walk away, but Hecate pulled her back, bringing their lips together into a long, reaffirming kiss.

Half an hour and a hundred kisses later, Hecate sat on Pippa’s sofa wrapped in a fuzzy pink blanket and wearing purple pyjamas. Neither of them paid much attention to the movie playing in the background. Hecate leaned against Pippa’s chest, luxuriating in the feeling of Pippa’s fingers combing through her hair, her nails scratching lightly at Hecate’s scalp to ease the tightness from her bun.

Pippa leaned forward and kissed the top of Hecate’s head. “I’m so glad you stayed,” she murmured into Hecate’s hair.

“Mmmm… me too…” Hecate listened to the steady beating of Pippa’s heartbeat beneath her ear. She trailed her fingertips up and down Pippa’s arm. “You smell good… like flowers.” She turned to breathe her scent in even deeper, her hand accidentally brushing the curve of Pippa’s breast. Hecate felt Pippa’s heart jolt and beat double-time.

Pippa let out a ragged breath. “Hiccup…”

Hecate felt her own pulse throb. She twisted around until the length of her body pressed against Pippa’s. She crawled up and kissed Pippa again as her hand roamed over Pippa’s chest. Pippa gasped against her lips as Hecate’s hand skimmed a breast. “Is this okay?” she asked, praying to god that it was.

“Very okay. May I?”

Hecate’s grunted yes was swallowed up by Pippa’s kisses, but the message was clear. Pippa’s hands were everywhere, each touch scorching Hecate’s skin through the thin fabric of her pyjamas – and god, how she wanted to burn!

Just as Hecate slipped a hand inside Pippa’s top, fingers tightened in her hair and tilted her head up. She froze, afraid she’d overstepped. “Pip?” she asked in a trembling voice.

Want flared in Pippa’s eyes. “Bedroom?”

“Now,” Hecate agreed, chest heaving. She pulled them both off the sofa and sent them stumbling into the bedroom, never breaking contact – even as she plowed into the door and slammed it closed behind them.

Pippa opened her eyes to dappled sunlight and the warm weight of Hecate pressed against her side. A tendril of dark hair tickled her collarbone each time Hecate exhaled. She shifted enough to free her hand and tuck the lock of hair behind Hecate’s ear, causing her to stir. “Good morning, darling.”

Hecate grunted and snuffled closer, “S’early… go t’sleep.”

A long, bare leg stretched across Pippa’s legs, the stubble on Hecate’s calf deliciously rough against her skin. Pinned firmly in place, Pippa would have been delighted to stay if it weren’t for the fact that Hecate had draped her arm across Pippa’s bladder. “I’d love to, Hiccup. Or…” she walked her fingers across Hecate’s bare shoulder, “we could get up, have a lovely shower or a bath and then pop downtown for brunch?” She followed her finger’s path with her lips, pleased when she felt Hecate’s breathing change.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know how to have a proper lie-in.” Hecate rolled onto her side and snuggled into Pippa. “How is it you have so much energy?”

“Because I’m here with you,” Pippa whispered just before kissing her. “Though you very nearly wore me out last night.” Truly, they couldn’t have gotten more than a few hours sleep.

“I should think so,” Hecate murmured, her eyes drifting closed. “Sleep more…”

Pippa kissed Hecate’s forehead. “Go back to sleep, darling, you earned it.” She giggled a bit as she scooted out from under Hecate and slipped out of bed.

Hecate opened one eye in annoyance as Pippa’s warm body wiggled out from under the covers. Her mood rapidly shifted as she was greeted with the sight of a naked Pippa Pentangle stretching next to the bed, all tousled hair and tanned skin. “Mmm…” she grunted, appreciatively.

Leaning forward, Pippa made sure her bare chest stayed in Hecate’s line of sight as she tucked the blankets in tighter. “Just so you know, there’s plenty of room for two in my shower.” She kissed Hecate on the nose and sashayed into the bathroom.

“Temptress,” Hecate called after her. Sprawling onto Pippa’s side of the bed, Hecate’s desire for Pippa warred with her desire to go back to sleep. Or maybe she was still asleep, and this was all a dream? If so, she never wanted to wake up. All night long Hecate kept reminding herself that this was real, that they were here, in Pippa’s bed, and it was wonderful. Hecate still marveled at how easy everything had been. She’d been afraid things would be awkward – that she would be awkward. It had been perfect. Pippa had been perfect. Even though it had been their first time together, last night Hecate felt like they’d known each other their whole lives.

She heard the shower come on. We can always take a nap later, she thought, grinning to herself. Sitting up, Hecate pushed the blankets down and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “Ugh… I definitely need a shower,” she said, wrinkling her nose at the smell of sex and sweat that wafted up from her body.

Somewhere outside church bells began to chime. She listened, old memories rising with the melody. She had just turned seven when her father finished seminary. That’s when her life had changed so drastically. Her father ripped her books away and replaced them with the Bible and tracts; they moved to a new town; and clothes all turned into scratchy black dresses. Friends had been few and far between after that. As the Reverend’s daughter, she had a role to fill – provide an example of morality and integrity. That required a strict adherence to the moral Code of her father’s religion. Above all, she had to be an example of the benefits of proper parenting.

Hecate glanced down at her naked body and the tangle of sheets. What would her father think if he could see her now? She glanced down again. Well, maybe not see, she thought. Not that it mattered, she already knew his opinion. He’d written it on signs and marched it back and forth in front of the library.

Her heart thumped harder as more memories flooded back, drowning everything else out. She remembered her father’s face, twisted in fury and disgust, followed by Indigo’s screams as he chased her out of the house. She turned her arm over, tracing the thin white scar on her inner forearm. It was one of three reminders of her father’s rage and the edge of his leather belt.

She jumped off the bed and started pacing the floor, raking her fingers through her hair. She needed to shake these feelings. She needed to… she didn’t know what she needed to do, but she knew she needed to go. Pippa couldn’t see her like this. She couldn’t bear the thought that Pippa might think she regretted a single second of last night. She didn’t. Hecate scrawled a note on a scrap of paper and left it on the nightstand before she scooped up her clothes and rushed from the room. She never noticed that, in her haste, she’d sent the note flying under the bed.

“Come on, Hiccup!” Pippa sang, toweling her hair as she stepped into the bedroom a short time later. “It’s a beautiful day! Let’s –” She stopped in her tracks, taking in the empty bed and Hecate’s missing clothes. “Hiccup?” Dropping the towel on the floor, Pippa hurried out to the rest of the flat. Hecate was nowhere in sight. She dropped onto the sofa, ignoring the gaping of her robe. “Oh Hecate, you didn’t have to run.” She kicked herself for leaving Hecate alone with her thoughts so soon. She’d panicked after their first date. Of course, Pippa should have expected some level of panic this morning – no matter how perfect last night had been. And it had been perfect. Better than perfect. Sighing heavily, Pippa climbed to her feet so she could get dressed and make her way to Hecate’s.

An hour later and Pippa was frantic. Hecate hadn’t been at her flat or the laundry or anywhere Pippa knew she liked to go. She’d called her a dozen times, filling Hecate’s voicemail until it no longer accepted messages. Now Pippa paced the empty library, out of ideas and getting desperate. Desperate enough to do this, she thought, dialing Ada’s number.

Ada picked up on the third ring. “Good morning, Miss Pentangle! I didn’t expect to hear from you this morning. Is there something you wanted to add to our discussion last night?”

“Oh, no, nothing like that. I wonder if…” Pippa paused, unsure how to proceed. “Have you by any chance heard from Hecate this morning?”

“No, you’re the first call I’ve had today. Let me see if she texted.” Pippa waited while Ada switched to her messages. “Not a thing. Were you expecting to hear from her this morning?”

Pippa rubbed the space between her eyebrows with her thumb. “Not exactly… You see she…” Pippa swallowed hard. “She actually stayed over last night.”

“How wonderful! I’m so glad you two have finally connected.”

“Me, too. But you see, last night we had our first… sleepover? And this morning I went to take a shower and when I came out, she’d gone. I’ve looked everywhere.” Silence hung heavy on the other end, and for a moment Pippa feared that Ada didn’t approve.

“I see,” Ada said at last. “And things went…well?”

“Wonderfully – at least I thought so, and Hiccup seemed to think so as well.” She recounted an edited version of the morning’s events.

Ada tucked the nickname away for now. “I wouldn’t panic. You know Hecate sometimes needs time to process things – even good ones. The stronger the emotion, the more time she’s likely to need.”

Pippa nodded, trying to convince herself that Ada was right. After a promise to try and call Hecate and to report back to Pippa if she heard anything, Ada wished her luck and hung up. Pacing back and forth in front of the circulation desk, Pippa tried to figure out what to do. Should she try to find Hecate? Or just leave her be?

Shaking her head, she dialed Dimity, knowing full well the teasing they would endure. “Dimity?”

“Oi! Pentangle! What are you doing up so early? Shouldn’t you be shagging tall, dark and dour? It is your day off, after all.”

“I’d have to know where Hecate is first. She’s missing at the moment.” Pippa explained again, somehow reassured by Dimity’s irreverent commentary.

“She’s done a runner, then, has she? How long has she been in the wind?”

Pippa thought about it. “I’m not sure, it’s not like she had her pocket watch on at the time. I don’t think I’d heard the church bells before I went to shower, so… a bit before nine? It was 9:20 or so when I came out of the loo.”

“Look, you know HB. The happier she is, the guiltier she feels about being happy. You make her happy. Probably made her happy a few times last night, eh Pentangle? Give ‘er time to get her head square.”

Pippa dropped her phone back in her purse. She wasn’t quite as undone now, and her thoughts weren’t quite as tangled. Dimity might be on to something, though Pippa doubted she realized it. Guilt. Could Hecate feel guilty? Pippa thought about Hecate’s childhood, about its abrupt end at her father’s hands. Rational or not, Hecate might feel guilty. “And where do you go when you’re overwhelmed with guilt?” Pippa said, smiling. She knew where to find Hecate. Spinning on her heel, Pippa went to bring Hecate home.

Pippa nearly cried when she spotted Hecate’s car across the street from her father’s church. She pulled into the first available spot, hurrying across the car park just as music from a pipe organ filled the air. Pippa crept inside the church, careful not to draw attention to herself. She needn’t have bothered. The organ music drowned out any noise she might have made. The music stopped suddenly, and Hecate’s father stepped into the center aisle and began the benediction. Pippa started to bow her head as she waited just at the entrance of the sanctuary, but she couldn’t resist the urge to look for Hecate.

It took a moment before she spotted her. Or, at least Pippa thought she spotted her, sitting in the middle of a pew about halfway down on the left side. There must have been at least ten other dark-haired women with tightly wrapped buns atop their heads. Ignoring Reverend Hardbroom as he droned on, Pippa observed the congregation. The size of it surprised her. She’d expected to find a handful of bitter old bigots, not a hundred people – including young families with children. It made her feel very bleak about the future.

The church itself looked more or less as she imagined it would. Dark, gleaming pews contrasted with lighter, wood-paneled walls. Clean lines and stacked-stone details gave the church a slightly modern feel. Frankly, Pippa had expected it to be as dark and antiquated as the good Reverend’s views. She turned her attention to the four stained glass windows lining the sanctuary, bathing the nearby parishioners in a rainbow of colors. Pippa smirked at the irony.

As she studied the sanctuary, Pippa’s eyes locked briefly with the Reverend’s. His eyes widened in recognition, and for the first time during the benediction his words faltered. That’s right, Pippa thought, smiling. You don’t like it when I show up at your workplace, do you?

The Reverend recovered, rushing through to the end. As the music swelled again, Pippa slipped down the left-side aisle, nodding at the parishioners who passed her on their way out of the church. Hecate still sat, ignoring the people filing by her. The church emptied quickly; the last notes from the organ hung in the air like bats in the rafters.

Now that she’d found her, Pippa didn’t know what to say or do. She wasn’t even sure Hecate would welcome her presence. Screwing up her courage, Pippa crept down the row behind Hecate, sitting just behind and a bit left. She gripped the back of Hecate’s pew, her right hand almost – but not quite – touching Hecate’s shoulder. “It’s a beautiful church.”

Hecate eyes remained fastened on the altar. “The building is, I suppose. I find I’m not sure about the people in it.” She glanced behind her. “Present company excepted, of course.” Hecate shifted just enough to bring her shoulder into contact with Pippa’s fingers.

Pippa felt some of the tension leaving her body. “You gave me quite the fright, disappearing like that. Are you all right?”

“I don’t know. I am sorry I left without saying anything. I suppose my note was rather brusque.”

Pippa started to protest that there hadn’t been a note, but she snapped her mouth shut instead, telling herself that now was not the time. She waited for Hecate to continue. It seemed a season passed before she did.

“I’ve been sitting here all morning trying to reconcile my past with my present. I thought I’d left all of this behind me long ago. I fear I’ve only been deluding myself and now it’s here, snapping at the heels of the future I want.”

“Am I in this future you want?”

“I – I hope so,” she choked out, finally turning to face her. “I’m so sorry, Pipsqueak. I never meant to worry you. I just… I needed to…”

“You needed to take care of yourself,” Pippa finished for her. “I understand. Were you able to sort things out?”

Hecate shook her head. “I don’t think I can. I still don’t understand how the same man who used to hold me in his lap and call me his perfect little angel could become the same man who scrutinized my every word and deed at thirteen. Or throw me out of my home when I was seventeen. Hadn’t I always been the same person?”

“I don’t understand that either, darling.” Pippa tried to picture the little girl Joy Hardbroom must have been. All dark eyes and dark curls? Prone to giggles? “Surely you must have some happy memories growing up?”

“I’m finding that I do not, at least not when it comes to him. Perhaps there was a time or two when I’d done something that pleased him, but they’re just a reminder that my worth…” Hecate’s voice broke. “I was only worth loving if I was perfect.” She crushed Pippa’s hand between hers and the pew. “After I… no, after he put me out, I tried to be perfect again. I followed his moral code to the letter. I dressed modestly, wore my hair the right way. I kept to myself. I thought if I could just be perfect again, I would be able to go home. It didn’t matter. God may forgive, but not my father.” She looked mournfully at Pippa. “I don’t think I can survive trying to be perfect anymore, Pip.”

“No one expects you to be perfect, darling, certainly not me.”

Hecate smiled a watery smile. “I just don’t know when I stopped being his little girl.”

“When you stopped being a perfect reflection of him, I suppose, and started to become your own person.” Both heads jerked up. They’d been so engrossed in each other that they hadn’t noticed Hecate’s mother approaching. “He sent me to tell you to leave this church.”

“I see,” Hecate said, gathering her things. Pippa placed a hand firmly on Hecate’s shoulder, squeezing it in support.

“As I said,” she continued, taking a seat in the pew in front of Hecate. “That’s what I’ve been sent to do. I’m not feeling particularly obedient just now.”

Hecate looked back at Pippa, confused.

“Thirty years ago, I made a choice, Joy…Hecate… I chose to support my husband instead of my child.” She looked down at her hands. “It didn’t take me long to realize I’d made the wrong choice. It took me longer to be able to admit it to myself, however. I’m ashamed of how long it’s taken to work up the courage to do anything about it.”

“Courage?” Pippa frowned. “Forgive me, Mrs. Hardbroom, but should you be speaking to us? Are you safe?”

“Pippa! Father would never—" Hecate stopped, turning to her mother. “Would he?”

“I’m sorry, Hecate, but I know what he did to you. It’s not much of a leap, is it?” Pippa asked.

“It’s all right, girls. J – Hecate, I’m in no danger from your father. He’d never risk the scandal.” She smiled sadly. “I came to ask you if I might… choose again?”

Hecate reached up and clasped Pippa’s hand. “I don’t understand.”

“You know, I saw you one day with that little girl, the one with the plaits. I knew she belonged to the blonde woman, but for just a moment… I thought ‘what if she was yours?’ It’s not as though I would know if you had children,” She tilted her head towards Pippa. “Or a partner. I made a choice, and I’ve missed thirty years of your life – of my own daughter’s life because of it.” Her lips twisted into a rueful smile. “Worse, I made the same choice over and over again for years, until I’d convinced myself it was too late to have things any other way. But now, somehow, here you are, a beautiful and accomplished woman,” she nodded towards Pippa, “with someone who loves you. And I’ve missed it all. I don’t want to miss anymore. I don’t deserve it, I know, and I understand if you feel like your life is better without me in it. But, if you’d like for us to get to know each other again, I’d be grateful for the opportunity.” She handed over a crumpled piece of paper. “Take your time. Think about what will make you happy.” A door opened and closed somewhere behind the pulpit. “I’ll leave you two be. Stay as long as you like; I’ll deal with your father.”

Hecate sagged against the pew once her mother had gone. Pippa placed a hand on each shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“No.”

“What do you need right now?”

“You. I need you, Pipsqueak.”

“Then let’s go home.” She stood and waited for Hecate, surprised when she reached over the pew and laced their fingers together.

Pippa tried to concentrate on her grant proposal form, but the mysterious black bag hanging behind Hecate’s desk may as well have been a flashing neon sign for all the distraction it created. She pulled her eyes away. Again. Hecate had made her swear to keep out of it. All Pippa knew was that it had something to do with the Dungeons and Dragons game tonight. Pippa glanced at the stack of manuals on Hecate’s desk. Hecate had been studying the rules all week. She took her role as DM very seriously, indeed.

Sighing, Pippa forced herself to focus on the form. They had only three sponsors; if they didn’t get more, they wouldn’t be able to have a May program, much less the fete in June. She opened her ‘to do’ list. Precious little had been marked off, in spite of the fact that Hecate had insisted on spending two evenings alone at her flat so she could work on… whatever was in that blasted bag.

Finally, just before six, Pippa finished the form. She considered rewarding herself with a peek in the bag, but before she had a chance, Hecate marched into the office.

“Can you cover the front?” She pulled the dress bag down and draped it across an arm. “I want to go ahead and get ready for the game.”

“Gladly, if it means I finally get to see this mystery outfit.” She squeezed Hecate’s hip as they left the office, getting a smart smack on the bum for her effort. Smiling, she watched Hecate bustle into the workroom. Something had shifted in Hecate last Sunday. She seemed looser, more comfortable in her own skin. Nothing extreme, of course, Pippa thought. This was still Hecate Hardbroom, after all. Rules, order, and propriety still reigned.

Pippa scanned the library. At five minutes to close there were still nearly a dozen patrons there. Pippa pulled the microphone out of a drawer and plugged it in to the speaker system. “Good evening, dear guests! As you know, the library will be closing in five minutes. I’d like to invite you all to stay for our weekly Game Night here at the library. We’ve got a ton of classics as well as the latest hits. As always, thank you so much for your patronage.”

She turned her attention to checking out books and handing out a couple of games. She heard the door to the workroom open but only caught a flash of black out of the corner of her eye before Hecate disappeared into the office. It took all of Pippa’s self-control to stay at the circulation desk until the last patron had been served.

Finished at last, Pippa rushed into the office, nearly stumbling into Hecate.

Hecate turned to face Pippa, self-consciously plucking the fabric at her wrists. “H-how do I look?” She asked, brows lifting hopefully. She dropped her hands to her sides, rubbing her thumbs back and forth across her fingertips.

Black brocade fabric skimmed over Hecate’s curves, and sapphire highlights shimmered under the flourescents when she moved. “My…holy cauldrons, Hecate.” Pippa felt like her tongue had swollen to twice its normal size.

Alarmed, Hecate looked down at her dress. “It’s too much, isn’t it?” She asked, smoothing her hands over her stomach before squeezing her watch.

Pippa circled Hecate, running her eyes up her body and down again, her fingers lightly brushing over the fabric. “Not,” she had to clear her throat. “Not at all. You are the witchiest witch I have ever seen, Hecate. Those boys aren’t going to know what hit ‘em.” She stepped forward, skimming her hands over Hecate’s hips. “And when this is over, you are wearing that dress and coming home with me.”

Hecate licked her lips. “I am?”

“You are.” Pippa leaned forward until she could whisper, low and breathy, into Hecate’s ear. “And just so you know, I ‘might’ happen to have a magic wand in my night table drawer. We can see what sort of spells you can cast with it.”

Frowning, Hecate blinked in confusion. “Magic w—” Her eyes flew open wide. “Pippa Pentangle! You are positively incorrigible!” She stepped past Pippa and her filthy giggling. “Honestly!”

“Scold all you want, Hiccup, you didn’t say ‘no.’”

Hecate came back, standing impossibly close. “I most certainly did not,” she said, booping Pippa on the nose before sashaying out to the game table.

“The rocky trail continued down the hillside, narrowing as it traversed the steep incline.” Hecate brought a hand to her eyes, as if scanning the horizon. “In the valley below, you can make out a ramshackle cottage. A thin stream of smoke trickled from the chimney. An enormous cauldron sat, black and menacing in a clearing out front. Even from where you’re hiding, you can smell the acrid scent of sulfur on the breeze. Shhh!!!” She pressed a finger to her lips, leaning forward, arms outstretched. “It’s eerily quiet… no buzzing of insects, not a single bird chirping. Strange piles of ash lie scattered across the overgrown garden…”

Across the library, Dimity, Julie, Ada, and Pippa watched in awe. “Bleedin’ hell,” Dimity said, staring at Hecate as she regaled the players with Shakespearean flourish. “She’s so bloody extra. I knew she was a drama queen, but… she’s absolutely…”

“Over the top,” Julie finished.

“I think she’s doing quite well.” Ada beamed proudly. “She certainly has those young men entranced.”

Dimity snorted. “She’s shootin’ those young men straight through puberty, she is.”

“Aye. I might be revisiting it meself…” Julie shrugged as the other women turned to stare at her. “What? Look at her,” she waved her hand at Hecate, “she’s…”

“Gorgeous. Brilliant. Sexy as hell.” Pippa lifted an eyebrow and grinned smugly. “And coming home with me tonight.”

510         Mathematics, Algebra, Decimals, Fractions, etc

“How many eggs do we get to dye?” Mildred stared at the mountain of egg cartons stacked on Pippa’s kitchen table. Her voice fell. “Mum and Dad had a row last year. I didn’t get to do any of them because they were broken.”

Hecate’s grip on a juice glass faltered, and it landed on the table with a thunk. Quickly collecting herself, Hecate looked at Mildred and slowly lifted an eyebrow. “You tell me, Miss Hubble. How many cartons do you see?”

Mildred counted out the number. “Fifteen.”

“Very good. How many eggs are in each carton?” Hecate finished setting the table with a dozen more of the clear juice glasses, placing a few in front of each chair. She put extras in front of the place Mildred currently sat, swinging her feet.

“Twelve, but I don’t know twelve times fifteen. We didn’t have to memorize that high. We only did twelve times twelve.”

“I see… and how many is that?”

Mildred thought a minute. “One hundred and forty-four.”

“Sometimes people call that a gross.” Hecate started opening boxes of Easter egg dye.

“If somebody ate all those eggs, it would get pretty gross.” Mildred said, matter-of-factly.

“No doubt,” Hecate said, ignoring Pippa’s chuckle from the stove where she tended the last dozen boiling eggs. “How can you determine your total number of eggs?” She stuffed the empty boxes into a plastic bin liner.

Screwing her face up in concentration, Mildred tried to work it out. “There’s three cartons left… so that’s thirty-six…” Mildred looked up excitedly. “I just add the thirty-six to the others and that makes… one hundred and eighty!” She looked at the stack with new respect. “That’s a lot of eggs, Miss Hardbroom!”

“Well done, Mildred!” Hecate praised the girl, a warm feeling spreading through her chest when she beamed up at her. “As a reward for your excellent maths, I’ll show you how to make magic eggs. Would you like that?”

Millie nodded eagerly. Hecate winked before turning to search through the cabinets for vinegar and vegetable oil.

“Best be careful, Hiccup,” Pippa said, keeping her voice low. “Someone could get the impression that you’re fond of that girl.” She pointed to a narrow cupboard on the other side of the refrigerator.

“I must admit that I feel a certain kinship to the girl, Pipsqueak, and I’m terrified for her. I was nearly eighteen when… when my father abandoned me.” Her voice dropped to barely more than a whisper. “Look what that rejection did to me. I know how I am, Pippa. I’m difficult. Rigid and emotionally closed off. I focus too much on the negative. Most people barely manage to tolerate me,” she said, pulling a fork out of a drawer. “I don’t know how you can… I don’t want that rejection to cause Mildred to…” Pained eyes met Pippa’s. “I don’t want her to end up like me.”

Slowly, Pippa put the lid on the eggs and turned to face Hecate. “Now you listen to me, Hecate Hardbroom, Mildred would be lucky indeed if she grew up to be like you.” Hecate started to argue, but Pippa pressed on. “You’re bloody brilliant. You’re funny and beautiful, and you care more deeply about things than anyone else I know. And you’re right, Millie’s dad has done right shite by her. Your parents did right shite by you, and I know that there are scars from that time that you will always carry with you. But Millie isn’t alone. She’s loved.” Pippa shifted so Mildred couldn’t see her cup Hecate’s cheek. “So are you.”

“I love you, too,” Hecate whispered, pulling Pippa into a crushing hug. For once, she didn’t care who might be watching.

Ignoring the fork poking her shoulder, Pippa held her until she felt Hecate’s breathing even out. Once it did, she patted her lightly on the ribs before stepping back. “All right then, my love. Go teach Millie how to make those magic eggs of yours before Julie and Dimity get back with the plastic eggs and candy.”

A huge yawn split Pippa’s face, causing her jaw to pop. She slumped over the circulation desk, her hair stacked in a messy bun, rubbing her eyes with dye-stained fingers. They’d forgotten to include drying time, so they’d badly underestimated how long it would take to dye the eggs. The last batch went on the racks just shy of three o’clock in the morning. Now it was just past eight in the morning, and they had a bit more than an hour to hide the first batch of eggs in the garden, set out refreshments and get the location sorted for the Easter bunny photo shoot. They’d scheduled one hunt for ten and another for two this afternoon. Pippa tried not to think about how long it would be before she could go home and take a nap.

Pippa’s pink mug slid into her field of vision. They’d also forgotten that the coffee shop would be closed on Easter morning.

“Are you sure you’re fit for purpose?” Hecate asked, a touch of humor in her voice.

“Not at all, darling, but needs must.” She pulled the mug closer and breathed in the aroma. It wasn’t nearly as satisfying as the scent of her usual caramel macchiato, but it would do. “How about you? You didn’t get any more sleep than I did.”

“Quite,” Hecate said, arching a brow. In fact, she’d had a good bit less since Pippa had a bit of a lie in while Hecate showered.

Pippa eyed Hecate up and down. “You look lovely, too, in all your Easter finery.” She did, too. Hecate had foregone her usual black on black, instead pairing her black skirt with one of Pippa’s dark pink blouses. She’d left her hair down in a long braid as well.

Hecate’s reply was cut short by the arrival of Ada carrying boxes of cupcakes. They loaded those onto one of the tables, already laid out with colorful paper plates and napkins. Julie arrived soon after with a sleepy Mildred, wearing a bright blue Easter dress, posh and pressed save for one purple-tipped plait. Miraculously, Mildred dipping her braid in the egg dye had been the evening’s only mishap.

Hecate checked the time. The children would be arriving any time now, and their Easter bunny had yet to arrive. She knew they should have picked Dimity up at her flat. Hecate rushed forward at the sound of the opening doors, ready to scold Dimity for her tardiness.

The words died in her throat when her mother walked in, covered tray in hand.

“I saw on the website that you were having an activity today. I thought you might need an extra set of hands.” She held up the tray. “I also saw that you would be serving cupcakes. Can’t have too many of those.” She waited for Hecate to speak.

Hecate didn’t. Couldn’t.

After a moment, Pippa stepped forward, stepping directly in front of Hecate, forcing her to pull her eyes away from her mother. She spoke so quietly even Hecate strained to hear her. “Your mother has come to help us, darling. Would that be all right with you? If it isn’t, that’s perfectly okay.”

“W-what is she…?” She shook her head in confusion. “I didn’t know…”

“Shh… it’s all right. I didn’t know either, but I think she’s trying to make an overture, if you will. If you’d like her to stay, that’s fine. If you don’t, just tell me and I’ll tend it.” Pippa rubbed the back of her fingers up and down Hecate’s arm. “Whatever you want.”

Hecate’s mother stepped forward. “I shouldn’t have just shown up.” She set the tray down on the circulation desk. “I’ll leave you to your program.”

“Wait!” Hecate blurted before she could stop herself. Looking down at Pippa she whispered, “I don’t know if I can just… but… I don’t think I want her to leave.” She clutched Pippa’s hand in hers. “What should I do?”

“I understand. So does everyone else here, darling, including your mother.”

“If I may?” Ada asked, stepping forward. “She can help me with the Easter bunny photos in the Children’s Room. If that’s acceptable to you, Hecate.”

Hecate nodded, looking relieved. “If our errant rabbit ever arrives.”

“Thank you, Hecate. I know I’m asking a great deal, certainly a great deal more than I deserve.” She turned to the others, who weren’t even trying to hide the fact that they’d been listening to the entire exchange. “Good morning. I’m Eustace. I suppose you know who I am. I’m so happy to meet Hecate’s family.”

No one said anything at first. Hecate still looked like she might bolt at any moment, while Pippa gazed back at Eustace with an expression of wary protectiveness. Julie frowned back at her with a mix of worry and curiosity while Mildred scowled up at her with open hostility.

Finally, Ada moved to shake Mrs. Hardbroom’s hand. “Well met, Eustace. Why don’t I show you what we have planned?” She placed a hand on Eustace’s shoulder and guided her into the Children’s Room.

Hecate sagged forward, hands on her knees, her breath gusting out in relief. Pippa rubbed soothing circles on her back. “I’m sorry, Hiccup. Nothing is ever easy.”

“You should have sent her away!”

“Millie! That’s not for you to say!” Julie scolded, mouthing an apology to Hecate.

Mildred dug in, crossing her arms angrily. “I don’t care. She was mean to HB! I don’t want her here!”

Julie started to argue with Mildred, but Hecate waved her off. Patting Pippa’s side, she went to sit next to Mildred in the chair. “Budge up.” She squeezed in and shifted Mildred onto her lap. “You’re right, Mildred. She was mean to me and… I don’t know if I want her here either.”

“Then why did you let her stay?” Mildred leaned against Hecate and fiddled with the purple tip of her braid.

A hundred jumbled reasons filled Hecate’s brain, none of them what she considered good enough. “I don’t know that, either. I may wish that I didn’t. Or maybe I won’t. It’s been a very long time since my mother and I have had a relationship of any sort. Perhaps it’s simply wishful thinking on her part – or mine – that we might change that.”

“So today is like a trial run, then? Both of you here, but not together?”

“That’s a good way of putting it, Mildred.” Hecate pulled her into a hug. “You don’t have to like her, though. You needn’t have anything to do with her at all if you don’t care to.”

“But you can’t be rude, love.” Julie added. “Whatever mistakes HB’s mum made, and she made about the worst one a mum can make, that’s between her and HB. Our job is to support HB, not be ugly to her mum.”

Hecate lifted her eyebrows and nodded matter-of-factly. “Why don’t you have a cupcake?” She leaned in and whispered, “I promise I won’t tell.”

Mildred hugged Hecate as hard as she could before hopping off Hecate’s lap and skipping to the cupcake table. Hecate swallowed her groan when Mildred landed on her foot.

“Now,” Hecate said, limping back to Pippa, “if we can please get back to our original disaster: our event begins in thirty-two minutes, and we still don’t have a bloody Easter bunny.”

Ten minutes later and Dimity still had not arrived. Nor had there been any word. Hecate was beside herself. Even Pippa and Julie were beginning to get a bit worried.

“Stop checking your watch,” Julie admonished. The snick-click of it opening and closing was driving her batty. “I talked to her yesterday; she’ll be here.”

“It won’t do for the children to see the Easter bunny pull into the car park—” Hecate looked up as Dimity strolled into the library wearing a full rabbit costume, swinging the head alongside by the ears like some sort of battle trophy.

“I don’t know about you lot, but it’s barely past nine and I’m already knackered.” Dimity caught sight of Hecate in her pink blouse. “Look at you, HB! Pentangle got you all gussied up, didn’t she?” She jerked her chin towards Hecate’s shirt. “I reckon that top’s hers, isn’t it? Suits you, though.”

“Thank you, Dimity, I think.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I suppose it is more flattering than wearing a fur suit and carrying about the decapitated head of Peter Rabbit.”

She held the head up by the ears and looked it in the eyes. “It’s meant to be a girl rabbit. Don’t you listen to her,” Dimity said to the rabbit. “She’s just jealous because deep under all that prim and proper beats the heart of a Furry.”

Behind her, Hecate heard Julie choke on her tea and Pippa smother a laugh. She looked at Pippa expectantly. Glancing at Mildred, who was sitting on the sofa nibbling her cupcake, Pippa stepped over and whispered in Hecate’s ear, lightly resting a hand on her stomach as she balanced on her tiptoes.

Smirking, Dimity watched Hecate’s whole body grow rigid. She turned to Dimity, eyes wide, brows practically disappearing in her hairline. “Dimity Drill! For heaven’s sake, it’s Easter Sunday.” She pointed a long finger in Dimity’s direction. “Now put that head on and take up your position in the Children’s Room. It’s nearly time to get started.” She swished past Dimity, pausing only long enough to mutter, “Besides, you know perfectly well you’ll never find me wearing a second-rate costume for hire. I’d make my own.” She left a roaring Dimity behind her as she went to open the doors.

Ada turned the key in the lock once she’d let Hecate’s mother out of the main doors. She trudged back into the shambles that remained of the library now that the Easter egg hunt was over. Hecate and Pippa sat sprawled across one of the sofas while Dimity, Julie and Mildred squeezed onto the other one. She sank into the empty chair between them.

“I’m absolutely knackered,” Dimity moaned. “Musta been at least two hundred little rug rats in here today – and every last one of ‘em plopped on my lap.” She peeled the rabbit suit off her arms and flopped back against the sofa. “I feel like I’m back in my uni days right after we got our arses handed to us by the toffs from Amulet’s Academy.”

“Ewww, Miss Drill,” Mildred said, pinching her nose, “you kind of smell bad.”

Hecate barked a laugh before covering her mouth with her hand. Pippa didn’t even bother to hold in her giggles. Even Ada looked like she smelled something sour.

Dimity looked to Julie for support, but all she did was raise her eyebrows and nod. “Et tu, Julie Hubble?” She shielded her hand from Mildred and flicked two fingers Hecate’s way. “I didn’t hear you volunteering to wear the rabbit suit.” She glared balefully at the pinkish stain on one leg – left by a three-year-old after an unfortunate combination of too many cupcakes, too much punch and far too much excitement. “You know I won’t get me deposit back.”

“I’m sure you’ve lost that based on the smell,” Hecate teased. She shifted on the sofa, grunting when she put pressure on her foot.

“That’s you getting smacked by karma,” Dimity said, voice heavy with satisfaction.

Pippa frowned and leaned over to take a look. “Your ankle? This was a lot of time spent on your feet today. Pop it up here, Hecate.” She reached down and gently lifted Hecate’s foot and rested it across her knees. Luckily, Hecate had chosen flats today, instead of her boots. “It’s swollen.” She started massaging Hecate’s ankle.

Hecate eyes darted to the others, but no one paid them much of any mind. “It’s sore,” she said, finally, relaxing a bit when she realized no one seemed to care that her foot was in Pippa’s lap. No one save Dimity, anyway.

“So you’ll do my feet next, eh, Pentangle?” she wriggled her rabbit foot at Pippa. “We could all form a line!”

Pippa rubbed her thumbs over the puffiest part of Hecate’s ankle, causing Hecate to hum in contentment. “Maybe… when you smell less like an actual rabbit…hutch.”

Hecate snorted. Even Ada couldn’t smother her laugh.

“Fine, you bloody sods.” She pushed herself up from the sofa and started gathering up the rubbish. “But just for that, I’m taking home all the leftover cupcakes.”

Chapter Text

791.43     Movies and Actors

Balancing one cup of coffee on top of the other, Pippa pulled the mail out of the box and stuck it in her purse. Luckily, there weren’t any magazines in today’s post. Hecate’s car sat in its usual spot in the car park so she didn’t have to unlock the gates, only the outer doors.

“Coffee’s here, darling,” she called, “get it while it’s hot!” Hecate popped up from behind the circulation desk, startling Pippa and nearly causing her to drop the coffees. “Good grief, Hecate! What on earth are you doing back there?”

Reaching for her coffee with one hand, Hecate waggled an ink cartridge with the other. “Trying to decipher Dimity’s organizational system and locate more ink.” She flipped open her carryout cup, closing her eyes and breathing in the aroma of her cinnamon-sprinkled cappuccino. “Mmmm… my favorite part of the day.”

“I wish I could say it was me you were so keen to see first thing in the morning and not the coffee.”

“You’re a close second,” she said, winking. Hecate glanced at the door before she leaned across the desk and gave Pippa a quick buss on the cheek. “Perhaps it’s a toss-up.”

Chuckling softly, Pippa pulled the mail out of her handbag and dropped it onto the counter to sort. “Bill… advert… advert… hello? What’s this one?” She pushed the rest of the mail out of the way. “We don’t usually get letters from the City Council, do we? I don’t recall one.”

“No… anything from the Council comes through email.” Hecate rotated the letter with the tip of a black fingernail. “It’s not in a city envelope.”

Pippa expected Hecate to open it, not just stare at it on the counter. She waited a moment more before snatching it up and ripping off the end. Squinting, Pippa tried to read it, unsuccessfully until Hecate pulled her readers out of her purse and waved them in her face. “Thank you, darling,” Pippa said, not bothering to look up from the letter. “I don’t believe it! That bloody, wretched slag!”

“Pippa!” Hecate pulled the letter out of Pippa’s grip and read it for herself. “I don’t understand…” Her eyes met Pippa’s. “We had six months! Six full months would include June, not end in June!” Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. “We won’t even be able to count the numbers from the fete.”

“Don’t you go thinking that’s a coincidence, either.” Pippa crumpled the envelope into a ball and chucked it in the bin. “That event would have put us over the daily average for certain – and Ursula Hallow bloody well knows it. What do you reckon that she bullied the other councilmen into bumping up the date?”

“Undoubtedly.” She pressed the backs of her hands against her eyes, trying to stop the prickling tears before they fell. “June tenth. Three days too soon to be counted.” Hecate laid her hands on the counter, palms up. Pippa didn’t hesitate before taking Hecate’s hands into her own. “Is there any chance to push the fete forward a week?”

“On three weeks’ notice?” Pippa shook her head. “I don’t think so. It was such a scramble to get everything put together on short notice to start with. We’ve signed rental contracts, organizations have mobilized their members, the flyers have been printed and posted…” Dropping her head onto their joined hands, she took a deep breath. “I know it’s not right to hate people, but if Ursula Hallow somehow caught fire in the car park… I don’t know that I’d run for the fire extinguisher.”

“You assume you’d be able to prise the extinguisher out of my clutches,” Hecate said, drily.

“No, I assume you’d be too busy sloshing her with petrol to bother with hiding the extinguisher,” Pippa said, with a bitter laugh.

Hecate enjoyed the image. Too much, probably. “Is it lost then?” Hecate asked, her tone serious now. “Has she won?”

Pippa’s head popped up, “Never. You and I have already won. Even if this library closes, I will still have you. We will still have each other, and that’s a win she can’t take away. So if you’re fretting about that, there’s no need.” She pressed a kiss to Hecate’s knuckles. “I’m not giving up the library without a fight, either, darling. Don’t count us out yet.”

A tension she didn’t realize she was carrying eased in Hecate’s belly. Without knowing it, Pippa had given voice to and then dismissed Hecate’s biggest fear: that the loss of the library would inevitably lead to the loss of Pippa. She’d never tell Pippa, of course, and the evenings they spent together kept that fear pushed to the back of her mind, but it never truly disappeared. It simply lurked about, waiting to creep up on her deep in the nights she spent alone.

“Never,” she said, echoing Pippa’s earlier assurances. “What would you have us do? Our May Day program is rather bare-boned compared to the June event.” She fluttered a hand in the direction of a pyramid of books and brightly colored swagging. They’d had to exert so much energy on the fete that the May program amounted to little more than a special book display with a focus on flowers.

They both jumped when the outer door banged open. Julie Hubble raced through the entry. “I got a job!”

“That’s wonderful!” Pippa cried, grabbing Julie and hugging her tight. “I knew you’d get one.”

Hecate stood awkwardly at the end of the circulation desk, unsure what to do. “Congratulations, Ms. Hubble,” she said before pressing her lips in a tight smile. Nonetheless, she looked pleased.

“Oh no, you don’t get out of a hug that easily, you old sourpuss!” Julie wrapped Hecate in a fierce hug, determinedly hanging on until she felt two hesitant arms hugging her back. “That’s a girl, Hecate, I knew you’d figure out how a hug works.” She squeezed Hecate harder before patting her back and letting her escape.

Hecate rolled her eyes. “Only just.”

“I didn’t even know you had an interview,” Pippa added. “Let me put on the kettle, and you can tell us all about it.” She handed Hecate their coffees and pointed her towards the sofa.

“I didn’t! That’s what’s so mad about the whole thing,” Julie said as they settled in their seats. “I’d just dropped Millie off at school when I remembered I still had her permission form for the museum outing on Friday. I headed into the Headmaster’s office and, girls…. You. Would. Not. Believe what was going on in there.”

“Oohh,” Pippa purred, curling her legs up onto the sofa. “Do tell.”

“The biggest bloody row I’ve seen outside of a pub or football stadium.” Julie laughed as Hecate’s eyes widened and Pippa looked disappointed. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Pentangle.”

“What were they on about then?” Pippa challenged.

“Oh, one had got a leg over with the other’s man—” she waited for Pippa’s smug ‘aha!’ before going on. “Not sure who was in the wrong, but there was a big one and a little one. And the little one was an absolute nutter at this point, I mean… mad as a bag of ferrets she was. Headmaster fluttering about like a butterfly trying to keep ‘em from coming to blows.”

Pippa laughed gleefully, even as Hecate looked aghast. “What about the children? It’s not funny, Pippa!”

“Oh, it was funny, all right. The Headmaster’s this wee little scrap of a fellow. Kids were peeking through the glass windows, the secretary was calling the coppers…” Shaking her head at the memory, she waited while Pippa went to fetch her a cup of tea. “Thanks, love.” She took a sip before continuing. “Finally, the little one started swinging and I couldn’t stand by anymore. While the Headmaster corralled the little one, I pulled the big one off – had to dump a cup of water over her head.”

“How horrible!” Hecate tried to picture any of the teachers from her childhood engaging in such behavior. Impossible.

“I know I should agree, HB, but… well, since the Headmaster fired them both on the spot…” She shrugged, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

“And the job?”

“Turns out the little one was a teacher’s aide. Mr. Sprigg, that’s the Headmaster, was going on about what they’d do now that they were short a teacher and an aide, and so I happened to mention I’d been looking for work and…” she shrugged. “You’re talking to the newest teacher’s aide at St. Joseph’s!”

“Wonderful! Not how I expected it, darling, but I never doubted you’d finally land a position!” Pippa leaned forward and squeezed Julie’s knee. “When do you begin?”

“They’re processing my paperwork now, and then next week is summer half-term holiday, so not until first of June.” She glanced at Hecate. “Don’t be too frowny, I know I’m meant to be helping you get ready for the fete, but it’s a job and needs must. Besides, it’s only half-time, mornings. I’ll still be here in the afternoons to help out.”

Hecate shook her head. “It’s not that… It’s… This is meant to be a celebration; I don’t want to be a wet blanket.” She tipped her coffee cup in Julie’s direction. “It truly is wonderful news; I’m so chuffed about it.”

“Och…now I know somethin’s wrong. The Hecate Hardbroom I know would never say ‘chuffed.’ Spill it.”

Hecate looked at Pippa, lifting her eyebrows in apology. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, unable to say it. Pippa smiled a reassuring smile before unfolding herself from the sofa and fetching the letter from the circulation desk.

“This came in today’s post.” She handed it to Julie to read for herself.

Julie’s eyes scanned the paper, her head shaking hard enough to set her curls bouncing. “It hasn’t been six months yet, ghastly woman.” She pinned Hecate with a hard stare. “You aren’t thinking of cancelling, are you? Don’t let that cow put you off; we’ve worked too hard.”

“No. We aren’t going to cancel, for all the good it will do us.” Hecate felt tears prickling behind her eyes again. “We need the numbers to meet goals.”

“That’s why she moved it up, love. You know that.” Julie dropped the letter into Hecate’s lap. “So how do we spoil this witch’s fun, eh?”

Hecate leaned forward, elbows on knees, head in hands. “I don’t know. We need bodies in the library, and currently there’s no particular reason for anyone new to come.”

“Then we need to give ‘em one, don’t we? And we better get our skates on.” She bumped Hecate with her shoulder. “Good thing there’s a school holiday coming up, eh?”

Pippa sat up straighter. “That’s it!” She leapt out of her seat, jumping up and down before grabbing Julie’s head with both hands and planting a loud kiss right on top. “You’re bloody brilliant, did you know that? She’s brilliant, Hiccup!”

“I’ve been telling you that for months, love,” Julie said, laughing, “but why don’t you explain it anyway? You know, for ‘Hiccup’ over there.” She pointed a thumb Hecate’s way, ignoring the other woman’s snort of derision.

“You’ve just said it: there’s a school holiday starting on Monday. Parents will have a week of the kids at home, bored. Underfoot. You’re a mum, what do you want when Millie’s home for a week?”

“A stiff drink?” Hecate said, smirking.

“Stop that. You know you adore that girl, Hiccup, no matter how you pretend otherwise. Always have done, I think.” Pippa looked at them expectantly before throwing her hands in the air. “Something to do! Parents want something to do with their kids. We can provide a week of afternoon programming for the holiday!”

Hecate looked at her, flabbergasted. “Programming? Are you mad?”

“Nothing too fancy, not at this short notice, but…” Pippa circled the sofa, hands on her hips, thinking. “What if we pick a book for each day, and every afternoon we have a story time, then a movie of the same book. We can serve popcorn and soft drinks.”

“Even better, you could do a little craft that ties into it,” Julie added. “You could read the… The Little Mermaid and then watch the Disney movie, and afterwards the kids can make shell necklaces to take home. That could work.”

“Not to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm, but it’s Tuesday. You’re talking about starting next Monday?” Hecate shook her head. She started to say ‘impossible,’ but she desperately didn’t want to be the person who extinguished the spark she saw in Pippa’s eyes. “We’ll need to get busy.”

Hecate stopped at the bathroom door, taking a moment to watch Pippa working. Wearing a purple pyjama top and her knickers, Pippa was spread out in the middle of the sofa bed with her chin propped on one knee and her readers perched on the end of her nose. She had a dozen children’s books scattered across the mattress while she worked on the supply list for their programs during the school holiday. Pippa was a vision of tanned legs and a messy bun, and Hecate couldn’t help but stare.

Hecate glanced down at her own outfit – the purple pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt that didn’t suit them. Too tall, too skinny, too pale… Hecate knew she was hardly one to make anyone’s heart race. Self-conscious, she rubbed a bony elbow and fussed with the baggy t-shirt.

The movement caught Pippa’s eye. She looked back at Hecate, smiling broadly until she realized something was troubling her. “You’ve got that look in your eye.” She patted the space next to her. “Come on over and give us a cuddle while you tell me what has you out of sorts.”

“It’s nothing, really,” Hecate said, beelining for the spot next to Pippa anyway. She didn’t see anything to be gained from burdening Pippa with even more of her insecurities. “Why don’t you tell me about your ideas instead.”

Not buying it for a minute, Pippa snuggled up next to Hecate, nonetheless. She’d speak up when she felt ready, Pippa knew. Or, Pippa could nudge her a bit when she felt more secure. Either way, she’d give her space right now. “Well, I’m keeping Julie’s Little Mermaid idea, that’s for certain. I thought about Alice in Wonderland – we could make hats out of black paper. What do you think?”

When Hecate didn’t answer, Pippa craned her neck to look up at her. “Earth to Hiccup?” She patted her knee. “Come on, sweetheart, let me in.”

Hecate realized she’d been caught staring at Pippa’s toned thighs. “H-how are you so tan? It’s only May.” She cringed at how stupid she sounded.

Pippa lifted a leg into the air, turning it this way and that. “Mostly, it’s just what color I am, but it gets a bit of help with self-tanning lotion. You’re welcome to try some, if you’d like.”

Hecate lifted her leg to match, pulling the trouser leg up to her knee. Her pasty skin stood out in stark contrast to Pippa’s. “I look like a corpse.”

“Nonsense!” Pippa dropped her leg to the mattress. “I’ve always thought your skin was luminous.”

Hecate huffed in derision. “If by ‘luminous’ you mean ‘glows in the dark’, then I suppose that’s true.” She brought her knee to her chest and pulled her trouser leg back down. “I’m not exactly a prize in the looks department.”

“Says who? Hecate Hardbroom, you’re beautiful.”

Out of habit, Hecate’s hands flew to her chest, but her pocket watch wasn’t there. Instead, she rubbed the thin, pale scar on the inside of her wrist. “I’m not… I’m not fishing for compliments. I’m just…” she shrugged.

“You’re just feeling a bit insecure, I think.” She stretched her legs out next to Hecate’s. “I run, so my legs are strong and tanned, thanks to the lotion. But I have hideous monkey feet.” She lifted a foot and wriggled her toes. “Look at my toes, Hiccup, they’re practically prehensile.” She tapped the scar on Hecate’s wrist. “I have scars as well,” she said, pulling her top off her shoulder. “This one is a skin cancer I had to have removed a few years back – it’s why I tan with the lotion now. And this one,” she lifted the hem of her shirt, “is from having my appendix removed when I was twenty-five. There’s a few others scattered about. I have crow’s feet, gray hair under the dye and I can’t read for shite without my glasses.”

“There is nothing about you that isn’t beautiful, at least to me.” She leaned over enough to kiss the top of Pippa’s head. “Pay me no mind, I’m just being foolish…”

Pippa maneuvered herself until she straddled Hecate’s thighs. Pushing Hecate against the sofa back, she gently lifted her chin. “Look at me, Hiccup, I want you to see me when I say this. I don’t know who convinced you that you aren’t beautiful, or sexy, or worthy of being loved, but they are the fool.” She brushed a stray tear from Hecate’s cheek. “Every day I’m thankful I took Egbert up on this job offer.”

“Oh, god,” Hecate croaked, “don’t tell him that, we’ll never hear the end of it.” Her weak laugh was cut off by the press of Pippa’s lips against hers.

Finally, she broke away, tracing a fingertip along the tiny scar above Hecate’s eye. She kissed it gently before whispering, “You’re everything – everything – that’s beautiful to me, Hecate Hardbroom.” She brought Hecate’s wrist to her lips, kissing the old, faded scar on one arm and then the newer red one on the other. “You are more than I ever dreamed of.” She kissed her way down Hecate’s jaw, past her throat and back to her lips. Hecate rose to meet her, her hands sliding up Pippa’s thighs and under her pyjama top.

Rocking back on her heels, Pippa stripped off her top and tossed it onto the floor. Hecate lunged forward, locking her lips with Pippa’s, a quiet groan escaping her lips.

A flush of heat burned through Hecate. She pulled away from Pippa long enough to whip her own t-shirt over her head. Pippa buried her fingers in Hecate’s hair, pulling them both down onto the mattress. Hecate swept the books and notes to the floor as they tangled together.

Some things, the Very Hungry Caterpillar did not need to see.

Hecate poured out the last of the goldfish crackers into a paper cup, humming as she opened the next bag. Idly, she wondered how long “Under the Sea” would be playing in an endless loop in her brain. She looked up as Julie entered the room.

“I tell you, working arts and crafts with all these little buggers is making me rethink taking the job at St. Joseph’s. How hard can it be to string a seashell on a bit of string?” She picked up a styrofoam cup filled with blue Kool-Aid and tossed it back, wincing at the sweetness. “This is horrible.”

Hecate paused. “It’s blue. What did you expect?” She replaced the cup Julie had just finished with another. “I see you’ve managed to escape the circus.”

“Only for a mo. If Millie’s art teacher hadn’t volunteered to help – or brought her friend along – we’d have been outnumbered.” She arched an eyebrow at Hecate. “Don’t know how you managed to get the job in the peace and quiet two days in a row.”

“With rank come certain privileges,” Hecate said, smirking. She inspected the snack tables, questioning for the hundredth time the wisdom of mixing blue Kool-Aid with beige carpeting. Seeing nothing left to do, she took a deep breath and braved the Children’s Room.

The movie was still playing on the screen, the thirty-odd children entranced by the antics of Sebastian the sea crab. Julie took a quick turn around the room while Hecate leaned against the doorframe. She watched Pippa watching the movie, smiling at the way the children flocked to her.

Mildred’s music teacher, an ancient woman who must be decades past retirement, sidled up beside her. “I think it’s going splendidly!”

Hecate glanced down, smiling. “Thanks to you and Mrs. Crabtree.” Somehow, Julie had managed to talk Mildred’s art teacher into helping with the craft projects. She’d brought along Miss Bat as well. Hecate had worried that the woman wouldn’t be up to it, but she’d been roundly outdone by Miss Bat’s ability to manage – though she did tend to fall asleep during the movie portion of the day. “It was very kind of you to offer your help.”

“No need to thank me, my dear. I’ve owed Crabby a favor for a while; she finally decided to collect.” Miss Bat tilted her head towards the windows. “I’ve been admiring your garden through the windows all week. Do you manage it yourself?”

“No,” Hecate said, shaking her head. “I grow a few herbs in pots in my flat, but that’s about the size of it. We’re lucky enough to have a lovely gentleman who volunteers to tend them. He’s here today, in fact, digging up the spent tulip bulbs for replanting in the fall. He’s outdone himself on the courtyard. Would you like to see?” She extended an elbow for Miss Bat to hold and led her outside. “What about you, do you garden?”

“Heaven’s no.” Miss Bat looked away, smiling sadly. “My husband did, long ago. Once I lost him, though, I just didn’t have the heart for it – not even a pot of geraniums by the front door. I saw your red-stemmed Solomon’s seal through the window and it made me a bit nostalgic, I suppose. It was his favorite plant you see; he made a place for it in every garden.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “Listen to me going on like some maudlin old woman.”

They stepped outside into the soft sunshine, blinking against the brighter light. Sure enough, Mr. Rowan-Webb was on his hands and knees digging up the bulbs along the wall. Hecate led them a few steps closer before calling out. “Good afternoon, Mr. Rowan-Webb! Your garden has an admirer.” He looked up, his smile fading into disbelief. “May I introduce—”

“Gwen? It… it can’t be!” He slumped against the wall, mindless of the plants he crushed.

Miss Bat took a few halting steps closer, eyes narrowing as she tried to get a better look. “A-algie? Is that truly you?”

Algernon gaped at her, his mouth hanging open and his hands splayed in the dirt. “This isn’t possible! You… the plane… they said no survivors…”

Hecate looked back and forth between them, trying to understand whatever was going on. Both looked as though they’d seen a ghost.

“I didn’t get on the plane.”

Algernon clambered slowly to his feet, sagging against the garden wall. “I saw the news… everyone saw the news… the famous Esper Vespertilio, killed as she flew to Rome to begin the first leg of her latest world tour.”

Choking back her surprise, Hecate looked at Miss Bat anew. “You’re the Extraordinary Esper Vespertilio?” Hecate had several cd’s of her music – including the posthumously released retrospective.

Gwen smiled, sadly, but with a hint of pride. “I haven’t gone by that name in years, dear.” She stepped closer to Algernon. “Since she’d been the cause of that horrible quarrel, I thought she could simply stay gone.” She took another step. “I didn’t get on that plane because I was coming home. To you, Algie, the only person who’s ever truly mattered.” She lifted a shaking hand and gently stroked his beard. “But you weren’t there… I’ve searched for so long.”

“I couldn’t…” he whispered. “After we’d quarreled… After I told you that, if you left, you needn’t bother coming back… and then you were gone. I couldn’t bear to be in our home another second.” He cast his eyes down in shame. “I was a fool. I’m sorry.”

“We were both fools.”

Algernon took Gwen’s hands in his. “Can you forgive an old toad like me?”

“Only if you can forgive a foolish old woman like me,” Gwen whispered.

As Gwen leaned in, Hecate quietly slipped back inside the library, wiping tears away as she went.

Chapter Text

320.8     Local government

Pippa typed in the last of the numbers as Hecate read them from her ledger. After a few quick taps of pink fingernails on calculator keys, Pippa slumped in her chair. “As of now, we are currently averaging one-hundred and twenty-three visitors a day.” Even after the week of children’s programming, they’d fallen short.

Hecate dropped her head to her hands. “It had to be one-twenty-five,” she said, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. “We met the goal for increased circulation. Do you think it will be enough? I know it won’t be for Ursula Hallow, but she’s only one vote.”

“I don’t know, darling. She can be very convincing. I do wish the grant had come through.”

“Pish – you know that’s why this report was moved up. There’s no grant to report, nor has the special programming for June happened yet – it would have upped our numbers, you know.” Hecate looked out the office window to the library. She could see Dimity dusting shelves while Mildred played with Dewey. “All of this… all our hard work… Ursula Hallow is willing to throw it all away just to fatten her bank account.”

“It’s all right to call it the Pride Program, Hecate,” Pippa said, arching an eyebrow over the pink rim of her readers. “You’re right, though. We’ve built so much. The library is truly becoming a part of this community – in a way no bar or restaurant ever will.”

Pippa sent the document to the printer and waited for the old girl to crank out the pages. They sat in silence while the pages printed. Once they were done, Hecate fastened one copy into her black binder and slipped a second into a pocket so copies could be made for the meeting. The click of the binder rings felt like the door of a tomb slamming shut on their future.

Hecate scrubbed tears from her eyes. “What are we going to do, Pipsqueak?”

Moving close, Pippa pulled the binder from Hecate’s hands, holding them in her own. “I don’t know, Hiccup. But I have no doubt that we’ll figure it out together.” She leaned in and gave Hecate a quick peck on the lips. “No matter what happens to the library, you aren’t getting rid of me, Hecate Hardbroom.”

Flustered, Hecate checked the library to see who had seen their kiss. No one seemed to be looking, but Dimity was smirking in an extremely suspicious manner. “We’re at work!”

“So we are,” Pippa said, kissing her again. “But I need to step out for a bit. There’s something I need to attend to before our meeting. I’ll be back before the library closes. We’ll go to the meeting together.”

Slightly confused, Hecate simply nodded and waved.

“Are you sure I look all right?” Hecate smoothed her skirts, her collar, her hair. They were standing just outside the City Council chamber. Hecate looked so nervous it was a wonder sparks weren’t shooting from her fingertips.

“You’re beautiful, Hiccup.” Pippa pulled Hecate’s hands away from her clothes. “Very professional. Now stop worrying.” She handed Hecate the black binder containing the information for their report to the City Council.

“We didn’t meet the goal.” She tugged and twisted the cuffs of her blouse.

“No, but we came very, very close. Now stop fussing with your clothes, Hecate. We’re both going to go in there with our chins up. We’ve made great strides and those are worth shouting about. Be proud of what we’ve done, and the rest of the Council will be proud too. Ursula Hallow can just get stuffed.”

“Pippa!” Hecate tried to sound scandalized but couldn’t quite pull it off. “Come on, then, the gallows awaits.”

Hooking their arms together, Pippa led Hecate into the Council room. They stopped short when they saw how many had shown up for the meeting.

At least a hundred people packed the chamber. Ada and Dimity were there, saving them places on the front row of seats. The Hubbles sat right behind them, accompanied by a very spit-and-polished Mr. Rowan-Webb, who sat holding hands with Miss Bat. Pippa recognized several of the PFLAG and LGBT Foundation volunteers that had organized the counter protest. She was also certain that she’d gotten a glimpse of Hecate’s mother sitting in a back corner. She prayed Hecate didn’t see her mother until after she finished their presentation.

They took their seats with Dimity and Ada, getting an up-close view of Ursula Hallow’s smug grin. Hecate wilted a bit beside Pippa, until the gavel opened the meeting. From that point on, she sat straighter than the seatback, motionless until it was her turn to step up to the podium.

When their turn came, Hecate took the microphone and Pippa stood beside her, ready to prompt any fact or figure Hecate might need. She didn’t need a single reminder.

“I’m so proud of you,” Pippa whispered, once Hecate finished.

Mayor Hellibore nodded, pleased with their progress. “You’ve made impressive gains in such a short period of time, ladies.” He turned to the rest of the Council. “I’m sure they’ve demonstrated—”

“Mr. Mayor,” Ursula Hallow cut him off. “What they’ve demonstrated, with their own figures, is that they did not meet the performance goals this Council set for them. Now, the Council has been very generous – even to the point of funding a second librarian – in order to give them the opportunity to raise usage to acceptable levels. They didn’t do that.” She turned to address the other Council members. “I believe it’s time to cut our losses with the library. It has outlived its usefulness. The city will be better served by bringing in a thriving new business that can boost tax revenues, rather than drain them.”

Hecate and Pippa watched helplessly as Ursula badgered and bullied the rest of the Council members into at least considering closing the library. Hellibore, unable to take part in the discussions, grew redder and redder. Finally, he slapped his hands on the table to silence the discussion.

“You’ve made your point, Ursula. Before the Council can vote on your motion to close the library, the community must be allowed to weigh in. Thirty minutes. If anyone would like to address the Council on this issue, you may approach the podium.

Hecate and Pippa had to scramble out of the way to make room for the line of people wanting to address the Council. One by one, starting with Julie Hubble, people approached the microphone, offering up their testimonials about what the library meant to them as well as what it meant to the community as a whole.

After about fifteen minutes of accolades, Pippa leaned over and whispered into Hecate’s ear. “It’s a bit like being at your own funeral, isn’t it? Listening to all these people going on about how wonderful we are?”

“Perhaps,” Hecate whispered back, “but we’re still just as dead at the end of it.”

“Don’t give up just yet. I’ve got one more card to play if we need it.” Pippa gave her a quick wink and a shoulder bump.

Hecate started to ask Pippa what she meant by that, but Ada took the microphone so she turned to listen.

“Good evening. My name is Ada Cackle, and I truly would not be here today if it weren’t for the Lucille Mayweather Memorial Library.” She smiled at Hecate and Pippa before continuing. “Almost six months ago, I found myself a widow. Lost, alone, afraid of what the future held, I turned to the library. They didn’t let me down.” Ada shared her story, detailing her grief and how difficult the adjustment had been.

Even Hecate was crying by the end of Ada’s testimonial. In fact, there wasn’t a dry eye in the chamber – except for Ursula Hallow. She simply looked bored.

“Through it all,” Ada finished, “Miss Hardbroom, Miss Pentangle and the volunteers supported me. They comforted me and helped me get back on my feet. My story is not unique. This library is literally woven into the fabric of the community. I beg the Council not to rip that fabric asunder.” She gathered her notes and took her seat next to Hecate.

Hecate thought that Ada was the last speaker. She didn’t expect to see Mildred Hubble make her way to the microphone.

“Hi, my name is Mildred. Mildred Hubble.”

Ursula Hallow leaned into her microphone. “Really, Egbert, must we allow these people to turn Council proceedings into a sideshow?”

Before Mayor Hellibore could respond, an ugly rumble ran through the room. “Let her speak!” someone called from the back. Several voices shouted in agreement.

“The community has thirty minutes to address the Council, Ursula. Miss Hubble is a member of the community. She may speak,” Hellibore said, wisely reading the room.

Mildred’s looked nervously at all the people in the room. She didn’t know if the people were upset with her or with Mrs. Hallow. Her eyes landed on her mum, who smiled and nodded. Taking a deep breath, Mildred started again. “I, uh, I just wanted to say that the library should stay open. My dad left last year, and it’s been super hard. We had to move out of our house into a little bitty flat. I didn’t get to take very much with me. My mum tried to make it nice, but,” she shook her head. “It’s old and the heat doesn’t work. When winter came, mum took us to the library. It was warm there, and it always had electricity. My mum didn’t want me to know how bad it was, but…”

Hecate turned to find Julie with one hand pressed over her mouth, tears streaking down her cheeks. She reached for Julie’s other hand and held it fast.

“When we were at the library, things didn’t seem so bad. Mum could use the computers to apply for jobs, and I could work on my homework. When my mum couldn’t buy me any more art supplies, Miss Pentangle bought them for the library. Miss Hardbroom let Dewey stay at the library so I could have a cat. She acts like she doesn’t like him, but I’ve seen her give him snuggles when she thinks nobody’s looking.” That got a few chuckles. “Anyway, if the library hadn’t been there, I don’t know what we would have done. If the library helped us like that, how many other kids out there could get help too? What will other mums do if the library is gone? Please, Mr. Mayor, don’t let the City Council take that away.” As soon as she finished Mildred raced back to sit with her mother.

Two more patrons spoke, and then the thirty minutes of allotted time was up. The handful of people waiting for the microphone sat down.

“Those are all absolutely heartwarming tales,” Ursula said. “However, they do not negate the fact that the library is underutilized and a drain on the taxpayers. I call the question, Mr. Mayor. It’s time for a vote.”

Hellibore sighed in defeat. “Very well, Ursula. Make your motion.”

Ursula looked disturbingly gleeful as she leaned into her microphone. “I move that the City Council relinquish its lease on the Lucille Mayweather Memorial Library and return the property to the closest living relative of the donor’s family.”

“Point of order!” Everyone strained to get a look as a handsome older gentleman stood to address the Council. He had silvery-blonde hair, tanned skin and a bright smile that Hecate found vaguely familiar. He carried an expensive-looking briefcase.

Hecate turned to Pippa. “Who is that? He’s never been to the library!”

Pippa squirmed in her chair. “That’s my father. I told you I had one more card to play.”

“What card? What play?” Hecate hissed. “This isn’t a game, Pippa!”

“Maybe so, but I’m playing to win, just the same. Now be quiet and listen,” Pippa whispered, shifting Hecate’s attention back to the proceedings.

“If I may?” He approached the microphone. “The vote is out of order at this time.”

Rattled, Ursula tried to regain control of the situation. “I hardly think so, Mr….?”

“George Pentangle, owner of BrightStar Enterprises, and I’m sorry, Mrs. Hallow, but your motion is out of order.” He pulled a stack of papers out of his briefcase and handed them to the Mayor. “If you’ll take a look at the complete agreement for the leasing of the library property, you’ll—”

“Where did you get this?” Ursula snapped.

“At the library, of course. Copies of all the City Council dealings are available to the public. Did you know they still have an old microfiche machine? It’s positively marvelous.” He seemed to be enjoying vexing Ursula Hallow to no end. “Now, if I may draw your attention to the complete clause, you’ll find that Mr. Fairweather had some concerns that future family members might not share his devotion to the idea of a public library, and so he took precautions.”

“What sort of precautions?” Hellibore asked.

“If the Council ever decides it wants to give up the claim to the property, it cannot revert back to the family if there is a party willing to pay the current tax valuation on the property to the family and take over the loan of land themselves.”

There was quite a bit of tittering as Mayor Hellibore and the Council members read the passage through several times. “It appears you are correct, sir. Am I to assume that you are bringing this to our attention because you are making such an offer?”

“I am, sir.” Another wave of tittering rocked the audience. Ursula Hallow looked like she could turn into a frog at any second.

A quick smile flickered across the Mayor’s face. “Would this have something to do with the fact that your daughter is employed by said library?”

“It might,” George Pentangle grinned broadly. “Doesn’t make the offer any less legitimate.”

“I suppose not.” Hellibore glanced at the document once more. “We’ll have to do a bit of research to find out who the next family member is…”

“As a matter of fact, Mr. Mayor,” Pippa’s father held up a blue folder, “I’ve already researched that as well. Did you know the library is a fantastic resource for researching your genealogy? It seems that the next of kin would be Ursula Hallow.” He handed the Mayor his blue folder.

Hellibore slapped the folder down on the table. “Is she now?”

“Oh! What?” Ursula fanned herself and tried desperately to look surprised. “You don’t say?”

“Bloody hell, Ursula! What are you trying to pull?” one of the other members shouted. “I move we accept Mr. Pentangle’s offer.” Another seconded it. After a quick show of hands and a bang of the gavel, it was done.

“As the bylaws also state that no member of the City Council may profit as a result of their position on the Council,” Egbert said, glaring at Ursula, “and since Mrs. Hallow has been so single-minded in her pursuit of the city giving up its conservatorship of the library, I suggest that the payment required be donated back to the library to be used for facility maintenance and upgrades.” He pointed the gavel in Ursula’s direction. “Wouldn’t you agree, Ursula?”

Ursula sputtered her agreement before she fled the room. Mayor Hellibore suggested the rest of the Council take the opportunity to review the library’s budgetary needs in light of the increased traffic. Once the Council moved into closed session, the room erupted into cheers.

Hecate sat, unbelieving. “What just happened?”

“We did it, Hiccup! The library will stay open!” Pippa pulled Hecate into a giant hug and bussed her cheek. “Come on, I want you to meet my dad.” She pulled Hecate from her seat and dragged her the short distance to the podium. “Dad!” She hugged him as well. “Thank you so much!” Her father hugged her back, kissing her loudly on top of the head before pulling away.

“I never should have had to step in, Little Bit. The way you two have brought that place back to life is simply astonishing. Now,” he nudged Pippa aside and extended a hand to Hecate, “I believe there’s someone you need to introduce me to.”

Pippa slipped an arm around Hecate’s waist, squeezing her hip. “Daddy, this is Hecate – my girlfriend.”

Hecate blinked. She hadn’t expected Pippa to say that. “I – I don’t know what to say,” Hecate stammered, belatedly taking his hand. “I had no idea… Thank you.”

“Worth every penny if it meant I finally get to meet this mystery woman my little girl’s been going on about.” Pippa elbowed him in the ribs. “And serve the community! Proud to do my bit for the community.” He grinned the same cheeky grin as Pippa.

Saved from coming up with a response by the raucous greetings from Dimity, Julie and Ada, Hecate forced a smile and slipped into the background. She needed air and a minute to think. After another hug from Dimity, Hecate couldn’t ignore the crushing need for space.

She threaded her way out into the hall, but found it filled with people as well. Before anyone else could stop and congratulate her, Hecate made her way outside, stepping off the sidewalk and onto the gravel mulch. She tucked herself out of the way, half hidden by a lamppost. She still didn’t understand exactly what had happened, only that, somehow, the library would remain open and that they had Pippa’s father to thank for it.

Closing her eyes, Hecate squeezed her pocket watch and settled her breathing. When the door squeaked open again and she heard shoes crunching across the gravel, she didn’t open her eyes. She didn’t need to. Only one person would follow her outside.

“Hiccup? Are you all right?” Pippa ran her hand lightly up and down Hecate’s arm. “It got a bit crowded in there.”

“Everything happened so fast,” Hecate said, opening her eyes and bringing them up to meet Pippa’s. “It didn’t for you, though, did it?”

“No,” she chuckled. “I thought the hearing went on for ages.”

“You know that’s not what I meant. You knew that we weren’t going to close. You and the… the ace up your sleeve.”

Pippa took a deep breath. She should have expected this. “Hecate. We saved the library. It’s going to stay open and it’s safe from Ursula Hallow. Why aren’t you happy?”

Hecate pushed away from the wall, shaking her head. “I am. I am happy the library is safe, but we didn’t save it. We failed. The only reason it’s remaining open is because your father is writing a cheque.”

“It’s staying open because it deserves to stay open! I can assure you that my father would never just ‘write a cheque’ as you say. He was in a position to right a wrong and do a good thing for the community. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“If there was nothing wrong with it, then why did you keep it a secret? Finding those records took more than an afternoon of flipping through a few books.”

“You’d best believe it did. Every night that you stayed home alone to work on your DM dress, I stayed here, researching in bloody all-night sessions and then some.” Pippa didn’t know if she should be bragging or apologizing.

“How long?” Hecate crossed her arms, scowling. “All of that hard work, and it made no difference. How long have you known our results didn’t matter?”

“Didn’t matter? How can you say it didn’t matter? Everything we did made the library better. It made the community better.”

“How long, Pippa!”

“I’ve known about the clause for a few weeks. I didn’t know Ursula was the heir until a few days ago. I didn’t know that Dad would agree until tonight.” She reached for Hecate’s hands, shocked when Hecate pulled away. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

“You said there wouldn’t be any more secrets.” Hecate blinked back angry tears. “If this plan to have your father buy off Ursula Hallow was so…acceptable, then why all the subterfuge? Why must there always be secrets, Pippa?”

“Because I didn’t want to be just another spoiled little rich girl whose father buys her way out of her problems! I needed to do this, Hecate. You needed to do this.” She waved her hands back and forth between them. “We needed to do this ourselves! And we almost did. We were so close to meeting that wretched woman’s impossible goals. But we didn’t, and I’ll be damned before I’ll let her take it all away – not when I had a way to stop her.”

“You’ve lied to me this entire time! You let me worry myself to death over all of this when you could have simply told me. I’ve told you every sordid detail of my family, but you never even told me that your father is one of the wealthiest men in Britain! Why do you even care about the library? Why are you here at all? My god, you’ve seen how I live, Pippa, what on earth are you doing with me? Were you just bored?”

Pippa closed the distance between them, going chest to chest with Hecate until she’d backed her up against the side of the building. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare treat my feelings for you as if they were some sort of joke! From the moment I arrived, you dismissed me as shallow and, and foolish and… inconsequential. Forgive me for not wanting to add ‘spoiled little rich girl’ to your list of my shortcomings.” A traitorous tear tracked down her cheek. She scrubbed it away. “I’m with you because I love you, Hecate, despite all of that. I don’t care what your flat looks like or how old your car is. I care about you, and I thought you knew me well enough to know that. I thought you knew me.” She spun on her heel and stalked into the darkness, leaving Hecate to try and figure out how tonight could end up so wrong.

Hecate didn’t remember the drive back to her flat, only that Pippa didn’t care if it was ratty and small or in a dodgy neighborhood. Pippa had said she loved her even though she didn’t think Hecate thought much of her at all – which couldn’t be further from the truth.

Over and over again, what she could have said, should have said, marched across the fields of her brain. By midnight, she couldn’t take it anymore. She had to see Pippa.

Half an hour later, Hecate stood outside Pippa’s door, trying to find the courage to ring the bell. Before she could work up the nerve to press the button, the door swung open.

“I have a video doorbell, Hecate.” Pippa said, tiredly. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she’d been crying a long time. A streak of mascara smudged her cheek. “It told me you were here. What do you want?”

Hecate didn’t move from her spot on the landing. “If I thought you shallow, it was only because I was too blind to see your depths. If I thought you foolish, it was only because I’m too jaded to see all the wonder in the world the way you do. And if ever I made you feel inconsequential, it was only because I didn’t recognize the lightness that you bring to my soul. I love you, Pippa Pentangle, and If you’ll give me another chance, I swear I won’t make the mistake of belittling your accomplishments by assuming that they are the result of anything other than your own efforts.”

Pippa gazed evenly at her without saying a word. She could see Hecate’s fingers twitching at her sides, and she knew that Hecate desperately wanted to grab that pocket watch. After a moment, Pippa kicked herself off the doorframe and opened the door wider. “Worked on that all night, did you?”

Hecate’s cheeks flushed as she studied the pattern of the hardwood floor and nodded.

“Thought so,” Pippa smirked. “Good job.”

At that, Hecate finally lifted her eyes to meet Pippa’s. “I couldn’t stop thinking about Algie and Gwen,” she whispered. “One argument… angry words that couldn’t be taken back… and then fate stepped in and… They lost each other for so many years, Pipsqueak. Pippa.” Hecate’s eyes slid away. She didn’t know if the endearment was still welcome. If she was still allowed.

“I know. I did too.” Pippa waved a hand over her faded jeans and t-shirt. “Look at me. It’s nigh on one in the morning and I’m still dressed. The only reason I saw you on the video is because I was leaving to go find you.”

“You were?” Hecate asked, her dark eyes wide and hopeful.

“I refuse to make the same mistake Gwen Bat did, all those years ago.” She took Hecate’s hands in her own and sighed. “I can’t give you a second chance, though, Hiccup.” She leaned in as Hecate’s shoulders dropped. “You see, darling, that would mean that you’d botched our first one, and you haven’t. I did. You were right; I should have told you about my family and the clause in the lease, not blindsided you at the meeting. Can you forgive me for that?” Pippa stepped closer, close enough to feel Hecate’s breath warming her skin. She watched Hecate’s eyes flicker from the floor to her lips to her eyes and back again. Pippa could see the wanting mingling with the fear. Slowly, she walked her fingers up Hecate’s arm until she could cup a tear-stained cheek. “I meant it when I said that I love you and want to be with you. I know it won’t always be easy, but I’m willing to put in the work. You and me and happily ever after, Hiccup, that’s all I want. Please say that you want that, too.”

Hecate nodded, leaning in until they were breathing the same air, their foreheads resting against one another. “More than anything,” she whispered, so close her lips brushed against Pippa’s. She leaned in the last bit and pressed their lips together, sliding her hands over Pippa’s hips and pulling her closer.

Moaning softly as Pippa’s tongue traced her lips, Hecate deepened the kiss, her hands skimming over Pippa’s curves. Pippa’s fingers raked through her hair, setting her scalp to tingling as she removed the hairpins one by one until her fingers were buried in thick, dark locks.

394.26     Festivals

The car park buzzed with activity. Booths lined the edges selling all sorts of sweets and savories, bits and bobs. Pippa had already made the rounds once, but now she beelined towards a booth selling silver jewelry. She’d spotted a filigree brooch that would go splendidly with Hecate’s black blouses.

“Here you go, miss!” A bearded young man pressed a flyer into her hands. “Get in on the ground floor, so to speak.” He pushed ahead, handing more flyers out as he went.

Pippa scanned the paper; it was an advert for new flats. Pippa frowned. There weren’t any developers on the list of participants; he shouldn’t have been handing them out. She started to chase after him when she saw the flats were going to be in the Mercer building down the street. She read it more carefully. One-, two-, and three-bedroom flats were available for pre-purchase. Now that the library – and her position here – had been secured, Pippa thought it might be lovely to live so close by. An unbidden image of sharing a flat with Hecate blossomed in her mind. Don’t get ahead of yourself, she thought, it’s early days yet. Still, the idea set her stomach and heart aflutter. Perhaps it was worth a mention to Hecate? She tucked the paper into her pocket to think about later.

Setting her mind back to her mission, Pippa squeezed through the growing crowd, cheerfully accepting a tiny rainbow flag from one of the PFLAG members and a Pinky Pickle from Dimity, balancing a sack of sugar on one hip as she munched away. It was her second pickle in as many hours. Dill pickles soaked in cherry Kool-Aid, they were a hideous shade of mauve. They were also sweet and tangy and, Pippa found, highly addictive. Hecate had been horrified by the very idea of them.

Thinking of Hecate, Pippa redoubled her efforts to get to the booth with the brooch. It would be just her luck to get there and find someone had already bought it. At last, she managed to wriggle her way back to it.

“May I have a look at that one, please,” Pippa said, pointing to an elegant silver cat. She plunked her bag of sugar onto the table and finished her pickle. Wiping her hands on her jeans, she inspected the delicate silverwork. “It’s lovely.” Counting out forty pounds, Pippa chatted with the vendor while she waited for her to wrap the pin in tissue paper. Tucking the brooch into her purse, Pippa turned toward the delicious smell of fresh-roasted almonds tossed in cinnamon and sugar.

The sugar! Pippa hurried back to the jeweler’s booth and snatched it off the table. Hoping she hadn’t been gone too long, she continued her journey across the car park to deliver the sugar to Ada, smiling and greeting attendees as she went. She stopped when she heard her name shouted.

“Miss Pentangle!” David Tapioca paused in placing a paper-crafted crown on a boy’s head and waved her over.

Pippa changed course and made her way to the D&D table. She’d been quite pleased when the Game Night boys had volunteered to set up a booth. Frankly, she hadn’t expected much more than the boys to show up in costumes. Instead, they’d put together materials to let children make craft paper crowns and swords out of pretzel sticks and colored sugar.

“Hello, David! Look at you!” Pippa made him spin a circle, admiring his Mage costume. She’d never seen the entire outfit at once. “You made this yourself?”

“Just some of it. Gran and Miss Hecate did most of it.” He searched the crowd. “Is Miss Hecate with you?”

Pippa thought she recognized some of Hecate’s dark brocade fabric in the trim on his outfit. “She’s here somewhere, of course, but I’ve not seen her in a bit. Can I help you?”

A flush crept up his cheeks. “I don’t need anything, I just… well…” He grinned and leaned in, whispering, “I wanted to show her this.” He pulled a folded sheet of paper from inside his cloak and handed it over. “I’ve been accepted to uni, just like Miss Hecate said.”

Shifting the sack of sugar to her other hip, Pippa scanned the letter. “Amulet’s College. That’s a good school. Well done, David!” She folded the paper and handed it back.

“It’s close enough that I can stay with Gran, too. She needs a hand around the flat.” He tucked the letter back in his pocket. “Will you not tell Miss Hecate? I want to tell her meself – myself,” he corrected.

“It’ll be our little secret, but I’ll tell her you’re looking for her.” Waving to the other players at the booth, Pippa pressed on, the bag of sugar getting heavier by the moment.

She’d gotten about three steps along when she heard her name shouted over the crowd. Searching through the people, she finally spotted Mayor Hellibore marching her way. He was dragging a furious looking Ursula Hallow along behind him.

“Well met, Miss Pentangle!” He bellowed. “This is a fine fete you have here. Absolutely splendid!” He leaned closer. “Have you eaten one of those pickle concoctions yet?”

“Two!” She grinned, holding up as many pink-stayed fingers. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to join us, Mr. Mayor, Mrs. Hallow.” She didn’t comment on the neon yellow safety vest Ursula had on.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” The mayor turned to Ursula. “Isn’t that right, Ursula?” His tone made it clear it wasn’t really a question. “In fact, Mrs. Hallow here has volunteered to help out with your event. Rubbish patrol. Isn’t that right?” Again, not a question. He pulled a bin bag and a pair of blue plastic gloves out of his pocket and handed them to her. “I wouldn’t want to keep you from your service.”

Ursula opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it. Instead, she stalked off into the crowd.

“I should be ashamed of myself for enjoying that,” the mayor grinned impishly. “But I’m not.” He scanned the crowd again. “It really is splendid,” he said, pulling a green flyer from his shirt pocket. “And I see you’ve managed quite the coup! Mr. Rowan-Webb is offering gardening workshops? I may have to take those myself.” He tipped his hat in Pippa’s direction. “Well, I’m sure you’ve a dozen platters spinning; I’ll let you get to it.”

Pippa hefted her bag of sugar higher and said her goodbye. Ada would have her hide if she didn’t get back before they ran out of sugar.

Ada swirled the candy floss onto the cardboard cone. At least they were starting to look like proper little poofs of sugar. Her earlier attempts looked more like Dewey’s sheddings than anything else. “Here you go!” She handed it to an eager little girl wearing fairy wings and a witch’s hat.

“That one looked like a proper one, didn’t it?”

“We’re getting better, Mrs. Hardbroom.” Ada smiled and accepted another cardboard cone. She’d been only too glad to accept the help offered by Hecate’s mother, even if Hecate herself still didn’t know what sort of relationship – if any – she wanted with her mother. Especially since Hecate didn’t know. Ada didn’t mind being a buffer as they attempted to find their way with one another.

“Please, Ada, call me Eustace. I know I’m older than Methuselah’s dog, but still… You’re doing me a kindness by allowing me to take part. I know I’ve got a lot to make up for and a lot of prejudices to unlearn.” Hecate’s mother greeted a boy dressed like Luke Skywalker before handing him a cone. “They’re coming faster now. I hope Pippa is on her way with more sugar.” She passed Ada another cone.

Ada spotted Pippa weaving her way through the crowd. “Here she comes… oops!” She’d gotten a bit distracted on that one – much to the delight of the young man now walking away with a double-sized serving of candy floss. Ada noted the way Eustace girded herself for Pippa’s arrival. Hecate may have been reluctantly willing to try and reconnect with her mother, but Pippa was another story. Eustace would have to work hard to win over Hecate’s protective partner. It pleased Ada to see that Hecate’s mother was willing to try.

“Here you go.” Pippa handed the bag of sugar over to Eustace. “There’s so many more people here than I ever thought.” She swirled a finger through the floss, popping it into her mouth. “Delicious! How are we doing on supplies? We’ve only got one more bag of sugar.” She smiled at Hecate’s mother, for once not having to force it.

While Ada twirled another puff, Eustace did a quick inventory. “Plenty of cones. Not too sure about the sugar.”

“No worries.” Pippa shaded her eyes from the sun and scanned the crowd. “There’s Julie,” she said, shouting and waving her over. “We need to send someone on a sugar run, can you manage?”

“I see, you just hired me to be your errand- girl,” Julie teased. When the City Council approved the library’s new budget, funding for a half-time employee had been included – as well as making Pippa’s position permanent and providing a healthy raise for Hecate. “Let me get Millie away from the snow cone stand, and we’ll be off.”

“Save the receipts!” Pippa called after her, suddenly hungry for a snow cone. The warmth of the June sun made a snow cone sound even better. Pippa decided that a snow cone with Hecate sounded like just the ticket – not to mention she probably should see how her introverted girlfriend was faring with all the people. Flitting through the crowd, Pippa smiled and shook hands, complimented freshly painted faces, and thanked the local businesses and volunteers that she passed. She kept her eyes peeled for Hecate the entire time, beginning to worry when she started her second lap of the car park without spotting her.

Finally, she caught a swirl of black through the crowd. She inched her way towards the small stage where a band played a lively cover of ABBA’s ‘Take a Chance on Me.’ As the song finished, the crowd shifted and Pippa saw her, standing off by herself with her eyes closed and arms crossed. She was smiling softly and holding one of the tiny rainbow flags in her hand. She looked radiant, and for a moment, Pippa couldn’t move. Unsure of whether she should disturb her or not, Pippa started to slip away when Hecate opened her eyes and looked right at her. And smiled – wide and bright and so full of love that Pippa could scarcely breathe. The next thing she knew, Hecate was standing beside her, brushing the back of her fingers against Pippa’s arm.

“Buy you a snow cone?” Pippa asked, gently taking Hecate’s hand.

Instead of pulling away, Hecate laced their fingers together. “I thought you’d never ask.”