Work Text:
Johanna let herself be pulled toward the library.
“Yes, I know that you want to study, but what I don’t understand is why I need to be here. Haven’t you come to the library by yourself before?” She asked Hilda and Frida, one kid hanging off each arm.
“Well…” Hilda looked away sheepishly. “We… um… wanted to spend time with you!” Johanna raised an eyebrow.
“Some of the adult patrons got annoyed last time we were there,” Frida said, taking pity on Johanna. “People don’t really like unattended kids in the library, and we made a mess, and”
Hilda interrupted her. “It was an accident!”
“Still, we made a mess, and the librarian suggested we bring an adult if we plan on staying for longer than enough time to pick out books.”
“Ah.” That made more sense. “Alright, but they’re closing in an hour,” Johanna said, noting a sign advertising the library’s changing hours.
The trio settled at a table in the corner, and Hilda started pulling books and papers from her bag. Johanna pulled out a book of her own and opened it to her bookmark. It was dull and poorly written, and she found her attention wandering soon after they arrived. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted motion.
The librarian was shelving books, up on a rolling ladder, and she was dancing as she did. She wore headphones, and moved gracefully, maintaining her balance several rungs higher than Johanna would have been comfortable.
The librarian looked toward their table, and Johanna reddened, realizing she’d been staring. She looked quickly back toward her book, trying to put the purple-haired, dancing librarian out of her mind.
“Hilda, did you see that?” Frida hissed some time later, breaking Johanna’s (admittedly weak) focus on her book.
“Yeah! Mum, can we go look?”
Johanna glanced at her watch.
“The library closes in seven minutes,” she informed the girls.
“It’ll only take a moment! Please?”
Johanna considered.
“Fine. But no running, speak quietly, and be back quickly,” she said, fairly sure she’d come to regret it. They raced off. “No running!” They slowed and turned the corner around a bookcase.
Johanna waited. Seven minutes passed, then ten. The library was technically closed, and she was sure that besides the kids, she was the last patron there. Just as she was about to get up to go looking for them, someone appeared behind her.
“I wouldn’t go after them. They’re in a part of the library that… patrons aren’t usually allowed in. But they’re safe, and I’m sure they’ll be back soon,” said the librarian.
“I can just grab them, if you’d like,” she offered. “I’m sure you want us out of your hair.”
“It’s fine. I’ll wait with you,” the librarian said, and Johanna’s heart skipped a beat. “I’m Kaisa.”
“Johanna,” Johanna said.
“And you’re Hilda’s mum, right?” Johanna nodded. “She’s a good kid.”
“I’m glad you said so,” Johanna said. “She gets into trouble and causes messes she can’t always fix, and it drives me crazy sometimes, but it seems that’s the only thing people notice about her.”
“Oh, I noticed that plenty,” Kaisa said, laughing. “Her heart’s in the right place, though. She comes around here pretty often, with Frida and sometimes David.”
“I saw you dancing earlier,” Johanna blurted. “I mean… I was wondering what song you were listening to?”
“I listen to music while I work quite frequently. What was I doing?” Kaisa asked, seemingly unbothered by the strange question. Johanna got up to demonstrate, but tripped over a chair leg and fell. Kaisa caught her by the hand.
“Sorry, I can be so clumsy,” she said, blushing.
“It’s fine.” Kaisa smiled, and didn’t drop her hand.
“I wish I could dance like you, though. I was watching you for a moment, and I completely realize how creepy that sounds, but you were so… enchanting,” Johanna said. Kaisa laughed dryly, though Johanna wasn’t sure she got the joke.
“I have an idea,” Kaisa said suddenly. She pulled Johanna toward a nearby open space and put a hand on her waist. “Is this okay?”
“Oh! Yes, sure,” Johanna said. Kaisa began moving, slowly at first, then quicker. She was a good dancer, graceful and attentive enough to make up for Johanna’s clumsiness and nerves. The moment was ruined, however, when Hilda and Frida showed up, giggling and peering through a bookcase. Johanna reddened, but Kaisa walked over to the table and wrote something on a piece of paper, never losing her composure.
“Well, it seems your missing kids have returned. I really should close up the library,” Kaisa said, handing the paper to Johanna. It had ten digits written on it in green marker. Hilda and Frida packed up their bags, giggling and whispering about whatever adventure they’d just had.
Later that night, Johanna brought out her phone. She typed in the number Kaisa had given her and wrote a message. She deleted and re-worded it half a dozen times before finally hitting send:
Johanna: Hi Kaisa, it’s Johanna (Hilda’s mum). I realized you never told me what song you were listening to. Do you remember what it was?