Silently Falling in Love: Lucky Charm

Book 2 - October 2006

Anjali – First week of October

I walk into the library with about six other parents.  We’re here for the orientation of what needs to be done as a volunteer for the Library.  Last year, I volunteered on the PTA.  This year I’ve decided I’ll do my school volunteer hours at the library.  I’m hoping the library will be more solitary work and I don’t have to interact with many of the other parents.  Luckily, there doesn’t seem to be that many volunteers here for orientation.  Looks like the library scene will be a great place to hide out.

Mrs. Smith the librarian for the past thirty years gathers us all and has us walk to the back of the library to begin orientation.

She begins with her personal history, which I have now heard several times.  Five minutes into it I can feel someone has just joined the orientation and they are standing behind me.

They are standing closely behind me.  If I took a half step backwards my back would be touching their chest.

I don’t have to turn around to know who it is.  I can tell its Alex who’s standing behind me.  I can feel his presence even though I’ve just known him a short while.  I shift my weight from one foot to the other so I don’t take the half step back.

Alex – Second week of school

I walk into the library to do my first volunteer shift and I see Anjali there. 

“Hi Anjali! Looks like we have the same volunteer shift,” I say happy to see a friendly face.

“Hi Alex, how are you?” Anjali asks.

“I’m good. How are you?” I ask as I follow her to the back of the library to find the books that need to be filed back on the bookshelf.

“I’m good, except,” she says as she waves her heavily jeweled and manicured hands across the books like she’s Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune, “today’s assignment.”  She laughs as she acts out her game show actress skills.  I laugh now staring at Anjali who is dressed in a maroon silk blouse, black slacks and black pumps.  At least she’s wearing pants instead of a dress.  Although the thought of her wearing a Vanna White gown in the library pushing a cart of books through the aisles of bookshelves makes me smile at how much more ridiculous she could be dressed. 

“So should we alphabetize them first and then put them away?” I ask.

“Yeah that sounds like a plan.”

We begin to pull the books off of the shelf and onto a table to organize them.

“So how are things going so far at school? Are Jasper and Leah adjusting okay?” Anjali asks.

“Leah’s doing fine since it’s Kindergarten year.  There have been several class play-dates and events for the parents to meet one another so she’s adjusting well.  Jasper on the other hand is having a bit more of a difficult time.  Most of the kids have been together since Kindergarten so it’s hard for them to include the new kid.  It’s just going to take time.”