Jenny's Backyard

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Something peculiar caught Jennifer Honey's attention out of the corner of her eye. She put her book down and tried to spot whatever it was that had passed by her table at the library. Jennifer almost could have sworn it was a child, but what would a child that small be doing in the adult section of the library by themselves? She watched for a moment, until she saw a small figure pass by on the other side of the bookcase. She was right! It was a child.

Jennifer craned her neck searching for an accompanying adult, until she realized how silly she was being. "They're not your responsibility until tomorrow." She quietly chastised herself. But still...she should probably let Mrs. Phelps, the librarian know. She closed the book she was reading and stood, before pushing her chair neatly back into place.

When she arrived at the front desk, she gently placed the book, a Charlotte Bronte novel, on the counter and waited patiently for Mrs. Phelps to return from the back room, ignoring the bell with the sign that read "please ring for assistance." She busied herself reading the signs and posters taped to the walls even though she knew she had them memorized by now.

"Jennifer!" A stern voice called from the back. The woman stiffened on instinct and fought down the urge to flee. She relaxed when an older woman with wrinkly skin and silver hair hobbled over to the counter. "The bells there for a reason."

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Phelps." said Jennifer, ignoring her comment.

"Just this?" The librarian picked up the book and began writing the information out on a separate card. Their town was small and behind on the times, that or the old woman still refused to use a computer.

"Yes please. Umm, I think I saw a little girl wandering around by herself over there." Jennifer pointed to the back corner from where she had recently emerged. "I think she might be lost or..." Jennifer stopped when Mrs. Phelps craned her neck in the opposite direction, staring at an empty table nearby.

"It was probably just Matilda, she won't hurt anything." The older woman shook her head. "You've probably seen her in here before, she's here most afternoons." Jennifer frowned as she tried to remember, but she couldn't recall seeing a little girl before this afternoon.

"I don't think I've seen her before." said Jennifer.

"She's so quiet I forget she's here half the time. I have her sit over there, so I can keep an eye on her, but it's like watching a statue sometimes." Jennifer watched as Mrs. Phelps followed something with her eyes off in the distance. She turned around and spotted a small raven haired girl standing by a bookshelf facing the titles.

"Is she here by herself?" Jenny asked.

"I think one of her parents drops her off and picks her up out front on weekdays. Part of me wants to give them a piece of my mind for treating the library like a daycare, but she's been no trouble."