Redemption [h.s]

sixty-five

"Libraries are so fun, I love them!" Gemma said next to me while we were walking between the shelves, my finger sliding against the rough covers.

I nodded. "One of my... friends works in a library." Could he still be called a friend? Even though I didn't want to believe that a stupid misunderstanding like that had ended a friendship of more than ten years, I couldn't help but wonder. "I like libraries as well. They're peaceful."

She stopped in her tracks, and I did as well. "I used to come here a lot a few years ago. You know, Harry loves to read." She picked out a book and looked at the cover. "But he didn't really like to go out, at first. So I would just come here and pick out books for him to read. It helped distracting him and everything." She opened the book, flicking through the pages. "He would talk about them while we were having lunch or dinner. I think that's when I realised that he could've had a future as a teacher. Have you ever heard him talk about a book? He's so passionate, it's mesmerising. His students were lucky to have him as a teacher. But I shouldn't say that, being his sister and all, right?" She closed the book and let out a little laugh.

"I think he might've said something about reading once or twice" I replied as she put the book back in its place.

"Sorry for taking a trip down memory lane" she said, "I didn't really mean to. Sometimes it happens." She started walking again, and I followed her. "I don't really know why we're here. It's kinda peaceful I suppose, I couldn't help myself. I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry, I'm just..." Her sentence faded into nothing when she couldn't find a way to end it.

"It's a nice place to meet up at" I said, trying to release the tension in the air.

"I guess. The thing is, I found it. You know. Yesterday. I... I don't know" she let out a little laugh, "I read it again this morning, for the first time in I don't even know how long, it just kind of upset me I guess. Sorry."

We walked out of the library, and I closed my coat when I felt the cold air hit my cheeks.

"I left it at home, so let's just go there. It's just a few minutes away anyway" she said, and I nodded.

I glanced at the empty street in front of us, putting my hands in my pocket, feeling the coldness of the key to my house pressing against my skin. "How did you find it? If you don't mind me asking. Hasn't it been like, six years or something?"

"Seven now. And I guess you're kinda right. Like, I would've never found it if I had gone straight to the police asking for a copy for sure. Thankfully I remembered that we already had one" she replied, shivering slightly from the cold. "My house never seemed farer away" she joked.

I nodded slightly. "That's good, I guess. How come you had forgotten about it?"

She let out a weird sound. "I didn't have it with me." We reached her house, and she unlocked the door, letting me walk in first. "It's all dark" she said turning in the lights of the living room, "That's good, it means that Michal and Harry are hanging out at yours... Harry's. How do you think they're coping?"

I laughed. "I'm sure they're having no trouble at all." I sat down on the couch, and Gemma did as well, bringing a few paper sheets that had been left next to the TV. "Did you have to go to your mom's to find them?" I asked, remembering the first thing she had said.

She shook her head. "Not Anne's. They were at Harry's house."

I frowned. "When exactly did you have the time to search for them? We're always at home."

She widened her eyes, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "Not... that house" she said lowly.

"Harry has another house?"