Favorite Place in Town

Favorite Place in Town

Andrea walked into the library with four-year-old James. She’d never been in this library, though she moved here years ago. Andrea tended to read on her computer, and worse, often the same book series she’d read through a number of times already.

Today was different. Though she babysat for James weekly, it was usually at their house, two towns over. The house she used to own. The kids bought it when Andrea decided it was too much work, too many memories. Andrea wanted a small place that didn’t haunt her daily since her husband passed. She wanted to enjoy beautiful gardens that other people took care of… rather than trying to keep up her own. She was not the gardener in the marriage… Now her house, was their house, full of their things, and also, their beautiful gardens.

Unfortunately, today, the roof needed work. The adults also had to work, so they decided James should go to Andrea’s while the roofers worked. Suddenly Andrea realized she hadn’t gotten to know her new town as well as she thought… the library was a gamble.

“What’s your favorite book?” she asked as they walked into what seemed to be the children’s section.

“Coloring!” James said, excitedly!

Well, that put a snag in it… “I meant to read…” she added.

“Silly Grammie! I can’t read yet!”

Andrea had to laugh. He was right, and this library, though very impressive, might not be impressive to a four-year-old. Though, she herself, now, really wanted to come back here and check it out.

“How about swings?” she asked, having seen an empty playground, walking distance away.

“Yes!” James perked up. And Andrea decided to come back to the library tomorrow, alone.

She rarely misses a week now. And the library is her favorite place in town.