Within Blank Pages

Genevieve stepped to the side, pulling her hand from under the thick fingers attempting to weigh her hand down. The burly man stared at her with an intensity that made her face burn with discomfort. The cigar smoke that bellowed from across the counter made her cough, sending her face into a scowl that thinned her vibrant green eyes. She straightened her cardigan and turned to walk to the far end of the counter, away from the disturbance that lingered. This was becoming more like DeJa’Vu.

“Genny, baby,” he puffed past the cigar hanging out of the side of his mouth. “Listen, all I want to do is make ya happy, doll. ’Cause when you’re happy, then you’ll make me happy.”

“Josef, I assure you, my happiness will not affect you at all.” She began to shuffle the books messily stacked next to her on the cart. She wanted to put as much distance as possible between them, and books were more than enough of an escape for her. She only wished that she could mentally escape, rather than just using their physical existence as reasoning to slip out of the situation she was in. She picked up a small stack and pushed the small swinging door at her end of the counter open. She smiled only slight, cocking her head to the side.

“I know you have made such a generous offer, but I am sorry. I cannot accept it.” She said sarcastically. “This library is my home, what I live for. I cannot stand the thought of seeing it turned into a tourist attraction or work with those floozies parading about as your ‘fantasy librarians’, or whatever it is you call them. Find someone else to flaunt about.”

“Why are you being so…so stubborn!” he raised his voice, slamming his fist down. Seeing the glare she was giving, he sighed, and pushed back the short black hair on the side of his head. Genevieve was not the least bit surprised by this outburst. “Listen Babe, I planned to keep it here just the way it is. You have no idea the convincing I had to do to not tear the place down. I did this for you too, so you’re just gonna have to stay. You’re mine now, part of what I fought for.”

She looked coldly at him. “I am not a thing you can buy, and own. So, I am not, nor will I ever be yours. Besides, your idea is ridiculous. Dressing these so-called “librarians” as if they are part of some entertainment? This isn’t an attraction, Josef.”

“Ridiculous? I am trying to save this place! How often do you hear about a private bookstore anymore, huh? You don’t. So, turn it into a café as well, with a little eye candy to serve as a break from the pages, and this place’ll be a hit! Hell, we might even be able to create a dinner show for the place!”

“It would ruin the aesthetic! Libraries aren’t meant for that kind of entertainment.”

She turned and started walking down an aisle of books, lightly running her fingers along the old spines of the books on the shelves. Behind her she heard his large footsteps follow.

“These, these are what this place is about,” she said motioning to the lines of books. “Not some place to appeal to those who can’t keep their eyes to themselves. This is all the entertainment needed.”

He sighed heavily. “It would be an experience. I told ya, I’m not tearing the place down. Heck, I am keeping all your beloved little books. I am just giving it…giving it a fresh feel.”

She stopped walking and turned her head to look at him with defiant eyes. “Well, I don’t like this ‘feel’ you seem to want. I think it’s a terrible ’feel’”.

“You…you’re so... so... frustrating! I am offering you a dream, and all you can say is you don’t like the feel?! I could have girls throwing themselves at this opportunity!”

“So go find yourself some, what did you call it?” She pretended to think. “Oh yes, eye candy. Surely there are some out there, as you say.”

He glared at her and clenched his teeth before turning and stomping out the door with a slam.

She placed the stack of books on a nearby shelf. Placing her hands flat on her temples and closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, trying to rid her mind of it all. After a moment, she tossed her blonde waves into a bun, and got to work sorting books and placing then back in their proper place on the shelves. She did so gently, trying to appreciate each moment, knowing they would soon be gone. As light shone through the window at the end of the hall with the beaming intensity of the sunset. She glanced down at her arm, following the reflection of the light on her pale skin back to the source of its entry at the end of the row. Next to the window in which the light was creeping through, sat a small iron table with two chairs, embellished with a floral design. She could almost see them, the teacups, growing cold and untouched on the table. An elderly woman with tears in her eyes as she broke the news.

“Genevieve, I am so sorry. You know I fought hard to keep this place, but I…” she trailed off into a sob. “Now that my husband is gone, I can’t afford-”

“It’s okay Ms. Delsman, I understand.” She reached across the table, placing her hand lightly on the fragile woman’s arm. “I know how hard it has been for you, and I don’t blame you in the least. You have done more than enough, and it’s time you focused on taking care of yourself.”

“But where will you go?”

“I’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about me.” She spent the next hour reminiscing with the old woman over all the years they had spent together working in the library. As the woman picked up the end of her long dress and walked through the door, she turned back one last time, brushing the gray curls out of her face and smiling sadly.

Genevieve hadn’t seen her since.

She shook her head, pulling her consciousness back into reality. She had many wonderful years here, learning from Ms. Delsman about any and all things in the library. She had been a wonderful role model as Genevieve finished her studies to become a librarian, and a great friend for all the moments that should have been experienced with a family that had long since passed. Genevieve knew she fought hard, as the last building standing that had not yet caved to the pressure of the large companies to sell, so that they could further their development plans for a ridiculously large mall that the city honestly had no need for. Mrs. Delsman was getting older though, and she could not keep up with their continuous pestering; she needed to move on. This would be good for her, but Genevieve couldn’t help feeling a little broken to see the place she had come to love as a second home destroyed. Or worse.

Josef was a rude and pushy man, who seemed to think the world was his playground and he could do any and everything he wanted. He was never in need of money and made his selfish decisions without a care in the world for anyone else. Just like his father. When the offers first came pouring in, Genevieve tried to be the barrier for Ms. Delsman, and refused him often. However, she noticed he began to come in with something else in mind. For whatever reason, he had apparently taken a liking to her fiery attitude and broadened his sights to try and negotiate more than just the building itself, but to throw her into the deal. He seemed to think of people as his own tools, and she refused to become some play toy for such a man.

A few months before the deal, he refused to leave and instead pitched an awful idea he had, thinking his plan to keep the library intact would win her over. He would hire more librarians, with her as the head. They would turn the library into a partial café, which wasn’t an issue for her. He had apparently done some traveling and stumbled upon themed café’s while abroad and seemed to think this was the answer to bringing the library back to life. That was the problem.

She was stacking the books when she heard the door. She braced, expecting Josef to have come back to pressure her more. She straightened herself, and though already tall for a woman, tried to make herself seem just a bit taller, an attempt to counter his arrogance.

“M-Ms. Genevieve? I am looking for Ms. Genevieve,” came a warbled voice. Confused, she walked back down the row of shelves to the front counter and looked to see who had entered. An old man, with shaggy gray hair stood in the doorway, slightly hunched over as he held a blue-gray hat in his weathered hands. His tweed suit looked worn, though not old. Even with his warped stance, he reached her height. When his blue eyes met hers, they lit up with recognition, and a smile spread across his face.

“Oh, it is you. I finally found you!”

“I’m sorry sir, but I don’t know who you are.”

“You probably wouldn’t remember a feeble old man like myself. No matter. I have found you, and there will be plenty of time for explanation. Your library, it closes soon, yes?”

She slowly nodded, slightly skeptical. He spoke like he knew her, and she had to admit, he did have a sense of familiarity, but she simply couldn’t place where she had seen this man before.

“Good, good. I hope you don’t mind, but I think I will find myself a seat, and wait for you.”

“There are tables at the end of every row. You are welcome to use any one of them.” She motioned to the 10 rows of bookshelves, all which led to the long expansive windows that lined the far side of the library. It wasn’t huge, nor was it small. It was in between, a simple place to find both reference, and solace. At least, for now it was.

The old man smiled cheerfully and gave a small nod before wobbling off between the towering shelves. She watched him go, feeling a mix of both confusion, and curiosity. There was only fifteen minutes left until the store closed, and all she needed to do was clean up a few things. She could take that time to rack her brain and try to remember who this man was. This day was turning out to be much more wearing than she had expected her last days to be.