Page 27 of Librarian for the Jock

Chapter Twenty-Seven

PAIGE

For a family of three, why did we have so many socks and so many mismatched pairs? This really should have been one of the top wonders of the world. Jenny and Brandon came bounding down the stairs, their faces filled with a kind of barely-contained excitement that immediately made me suspicious. They had been whispering to each other all morning, and now they were standing in front of me with big, innocent smiles plastered across their faces.

“Hey, Mommy!” Jenny chirped, her voice a little too cheerful. “Guess what?”

I raised an eyebrow, still holding a pair of socks in my hand. “What’s going on, you two? You’ve got that look in your eyes like you’re up to no good.”

Brandon stepped forward, trying to look casual, but I could see the sparkle in his eyes. “Well, we were just talking to Aunty April on the phone…”

April had been my best friend since we were three years old, and I knew she was always up to something. “Oh, were you now?” I asked, folding the socks slowly. “And what does Aunty April have to say?”

Jenny jumped in, nodding eagerly. “She said she needs you to come down to the town square tonight. For… um… a photo shoot!”

I blinked, surprised. “A photo shoot? Ha! April needs me for that? Why?”

Brandon nodded quickly, backing up Jenny’s story. “Yeah, it’s for her new article in the newspaper! She’s doing this whole thing about, uh, ‘Strong Women of Hawthorn Hideaway,’ and she really wants you to be in it. She said it’s super important, and she needs a few pictures of you looking all… fancy.”

I narrowed my eyes, sensing something was up, but they both looked so earnest. “Why me?” I asked, trying to figure out where this was going. “There are plenty of strong women in town.”

Jenny quickly nodded. “But, Mommy, you’re her best friend! And she said you’ve done so much for the community, especially with the library and all. She wants you to be the centerpiece of the article.”

Brandon added, “Yeah, and she said you have to look really nice. Like, dress up-nice.”

I put down the laundry, crossing my arms. “Dress up-nice? For a photo shoot? This sounds a little suspicious…”

Jenny put on her best pleading face. “Please, Mommy? It’s really important to Aunty April. And she said she wants it to be a surprise for everyone, so you can’t tell anyone.”

I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “So, let me get this straight: Aunty April wants me to dress up, come to the town square, and have my picture taken… for a surprise article?”

Brandon nodded eagerly, “Exactly!”

I shook my head, laughing softly. “You two are terrible liars, you know that?”

They both looked a little taken aback but didn’t give up. “It’s true!” Jenny insisted. “And Aunty April said there will be a lot of people there, so you have to look your best.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A lot of people?”

Jenny quickly nodded. “Yeah! And she even said she’ll take you out for dinner afterward, as a thank you.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sheer determination in their eyes. “Alright, alright,” I said, playing along. “I guess if Aunty April says it’s important, I’d better go. But this had better not be some prank.”

Brandon grinned. “No prank, we promise! And we’ll help you pick out what to wear!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Fine, you two. Go find me something nice, then.”

As they rushed off to my closet, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and curiosity. I knew there was more to this story, but they seemed so excited, and honestly, it had been a while since I’d had an excuse to dress up. Whatever they were up to, I supposed it couldn’t hurt to go along with it… for now.

Suddenly, my phone started going off. It was April’s tone, and I was fascinated that she was calling at this very moment. Now I would really find out what was going on.

“Hello, my beautiful friend!”

April started laughing right away. “I knew you wouldn’t believe the kids, so I figured I’d better call you.”

“Seriously, April, what in the world? A photo shoot? Me?! You know I never liked being the center of attention and hate taking pictures. And I have to get dressed up? You know I don’t do that kind of stuff. I’m more of a plain Jane kind of gal.”

“I know. I know. So here’s what’s going on. Your loving, brilliant kids wanted to do something special for you. After last night’s amazing town party in the library, they wanted me to spotlight you for the strong woman that you are. I told them it was a great idea, so we brainstormed a few ideas together.”

“Oh, April, you know I don’t need any kind of special attention or recognition.”

“I know that too, Paige, but the library needs more special attention and recognition. The library is, and should always be, the heart of our town. A safe space, a place everyone can go to when they need a little help in any way. I think many of us saw that last night.”

“I agree.”

“So I have an idea to help our library, and you are the go-to person. To make the article stand out more, I need you to show up a little differently, just one time. I want you looking fabulous for these photos, alright?”

I frowned, still not entirely convinced. “Hair and makeup? April, this is starting to feel a bit much for a little photo shoot for the newspaper…”

“Trust me, Paige,” she cut in, her voice softening just a little. “It’s important. And you deserve to feel special. Besides, when was the last time you did something just for you?”

I hesitated, her words hitting closer to home than I’d like to admit. “I… I guess it has been a while.”

“Exactly,” she said with a confident tone. “So let me pamper you a little. We’ll make a night of it!”

“Ugh. Oh, okay, for the library. You need to come over and help me with my hair and makeup stuff. You know I have no interest in those kinds of things. The kids are choosing my outfit.”

“Of course, Paige, I’ll help you with your hair and makeup. I’ll come at 4 pm, and we’ll make you movie-star gorgeous.”

“Just to let you know, April, I am not looking forward to this, but I still love you and am very grateful for you.”

“I know, Paige. I love you too.” We hung up.

I shook my head, wondering what in the world I had gotten into.

**Later That Evening…**

I was standing in front of the mirror, still fiddling with the dress Jenny and Brandon had picked out for me—a simple but elegant navy number I’d had tucked away in the back of my closet for years. It felt strange to be dressed up like this, but kind of nice too. I hadn’t done this in a long time, and I had to admit, it felt good to look a little fancy, but I was still half-tempted to just change back into my usual tights and a big comfy top. I smoothed down the fabric, feeling a mix of nerves and curiosity bubble up inside me.

Before I could overthink it, there was a knock at the door, and I heard the kids shout from the hallway. “Mommy! Aunty April is here!”

I took a deep breath, setting down my doubts for a moment. Maybe this was one of April’s crazy schemes… or maybe, just maybe, she was right. Maybe I did deserve a night that was a little special.

I walked to the door, opening it to find April standing there with a big grin, her arms full of hair tools and makeup bags. “Ready to be fabulous?” she asked, winking.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling back. “Alright, let’s do this,” I said, feeling a flicker of excitement despite myself. “Make me look like the star you seem to think I am.”

April winked again. “That I know you are!”

We headed up the stairs to my room, the kids trailing behind us, whispering and giggling. As April set up her little beauty station, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was coming… something that might just change everything.

An hour later, I was standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection, and for a moment, I couldn’t believe it was me looking back. April had finished my hair and makeup, and I was… stunned.

My hair was styled in loose waves that framed my face, softer and more elegant than I had ever bothered with. My makeup was subtle but perfect, with just a hint of color on my cheeks and lips, my eyes a little brighter, a little more defined. I didn’t know how she did it, but April had been able to enhance all of my best features and dull down my imperfections. There was a glow to my skin that I didn’t even know I could have. I looked… different. Naturally beautiful. More confident.

I blinked, taking in the whole picture—the dress, the hair, the makeup—and I barely recognized myself. I looked like a woman who had somewhere important to be, someone who knew how to turn heads. Someone who deserved to feel beautiful and humbly knew it.

A flutter of nerves tugged at my stomach. It had been so long since I felt like that—since I had felt this version of myself. I had been the mom, the librarian, the one who held everything together, blending in with the wallpaper. But now, standing there, I felt… like I could be more. Like maybe I deserved to be.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Part of me wanted to hide, to throw on a sweater and pull my hair back up in a bun. But another part of me, a quieter, braver part, whispered that it was okay to feel this way. That it was okay to want to feel beautiful, to feel special, especially for this one night.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I barely noticed Jenny and Brandon creeping up behind me, their eyes wide as they took in the transformation.

“Wow, Mommy,” Jenny breathed, her voice full of awe. “You look… like a princess!”

Brandon nodded vigorously, his mouth hanging open a little. “Yeah, you look awesome! Like, really fancy but still you.”

I laughed, feeling my cheeks warm. “Thanks, guys. But this is a bit much, don’t you think? I mean, it’s just a photo shoot…”

Jenny shook her head, her eyes sparkling. “No way, Mommy! You look perfect. Aunty April did an amazing job!”

April beamed from where she was standing, clearly pleased with her handiwork. “See, I told you I had this. You look stunning, Paige. Like you just stepped off a magazine cover. You’ve always been a beautiful lady, you just didn’t want to see it. I really didn’t do much at all.”

I shook my head, feeling a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. “I don’t know… it just feels so different. I’m not used to all this.”

Brandon grinned and stepped closer, grabbing my hand. “That’s the point, Mom! You’re always doing stuff for everyone else. It’s time you do something for you.”

Jenny nodded eagerly, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Yeah, Mommy. You deserve this. You deserve to feel beautiful.”

I felt a lump forming in my throat, touched by their sincerity. “Thanks, you two. I guess I just… I haven’t done this in a long time. I forgot what it felt like.”

April came up beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Well, maybe it’s time to remember,” she said softly. “You are beautiful, Paige. Inside and out. You always have been. And tonight, you get to show the world what we all see every day.”

I swallowed, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill over. I gave her a small smile, feeling a wave of gratitude for my best friend, for my kids, for everyone who believed in me more than I believed in myself.

“Alright,” I whispered, taking a deep breath and straightening my shoulders. “Let’s do this.”

Jenny and Brandon cheered, clapping their hands, and April gave me an encouraging nod. “That’s the spirit!” she said, beaming. “Now, get ready to knock ‘em dead.”

I looked at myself one last time in the mirror, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself feel proud. Proud of who I was, of where I had been, and of whatever was coming next.

And maybe, just maybe, I was ready to find out what that was.