Page 29 of Two’s A Charm

BIBBIDI-BOBBIDI...ME AND YOU?

Effie

Effie stretched out her back, wishing her magic worked on stiff muscles.

The Friends of the Library group were part-way through an hour-long meeting about the many pressing issues facing the library.

For example, the fact that the cowboy romance section was apparently lacking, a Bowow-specific complaint.

And how Emerald’s library was doing a much better job with its social media, a Bruce complaint, levelled at Effie, whose disinclination to dance on the internet was apparently a major limiting factor.

And who was in charge of the signage for the upcoming weeding day, which would involve removing old and unloved titles from the collection to free up space for the new ones.

And which book they should choose to display as part of the ‘StoryWalk’ initiative they’d just received funding for.

‘What’s a StoryWalk?’ asked Theo, intrigued. ‘Please tell me it involves books with legs.’

‘Basically, you display an illustrated book page by page along a designated walking track,’ explained Effie, pulling up an example on her phone. ‘That way walkers can read while strolling.’

Theo considered. ‘Do we have a location yet? Because that would influence the book, right?’

‘Not yet,’ said Effie. ‘But probably one of the parks.’

‘Maybe we could do a turtle book,’ suggested Bowow, toying absently with the collar of her polka-dot blouse. ‘In honour of...what’s-his-name.’

‘Sheldon,’ offered Bruce, making a rock ’n’ roll gesture.

‘Shelby,’ corrected Theo. ‘We go way back,’ he added, when Effie shot him a surprise look.

And not just because Theo knew who Shelby was.

Her concern was more to do with Bowow getting the turtle’s name wrong.

Bowow might be a tad scattered by nature, but she never forgot an animal’s name.

She wasn’t the only one behaving strangely tonight.

Tammi, famous for her library cookie-eating habits and therefore in charge of the Friends cookie catering, had shown up empty-handed, apparently having forgotten that she was responsible for the meeting snacks.

Effie had called Bobby to place an emergency order.

‘Any other business?’ asked Effie, seeing that they’d worked through every item on the agenda.

Well, except for the ghost stuff, but she hadn’t found a good time to bring that up.

And probably wouldn’t. In any case, the library’s resident spirit had been reasonably well behaved today, and nothing had shattered or fallen.

And the books remained on their shelves, which was a relief given that Theo had spent a solid day working through them and checking for accurate alphabetization.

Even if he had teased Effie by putting together an entirely yellow book display.

‘We’ll have to start thinking about the kids’ summer program soon,’ pointed out Bowow. ‘My cousin’s happy to handle the bouncy castles again.’

Effie nodded, making a note to add that to the next meeting’s agenda.

Summer would be here before they knew it, and putting together a calendar with something that could appeal to kids of all ages was a full-time job.

Her full-time job, given that she was the only official staffer here, and the rest were volunteers.

‘Here come the baked goods!’ came Bobby’s voice from the hallway.

He and Kirsty appeared, Bobby in his usual flannel and jeans and Kirsty in her designer athleisure. Each carried a platter of buttery pastries from The Golden Hour. These they grandly set down on the table, letting the Friends pounce on the chocolate twists and sugar-dusted beignets.

‘This place is cute,’ murmured Kirsty, glancing around the main downstairs reading area, with its lofty ceiling and stained glass. ‘Great lighting. Imagine the videos you could film here. My followers would just die.’

She pulled out her phone and started waving it around the room, zooming in on the children’s art up on the walls, the cosy reading nooks and the rock display that Effie had put back together after the recent ghostly incursion.

‘You haven’t been in here before?’ Effie couldn’t keep the astonishment from her voice. How did one avoid the siren call of the library? ‘Ever?’

Kirsty shook her head. ‘It’s so imposing with all those steps.’

‘We have an accessible side entrance,’ said Effie, pointing. ‘We put it in a few years back. So you’re not a member?’

She was still trying to wrap her head around this. Even Bonnie had a library card! Effie had signed her up as a birthday gift years earlier. As far as she knew, Bonnie had only used it to borrow back issues of Vogue , but it still counted.

Kirsty shrugged. ‘I mostly read e-books.’

The astonishment was not abating. ‘But you can access e-books free through the library. Not to mention movies and TV. We have admissions deals with the nearby national parks, museums and zoos, too. Oh, and you can even borrow telescopes.’

In her excitement, Effie could feel her magic starting to crackle around her wrists. She willed it away. Not now, magic.

Her phone trained on one of the vintage light fixtures, Kirsty brightened. ‘I do love stargazing. How about you get me signed up? How much does it cost?’

The bewilderment kept coming. There were people in the community that didn’t know the library was free?

Maybe Bruce was right. She really needed to work on getting the word out.

How many people weren’t members not because they didn’t like to read, but because they were worried about membership fees or didn’t know what a membership offered?

‘It’s free. All of it. Well, unless you want to print a PhD thesis in full colour. But other than that, free.’

Effie led Kirsty over to the circulation desk, quickly typing her details into the system, then presenting her with a pristine set of library cards. ‘You’re all set. You can even borrow something tonight if you’d like.’

Kirsty hesitated, and Effie steeled herself. Was she going to ask to film a multi-part influencer dance routine in the reading room?

‘Can I borrow the telescope?’ she asked, finally.

Well, that was a relief. ‘Sure.’

As Effie grabbed a telescope kit to check out, Bobby held up a tatty card on a keychain, clinking it against Kirsty’s new one. ‘Twins.’

Against all that Effie knew about her nature, Kirsty smiled. ‘Wow, that card looks like it’s seen some stuff.’

‘I’m OG. I’ve had this since I turned ten.’

Effie passed Kirsty the telescope, walking her through how to use it and where the best night-sky sites were. ‘Actually,’ she added. Her voice faltered. ‘Could I get your help with something? You’ve probably noticed that the library’s social media accounts are a touch under-served.’

Kirsty searched on her phone, pulling up the library’s accounts. ‘Oh, wow. Understatement of the century.’

Here it came. Effie was about to do something she’d never thought she’d lower herself to.

‘Do you think you could give me some tips?’ she asked tentatively. ‘We can pay you, of course. Through the Friends.’

‘Absolutely! I’d love to. Just let me know when.

’ A blast of music spilled from Kirsty’s phone as she scrolled back through the library’s account, hitting on the ‘bookworm POV’ video that Bonnie had put together for Effie the previous year.

It had received the most views of anything on the account. ‘That video wasn’t bad,’ she added.

‘Thanks,’ said Effie. Bonnie wasn’t here to take credit, so why not?

‘You know, I’ve even got your first piece of content – the sign-up we just did.’

Effie swallowed. ‘You were filming that?’

‘Of course. And you were amazing . Who knew that libraries were free? And that you could borrow telescopes? I’ll cut it together and send it to you later tonight.’

Effie wasn’t quite sure what to make of this interaction. Kirsty was being affable. Helpful. Kind , even. There must be something in the town’s water, because this was thoroughly unusual. Kirsty was barely even nice to Bonnie, let alone Effie.

Maybe it was the moderating force of Bobby at play. Although the fact that the two were apparently dating was baffling to Effie. Effie might not be especially well versed in all things romantic, but she’d always thought that Bobby had a soft spot for Bonnie.

But she supposed that even someone as sweet and doting as Bobby would only wait in the wings so long before he gave up.

Bowow came up, a selection of pastries balanced artfully in her palm. ‘I’m out, Effie. But you’d better hear me on those cowboys, because these babies,’ she tapped her bag, ‘are the last three in the library I haven’t read. What are my dogs going to do if Mama can’t read to them?’

‘Duly noted,’ said Effie. She waved as the other Friends took their leave.

Kirsty blew Effie a kiss before sidling out after them, telescope case slung over her shoulder. ‘I’ll text you that video when it’s ready to upload.’

‘I really appreciate it.’ And she really did. ‘Thanks for the pastries, too,’ she added, as Bobby followed Kirsty.

‘Any time,’ said Bobby, with his usual cheerful grin. He gave her a hearty wave, then followed Kirsty down the front steps.

According to Effie’s math, which was exceptional, and the hair prickling on the back of her neck, only Theo remained.

Well, and the ghost, but she didn’t want to think about that right now.

Theo’s green eyes regarded her thoughtfully as together they tidied up after the meeting.

‘So,’ he said. ‘Any plans for tonight?’

Effie shook her head. ‘Just the usual. A hot date with my book, a pot of tea and my own uninterrupted thoughts. I’ve been dreaming about it all day, honestly. There’s a point where I get peopled out. I don’t know how Bonnie does it.’

She paused, wondering how her sister was doing.

Things had been slightly off recently. She’d barely seen Bonnie since their fight, and the times that she’d spied her in their kitchen, she’d seemed exhausted.

Effie suspected her sister was sleeping at The Silver Slipper, even though the apartment above was barely habitable, even by Bonnie’s standards.

‘Have you been by the bar since the other night?’ she blurted, not even sure why she was asking. Or what she was asking.

‘I haven’t,’ he said, his tone sounding oddly like an invitation. ‘But I could.’

Outside, a gust of wind picked up, rattling the stained-glass windows and causing the whole library to let out a creaking sigh.

Upstairs, somewhere in the upper reading room, Effie heard a distinct thud, followed by the most horrific hacking sound she’d ever heard. She swallowed. The ghost was back.

‘So, are we going, or not?’ clarified Theo.

Effie blinked. What was he talking about? ‘Going where?’

Theo cocked his head, looking at her the way her sports teacher had during Effie’s first game of dodgeball.

Like she was an alien. He opened his mouth, about to say something, then shut it again.

His tone, when he finally spoke, was bemused, but gentle.

‘You, Effie Chalmers, are harder to read than James Joyce. I’ll see you tomorrow. ’

With a wave, he headed out the front door, giving each of the stone gargoyles a pat, then clattered down the front steps into the night. Effie, meanwhile, headed upstairs, wishing that perhaps she’d asked Theo to stay. For ghost-busting purposes, of course.