Split Love

CHAPTER 12

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2018

The constant chatter had disturbed the library's silence rule that morning. A few times a year this happened at the Willow Creek Public Library, and this occasion was one of them - the winter festival.

Nora Lockwood and the entire town committee were gathered in the Library to decide on a few remaining details for the winter fair that was to take place in seventeen days. Nora gave some instructions while some council members disagreed and the others just argued in the background.

Jasmine Davenport was standing at one of the windows, watching her reflection in the fogged-up glass. November had arrived in full force, temperatures had dropped a lot and snow had been falling for a few days. The sidewalks were white with snow as the WSV passed a while ago.

It was almost 10 am and Jasmine predicted that this whole meeting would last all day, just like the last one that had taken place two weeks ago.

The glass of the windows were fogged up by the heater, Jamie put her index finger on the glass and it felt cold. She drew a star, a heart, and a square. She drew another heart underneath the first one and then swiped the sleeve of her light blue knitting blouse to erase everything. The clean glass revealed a black SUV parked in front of the library.

Jamie's attention was promptly piqued, she knew no one in Willow Creek had that car.

- He is back? - She whispered.

Jamie didn't know how long that car had been parked there. She had only been in front of that window for about 15 minutes, before that Jasmine was finishing arranging some books on the shelves in the mezzanine.

Jamie wiped the glass again and waited.

It had been 3 weeks since the date they had. Since that day Jasmine has tried several times to look for Micah again on the internet, but she hasn't found him. She found other Mikhails residing in NY, but none of the photos matched the man she met. That night, it wasn't until later that Jamie realized that they hadn't exchanged phone numbers.

In these 3 weeks, the girl asked herself several times if she would see him again, and her rational side questioned if that was correct.

Jamie couldn't see anyone through the darkened windows of the car, but then she remembered the snow falling from the sky. A thin layer of snow was accumulated on top of the roof of the car.

Looking back Jamie saw Nora and the council still in the same discussion they had earlier in the day. She considered leaving without anyone noticing but she preferred to warn them.

She walked over to them and cleared her throat to get their attention, but it was to no avail. The conversation was very loud. She took a deep breath and tried again, but again to no avail.

- I find it difficult for anyone to understand you. - Rex, an old man who is part of the council spoke. He was sitting a little apart from the others, notebook in hand.

- Do you think they will need me for something?

- Unless you can put an order in this mess, go live your life girl. I don't believe anyone would go out to get a book with this snow. And for sure if they came, they would think they were in a zoo.

Jamie chuckled as the man raised his index finger to his mouth, telling her not to make any noise, and then waved his hand toward the door.

- Thanks. - She whispered.

Jasmine put on her thick coat that was hanging in the closet and her beanie. She took her cell phone out of her purse and slipped it into her pocket.

A minute later Jamie stopped in front of the library window she'd been at before, but this time on the sidewalk. She had considered crossing the street and knocking on the car window but she didn't even know if it was Micah.