Double Trouble

Meet My Daddy

Valerie's POV

"Nobody wants to hire me." I whined to Flynn as he serves me at his new job. He handed me my coffee and replied.

"You haven't tried very hard, Val." He stated and crossed his arms over his chest. I rolled my eyes and frowned at him. It's been a week since Gary promised Cal that we would all get jobs. He was able to get a job at the supermarket, Flynn was able to get a job at the cafe and even Cal managed to get a job at the shoe store. She said that she will buy shoes for a discounted price and try to pay her mum back with that. I have had absolutely no luck in the job finding area.

I got up from the table and walked out of the cafe and Flynn stood calling after me. "Wait! Val! Valerie! Where are you going?!" I just kept walking, I had an idea.

I caught the bus back to school and went straight to Mrs. Fernwick's office. She sat at her desk with her glasses at the bridge of her nose staring at the her computer with an angry expression. I knocked on the door and when she looked up and saw me she smiled widely.

"Valerie, dear! What a lovely surprise." She exclaimed. I smiled, trying to reciprocate her enthusiasm.

"Hello, Mrs. Fernwick." I greeted her and she gestured at the seat in front of her desk so I sat down. She took her glasses from her face and placed them on her desk, her smile never faltering.

"What can I help you with, dear?" She asked and mentally prepared myself.

"I was wondering... If... There are any jobs that I can do around school for a little bit of money?" I gulped and nervously awaited her answer.

"Actually, dear, I'm glad you asked. One of our library staff has just gone on maternal leave and we need a temporary replacement. Would you be interested?"

"Really, Mrs. Fernwick? That's sounds fantastic!" I smiled at her genuinely.

"Come stand next to me, dear. I'll show you the details on this bastard computer." She said and then with a squeak she added, "Excuse my French." At that I giggled quietly.

"Okay." I went a stood next to her.

"Oh, and dear? You will need to be in the library every day after school until seven and all day on a Saturday. Not Sunday's of course, if it's God's resting day then it's our resting day." I breath out heavily taking it all in. You're doing it for Cal. You're doing it for Cal. So she can stay. You're doing it for Cal so she can stay. I had to keep telling myself things that had meaning in my life or else I would have backed out there and then.

"That's sounds great, Mrs. Fernwick." I smiled at her happily. This will be good, I'm doing it for a good cause. Nobody uses the library anyway.

-

Apparently the library at Princeton Academy is being prepared and they need to come here to borrow books. And apparently a lot of people use the library for study. Haven't you all ever heard of computers? They're a great learning resource.

Because I went to see Mrs. Fernwick on the Saturday morning I started straight away and had to work until seven. I was flat out - stacking shelves and checking out books for people, helping people find books, putting books back in order and running up and down the aisles with a list in my hand and putting pink stickers on the shit books that the school wants to sell. I guess being flat out is being than sitting around being bored, at least that's what I've been telling myself.

"Uh, excuse me, Val?" I voice came from behind me. I span around and saw Matilda, Mrs. Fernwick's daughter. "My daddy is coming to visit me and I want to show him my favourite book but I can't find it." She informed me.

"What is it?" I used my hand to gesture for Matilda to follow me to the computer.

"Matilda by Roald Dahl." She said.

"Oh, that's a great book." I replied with a smile and typed the title and author of the book on the library's search engine. "We have four copies and three are out but one is still in, I'll try to find it." I told Matilda.

"Okay, my daddy will be here now so I'll go get him and then come back."

I searched the all of the children's books selves for 'Matilda' from top to bottom. I even looked in adult fiction, the encyclopaedia section and the non fiction books. I eventually found it tucked in between two large translated dictionary's on the International selves. Some kid must have hid it so that they could take it for themselves when they came back. Well, suck on that, it's Matilda's for now.

"...And this is the library." That was Matilda coming back with her dad. I took the book from the counter and scanned it out for her. "Daddy, this is Valerie." I looked up with a smile but it soon faltered and disappeared.

"Dad?" I said in utter shock.

"He's my dad." Matilda said proudly.

I looked at him in confusion with my head tilted and a frown on my face. "And mine too..."

"Uh, I -" My father stuttered. "I can explain." He finished. Matilda stood next to him holding his hand still smiling widely and clutching her newly borrowed book, completely unaware as to the situation that was unfolding before her.

"Yeah, sounds good to me." I responded wryly.

Written by Rainbow

Hi everyone, we would like to thank you so much for all of your support over the last few months with Double Trouble. We love writing this book and working together so much but all good things must come to an end. We are entering Double Trouble in the #Wattys2014 so it must be completed before December 15th so that is our goal.

So that it is possible to finish this story before the deadline new chapters will be updated lot more often than they are currently instead of once every weekend.

Be prepared for a storm of brand new, exciting, chapters because they are coming your way.

- Ansel & Rainbow