Beautiful Lily

Half of a heart

CHAPTER - Half of a Heart

As soon as they arrived in town to work, Belle kissed her husband goodbye and they parted ways to their own establishments. It was agreed on the way into town that they would meet each other over at the library today instead of the shop for lunch. Unlike this past week, Belle had an objective in mind. She was brimming with ideas about her book club. Perhaps there were a lot of other people in town who matched her own enthusiasm in books? Maybe she could divide the group into two clubs: One adult and one junior. She shook her head at the idea. She was getting ahead of herself. She had to get the word out first and she needed to choose some books for her club to talk about.

As she walked around the library putting up the remaining books from her cart she realized that not only were there books from this world, but there were books from their world as well mixed in together. This would be an excellent topic of conversation! She thought. She would find a book that she's read before from their world, and find another similar book from this world to compare it with. They could discuss the characters, their choices, how the morals aren't so different in this land as it is in theirs. Brilliant! She proudly thought to herself.

On paper she drew out many drafts of the flyers she intended to post around town. When she finally committed to the best one, she went to the library's computer to digitally recreate what she planned on paper to the screen. Working the computer took some time, since all of her working knowledge of technology from this world came from Lacey, and it wasn't much. Sure Lacey could probably tell you all the delicious vodka combinations, but her knowledge on anything else was pretty limited.

She jabbed a few keys here and there, clicking the mouse this way and that, not realizing how much time had flown until her husband entered the library to greet her.

"Ah, so this is what you look like when you're in your element," he observed. He had a look of bemusement watching her focus and concentrate.

"I can't figure out this damn..." she said clicking the mouse repeatedly in frustration, "thing."

"I'm pretty sure two clicks should suffice."

"This isn't my element. Books are my element. Papers and pens are my element. But this... computers. Not my element."

He walked over to her behind the desk and looked at the monitor with her.

"What are you trying to do?" he asked.

"I'm trying to make that look like..." she lifted her sample to show him, "this."

"You've got the font there, but it appears you're looking to find the program to match your border."

Belle spoke many languages, but this was not one of them. "Um... what?"

"Do you mind if I, uh...?" he gestured to sitting in her chair to explain, to which she gladly obliged. She got up and gave him her seat and watched studiously. "This," he said using the curser on the screen to show her, "is the font and over here... if you want to choose a design, simply click on this... this is called a 'tab'. Then here... see... borders... then choose the design you want. Then click 'ok'."

"Font. Tab. Borders. Ok," she repeated back. The way he moved around the computer so comfortably was unbelievable. "Is there something in this land you don't know how to do?"

He chuckled at her reply, "Oh, there's plenty."

"Well thank you," she said reaching for her jacket.

"Actually, I came by to let you know that I can't make it to lunch today. I do hope you're not too disappointed."

"Is everything ok?"