Chapter 6

Mr. Matthew walked into the library shakily, looking back a few times. His mother and the other women peered in through the library’s big see-through glassy window, giving him thumbs-ups to reassure him and try to put his mind at ease. He shook his head mildly and walked on. The plan was simply laid out. He looked back one more time before finally walking over to the counter where the librarian sat.

“Just sign in here, and here, oh and also here,” she said as she handed him a paper and a pen. He signed the document quickly and after waving her goodbye, walked towards the gigantic rows of bookshelves. The library had so many people coming to read in it that two documents had to be signed in order to make sure no book was stolen or misplaced.

The first documented stated the time a person entered, with a statement that if the person signing mishandled the book in any way, they would pay a fine. The second documented stated when a person was leaving, recording any book they had borrowed with the day it was to be returned. It also stated that if it was mishandled, the person would pay a fine.

Mr. Matthew walked to the adventure books section and pulled out one of the books. Now that he had gotten the book, it was time to set the plan in action. 

He opened it, and pretending to read it, walked towards the seats. A brunette lady stood up and started heading towards the adventure books section, the same place that Mr. Matthew had just come from. She was the target.

Mr. Matthew heaved an exasperated sigh, then intentionally bumped into her, causing both their books to fall to the ground, scattered all around. Some people fixed their attentions on them. 

Outside the library, Mrs. Grace and the rest of the women were watching intermittently. This was the plan.

“Are you sure this plan of yours will work ma’am?” Mr. Matthew had earlier asked Mrs. Lupita skeptically before walking into the library.

“Yes, come on, it’s cliché; it works every time”, she had said as she laughed it off, giving him a push.

Mr. Matthew and the brunette lady both bent over to pick their books. “I'm so sorry,” he started and deliberately placed his hand on hers. He then looked into her face as she looked back into his, his hand still on hers.

She slapped him hard across his face then stood up. “Next time, watch where you are going, dufus,” she retorted hotly as she hissed and took her books then walked away. 

Mr. Matthew quickly stood up and forced a smile on his face for the benefit of the people who were watching the scene unfold. He then returned the book back to the shelf and walked to the counter furiously, demanding that the papers for signing out be brought to him quickly.

Outside, Mrs. Grace and her friends all looked at one another, then at Mrs. Lupita who was also dumbfounded. Mrs. Grace gave her a questioning look as she folded her arms across her mid section.

“I-I don’t understand why it... didn’t work, she was...supposed to smile, and then both of them would talk and….they would eventually fall...in love,” she said, stuttering.

Mrs. Grace looked heavenward as she put her palms on her face and sighed.

Her son came out of the library angrily and walked towards them. “Really?! Your plan didn’t include the fact that I’d be slapped hotly,” he said tersely to Mrs. Lupita as he sat down, fuming. His mother tried to calm him down.

“Well, in all your thirty-three years, this is the second woman to lay her hands on you, apart from your mom; you should celebrate,” Mrs. Hannah said and laughed. Mrs. Lola chuckled and nudged her trying to shut her friend up.

“You know what mom, I’m going home,” Mr. Matthew said loudly and walked away angrily. Mrs. Hannah laughed louder but her friend, Mrs. Grace, only sighed. She knew her son had been highly embarrassed.

~~~

Mr. Matthew woke up to the sound of knockings on his door. After what had happened earlier that afternoon, he had come home, eaten a quick lunch and then dozed off on the couch. 

He rushed to the door and opened it and his mother entered. She observed him for a while, then, after apologizing for what had happened earlier, went into her room. 

Mr. Matthew closed the door, then went back to the couch where he had slept off. He sat on it and looked at his phone. An unread message was there, so he opened it. It was from Miss Stacy, stating that she would be at his place in twenty minutes. He checked the time it was sent, 4:17pm, about time that the teachers of Milton High would be closing.

He went to his room and after changing into a set of fresh clothes, he went to his mother’s room to tell her that he was expecting a visitor, but she had fallen asleep, so he closed her room door gently and went into the sitting room to await Miss Stacy’s arrival.

Shortly after, Mr. Matthew heard a knock on the door and walked to open it. Miss Stacy stood there, in a maroon shirt and blue jeans.

“Please come in,” he said and slightly moved out of the doorway for her to pass through. She smiled at him and walked in.

They walked towards the dining area and sat opposite each other.

Miss Stacy told him all about what had happened in the third grade class and showed him a score sheet of their class works. She also briefed him on the topics she had revised with them as their mid-term test was taking place the next day.

Mr. Matthew nodded. “Edgar is poor at word problems, so you have to revise more of that with him. Vanessa and Molly need assistance with the parts of the speech. Make sure they can differentiate between prepositions and conjunctions,” he said and after looking at the papers in front of him, passed it back on to Miss Stacy.

“Ok, I will do that,” she said and kept them all in her handbag. “So, how are you doing?” she asked him as she turned her full attention back to him.

“Oh, I'm fine,” Mr. Mathew said and faked a smile. Miss Stacy nodded. 

“Well, I'm not fine, I'm having issues at home,” she started. Mr. Matthew looked at her attentively.

“Go on, Miss Stacy,” he said and she then began telling him of all that was bothering her, both at home and in the school. 

They stayed in the dining room late into the night, talking, sometimes sobbing, and sometimes laughing.

Mrs. Grace woke up because she thought she heard noises in the sitting room and went immediately to check it out. Her son, Matthew was standing at the door, smiling.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes. “What are you doing there Matt? And why are you smiling?” she said as she peered through the sitting room window to see if anyone was there but she saw no one.

“It’s nothing mom,” Mr. Matthew said and after picking up his phone, walked upstairs to his room. His mother looked at him for a moment before peering out of the window again. Dissatisfied, she drew the curtains down and went back to her bedroom.

Mr. Matthew lay on his bed and smiled satisfactorily as he dozed off.