Like a Charm (23 page)

I
arrived at Sam's promptly at eight thirty with Caleb in tow. He wouldn't let me leave him behind. Thankfully, Sam made him stay out in the waiting room.

“You can come back after I check her out,” he promised Caleb. After a quick examination, Sam said I seemed to be doing better. He was worried about my weight. I'd lost another five pounds, which explained why my clothes didn't fit.

Between the stresses of the last few days and everything that had been going on, I hadn't remembered to eat regular meals. In fact, the last time I'd eaten a real meal was with the girls a couple of nights ago. I'd had a cookie or the occasional muffin, but things had gone crazy fast.

“You're cold all the time because you aren't giving your body the fuel it needs. I'd also like to suggest taking some yoga classes out at your parents' house. I've been going out there to hike a couple of times a week, and noticed they have several classes available. That and walking are the best exercises for stress.”

“Hmmm. Okay.” I shrugged.

“When we did your exam in November you said you weren't on any birth control.” He shifted. “I'm trying to be a good doctor and tell you that might be something you want to consider.”

I laughed. “Yes, Doctor, I would like to go on the pill.”

He gave a sheepish grin. “That's the only bad part about treating friends.

“And one more thing.” He pulled a card out of his pocket. “I know you didn't want to talk to him before, but you should.” He handed me the psychiatrist's business card again. “He's the one who helped me find the facility for Melinda's brother. I made you an appointment for eleven today.”

“Sam!”

He held up his hands in a surrendering motion. “You've been through two major traumas in a month and a severe illness. Talk to him once, and you don't have to go back after that if you don't want to.”

I couldn't believe he'd done this behind my back. “I'm not going.”

“Um, actually, you are.” Caleb stood at the door.

I crossed my arms against my chest. “You two can gang up on me all you want—you can't make me go.”

 

T
hree hours later I sat in a deep leather recliner. I'd spilled it all to the psychiatrist, Dr. Redmond. I told him about Melinda, the mono, my parents, Caleb, the library, Todd, Mr. Grayson and the job in New York—and even the dead people.

Through it all he said, “Hmmm,” a lot. I guessed him to be in his mid-forties, a handsome man with gray hair and a goatee. With his sweater and tie, he reminded me of a professor I'd crushed on in law school.

We were nearing the end of our hour and a half, and I had to admit, I felt better.

“So your powers are manifesting quickly?” he said once I'd been silent for a full minute.

“Huh?”

“The universal librarian powers?”

I nodded. I hadn't mentioned anything about the powers. “How do you know that?”

“I'm afraid that falls under doctor-patient confidentiality.”

“Then you've treated others like me?”

He stared at me for a moment over the edge of his glasses. “We all need someone with whom we can share our troubles. Spouses, relatives, and friends can only take so much.”

“So you believe me?” I didn't believe me. How could he?

“Of course. And I know that Mabel Canard believed in you.”

I flinched when he said her name.

“Oh, I see. Still a great deal of guilt there. She's stuck, but you can't let that make your decision for you. If you decide to stay here, it must be of your own volition.”

“Wait. How do you know this stuff? I have the book and I still don't know what's going on.”

“As I said, I have my sources. Once again, Mabel believed in you. She was—is—not the kind of person who would want you to stress over this. If you decide to leave, everything will work out as it should. You must do what is best for you.”

I sat forward in the chair. “You're freakin' me out, Doctor. That's exactly what she said to me. In a dream.”

He gave a sly smile. “Well, it's true. All she wanted was for you to examine your heart closely. As a lawyer you take your heart out of the equation and always use your head. She wants you to go about it in another way.”

I bit my lip. “You're kind of scary.”

He chuckled. “That's what
they
tell me.” He said it in a way that made something click in my head.

“You talk to the dead too.”

He shrugged.

“Doctor-patient confidentiality,” I whispered.

He smiled. “Sweet is a very special town for a variety of reasons. Once you think you have it figured out, something else will rise out of the dust to surprise you.”

A clock chimed. He put his pad of paper down and helped me out of my chair. “You are welcome to come back anytime for a chat.”

“I wish I'd come a little sooner.”

“I'd like to suggest that before you make any decision, you finish reading the book. You are special and you've received an amazing gift that you've barely tapped.” He held up his hand. “I'm not trying to sway you in any way. I support any decision you make.”

 

W
hen I walked out into the small waiting area, Caleb was reading a novel by Britta Coleman.

He stood. “How'd it go? Are you still mad at me?”

I smirked. “Great, and no.”

Sighing, he handed me my coat. “That's good. I don't like it when you're mad at me.”

I laughed. “Actually, I feel a lot better. Let's grab some lunch. Then I have some reading to do.”

He raised an eyebrow.

I nodded.

“Huh.” He opened the door.

 

A
fter lunch we opened the library. Caleb held down the fort while I read. Once in a while I'd get up to run down to the break room to check on him, but he was handling things pretty well, including the homework help sessions. He'd even managed to bake cookies for the kids.

The man never ceased to amaze me.

The Book
scared me to death. The doctor and Mrs. Canard were right; I'd been given an extraordinary gift, one that could take my life in a direction I would have never imagined.

Boiling down seven hours of reading isn't easy, but the basic gist was that as a seer reached each level, he or she gained more power and could do everything from recalling every moment in history to jumping into alternative worlds for research.

Some of the seers/librarians/oracles were clairvoyant; others were clairsentient or had other psychic powers. No two are the same, and we each have our own approach to the occupation, following a basic set of guidelines. It was an esoteric job, as they also had direct access to the Akashic Records, which wasn't just about mystical information. It was everything that has ever happened in the universe.

Like I said, pretty wild stuff.

Once a librarian reached the top level, she was called an adept. Mrs. Canard had just moved to that level, but she didn't have to die to reach it. Until that time she was called an apprentice or chelas.

If
I chose to take on the job, by the end of the month I would be able to access certain levels of the Book of Life and know what pure knowledge really meant. The whole idea of it was beyond fascinating to me.

Caleb brought me dinner and I ate while continuing to read. At midnight I finished the book.

“Wow.” I sat back in my chair.

Shuffling in from the bedroom, Caleb put his hands on my shoulders. “Finished?”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

I sighed. “I'm more confused than ever. It doesn't seem possible, what this says.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but something tells me that every word is true. I can't explain it.”

He sat down across from me. “I have a confession to make.”

“Does it involve bastard children or ex-girlfriends?” I wasn't sure I could take much more excitement right that moment.

He laughed so hard he held his stomach. “No.” He caught his breath. “It's about the book. I tried to read it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So what did you think?”

“That it was my favorite Dickens story.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “I don't think I see the same thing you do.”

I opened the front page. “Read it.”

The first paragraph was straight out of
A Christmas Carol
.

“That's weird.”

He nodded. “My guess is they do it that way to protect you. So that if anyone besides one of the universal librarians finds the book, they can't figure out what's going on.” He crossed his arms. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“Would it be terrible if we talked it all out in the morning? It's been a really long day, and I need some time to digest it all.”

“Baby, it's your call. You don't have to tell me anything.” He was sincere.

I stood and kissed his cheek. “I will tell you everything, but right now I want you to make love to me.”

He bowed his head. “Oh, the things you make me do.” He laughed and chased me into the bedroom.

 

T
he next morning there was freshness in the air. It was dark and cloudy, and snow fell, but everything felt new to me.

While Caleb slept, I went downstairs and looked around. Something became very clear to me.

I picked up the phone and then realized I didn't have the number I wanted to call. I raced back upstairs for my purse and dug out the card.

A few minutes later the line rang and voice mail clicked in.

I left a message. “Mr. Grayson, it's Kira Smythe. I wanted to speak with you regarding the opportunity you presented the other day. You can reach me at…” I left him my number.

Now all I had to do was wait.

“So you've decided?” Caleb stood near the first row of books. His messy hair made him look boyish and innocent, but he was all man.

“Um, not quite. There's one more detail to work out, and then I'll know for sure.”

Caleb started to say something, but the phone rang. I held up a finger.

“Hello?”

“Ms. Smythe, you called? I hope it's good news. You're a few weeks early from the deadline you gave me.”

“Yes, Mr. Grayson, I am. I wanted to propose something to you.”

I explained that while I wasn't interested in working full time, I would like to do consulting for him. “Of course, I'd have to work from my home here in Sweet, but I could travel to New York when needed.”

I looked across the room and caught the big smile on Caleb's face.

“That's an interesting proposition. And this would be the only way we can get you to join our organization?” he asked, knowing the answer.

“Yes, sir.”

He was silent for a minute. “Can you come to the offices after the New Year, and we'll settle on the terms? I'd like to have you on retainer if that's amenable to you.”

“Yes. I'll see you in a few weeks.”

Caleb ran across the room and swung me around. “So we're staying.”

I kissed him hard on the lips. “Yes.”

There was a cheer all around us and I looked up to see the library full of people. All of them dead.

I smiled.

Terry winked at me. “I knew you'd make the right decision.”

Rascal and Herman barked.

“So did I.” A woman stepped from behind him. I didn't recognize her at first.

“Mrs. Canard?” I slid out of Caleb's arms and turned to face her. “It's really you?” She was years younger. In fact she looked my age. When she grinned I'd have recognized that smile anywhere. “It is you.”

“I came to wish you well, dear Kira.”

“So you're free from wherever they were holding you?”

“Yes, dear girl, but it isn't as awful as you imagine. No matter what you decided I wouldn't have been stuck there forever.” She turned and glared at Terry, who threw up his hands.

“Are you happy—is this truly the decision of your heart?” Mrs. Canard looked around the library as if she were checking to make sure I'd kept the place up. When she smiled, I knew I'd done well.

“Oh, yes. I woke up this morning and I knew. I felt so free once I made the decision to accept the gift.”