Chapter Eleven
The next day, Luna woke up early to give out flyers to the joggers passing by their street as she waited for Mrs. Chandler. She printed out copies of her blog post and then posted some on the walls. She was very determined to save the library, after all, it became her home and Mrs. Chandler's. She had found refuge in stacks of books lined in tall shelves, and she did not want to see that newfound home destroyed. Luna was too focused on giving out her flyers that she did not notice Mrs. Chandler walking towards her.
“You woke up quite too early, dear,” Mrs. Chandler greeted, smiling at Luna.
“Oh, hi! Good morning, ma'am,” Luna replied, feeling surprised with the old woman's sudden appearance.
Mrs. Chandler was, again, wearing a pair of black slacks and a cotton blouse. She smiled at the girl and then they started walking to the library. Luna was able to give out a few flyers as they walked and then, when they reached the building, Luna was disappointed with what she saw. She was very positive that their efforts would bring out good results; apparently, as usual, the building stood eerie and quiee in the middle of a grass-filled lot. Luna looked around, hoping that the people might just be sitting somewhere, waiting for the doors to be opened, but there were none. She sighed out of despair then pushed open the doors along with the old woman.
“What's wrong, dear?” Mrs. Chandler asked, as she placed her bag on top of her desk.
“Nothing. I just thought they'd be lining up here already,” Luna replied, looking down at her shoes.
“It's way too early to give up, child. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.” Mrs. Chandler smiled, rubbing Luna's back.
For a few seconds, Luna saw Grandma Sandy in Mrs. Chandler. With the words that the old woman said, it was as though Grandma Sandy was there, listening to Luna. The girl smiled back at Mrs. Chandler then walked over to get her usual book. She sat on the wooden chair facing the door and laid the book on the table. Luna watched the door as she waited for people to enter. For most of the morning, Luna stayed there, breathing unevenly as signs of people coming to sign was nonexistent. The book laid motionless on the table. Luna placed a hand over it and felt the smooth grooving texture of the book. She did not open the book as she waited in silence.
Lunch came and there was still no one. She walked over to Mrs. Chandler with a brown bag of her usual sandwiches. Mrs. Chandler smiled at Luna then they ate lunch. They were not speaking. The old woman opened and closed her mouth more than once but she could not think of anything else to say to the girl.
That afternoon, Luna went home without reading a single word from her book. No image of Wizard Howl, the Witch of the Waste and Sophie visited her mind. The usual soothing voice had become dumb in her mind's ears. She had shut down all other thoughts in her mind except for the notice pasted on the door of the library. She went straight to bed and did not even bother to open her computer. She simply laid on her bed in silence and waited for sleep to get her as she closed her eyes.
On the remaining days of the week, Luna and Mrs. Chandler walked to the library together. As usual, Mrs. Chandler sat on her desk and started to read pages and pages of papers. Luna pretended to read her book, although she had not moved from the first paragraph of the final chapter of the book. She continued to wait for any sign of people who might come to the library and sign the petition, but she saw no one. In the afternoons, she would check the signature papers even though she knew that it would just contain two signatures—hers and Mrs. Chandler's.
During the final day of that week, Luna's confidence had wavered. She knew no one would come but she hoped for something to happen. At lunch that day, Mrs. Chandler went over to Luna's table. Luna was holding the book up to her face but she was obviously not reading it. The old woman sat on the chair across Luna and cleared her throat.
“It seems like you haven't moved from there, dear,” Mrs. Chandler said, placing both of her wrinkly hands on top of the table.
“I'm sorry,” Luna replied, putting the book down. “I just don't understand why no one came yet.”
“Oh dear, sometimes we need to give way for other things to grow,” Mrs. Chandler explained, smiling calmly at the girl.
“But this became your home,” Luna reasoned, gesturing around her.
“That only means I need to look for a new home, dear. Besides, these books need to find a new place to stay already.”
As Mrs. Chandler spoke, Luna remembered her grandmother whenever Grandma Sandy tried to temper down one of Luna's tantrums. Luna saw her grandmother in the back of her mind and then her quickly beating heart slowed down to a relaxed one. She wanted to shout but, after seeing the calm expressions of Mrs. Chandler in front of her and Grandma Sandy in her mind, Luna was able to sigh out the uneasiness of the situation. She did not want to let it go, but she was ready to accept the situation.
“Well then, I guess we need to start cleaning up,” Luna finally said, as she clutched the book in front of her.
“I suppose so, dear, but for now, why don't you finish reading your book first,” Mrs. Chandler said, smiling at the girl then left a bowl of potato salad on top of the table.
Luna looked around her as tears welled up in her eyes. She wiped her eyes with her sleeves and took a deep breath. There was still a lump on her throat and as she focused on the book in front of her, she remembered herself seven years ago. How she refused to leave Grandma Sandy's closet and how she stayed in her grandmother's room for hours as she held on the book she first (and last) read to the old lady. That same feeling engulfed her as she turned to focus on the words on the book. She did not quite understand why she felt that way though. These were just books and Grandma Sandy was a human, how could I be feeling the same way towards them both? Regardless of the reason, Luna cleared her mind and as she was about to continue reading, there were a couple of people who went in the building.
“Excuse me,” said the petite blond girl to Mrs. Chandler, “is this library really going to close down?”
“I suppose so, dear,” Mrs. Chandler replied, looking at the girl and pointing at the door where the notice was posted.
“Well, you don't suppose we could get a feel of it one last time then?” Asked the gangly dark-haired girl who was already scanning the shelves.
“Go on right ahead, dear,” Mrs. Chandler answered, smiling at the two girls.
Luna watched the girls browse over the shelves and pull out books that they wanted to read. Luna gave them a curtly smile and turned to her book. She started to read. The words began to engulf her as the world around her started to turn into a castle filled with chalk drawings. The voices of the characters started to resound in Luna's mind and as she continued to read, the familiar soothing voice of an old lady that read to her changed into a more familiar voice. The voice she had been craving for for a long time. Luna bit her lower lip and swallowed down her tears as she allowed the voice of Grandma Sandy to continue reading to her.
“I finished it gran'ma,” Luna said under her breath as she closed the book and looked around her.
Epilogue
Mrs. Alessandra Robbins was a pretty old lady with graying wavy hair that she tied in a high ponytail. She had a quirky smile that softened the wrinkles around her jolly brown eyes. She was a very common 64-year-old lady, but in my eyes, she was the most amazing grandmother anyone could ever have.
There are a lot of things I probably love, but it was with her that I found true love. Her voice had always been my refuge whenever thunder scared me. She would read to me, drowning the loud thunder passing by. I called her my Grandma Sandy.
It had been very painful for me when she passed away. I did not know what to do during her absence that it caused me to forget almost everything about her. Now, as I remembered her, I realize that I did not miss her that much, but instead, I missed her so much.
In the confines of my room, I found nothing but fragments of imaginations about who she was and what she was to me. But, in the confines of an eerie buil
ding governed by an old scary woman, I found all the bits and pieces of the memory I had blocked from my mind. I had forgotten how my grandmother was with me, but as I felt the books and read through the pages, I soon remembered her voice, how she spoke and how she laughed with me. I loved my grandmother so much that I forgot how she and I connected when she passed on.
Now I understand what I had been missing this entire time. I focused on her that I lost every connection I had. Finally, I found it. Now, I am sure that I am with Grandma Sandy at all times. She taught me many things and I think I will continue learning those things as I move on.
Luna was finally able to submit her paper. She, however, was a few days late so Ms. Walters deducted points from her. After sending her paper, she turned off her computer then went out of their house. Her parents were by the front lawn enjoying a cup of coffee as they browsed over their tablets for the latest fashion. Luna did not bother to disturb them. She crossed the lawn and enjoyed a lung-full of fresh air, and then she crossed the street to an open garage across.
In that open garage, there were a couple of people browsing over familiar covers of books lined in small shelves. Mrs. Chandler was by her coffee table, reading a nice pocket book as she enjoyed a cup of tea. The library had been closed down and was now being renovated. But many things had changed as well. Mrs. Chandler was now wearing a long flowy brown skirt, her graying hair was now cut short and she allowed it to hang loose from her head. She, however, did not change her glasses, but she had lost her scary appearance—at least a little bit.
Luna greeted the couple sharing a table then went over to Mrs. Chandler. The old woman smiled as the girl hugged her. Mrs. Chandler went back to her book as Luna allowed her fingertips to feel the array of books in front of the garage. The books had found a new home and Luna had found her connection. She never forgot Grandma Sandy again.
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