Read Online Louisiana Saves the Library by Emily Beck Cogburn - Free Book Online

able to afford one anyway.” Sylvia put Madeleine in her baby swing. “So, what’s your plan?”
    Louise drank some wine, hoping that it would stop the frantic thoughts taking over her mind. “I don’t have one. I don’t want to move across the country again just to get a job in a public library.”
    â€œWe’re staying. Jake and I talked about it in case this happened. Our families are here. Besides, it’s not worth moving for a library position, even if I can get one. He’ll apply for jobs. If he gets something really good, maybe we’ll move then.”
    â€œThat makes sense.” Louise finished her wine and pushed the glass away. She wished she had such an easy solution to her problems or even just a husband to talk them over with. She shook her head. She’d had a husband and he’d been no good at discussing anything. Arguing was more his style. She didn’t need a man. She needed a job.
    â€œSo here’s my idea. My sister-in-law told me about two openings in the same library. We could work together. At least for a while. If we hate it, we can always quit. But it’d be something. A little money coming in. They’re so desperate, they practically hired me when I called to ask about the job. And they’d let us start after Christmas break.”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œAlligator Bayou Parish Library.”
    â€œHe hit me. Max hit me!” Jimmy yelled.
    Max was calmly playing with the toy car. He didn’t even seem to realize that Jimmy was upset.
    Louise squatted down in front of him. “Did you hit Jimmy?”
    He nodded.
    Louise closed her eyes for a moment. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t deal with losing her job and Max hitting again all at the same time. She took a deep breath. “We don’t hit people. Tell Jimmy you’re sorry.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Jimmy.”
    Jimmy grabbed a Mr. Potato Head and ripped off its arms.
    Louise walked back to the kitchen area. She couldn’t decide which was worse—that Max had relapsed or that Sylvia had just suggested that they work at the pathetic rural library. “Did you eat too many of the special jelly beans? Alligator Bayou?”
    â€œThey need two librarians at their main branch. It wouldn’t be that bad. It’s twenty-five miles, but we’d be going against traffic. Most people live out there and work in Saint Jude.”
    â€œI’m not worried about the traffic. I’ve been to the library—if you can call it that.” Louise sat back down at the table and rested her head in her hands.
    â€œThat’s right. Your library project. How’s that going?”
    â€œIt’s not. But I can tell you that Alligator Bayou is three trees away from nowhere.”
    â€œDo you have any better ideas?” Sylvia drained her wineglass.
    â€œNo. I don’t. But the library building looks like the Department of Motor Vehicles with a few extra bookshelves, the librarians are glorified file clerks, and the director has short-man complex.”
    â€œI don’t care,” Sylvia said. “I want to keep this house. We don’t have much savings. Dumb, I know. But we kept thinking we’d start socking some away and then we had kids and bought this house and . . . you know. If I don’t get a job, we lose it.”
    Louise exhaled, but the tension in her body remained. “Yeah, I’d probably lose mine too.”
    â€œIf we hate the place, we can find something else. It won’t be forever.”
    â€œOkay, fine.”
    â€œGood. Do you want to make dinner? There’s a premade pizza crust in there. Jake should be home in a few minutes.”
    Louise waved this off. Even though Sylvia didn’t do much more than heat chicken nuggets and frozen pizza, she had a professional stove, a massive refrigerator, and a large kitchen island with a wooden top that was basically a huge cutting