Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles by Eli Easton

Author:Eli Easton [Easton, Eli]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Eli Easton
Published: 2016-11-10T05:00:00+00:00

I was feeling pretty low when the van pulled up a short while later. It was a small van with "Halcyon Acres" painted on the side. I recognized the name as a local nursing home. A man in blue scrubs was driving, and he helped an older lady with a walker out of the van. I went to hold the door open for her.

"Hello," I said. "Come on in. It's cold out today." I tried my best to sound cheerful, but she looked at me suspiciously.

"Is Sean here?"

"Um… no. He's not."

The old lady nodded knowingly. "I'm not surprised after reading that ridiculous article in the paper."

"No," I agreed. "Would you like me to take your coat?"

"No, young man. I'm perfectly comfortable, but thank you for asking."

The van's driver came in carrying a large box full of library books. He set them on the counter at the front desk with a nod to me, and then went to wander in the stacks. I wondered why he had a box of our books.

"I'm here about Halcyon Acres," the old woman said angrily. "Do you know if Sean will be back? How are we going to get our books if he isn't with the library anymore?"

She was upset, angry and shaking, and I wanted to calm her. But I was drawing a blank. "Halcyon Acres? Was Mr. Miggles helping you out in some way?"

She struck the tip of her walker on the floor impatiently. "Of course he was! You do work here, don't you?"

"Of course, ma'am. I'm the junior librarian."

"Then you should know. It's part of the community outreach program, Mr. Miggles said."

I'd never heard of it, but I nodded sagely as if I had. "Ah."

"Tuesday mornings he comes to visit us and brings our books, and he takes back last week’s. He's just the dearest man. A lot of the residents won’t be able to come in, but I suppose I can come and collect books for people if it comes to it. With Walter's help of course." She nodded her head toward the man in scrubs who was now browsing magazines. "But I don't know if I need to collect library cards or what exactly has to be done. And Sean always had such good recommendations. He took care of everything."

"Yes, I see.”

And I did. Sunday was the only day the library was closed, but I took Thursdays off, leaving Mr. Miggles to cover everything that day, and he was off on Tuesdays. He’d been going to the local nursing home in his free time and taking books to the residents there. There was no such thing as “the community outreach program” and certainly nothing that was funded. I shook my head, my chest tightening again with that sick sense of wrongness.

"I'm sure we'll be able to work something out for you. Mrs…?"

"Henks. Sylvia Henks. Please call me Sylvia." She relaxed a little, having been assured of my help.

I gave her a smile. "Don't worry, Sylvia. We'll figure this out together. Why don't you take a seat at the table?" I pointed at a table near the front.

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