IN LOVE'S EMBRACE

CHAPTER 34: HERE COMES TROUBLE

"And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depths until the hour of separation"- Khalil Gibran

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JOHN PIERCE

I pushed the door open and walked into the building. I was immediately hit with the smell of books and caffeine, and I visibly relaxed.

The library brought about a nostalgic feeling as my eyes roamed through different aisles and the people around. A small smile grazed my lips in remembrance of Alaine calling this her second favorite place in the world.

I idly stood at the entrance, taking in the environment around me. Today happened to be one of those days when I terribly missed her and was in dire need of closure. I needed to feel her, to have her smell around me. I was headed to her house when I passed by the library and decided to make a pit stop; I knew how much she loved this place.

I stood long enough to be noticed by an elderly woman. She looked to be in her early sixties, but moved with such fluid grace that it would make you second guess her age. The closer she got, the more familiar she became, and I began racking my brain in an attempt to recall where I had seen her.

"It's you. Good to see you again," she beamed at me, raking her hand through her grey-colored hair.

I blinked. I was right, we had met before, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out who she was.

"Um, yeah. You too," I awkwardly replied, hoping that I would remember her at some point in our conversation.

"What's your name again? Alaine introduced you the other time, but I can't for the life of me remember your name."

It clicked. She was the owner of the library and Alaine's boss. I had met her the very first time I came here.

"John. I don't recall your name either," I sheepishly admitted.

"Ellen," she extended her hand, and I shook it.

"You seem lost. Is there anything I could help you with?" she offered with a kind smile.

A motherly aura surrounded her, one that would make you want to run and hide away in her arms.

I needed something, anything that would make me feel closer to her. I just didn't know what it could be in a library.

"Is there anything Alaine liked?" I, myself, didn't understand my question, but I hoped she would.

"You mean books Alaine liked to read?"

"Yes," I hurriedly affirmed, cringing at my desperation.

She chuckled at my immediate response.

"Come with me," she walked ahead of me, and I followed right behind.

She came to a halt at a certain aisle and browsed through until she found what she was searching for. She grabbed a book and faced me.

"This is our Christian Romance section. Alaine, herself, suggested the section, and so far, I haven't regretted following her advice," she began, but I barely heard a thing she said as my attention was focused on trying to decipher the title of the book she had against her chest.