The Night of Many Endings

by Melissa Payne

She’d once heard a librarian describe it perfectly on a podcast—that libraries were one of the last places someone could go where they didn’t have to buy or believe

Last of the second homes….if you haven’t heard of this Google it for a thought.

“Well, it challenged me to see that we are each the sum of our experiences and that every decision we make, every experience we have, leads us to this single moment in time.” She pointed to the floor for emphasis. “If all of our moments are important, then I wanted to use mine to help others, because you never know how it will all add up.”

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“I think that my purpose is to give to others, to help in whatever way I can. And if it adds to their moments and experiences, if it shows someone who doesn’t think they’re worth it that someone thinks they are”—she worked her jaw, glanced at Lewis, but he’d pulled back into his coat—“then maybe it makes one of their moments just a little bit better.”

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Marlene felt a little bad for how quickly the building had shown its age. Like catching an old man without his dentures.

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“Did you know that when this library was first built, they would still use candles and oil lamps for light? So a little blip like now is just a walk down memory lane for this old building. Like coming home.” Nora’s calm voice cut through the room, silky smooth and warm.

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When they spoke to him, they had looked him in the eyes. They asked him questions and listened when he answered. He’d felt human. Not a statistic or a nuisance or a problem. Just another human.

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then I just couldn’t. So I came to the library because I didn’t want to be alone. And then I was surrounded by all of you, and I realized I wasn’t the only one alone, not by a long shot.” She sipped her coffee. “That snowstorm was the best thing that could have happened to me.”

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had sobered up, but it had been on his own terms and away from her. Away from the one person in the world who reminded him of the pain he was always trying to outrun. She could see it in his eyes. The way they clouded over, like her very presence could take him back to the night he drove their car off a cliff and the years of guilt that came afterward.

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“I’m not sure I know who that is,” Nora whispered. Marlene just smiled and laughed. “Nobody does. That’s why we have each other.”

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