Chapter Six: My Start:

I was eight when I first met Ms. Washburn. My mom had dropped me off at the library. I didn’t want to be there.

“Why can’t I go to the beach?” I asked.

“It’s too dangerous for you to alone, honey,” she said. “I don’t want you to get swept out in the waves.” I sat there pouting. At the time, I was a bratty kid. Only the beach could make me happy. Usually, a baby-sitter could take me there. That morning, mom couldn’t find one in time. So she thought of the only place that she could drop me off.

We pulled into the library parking lot. I looked out the window. That building looked like it does now.

“Why are we here?” I asked. Mom got out of the car.

“Come on, Nathan!” she said. I sat with my arms folded across my chest. She put her hands on her hips.

“Nathan!” she shouted. “Get out of the car, right now!” I huffed as I unbuckled my seatbelt. I climbed out of the car. She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me to the doors. I had been to the library before, but I mostly stayed in the kids’ section.

We walked up to the front desk. A lady with long dark hair looked up when she saw us. She straightened up her glasses.

“Good morning, Julia,” she said.

“Good morning, Angela,” mom said. “Don’t have time to chat. I’m just dropping off my son.” I looked up at her.

“I’m so sorry to do this,” she said. “I just couldn’t get a baby-sitter in time.”

“I understand,” the lady behind the desk said. She turned her attention to me.

“Hello there, Nathan,” she said. I don’t remember if I said anything to her. I must have been mad at the time because I remember her saying to my mom, “He’s in a sour mood today, isn’t he?” Mom nudged me in the back.

“Behave,” she hissed under her breath. I must have frowned and pouted. Then she pushed me forward. I think I might have said something under my breath. Mom and the lady ignored me.

“How long do you want me to keep him?” the lady asked.

“I will be back by afternoon,” mom said. I looked up at her with big eyes. She couldn’t be serious. Was she really going to leave me in the library all day?

“What?! You can’t leave me here!” I shouted. “I don’t want to be here! I wanted to go to the beach! Why did you bring me here?!” Mom patted me on the head. I stared up at her. She smiled at me. She just smiled at me.

“Have a good day,” she said. Mom turned and walked away. The door swung closed behind her.

So here I was at age eight, alone with some woman I don’t know in an old library. The lady from behind the desk looked down at me.

“Hello,” she said. “My name is Ms. Washburn. It’s so nice to meet you.” I remember looking up at her, glaring. I really didn’t want to be there. That lady gave me a calm smile.

“Come on,” she said. “I have something I watch to show you.” I refused to talk as she took me by the arm. She walked me down to the children’s section. The walls changed from 70’s brown and orange wallpaper to brightly painted jungle animals. Soon, I was getting close to the ocean. I tilted my head. Where exactly were we going?

Ms. Washburn stopped in front of this treehouse structure. At first, I didn’t look impressed.

“What is this?” I asked. That lady smiled at me.

“This is going to be where the forest will be this year,” she said.

“What forest?” I asked. She smiled brighter than the smile.

“This is going to be for the summer reading program next week,” Ms. Washburn said. I rolled my eyes.

“Oh, don’t be like that,” she said. “It’s going to be more fun than you think.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Here, let me show you,” she said. Ms. Washburn walked over to the desk in the children’s area and pulled up a clipboard.

“We’re doing a forest theme this year,” she said. “There’s going to be fun activities. We get to explore the library garden. Plus, there’s going to be a reading contest for a prize.” I raised my eyebrow.

“What kind of prize?” I asked. She tapped the side of her nose.

“You’ll have to sign up and see,” she said. I just stared at her. Ms. Washburn had that strange power to her even back then. She would challenge me to make me do better. That was the first time pushed me into the career I would lose later on in the future.

“How have you been?” Ms. Washburn asked in present day. I quickly straightened up and lifted my chin.

“Not so good, actually,” I said. “I got fired from my job. Now, I’m here volunteering until I figure out what to do next.”

“Oh,” she said. “I’m sorry to hear that, dear.”

“Yeah,” I muttered with a nod. Heather just stared at me.