My tea talk with Conny and the exchange with Cat, as odd as it had been, left me motivated to make the best of my time in the library. The prospect of retaining a part-time job in this interesting place after Marjorie's recovery thrilled me, and I was determined to leave a positive impression with both my coworker and the customers—and perhaps even the ghosts. After all, Cat had turned out to be an interesting conversation partner, if sometimes a challenging one. The other appearances, aside from Luca, seemed harmless and more of a plus than a turnoff once got used to them.

On my last round at the end of a peaceful afternoon, I glimpsed the see-through form of Luca browsing the shelves in the fantasy department. I stopped, wondering if I was ready to confront the one distressing ghost on the premises. Before I could decide on my next step, he seemed to feel my gaze and lifted his head, his strange, piercing eyes looking straight into mine.

"Hey, Luca, can we talk?"

He tilted his head, not quite a nod or an invitation, but I took a cautious step forward. It was bad luck two customers strolled down the central aisle at this moment, chatting and oblivious to the fragile encounter between me and the ghost. A flicker of emotions flashed over Luca's face and he dissolved into thin air. I stared at his afterimage, wondering if I'd seen sadness or loneliness pass over his features.

That night, I wasn't worried anymore about meeting ghosts—to the contrary. I felt compelled to solve the mystery of the brooding young man frequenting the library.

When I stepped into the place on Friday morning, I realised how much I felt at home here already. I couldn't believe it was only a week since I worked here. The welcoming atmosphere engulfed me, and I was eager to begin the day. Perhaps I would find an opportunity to talk to Luca today?

The first visitors were a retired couple I remembered seeing before. The woman placed two books on the table and smiled. "Good morning, Lynn. Nice to see you again. How is your day?"

"Great, so far. I hope yours turns out as well." After a brief chat, they both went in search of new reading material. My feeling of belonging increased even more when I realised I'd forgotten to put on my name tag. She had remembered my name after only a week of working here.

In the late afternoon, Amber and Danny came in and waved a greeting. Amber helped her brother hang up his jacket and backpack and accompanied him to the children's corner, where the boy picked up a comic book to browse. As soon as I was free, Amber strolled over.

"Hey Lynn, can I bother you for a minute?"

"It's no bother at all. How can I help you?"

She handed me the copy of the Hitchhiker's Guide with a grin almost as broad as Cat's. "If you don't mind, I would like to get the next one. Or perhaps the complete series. With the weather forecast for the weekend, I plan to snuggle up in front of the fireplace with hot cocoa and read."

"Ah, sounds like the perfect program for a rainy day. So you enjoyed the book?"

She threw out her arms in a theatrical gesture. "I was flabbergasted. Although I prefer not to tell Mum about it." She gave me a conspiratorial wink.

"Why not? Conny might like the books as well."

Amber ran a finger over the glaring cover and shook her head, a thoughtful expression replacing her cheer. "I doubt Mum is into sci-fi. She would just seize the opportunity and remind me to do my homework and stick with the boring classics I am supposed to study for school instead of reading silly stuff."

"To Kill a Mockingbird?"

She laughed. "I liked this one very much, but it's the exception. Sometimes, I think it's not the books I hate, but discussing every detail of the deeper symbolism used by the author. I always feel like famous authors are just humans too. What sets them apart is the gift of packing their imagination into adequate words and taking us on a journey of the mind."

She wasn't bad with words either. "I guess this sums it up rather well, and in my experience, some people—including some teachers—try to read too much into a story. Do you know your mother's reading preferences?"

"It may be strange, with her working in a library, but I can't remember what she used to read, and I don't think she touched a book in the last three years—except for a cookbook, perhaps." She took a deep breath and released the air in a soft hiss. "Since she works full hours and with helping Danny with the homework on top of running the household, some days, she falls asleep during the evening news on the telly."

"Mmm, she told me about your father. I'm sorry."

Amber's shoulders sagged. "Look, I try to support her, and we manage most of the time. But she seems so uptight and stressed these days. I can't help thinking it would be good for her to get among people and learn to relax again."

I felt with her. Despite having unwound a little in my presence, Conny seldom laughed and was always concentrated on efficiency.

Amber sat on the edge of my desk, staring at her hands. "This time of the year is always worst, because Dad died in February. With everyone celebrating Saint Valentine, it brings her down further. There is nothing that will cheer her up for at least another week or two."

"Doesn't she have friends supporting her?"

"A few, but I think some of the old family friends stay away because they don't know how to treat her. We've seen some awkward stuff, believe me. Well, my grandparents are super supportive, and Dad's sister helps too, but none of them can replace Dad. I think—well, perhaps Mum should meet a man—or a woman. I don't care."

Trust a teenager to bring things to the point. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Conny didn't stand behind me and the door to the office was closed. "Perhaps she will, in time."

"Not if she keeps pushing everyone away. But you're right, things like this take time. I just wish for Danny's sake she'll find her smile again. He's still a child and needs his mum."

She wasn't much older, but her father's death must have forced her to grow up faster than other girls. My heart went out to her, and I wished I could have helped her, but I didn't even find supportive words.

With a sigh, she looked up and over at the boy, who had snuggled up on the sofa with the blue tabby curled in his lap and a tiny spaceship zipping around his head. It resembled the Millennium Falcon a lot. Amber's eyes lit up. "Aren't they adorable?"

"They?" I raised my brows.

Her smile faded. "Oh, just Danny, of course."

"My hearing is fine, thank you, but I agree with you. They are adorable."

Her eyes widened, and I winked. "And since you are a member of the exclusive circle who can see Cat and other manifestations, I'd love to know if you have met Luca?"

The blood rushed into her cheeks. "The library's resident hottie? I wish he would be less elusive and half as talkative as Cat. Have you seen his dimples? His gorgeous eyes and his permanent melancholic expression are to die for."

I suppressed a grin at her swooning. "Seems you know the local ghost far better than I do."

"Not as good as I'd like to know him, unfortunately. I can't believe you see him too. Aren't adults—aside from Marjorie—supposed to be blind to the magic of the stories?"

"Either they aren't or I don't count as a proper adult." I was about to ask if she knew which story Luca had slipped out of when I heard the office door open behind me and her mother joined us, interrupting our conversation.

"Oh, Amber, I didn't realise you're already here. Is it that late?"

The girl slipped from the desk and checked the time on her phone. "No rush, just finish your job, Mum. Lynn and I were discussing a few reads."

"That's great. What did she recommend to you?"

Amber's cheeks flushed the colour of rose petals, and I grinned.

"The Hitchhiker's Guide," I volunteered.

Conny reached for the book. "Oh, I have fond memories of Douglas Adam's stories. Such a pity he died so young."

Her daughter's jaw dropped. I found her expression priceless, but the girl was saved from further embarrassment by her brother. He trudged over with a stack of comic books, the blue cat perched on his shoulder. "Mum, may I take these home?" Baby Yoda grinned at us from the cover of the top book.

"Of course. Ask Lynn if she will check them out for you." She tousled his hair, almost touching Cat. The tabby jumped to the floor with an indignant meow before he stalked away, his tail a stiff question mark. I had to fight down my urge to join Amber in a fit of girlish giggles.

"What's so funny, you two?"

We exchanged a glance, and Amber pointed at the novel in Conny's hand. "Just that Lynn told me you might have read this book, and I insisted you would have found it silly."

I had to admit the girl was a quick thinker. A shadow crossed her mother's face as she turned the book over to read the blurb. "Silly, yes. But the perfect kind of silly. Way back when I met your father, we went to see the movie together."

"There is a movie?"

Amber looked at me, and I nodded. "An old one, with Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent,"

The hint of a smile played on Conny's lips. "Perhaps we can find it on the internet and watch it tonight. What do you think?"

Danny perked up. "Does it have a spaceship?"

"A spaceship, a robot, and ugly green aliens."

The boy's eyes rounded, and our laughter earned us a frown from a few customers.

Conny hushed us. "Alright, let Lynn and me finish here with our jobs and I will see what I can do. Or perhaps you could find it for us, Amber? You're the internet wizard in the family."

The girl nodded with shiny eyes and took her brother by the hand to return to the sitting corner. I checked my phone and how many visitors we still had. "Listen, there's only half an hour left. If you like, I can finish alone tonight."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Not much to do left, since I already rearranged most returns. There are only a handful of customers and a dozen of books to place back."

She pressed my arm. "You're the best. I'll just switch off my computer while you check out the children's books. See you tomorrow then."

Right, it had slipped my mind that the library was open for a few hours on Saturday mornings. I had agreed, especially since I'd have Monday mornings off as a compensation. "Oops, thanks for reminding me. I had almost forgotten."

Conny, already on her way to the office, looked over her shoulder. "Ah, you would have remembered in time. You're not someone who forgets important stuff."