Page 45 of Be My Valentine

She walked as if magnetized to a wall covered with shelves and almost reverently brushed the edge of the books.

“This is wonderful, Mr. Arrow.”

Mark’s father looked at her, smiling.

“The first one to truly appreciate my passion.”

“You’ve catalogued them by nationality… and alphabetically. Russian literature, French…” Kate walked as if mesmerized along the bookcase that covered three walls in full “American, German, Italian… English…” She said in a huff at the end.

“None of these volumes have much value, no first editions or signed books. I just looked for the best cover. And I have almost nothing in the original language-they’re all translated, of course, otherwise I could read half the books in here.”

“It’s… I’m really speechless.” Kate couldn’t take her eyes off the books.

Emma faced the door.

“Mom’s ready, Kate thinks, she gave me permission to come all the way here. Isn’t it great?”

Kate smiled at her.

“She’s looking out for you, don’t complain! Think about Saturday, when you’ll be watching everything and everyone from a comfy chair.”

“It’s two months until I’m due, believe me, I won’t last!” Emma complained.

Her father took her under his arm.

“You’ll survive.”

Kate was astonished to find herself sitting next to the head of the family, the mother was in front with Mark. Emma and Phil were to her right. She looked at the elegant tableware and the damask cloth tablecloth. Then the maid appeared and started serving dinner.

So, there is at least one!

For a moment she thought she was in the wrong place. She was the one who usually came back and forth from the kitchen. She looked at Mark and seemed to sense her thoughts; he gave her an encouraging smile.

“I am happy to announce that there is finally someone at this table who loves the library as much as I do.” Said Paul Arrow.

His wife, Judith, looked at him fondly, then turned to Kate.

“Sometimes I think he loves spending more time in that room than with me.”

“I’m all for Dad’s unbridled passion for books! That’s how I met Phil!” Emma exclaimed.

“You’re a publisher?” Kate asked curiously.

“Not exactly. I check to make sure the editors are doing their job.”

“Takes all the poetry out of it, doesn’t it?” Muttered Paul Arrow.

Mark intervened.

“My father is an incurable romantic. Did he ever declaim verses to you, Mom?”

“No, but he did give me some wonderful books of poetry. Lately a little dark, I must admit.” She chided him good-naturedly.

“It’s still poetry, though; it falls within the romantic standards.”

“Melancholy,” his wife corrected him, “very melancholy.”

“It’s Wordsworth.” protested the husband “Romantics are melancholy too. Wait… I’ll let you hear it, Kate. ‘But if the sunny light… no, it wasn’t ‘sunny’.” He paused for thought.