What would you do if you met your soulmate late in life? Would you tear down your current lifestyle just to be with them, or would you succumb to the status quo, accepting that it's better that things do not change?
I've never been the type to believe in soulmates. After all, if you find your one-in-a-million, there's over seven thousand others out in the world for you to find. Some might call me a cynic, but I think of it as being realistic. I say this, but I've been going to that library every day for nearly a year now. During these days, I learned more about the librarian who takes care of it.
The first was that I'm not the sole visitor to the library. The difference between the other patrons and I was that they only check out books, rather than staying. Most of the time, the librarian and I are alone together. This has led to us spending hours after closing time discussing various subjects.
"You're being taken advantage of. They understand how much value you hold, yet you're being underpaid." I had come to her, frustrated about something that had happened at work.
"I'd rather not believe that. Sure, our workforce nowadays can be compared to a sweatshop where we've chosen to work more hours, but I'd like to believe that I'm a free thinker."
"You have a good point. If you were to fall into the habit of doing what your coworkers do, you would likely still be at the office doing work past five, and not conversing with a librarian during her after hours." With a sly smirk, she caught me again. "I am quite grateful that you've decided to help me clean up and such."
After my first few months of visits, I started to feel guilty about watching her clean and reorganize during our conversations. It started off with me dusting off the higher places that she would usually use a stool to reach, then it evolved into us discussing the types of people who would check out the books she would catalogue.
The librarian was an open book, yet a confusing one. I would flip through all the pages, but each detail I would read left me with more questions. I've taken up the habit of talking about simple, casual topics without prying too far into her life. Almost a year later, I still do not know her name, nor if she is older or younger than me. A large part of me wants to solve this mystery. Another is content with the relationship we currently have.
Today's work was done, and I walked outside while waiting for her to lock up the library. On the way to her car, I asked, "What do you do when you go home?"
She raised her brow at me in surprise. "I feed my pets and listen to music just like any other person." She smiled just from mentioning her pets. "Once I'm at home and comfortable, I might also continue reading a book if I've started one. Otherwise, my pets may play in my living room, and I'm not kitten around."
She stopped herself after she realized what she said. I was caught off guard and began to laugh. Not just a simple chuckle, but a laugh from the heart. In the time I've known her, I'd never seen the librarian as someone to make puns like this.
"W-why are you laughing?" Her face had reddened, but she couldn't hide the embarrassed grin she attempted to hold back.
I pulled my bearings together for a moment. "One might say my laughter is your pun-ishment."
Her façade melted away, and the librarian joined me in laughter. Cars passed by, a street light changed from red to green, and the two of us laughed harmoniously as if the world's worries didn't affect us at all.
The laughter eventually came to an end, and the librarian made it into her car. Before taking off, she looked at me and rolled down her window.
"Don't tease me too much with those puns." She said in a serious tone as her car started to move. "You'll drive me crazy."
I couldn't let her get the last laugh. "Wheel see!" Smiling again, the librarian drove off and away to a place I didn't know.
The echo of her laughter rang in my ears while I waited for the bus to arrive. Mixed with it was the echo of my heartbeat, creating a symphony I'd listen to all the way home.