The Simmons public library was a melting pot of the haves and have-nots, a mixture of homeless people and the wealthy older residents of the nearby neighborhood. This was no surprise to the woman sitting in the plush red armchair. Her hair pulled into a ponytail so tight, it might tear off her scalp. The library was in a “rejuvenating” community as the city liked to call it. Which meant the library was both a place for local housewives to bring their toddlers in the morning, and a place for the local urban homeless population to take refuge from the relentless summer heat in the afternoon. Without regulation or reformation, the Simmons Library was just another corner of the city the local government had abandoned. No, the library itself was not surprising.

 What was surprising was that he wanted to meet here.

Her eyes shift upwards to take him in once more. He looks younger in the book jackets; she decides. His eyes had a sunken quality that was not conveyed in his photograph. But it was more than just depth—A certain weariness plagued his features, conveying a deep sense of exhaustion. Well, the authors always look different in their pictures, she reasoned. A wrinkle smoothed here, or a nose minimized there. The only thing that changed was the name. This time around, the author is an older gentleman. In high regard for his novels, both in the literary world and out. Perhaps that was why it was so shocking he chose to meet at this library.

…

To unlock the rest of this story, click *HERE* to join the Circus!