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lengths of gauzy fabric, looked exotic. The only traces of a library I could see were a tattered set of encyclopedias lining the windowsill and one of those giant card catalog cabinets filled with row after row of little drawers. Dad had shown me a card catalog in an antiques store once. “Whoa, that’s crazy,” I remember saying when he had explained how people used to find books in libraries before computers came along and took over all the dirty work.
    â€œYoo-hoo!” Hildy called. “Anyone home?”
    A wisp of white-blond hair and half of a face appeared around the corner of the card catalog. “Oh, there you are, Hugh,” Hildy said. “Come on out here. I’d like to introduce you to someone. This is Ren.”
    Before I could open my mouth to say we had already met, Hugh was zigzagging toward me, dodging around the floor cushions. He dumped the heavy book he had been carrying on a nearby beanbag chair and tucked a yellow pencil behind his ear. “Nice to meet you,” he said, thrusting out his hand.
    I hesitated, then took Hugh’s hand and gave it a clumsy shake. “Hi there,” I answered. Why was he pretending he had never seen me before? As soon as I let go of his hand, Hugh hoisted up his book again. Birds of North America , it was called, and an index card covered in kidlike writing stuck out from the pages.
    â€œSo where’d your mother get off to?” Hildy asked.
    â€œShe’s in the kitchen trying to make muffins.”
    â€œWhat do you mean trying ?” a voice said behind us. A woman came in from the hallway with the tail of her filmy skirt swishing along the floor. I tried not to stare. I had never met anyone with dreadlocks before. Hers were strawberry blond and her nose was pierced with a diamond that sparkled like a teeny tiny raindrop. “I made two dozen,” she said proudly, drying her hands on a red bandanna. “And they’re bran, so they’re extra healthy.”
    â€œMadeline, this is Ren,” Hildy said. “I’m sure she’d be happy to give those muffins of yours a try. She hasn’t had breakfast yet.”
    â€œGreat.” Hugh’s mother studied me with a tired smile. She wiped her flushed face with the bandanna and then used it to tie her dreads into a ponytail. “You can call me Mine, by the way.” I nodded. “How long will you be staying?” she asked.
    Hildy answered for me. “Her mother’s picking her up this afternoon. But we’ll need to set two extra places for dinner tonight. My son and his youngest boy, Tucker, are coming for a visit. They’ll be here sometime after lunch.”
    â€œReally?” Mine’s gray eyes widened in alarm.
    â€œReally. So I thought I better warn you. That tofu dish we had last night isn’t the kind of thing that’ll go over very well with my son. He’s more the meat-and-potatoes type.”
    Mine sniffed. “That’s fine, but I guess I’ll need to make a trip into Bellefield. We’re running a little low on meat at the moment.” Her lips curled around the word with distaste. “And sorry, Hildy, but I’m almost out of the grocery money you gave me last week.”
    Hildy winked at me as she reached into the pocket of her tracksuit and handed Mine the money I had paid her. But then her expression darkened as she caught sight of the old clock that hung over the library windows. “Holy smokes! I need to get moving. They’ll be here before we know it.”
    I could feel Mine watching me as Hildy hurried off. I knew she must be wondering where I came from and why I was there, but she didn’t ask me any questions. “I can show you where to get breakfast on my way out,” she said as she walked over to unhook her crocheted satchel from the coat tree in the corner. “Hey, mister,” she called to Hugh, “we better get going too if we want to be ready for the