Freedom of Love (Letter From Home #2)(6)
“Yeah. I’ll send them your way as soon as I finish.”
Dropping the books on my bed, I leaned back against my pillow, supported by the headboard. With my legs stretched out in front of me, I took a look at the reading bounty. I picked up each book, flipping it over to read the back cover. One, in particular, caught my attention and I pushed the others to the side as I settled in to read.
As soon as I opened the book, a folded piece of paper fell out. Knowing the books were used, I wasn’t surprised to find something placed inside. I’d found business cards, bookmarks, even recipes. I almost crumpled it up, but the handwriting on the paper lifted my curiosity and I unfolded it to discover what someone had left in their book.
To the soldier that receives this book,
I hope you enjoy the books I packed to send to you. I read an article in a newspaper that told about how soldiers needed more books, so I decided to help. I work in a library and part of my job is to go through the donated books. We receive lots of books and I choose the ones appropriate for us and some are unfortunately too damaged to save. But many we simply don’t have room for and those are the ones that we can’t keep. I asked if I could box them up and send them to a place where soldiers would appreciate them. So, that became my project.
Anyway, if you have the chance to send me an email to just let me know you got the books and if you liked them, I would appreciate it. I’m supposed to be able to provide evidence of the project’s effectiveness and this is the only way I can think of. I’ll list my email at the bottom of this letter.
I decided to place this in one of the mysteries because I love to read mysteries also.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy the books.
Molly
I held the paper in my hand, re-reading the note several times. Molly. Grinning, I imagined a blue-haired, little old lady sitting in a library sorting books and boxing them up for us. The image of the librarian at my high school crossed my mind. She used to peer at us over her glasses as we would try to flirt with girls during study hall. I refolded the piece of paper and laid it to my side. I’ll send a note when I return the book to the MWR…it’ll probably make her day. Settling back, I opened the book, soon transported to another time and place as I spent the day immersed in the story.
I took one of my books with me the next day as I reported for duty. Now serving as a MEDEVAC medic, my twenty-four-hour shifts could be boring if no calls came in or they could fly by in a rush as call after call mobilized us into action.
I’d started a second book but had to admit the one Molly recommended was better. Thinking of the woman who had carefully packed the books, I smiled. Once off shift, I reminded myself to send her a thank you note.
With the birds fully stocked and ready for this next call, I settled down on the faux-leather sofa in the workroom. I opened the book but barely got a page read when the screech of the radio blasted through the room.
“MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC! MEDEVAC!”
Tossing my book down behind me, my duty began again. The mystery novel would have to wait.
Chapter 3
(March – Molly)
Six weeks incarcerated…seven and a half more months to go until I can see my sister again. At least I hoped I would be allowed to visit her. Walking down the hall toward the library, I was pleased to see no one inside. Stepping into the quiet, carpeted room, I reveled in the feeling of calm. Breathing in the scent of old books, I smiled. Libraries and bookstores had always filled me with a sense of peace and I was grateful I had this oasis here in prison.
By court order, I was not allowed to email my sister, but she had slipped one past her foster parents’ watch when she was in school, using a friend’s account and fake name. So, while it was only one contact, knowing she was safe in a good foster home made my lack of freedom more bearable.
I powered up the six computers in the library, as I did each morning, before sitting down at one of them. Pulling up my Corrlinks access, I lifted a thankful prayer once more that I was able to use the internet…or at least part of it. I had to apply and was forbidden to contact my sister, but I was able to send and receive a message after it had been reviewed and monitored. It was a small comfort that my assigned email address did not scream “I’m a convict!” Especially since it was the only way I could communicate with the soldiers for my project. My mailing address would have given that away, and that was information I preferred to stay private.
With a quick scan, I knew there was nothing new from Rachel. Damn! I hope the school did not catch on to her writing to me. My eyes focused on an unfamiliar name, but the email address ended with ‘mil.gov’. Military? With excitement I had not felt in months, I clicked on the email.
Molly,
I received your note in the book and wanted to thank you for the carefully packed books that came. They arrived in perfect condition and I, for one, was thrilled to get my hands on some new mysteries. I have to agree that the one your note was in has become a favorite of mine as well. It was a new-to-me author and I’ll have to see if I can find more they have written. I assume you must be a librarian since you work in a library so you might be able to let me know of any other good ones to read. This is my second tour in Afghanistan so you can imagine I have gone through a lot of books. Again, thank you for sending them. We appreciate the gift.
SGT Brody Molina
A smile curved my lips as I read his email several times over. Some soldiers got the books! And someone wrote back to me! I re-read the email again, my smile spreading across my face. Sharing an email with someone over a love of books, made me feel almost normal for the first time in months. The grin only lasted a few minutes until Ms. Purdue and Greta walked in, and I quickly flicked off the computer, but the excitement filled my soul. I knew I would not reply to the soldier, but it had been nice for a moment to be thought of as a librarian and not judged as an inmate.