Chapter Twenty-Two

I sat upright and looked around my bedroom, searching for signs that I was gone for a long time. Even though I was with Lisa for one night, I wasn't sure how long time passed here. I stood up and wobbled as my achy body tried to walk toward the door. I felt like I was hit by a car.

I reached for the handle and pulled the door open when I came face to face with a very distraught Tarryn and Becca.

"Oh my God!" Tarryn said before she grabbed me and pulled me toward her. "I didn't know what to do. You were gone and I…I panicked. I thought you disappeared. Or that you pulled a Tessa. So I called Bec. I had to, Jennie. I had no choice."

I pulled her off and willed her to slow down. Her words weren't making any sense. My brain was absolute mush.

"Am I supposed to know what pulling a Tessa is? And I'm fine. I'm here, aren't I?"

I gave a laugh, but her sad face didn't respond.

Instead Becca stepped forward with arms folded and said, "She had no choice, Jennie."

Oh shit. "Had no choice to do what?"

Now I was freaking out a little.

"I found the book on your bed, open to a page, and I read it…you were in the pages. I didn't know why this time was different," she explained as I shook my head in disbelief. "I didn't understand why you weren't here with me while inside there with her. So I read this."

She held up a book I hadn't seen before.

"I found it inside the hidden room and it was full of information that helped me find out why you weren't back yet. When the first day went by, I realized I couldn't hide you being away any longer." She sighed and threw the book onto my bed. "I was really freaking out, Jennie, and I was all alone in this. So I told Becca everything."

I pretty much knew this was what she was going to tell me, but it didn't stop me from throwing my hands up in the air and screaming at her the importance of keeping this a secret. Her face turned red with anger, and she stepped forward and got into my face—totally not what I expected.

"You have no idea how horrible it was dealing with your disappearance, Jennie. Everyone was asking questions. People called for you, and on top of that I had to run your library, alone. So without Becca here to help me deal, I would have lost my crap, okay? So back off!"

Wow. I knew she was sassy, but this side of Tarryn was not one I wanted to see on a regular basis.

"Tarryn, I'm really sorry for leaving you here to deal with this all alone," I said as I hugged her. "I promise not to ever do it again. I just got into that fight with Rose, and I guess I got lost inside the pages."

"You can say that again," Becca exclaimed.

"It's okay, just don't ever do that without telling me first, okay?" Tarryn asked. Her normal coloring took over and the redness disappeared from her face. "I had to call the Rhode Island library to get some answers, and I have to say, they were very helpful."

"I'd love to hear all about it, but first, can I get some food. I feel horrible." I held my stomach as a hunger unlike anything I'd ever felt before took hold of me.

We sat at Gram's table as Tarryn showed me all the things she found inside the secret room. On the table laid several photographs, more books, and letters. The photographs were of the other Librarians that I had seen before.

"This book has all the information you'll ever need of all the libraries all over the country who are in the sect of The Librarians. That's how I got ahold of the Rhode Island library and talked to Tessa Kim Hancock's daughter, Ariane," Tarryn explained, as she showed me a photo of Tessa. I recognized her from the photo on the wall.

"Wasn't Tessa the one who decided to stay inside her book?" I asked as I remembered Tarryn telling me her tale before.

She nodded and said, "Yes. Her protector, Beverly, was so distraught that she left the sect and decided never to be part of it again. It can be really damaging when your preserver disappears on you."

I laughed, "I get it!"

I took a bite of spaghetti and sucked the noodle into my mouth as she explained some more.

"Ariane would like to meet us and tell us everything she learned about Jenny and why she got stuck inside her book," Becca chimed in. "She is really nice."

Now that we sat at the table together, I felt really happy that Becca was part of our little secret group; I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'd love to meet her. When can we go?" I asked as I wiped my face clean.

"Let's go tomorrow," Becca suggested. "The library is closed and I have the day off of work, too."

"Road trip!" Tarryn yelled excitedly.

"Whose car are we taking? Because there is no way Gram's beast is going to make that drive," I said. Rhode Island was far, too far for that truck anyway.

"Well, since I'm the only one with a car that's not a hundred years old, that leaves my car," Becca groaned.

"Good, let's leave at first light so that we don't spend the whole day driving, 'kay?"

They both nodded and I excused myself from the table. I needed a shower and my bed. I had just spent the last two days in the wrong time and my body felt sore. I wouldn't be doing that again anytime soon.

As I walked away, the only thoughts that permeated my brain were of Lisa and when I would see her again, not going on a road trip with my friends. I had to figure out my life and what direction I wanted to take it. I just didn't know how to do that yet.