Short Story

Morning Story Time

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Originally written in 2021, I have reworked
this story for Muse on Monday where David
asks us to write a story that takes place in
a library. This is where my imagination took me.

© Pexels

There wasn’t anything particularly special about the guy; he was actually rather ordinary looking but something made me uneasy. He just stood near the entrance, silently watching.

It was the usual Wednesday morning story time in the children’s room of the Lansing Library. Parents running errands could drop off their kids knowing they’d be safe and well-cared-for. The children listened intently as I read “The Adventures of Frog and Toad“.

I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable vibe I was getting from that guy. I caught the eye of my assistant, Grace, and with a slight tilt of my head I motioned toward the man. She glanced over and casually made her way across the room.

With cautious confidence Grace walked up to him and in a quiet but stern tone said “You’ve got thirty seconds to explain to me what you’re doing here”.

The man seemed rattled by Grace’s demand and stumbled over an apology. “I’m terribly sorry! I didn’t mean to alarm anyone. I’m here to pick up my son.”

“Oh, really? Who’s your son?” Grace asked.

The man replied “Nathan … Nathan Fletcher. I’m Jacob Fletcher. My wife … sorry, my estranged wife, Emily isn’t feeling well. She asked me to come fetch him. She’s pregnant, you know.” He paused. “We’re going through a rough patch.”

“Yes, Emily. Of course! Such a lovely woman” Grace answered, somewhat self-consciously. “Sorry to hear she’s ill. She seemed fine when she dropped Nathan off.”

“Yes, she was” Jacob agreed. “It’s the morning sickness; it really knocks her for a loop sometimes. Emily said she would notify library security that I’d be picking Nathan up. I wonder if she dozed off before calling.”

Before Grace had a chance to call the security desk to verify Mr. Fletcher’s story, Nathan spotted his father; the boy was very excited to see his dad and happily raced over to greet him.

“Daddy! Daddy! Is Mommy coming, too?” Jacob gave Nathan a big hug and scooped him up in his arms.

“Hi, buddy! Mommy’s resting, so I came to get you.”

“Can we get ice cream? And some for Mommy?” Nathan asked, bubbling with excitement.

“Sure!” Jacob replied. “C’mon! We better get going.”

Grace glanced at me and I nodded in approval, smiling at the duo of father and son. The two left, hand in hand, Nathan skipping along beside his dad.

An hour later, when story time was over, the parents returned from their errands to collect their children. One of them was Emily Fletcher. She was smiling brightly, aglow in her pregnancy, the picture of health … there to pick up her son, Nathan.

My heart froze; in that moment I realized Emily had no idea Nathan’s father had taken him. I had made a critical error in judgement and now that sweet boy had been abducted.


NAR©2021, 2025

This is “You Want It Darker” by Leonard Cohen

Muse on Monday – August 11, 2025

All text and graphics are copyright for Nancy Richy and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

27 thoughts on “Morning Story Time”

    1. Excellent question. Google says that approximately 560,000 people went missing in the US in 2023 and a significant portion of that number were voluntary! Incredible.

      Imagine …. of all the Leonard Cohen songs, I chose your favorite. Serendipity!

      Thanks for your very gracious comments, dear Keith.

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