Tamsin Sparks

❛ I wish I wasn’t so dependent on mobile phones. But ever since I became a mother, it’s hard for me to stay away from it. ❜ She crawled under the table, helping out the girl to find her phone, and pulling some chairs aside.

“Hey, at least you have being a mother as a good excuse” said Tamsin as she continued searching. “I don’t have any reason like that. Unless you count owning a couple cats.” She spent a fair amount of time postings cute images of her pets on Instagram.

❛ And I don’t see, why not ?! ❜ Briar Rose knew if she lost her phone she’d be nuts. So, she decided to help the other, by looking under the tables of the restaurant.

“Thank you so much!” said Tamsin. “I feel like my whole life is on there, and not being able to find it has been worried.” She began looking under tables as well.

Liesl bit her own tongue to suppress the laugh that threatened to escape from her mouth when the other explaining how they’ve fun;  ❛  I see your point. -— Wait, do you have ten cats?! ❜ Now her blue-greenish hues orbs widened. She never met anyone with such a quantity of cats in her life.

Tamsin shook her head and laughed. “Not ten” she quickly assured the blonde. “Just two.” They had both been rescues. She had a soft spot for cats. “Although if I had the money, I’d own a shelter that would have dozens.” As it was, she could barely afford the two she had. “Then I’d be full-on crazy cat lady.”

❛ You sound like my father. ❜ She shut her notebook as she sat on her own bed seeing the librarian. ❛ It’s funny to hear this from you. ❜

“Ouch” said Tamsin, covering her chest in mock pain. “If there’s one thing I hate being compared to, its a middle-aged man.” Then she flashed a grin. “Hey, just because I spend all day in the library doesn’t mean I like to spend my nights knitting and watching reruns of Murder She Wrote with my ten cats.”

❛ You look like you need some help… I can help, if you want.  ❜

“I lost my phone somewhere around here” said Tamsin, glancing around the restaurant. “Do you think you can help me find it?”

❛ Tell me one reason why I should go out… ❜

“Because you have your whole life to stay in” said Tamsin. “You only get a short time to live it up as a young person.” She might be a librarian, but Tamsin made a point of living life to the fullest.

Cayden sighed after he crossed the road “You know these cars coming from the wrong side will get me killed one day.”

“I’ve lived in London for years now, but I’m originally from the US” Tamsin said. “Trust me, you get used to it eventually.”

“She is so beautiful, isn’t she?” Blair turned her head and smiled “i’ve wanted a horse since i was a little girl, but living in the city i didn’t exactly have a place to put one.” 

“And you do now?” asked Tamsin. Life in London wasn’t cheap, after all. “But yes, she’s gorgeous. I think there’s something special about horses. You can tell it when you look in their eyes.”

“Not all of us were.” Odette laughed. “It is always somewhat amusing to see the look on their faces when they realise I actually know what I’m talking about.” She shoved her hands in her back pockets, leaning heavily on her right leg. “Anthropology and Archaeology. I have a PhD in both.”

“I have enough struggle keeping my patience when people return books late” Tamsin said with a chuckle of her own. “I didn’t exactly become a librarian for the constant public interactions.” Not that she was an introvert. She just preferred keeping her own company to being around people who annoyed her. As the professor mentioned her field of study, she raised her eyebrows. “That’s really impressive. I’ve heard most people struggle just earning one PhD, never mind two.”

Nicole was a little taken back at the question, a blush rushing to her cheeks as she looked back at the brunette. “Not defacing, enhancing…or that’s how I like to think of it at least. It’s not like I scribbled all over it I just wrote a nice note on the title page and signed it. Honestly, if I bought a book and it had a personal note from the author it would brighten my day so I’m just trying to maybe do that for someone else…” she looked back at the book she’d just placed back on the shelf wondering if maybe she should just buy it and forget the whole idea. “Wouldn’t you like to discover a message like that? I mean, if JK Rowling went around leaving hidden messages I’d devote my life to finding one” she laughed softly. “Not that I’m comparing myself to JK…oh god I sound so big headed…shut up Nicole…”

As the blonde explained what she had been doing, Tamsin felt herself relax. “So you’re the author?” she asked in surprise. Then she grinned. “That’s so cool! What genre do you write?” Tamsin had met her share of writes while working at her job, but it was very different to run into one while on her day off. Then she nodded. “A personal note from JK Rowling would be incredible” she said. “I’d probably never read the book again, for fear of messing it up.” With a laugh, she said “Don’t worry about it. I think everyone aspires to be as successful as JK.” Tamsin had been a huge Harry Potter fan growing up, of course. She still was, actually. “But I would watch that ego of yours. So that your head still fits through doorways.” She winked, to make it clear she was joking.

“fuck’s sake” julian shook his head. “I honestly wonder what must have gone wrong in the lives of those people that they actually think it works. like it must have worked before, otherwise they wouldn’t try it and that really fucks with my head” he continued, letting out a chuckle. 

“The world is a messed up place” Tamsin said. “Full of messed up people.” She knew that sounded cynical, but it was one reason she loved books so much. They were an escape from everyday problems. Then she chuckled as well. “I shudder to think that such a thing has actually worked before.”

It was still so surreal to Nicole to walk into Waterstones and see her novel, all shiny and new book smell amazing, on the shelf next to some of her favourite authors. Craftily she delved into her bag, pulling out a pen before glancing around to ensure no one was looking. When she was sure she didn’t have an audience she reached back, took a book from the middle of the stack and flipped open the cover before writing a cute, uplifting message on the title page and slotting the book back in place for an unsuspecting reader to find. The idea of someone opening her book and having their day made even a tinier bit better by her message brought a smile to her lips. Until she turned away and realised she had an audience. “Uh…it’s not what it looks like” she blushed. “I wrote it…the book I mean…you know what? Let’s just pretend you didn’t see that…”

Tamsin was somewhat taken aback. As a librarian, there was almost nothing in the world more sacred to her than books. Which is why seeing someone write in a brand new book shocked her so much. Finally able to speak again, she said “Any particular reason you’re defacing books? Or is it just your idea of a good time?” She was trying to sound as polite as possible. When she got upset, she was less likely to get a straight answer from somebody.

Tamsin walked into the shop where Rayne worked. Spotting her friend behind the counter, she smiled and waved. “I should have known I’d find you here” she said. “You work too hard.” She worried Rayne was going to give herself a nervous breakdown one day with how hard she worked. Peering into the display of baked goods, she said “What would you recommend for a girl who is seriously craving chocolate?”

“what the actual fuck is wrong with people, honestly!” julian said in disbelief. he couldn’t believe that people would actually just offer sex to a stranger to get out of a situation. he leaned back and put his feet up on the living room table, taking another sip of his beer. “you know, you would think a library is a quiet and safe space, but no, of course there creepy people there as well!”

“As a librarian, I can definitely confirm this” agreed Tamsin. “You don’t even want to know some of the stuff that I’ve seen. It would give you nightmares.” Like the couple who decided to have sex right next to the Stephen King novels. That had been fun to happen upon.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand the appeal of it.” Odette nodded in agreement. “Precisely. And it’s always an interesting way to start a class. Someone doubting you and then not being able to say a thing after being shut down. Being a woman in a field like I’m in, you get used to being underestimated.”

“I suspect it takes a certain sort of patience to understand it” said Tamsin. “A sort of patience I just wasn’t blessed with.” Patience was not her strong suit. Unless she had a book in her hands, she hated sitting still for too long. “Now I kind of wish I was in your class, just so I could see you shut some douchebag down.” And she had always liked school. At least, the learning part of it. “What field are you in, anyway?”

“Don’t even get me started on golf. The amount of people I’ve met who enjoy it, astounds me.” Odette laughed, shaking her head. “That makes two of us then. Although a couple asshole students could make things interesting. I like to think I’m pretty good at shutting people like that down.”

“Its literally the most boring thing I’ve ever seen” said Tamsin with an eyeroll. She’d rather watch paint dry than watch golf. With a laugh of her own, she said “Yeah, at least your class wouldn’t be boring that way. And if you’re good at shutting them down, then it might work to your advantage. It could get the rest of the students to respect you.”

julian couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “that is the biggest bullshit that I have ever heard!” he exclaimed. he shook his head at the person sitting across him and took another sip from his thrid (or fourth?) drink. 

“Its not bullshit” said Tamsin, shaking her head and laughing. “I’m telling you, the guy literally tried to offer me sex in exchange for dropping his overdue book fine.” Which was wrong on so many levels. Not the least of which was because men did nothing for her.