Overdue

Juliet's alarm always went off too early.

Actually, her alarm was her kids, but still it was regularly the one thing that forced her to drag herself out of bed in the mornings. This morning though, was going to be different than the others.

Today was the day to de-clutter the dreaded junk covered corner table and surrounding area. Which by itself was already pretty bad, but the lockdowns from the pandemic had exacerbated it more than she or her husband cared to admit. It seemed to be a magnet for junk mail, the occasional holiday or thank you cards, toys, pretzels, coats, keys, socks &etc. That corner of your home that you absolutely despise yet have no actual motivation to do something about it.

All that though was in the past and Juliet was on a mission to come off as conqueror.

With the baby down for a nap and the toddler captivated by his favorite show, she rolled up her sleeves and set to work. The process was long and dreadful. More than once Juliet caught herself muttering under her breath why she just kept throwing the unwanted stuff there instead of putting it where it belonged. A trashbag full of junk mail and other garbage, enough socks to create their own load of laundry, misplaced "favorite" toys later she saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Her corner table was visible once again, just a few more things and....

She froze in horror as she saw it. Her mind started racing, how long had it been there? Lurking, waiting to be found?

A Library Book that had been placed on the table with the goal to read it, and had surreptitiously hidden itself away and blended in with the scenery of the repulsive corner. She vaguely recalled the few weeks before the lockdown, the decision to try and do more for herself intellectually. She had specifically chosen it because it looked interesting and had snagged it in the hopes it would be a good mental break for her.

Then the Lockdown happened, her husband had started doing school at home, and life had completely turned upside down. She had forgotten about it at the time, found it 6 months later and had set it on the Table to remind herself to take it back.

That had been 15 months ago.

Crap. The fines must be astronomical!

Juliet snatched up the book as her adrenaline started pumping, the baby had just started crying and the toddler was asking for a snack. She looked for somewhere to put it where she wouldn't forget about it. Ultimately decided on the Kitchen counter because she knew she would be able to see it.

Thoughts racing she got the baby up, and decided they had to go right away to the Library and she had to explain that it had all been an accident. Hopefully they would at least take some pity on her right?

Grabbing the diaper bag, along with socks and shoes for the toddler she made her way to the living room to find the Toddler had removed his clothes during the hour and a half show and was running around the living room naked as a baby bird.

Juliet paused his show in order to get his attention which only started the downward spiral of tears and wails that accompanies such an act. Never mind the tv show had been ignored up until 10 seconds ago. Taking a deep breath she tried to explain to the agitated child that they had to go out and that they could finish it when they got home. All the while trying to once again clothe the wiggling child.

After putting out that fire, she turned to find the baby had blown out of his diaper. Back to the bedroom to change him, and give him a quick bath. Her anxiety was rising, and her anxious brain happened to remember that one random story about the woman she had read about recently who had forgotten to return a movie to a rental location only to find out she had a felony warrant out for her arrest. Could that happen over a Library book?

Her thoughts were interrupted by finding the toddler had once again stripped and had helped himself to the juice in the fridge, spilling it all over the kitchen floor. Gritting her teeth she cleaned it up, forced the toddler back into his clothes, shoes, jacket, then grabbed him, the baby and her purse and headed out to the car.

After getting everyone situated she hopped in and started the car, pulled out of her driveway wheels squealing and started rushing towards the library.

Several minutes later she happened to glance towards her phone pinging and realized she had forgotten the dratted book. Groaning she turned around and headed back to get the cursed item.

15 minutes later, after going back inside for the book, then again for a snack for the toddler, then again because she left her phone on the counter they were on her way again.

Her phone rang: It was her husband.

"Hey! Can you come get me from campus? Class got out early and I missed the bus, there won't be another for 40 minutes."

That's fine, she could grab him and go a roundabout way to the Library then home.

Another 15 minutes later she pulled up to the curb where her husband was standing:

"Hey Honey! You looked stressed, is everything ok?" he said sliding into the passenger seat and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh yeah! Great!" Juliet said in a slightly exasperated tone as she pulled away from the curb to merge into traffic. She caught herself and quickly started apologizing: "I am so sorry, it has just been a day you see..."

She quickly slammed on her breaks as she almost hit the car in front of her.

Traffic was backed up and sirens could be heard up ahead.

"This is NOT HAPPENING!" Juliet groaned and glanced behind her to see she was trapped on all sides. Of course the main roadway had to be blocked. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath; It was going to be ok, at least she could have visits in prison. She told herself she was exaggerating but the thought lingered and she started to feel desperate.

After another 15 minutes of stop and go traffic they started moving forward only to be stopped again because someone hadn't been paying attention. Groaning again Juliet glanced at the clock, it was 12:30, then in a panic she remembered today was Monday, which meant the Library closed early at 1. With this Traffic she would never make it and be able to have enough time to explain herself.

She laid on her horn and then made the decision to just go for it. She pulled out of her lane and started driving along the edge of the road, nearly on the median and turned left just as the light turned red. Other drivers laid on their horns as they braked to avoid hitting her van.

Her husband looked at her wide eyed:

"Honey..."

"Hold on! We will make it in time, we have to."

She sped down a back street and brake checked at a stop sign. The toddler was egging her on in the back seat by saying "Beep Beep!! Vroom Vroom!!"

"Juliet, make it to what? You are driving like a maniac. Slow down!"

"Don't tell me to slow down! I cannot imagine what the fines on that dang library book are and I will be dammed if I don't get the chance to explain myself!"

She wound through a residential area then took a right onto another main roadway. More horns blared.

"What Library Book? What are you talking about?"

"I cleaned out the Junk Corner today and found a Library book I checked out before the Pandemic started..."

"Okay..."

"So I have had the stupid thing for 15 months. Please don't be angry about the fine."

"The fine? Jules you do realize...."

"No! I have to be able to explain, they should give me a chance to explain myself! It isn't my fault the pandemic happened and they shut their doors and wouldn't let me return anything!!"

"Juliet...!.."

"Hold on!!"

She gunned it through a yellow light and then cut off the person behind her so she could take her next turn. She took a quick glance at her husband who was still wide eyed but now was also holding on for dear life. White knuckled Juliet looked at the clock 12:45, she would make it, she just had to.

She then heard the dreaded noise telling her she was low on gas. Looking at the dashboard she could see the lever hovering just barely above the 'E'. Juliet frantically considered her options. She could make it right? Yeah, she could make it.

Finally, at 12:55 her car limped into the Library parking lot. She pulled into a parking space and in one jerky motion unbuckled the seatbelt while putting the car in park, grabbed the book, flung open the door and leapt from the vehicle. She had forgotten her mask, but she didn't care this book was going to make it back before closing and she would plead her case, they had to be understanding right?

"Juliet!" Her husband called leaning out the window

"Just a minute! I will be back soon."

She busted through the door, quite the sight to behold. She had been sweating, her hair was rumpled from the multiple times she had run her hands through them, her eyes were wild and anxious as she ran the last stretch of this marathon to the Library front desk.

The Librarian looked up at Juliet's frazzled and gasping person.

"Can I help you with something ma'am?"

Still gasping for air Juliet shoved the book into the woman's hands with the only discernable words being:

"Junk....book.....hiding...."

The Librarian looked at her with one eyebrow raised:

"I'm sorry?"

Juliet took a deep breath:

"Please understand, I was just cleaning out my junk corner and somehow the book was hiding. Please don't report me, or slap me with a huge fine. I promise it was an accident."

The Librarian couldn't keep her face straight:

"Ma'am, were you worried about this book being a year overdue?"

Juliet nodded and was met with a laugh.

"Well I am sorry you went through so much stress and obviously great lengths to get it back. We do appreciate you bringing it back to us. You see though, because we have only recently opened again since the lockdowns most people weren't able to return items anyway and all patrons were granted a 2 month extension."