Question asked by gophersaurus

Answer:

This is old and random and it was supposed to end differently. Basically it’s late and I have a Chinese oral exam on Tuesday but wow I really wanted to finish this. Enjoy! (and im sorry it took so long D:)

“Olaf? What’re you doin’ here, Bud?”

Anna knelt down in front of a young boy, perhaps six years old, who had picked up one of the padded children’s books from a shelf. Despite the fact that Anna had only finished reading aloud to the children a few minutes ago (her story-time was the most popular out of all the volunteers!), Olaf had already gotten a fair way through the pages, slowly enunciating each word. When she addressed him, he pushed his too-big glasses back up his nose and looked at her with wide eyes.

Olaf was Anna’s favourite out of all the kids she read to. He was quiet and courteous, always making sure to raise his hand if he wanted to ask something. He and his mother (a gorgeous lady. All tight pencil-skirts and neat blonde hair) stopped by regularly, but she was usually waiting for her son after story time). Actually, more often than not they were some of the first out the door (but only after Olaf had given Anna a hug goodbye).

But, Anna hadn’t received her hug because Olaf hadn’t left. Instead, he gave her a shrug. “Mommy had to go see someone,” he said. “His name is Mr Kai and even though he has all these boring books on helping people he’s really nice.”

Anna grinned. “Books that help people aren’t boring!” Olaf closed his own book and screwed his nose up.

“But these ones are massive.” He enunciated the word by stretching out his hands. “They’re really old and they don’t have any pictures. She says its about custer- custo- custard law so she gets to spend all her time with me…”

Anna stared blankly at Olaf for a few seconds, mind trying to process both what he was saying, and what it meant. Olaf blinked at her until she gathered (at least partially) her wits. This was a can of worms she neither expected nor wanted to get into – she was studying theatre, not civil law! She inhaled silently.

“Well,” she began, unsure of where she was going, “How about we go and find her and see if she can give you some custard, huh?“ What the actual fuck Anna what are you saying?

Olaf shrugged, but he stood up anyway. Putting his book back on the shelf (even in the right spot, Anna noticed with a smile), he grasped her hand and began leading her around the library.

“Now, what can you tell me about your mom?” she asked, as if she hadn’t noticed the woman each and every time she walked in. God, those hips in her high-heeled business shoes. The first time Anna say her, she almost began salivating over the copy of The Faraway Tree she was reading. Luckily, she’d caught herself in time.

“Umm… she’s super pretty! And tall! And she has a really big smile even if she seems really grouchy. She says it takes two cups of coffee for her happy bar to fill up, but I know I can make it go faster with a hug…”

Anna nodded while Olaf continued to speak. It wasn’t long before he was talking about his favourite soft toy (a snowman named Marshmallow. “Obviously,” he’d said, with more sass than Anna had ever heard from a pre-schooler) and how it had been a present from his mother the first Christmas they stayed together.

But then Olaf fell silent and Anna got a little worried. She glanced down only to find the young boy frowning, worrying his lip between his teeth.

“What’s up, Olaf?” she asked. He gave another little shrug.

“Mama doesn’t like talking about it,” he said, as though that offered any explanation at all. But, It wasn’t Anna’s place to push.

Looking up, she wondered, briefly, if Olaf’s mother had left – perhaps to get a coffee or something. She was just about to suggest returning to the children’s section when she spotted a familiar flash of snow-white hair. The owner was sitting at one of the tables, alone, bent low over a book. She had quite a sizeable pile next to her. Anna was impressed.

She also half expected Olaf to call out to her, and was surprised when he didn’t. Instead he just did a little jump and looked at Anna, his finger pressed against his lips. She nodded, and followed close behind him as he began to tiptoe forward.

He was right behind his mother when he shouted, “Boo!”. And she shrieked.

“Olaf!” she scolded, as soon as she’d caught herself. The other patrons had glanced around at the sound, and Anna could see a bright red flush crawling up her cheeks. “Olaf, this is a library!” He grinned sheepishly and climbed onto her lap.

“Wotcha reading?” he asked. “Anna read us about a magic pancake,” he grinned. It was only then that his mother seemed to realise that there was another adult standing within her periphery. If anything, the blush became more pronounced, and she jumped up, holding her son secure in her hands.

“I’m so sorry about Olaf!” she began to apologise. “He doesn’t know his own voice sometimes…”

Anna waved it off with a smile. “Nah, he’s cool. He’s actually like, the best kid we’ve got, believe it or not. You’re doing a good job raising him.”

At that, the other woman beamed, turning the expression to her son. Olaf had rested his head on her shoulder and was watching the two adults with a sort of detached fascination. His mother gave a little cough and jostled him, getting comfortable, before looking back up.

“Would you feel… amenable to letting me buy you a coffee?” she asked slowly, eyes flickering between Anna’s own. “I mean, I basically use this place like a childcare centre. Something to just say thank you for taking care of my son…”

And now Anna was the one blushing. She had to actively force it down because no, this was just someone being nice. No one actually asked for dates anymore, anyway – her own lack-luster love life proved that. “Wow and I don’t even know your name,” she blurted. The other woman’s eyes widened a fraction before a single, perfect eyebrow lifted.

She held out her hand. “I’m Elsa,” she said. “Elsa Arendelle. And you already know Olaf…”

Both women glanced to the boy, whose eyes had shut. His chest rose and fell gently with each breath, and his hand had curled into a loose fist on Elsa’s chest.

“You should probably get him home to bed,” Anna commented. Elsa gave a small nod of agreement.

“Yeah… Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, um, Anna, was it?” When Anna nodded, she flashed a brief smile. “Anna. Are you free this time next week? We can go after the story time. If- if you want.”

“Oh yeah, definitely! Next week would be great!”

“Perfect,” came the gentle reply. “I guess I'll… see you then…” she said, trailing off.

Anna gave a small wave. “Bye!”

Elsa gave a jerky nod before she was on her way out. Anna watched her until she had disappeared behind a bookcase before turning around, fighting the smile that threatened to rise to her face.

It only got worse when her eyes fell once again to the pile of books that the young woman had collected. Stepping forward, she reached down and flipped closed the one that Elsa had been reading from.

This time, she had to bite her lip to keep the smile at bay.

The last book she had expected Elsa, the quiet, business-like mother of her most well-behaved story time participant to be reading, was one that Anna herself had read (though many years prior). But, she thought, looking down at the Calibri-fonted title splashed across a rainbow background, it was never too late to discover yourself.