Love in the Stacks: The Coffee Break

Carlos and Michelle danced around each other for months.  Everyone knew they would get together, it was only a matter of time.  It was something they could not shelve.  It was...  Love in the Stacks


In this book-spine-tingling segment, we introduce you to Carlos and Michelle, two librarians who share a forbidden love.  Standing in the way is Enrique, Michelle's past flame and cataloger, and Carlita, the buxom library assistant II that is vying for Carlos's affections.  As we begin our tale, Carlos and Michelle enter the break room and meet at the coffee machine...

"Hi, Carlos," Michelle said, as their eyes locked, their gaze holding as one would hold a favorite but very worn paperback.


"Hello," Carlos said, picking up the pot of hot coffee, "Coffee?"

"Oh, Carlos," she said, her hand flying to her chest, "Yes, yes, I would love some!"


"Where is your cup, my dear?" Carlos asked.


Michelle looked around, puzzled.  She had set it in the dishwasher only yesterday.


The break room door suddenly flew open, slamming into the wall and knocking pins out of the bulletin board.  Enrique strode into the room, his pants just a little too tight to cover the bulge of the item stamp in his pocket.


"Michelle," Enrique said, "Here, I have your coffee cup.  I had it... monogrammed."


He held the cup out so that Michelle could see.  Her face and his gleamed from within a heart; her name on top, and his on bottom.  Her hand held out for it, but then stopped herself.


"Is that?  Where was that picture from?" she asked.


"It is from that time we were on vacation.  The sand, the surf, the beautifulliness of you."


"You mean the trip to Branson, Missouri?  There was no beach there!"


"There was a beach in my heart," Enrique said, "And you, you were the sun!  Come back to me, I need you.  I am like an OPAC without a server."


"That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard," Carlos said.


"Carlos, stay out of this," Michelle said, "And yes, it was quite lame."


"Yes, Carlos, go fix your computers or whatever it is you do and-" Enrique stopped talking and blinked, "Hey, I thought that OPAC thing was good.  My mom said sounded great.  I stayed up all night-"

The break room door suddenly flew open, again, slamming into the wall, again, and knocking more pins out of the bulletin board.  Carlita glided into the room, her dress the color of old book pages and just as easy to remove.

"Am I... interrupting?" Carlita said.  She moved between Michelle and Enrique, taking the cup from his hand.

"Carlos," she said, "Can I have some of that coffee?"

Carlos glanced toward Michelle.  He then poured the coffee into the mug.  "Cream? Sugar?" he asked Carlita.

"No," she said, "I like my coffee like I like my books, dirty and without the covers."

"I don't follow you," Carlos said.

"I really meant sex," Carlita said.

"Ah," Carlos said.

Michelle then moved between them, taking the coffee cup from Carlita's hand.

"This cup's mine, Carlita.  You should remember about touching someone else's things."

Carlita opened her mouth to respond when Enrique then moved between the women, facing Michelle.

"So you like the cup, Michelle?" he asked her.

Carlos then moved between Michelle and Enrique, facing Enrique.

"Dude, chick fight."

"Damn," Enrique said.

Just then Carlos felt a hot, scolding pain on his head and back.  Michelle emptied the contents of the coffee onto his and Enrique's heads.  With that, the two women stalked out.

Carlos put up the coffee pot, his pain both internal and external.

Enrique stepped on one of the pins that had fallen from the bulletin board.  He was caused great pain.

Will Carlos and Michelle ever get together?  Or will they choose Carlita and Enrique, you know, respectively?  Why is their love forbidden?

...Seriously, aren't they adults?

Eh, maybe its policy or something, I dunno.

...But if that's the case then why would Carlita and Enrique be a threat?  Wouldn't they be under the same policy?

Enrique plays by no one's rules!

Then why does Enrique still live with his mother?  Dude, you are grown!

Shut up, fancy pants nose man you!

Find out next week in Love in the Stacks!

Love in the Stacks: The Coffee Break

Carlos and Michelle danced around each other for months.  Everyone knew they would get together, it was only a matter of time.  It was something they could not shelve.  It was...  Love in the Stacks


In this book-spine-tingling segment, we introduce you to Carlos and Michelle, two librarians who share a forbidden love.  Standing in the way is Enrique, Michelle's past flame and cataloger, and Carlita, the buxom library assistant II that is vying for Carlos's affections.  As we begin our tale, Carlos and Michelle enter the break room and meet at the coffee machine...