Breaking the Habit

On a still, chilly evening in late February, Gloria Encarta was enjoying a period of peace and quiet.

The summoner girl thrived on silence and solitude - it was part of the reason why she loved her job and didn't mind the library being far, far removed from Manhattan's most popular hangout. When she was all alone, she would sometimes stand amongst the shelves and just take in the books. Older books especially, with their pages written in days long gone, their musty smell comforting and yet mysterious. She sometimes gave an especially musty book a good sniff, then closed her eyes and imagined what the world was like when the book was new, long before her birth.

But she had no time for such meditation at the moment, because the creak of the old library door told her she had company.

"Sis?"

Standing in the doorway were two of Gloria's three younger sisters. Gloria ushered them in from the cold, taking in their appearance. Her initial smile at seeing her sisters faded when she saw their own expressions.

Josephine looked almost as if a little rain cloud was drizzling onto her head. She shuffled in slowly, her head down. Ariel had one arm reassuringly around her older sister's shoulder. The two of them looked up at Gloria with large eyes.

"Wh... what's wrong?"
"Gloria..." Josephine said pitifully.
"She's having trouble with her body image again." Ariel said softly. "I'm trying to help her, and we've made some progress, but I'm out of ideas."
"Big sis, you were always the one who knew what to do. Can you help me stop worrying so much and just try to enjoy myself?"

Gloria paused to think. As the oldest sister, the others often turned to her when they needed help, and Gloria could tell from her sisters' worried expressions that she was needed.

"You know... I think you could use a vacation, Josephine. And to be honest, Ariel, you should take one too. Take one together!"
Both sisters stared at Gloria, confused.
"Ariel, this isn't just about Josephine, is it? You've been working on cause after cause nonstop for months. You're as bad as Mom. You need a break."
Gloria then turned to Josephine. "And I think a more relaxed atmosphere could help you mellow out a bit. You could probably also use a break from your job... or even a brand new one. Working in a clothing store is hard on your self-image even after their improvements, isn't it?"
Josephine looked away, a little embarrassed. "Well... if you think so."
Ariel smiled. "Not a bad idea at all! C'mon, sis, let's see if a good cruise liner is available!"
"Don't people usually gain weight on cruises?"
"Oh, be quiet. It'll be fun, I promise!"

As Ariel, her spark roaring back to life, eagerly dragged Josephine away, Gloria checked the library's drop-off slot and found a book. She moved back into the library's heart and placed the book back in its proper place on the shelf. She looked out the window and saw Ariel on the street still dragging Josephine, who was scrambling to keep up. Gloria snickered to herself.

"It's like they're still kids."

She shook her head, smiling, and turned back to look at the library interior. She was alone again.

She grabbed a thick, worn book from a high shelf and took it with her to the library's reading couch, settling down and cracking it open. She sighed happily.

"Ah, bliss."