Barely audible, it was nonetheless just the element she needed to get her through the session. It would cocoon her ever so subtly, and they would be none the wiser that she was clinging to it for strength and courage. Not quite a year ago, Maura Beth had endured the distressing ultimatum from Councilman Sparks and his underlings that had set her on an unending survival track for her little library. Now, here she stood again before the terrible trio in that same meeting room without a witness, taking yet another stab at keeping her head above water. This time, almost literally. “I’ve had our insurance adjuster take these photos of the storm damage, gentlemen,” she was saying, while passing around her handouts. “As you’ll see, they clearly show the damage to the roof done by the lightning strike, and then all the water damage to the ceiling, the stacks, and the books in the children’s area. Of course, I’ve included the floor in that corner of the building as well. I’ve also given you the adjuster’s estimates, minus the deductibles.
